We found the car in Pasadena, California. It looked at first like a clean ’87 Mustang 5.0, but it turned out to be a four-cylinder car with a ’91 drivetrain and interior. We got it cheap at $2,000 and drove it home.We found the car in Pasadena, California. It looked at first like a clean ’87 Mustang 5.0, "I love my job!" squealed Julia, director of video operations, as she clung to the back of the passenger seat trying to steady the camera while we executed the fifth or sixth smoking donut in Ron Burgundy, our new project beater. The car had begun to fill with smoke and the wipers had suddenly come on. There was a man running along the side of the car. "Who the hell is that?” someone yelled over the screaming engine. It sounded like a girl's voice, but it could have been any one of us. Five more spins and an attempt was made to straighten out the car and get the show going in one direction. Rental cops deployed from the nearby bagel shop, but their golf carts were no match. We were gone, leaving only a swirly, squiggly, tire-tread reminder of Ron's awesomeness. Back in the safety of the Car Craft shop, we decided it was time for a turbo. None of this fun would have been possible if shop metal-bender Grant Peterson hadn't been fool enough to volunteer to buy a beater for us to abuse. After testing himself against the crystal meth tweakers and other questionable types that own said Fox Mustangs in the Los Angeles area, Grant proved victorious by e-scoring an unbelievably minty '87 Mustang notch for only two grand. We high-fived and rubbed it in the faces of the Hot Rod and 5.0 Mustang and Super Fords magazine guys until 5.0's KJ Jones pointed out that it was actually a four-cylinder car with a really clean 5.0 swap. Thanks a lot, KJ. But we didn't care—we added a turbo anyway. Jealous? Don't be. You can enjoy your life as much as we do ours by buying a Fox Mustang and boosting it to the moon. See if you can top our smoke show and send video or a photo of at least 1 mb. Do it now. No one lives forever. 1. The gauge cluster and steering wheel are from a later-model, airbag car. Again, we didn’t care. It was all about the Boogie Nights-red interior.1. The gauge cluster and steering wheel are from a later-model, airbag car. Again, we didn 2. Sign of a swap! A four-cylinder vacuum tree tipped off 5.0’s KJ Jones that our car was once much slower.2. Sign of a swap! A four-cylinder vacuum tree tipped off 5.0’s KJ Jones that our car was 3. The engine is stock—that we know. We didn’t know the mileage or the condition, so we watched for smoke, checked the oil, listened for knocks, and made the deal.3. The engine is stock—that we know. We didn’t know the mileage or the condition, so we wa 4. Since the car was running well, we changed the oil and ran the car on the eighth-mile. The best time was 9.78 at 74 mph.4. Since the car was running well, we changed the oil and ran the car on the eighth-mile. 5. The plan was to install a 62mm Hellion Street Heat turbo kit designed for ’79 to ’93 Fox Mustangs. After our first attempt at an installation, we read the directions.5. The plan was to install a 62mm Hellion Street Heat turbo kit designed for ’79 to ’93 Fo 6. The kit comes with a set of headers that cross under the balancer to the passenger side where both the wastegate and turbo are located.6. The kit comes with a set of headers that cross under the balancer to the passenger side 7. The first attempt at installing the passenger header failed because the motor mounts were trash, causing the turbo flange to hit the inner fenderwell.7. The first attempt at installing the passenger header failed because the motor mounts we 8. We ordered and installed new mounts from Summit Racing and moved the engine to the stock position, allowing the header to clear the inner fender.8. We ordered and installed new mounts from Summit Racing and moved the engine to the stoc 9. Left: This punch is included in the kit. Using a hammer and anger, you must drive this spike into a specified position on the pan to install the oil drain-back fitting.9. Left: This punch is included in the kit. Using a hammer and anger, you must drive this 10. The tap is also included. We greased it up to catch the metal chips. 11. We used Teflon tape on the threads and installed the fitting (also included). This connects to the drain on the turbo.11. We used Teflon tape on the threads and installed the fitting (also included). This con 12. This is a good time to install new spark plugs. We used Autolite 24 per Hellion’s recommendation. We gapped them at 0.028.12. This is a good time to install new spark plugs. We used Autolite 24 per Hellion’s reco 13. This drain fitting is also included. We needed to loosen the clocking bolts on the compressor housing to position the turbo for installation and tighten the fitting.13. This drain fitting is also included. We needed to loosen the clocking bolts on the com 14. This 1 3⁄4-inch hole is for the drain-back line. We marked it by installing the turbo on the flange with the drain tube pointing straight down.14. This 1 3⁄4-inch hole is for the drain-back line. We marked it by installing the turbo 15. With the header bolted on, we mounted the crossover and the wastegate. 16. The kit comes with three wastegate springs: a 5-pound blue, a 7-pound white, and a 9-pound red, preinstalled. Guess which one we used?16. The kit comes with three wastegate springs: a 5-pound blue, a 7-pound white, and a 9-p 17. We had to remove the filler neck to drop the fuel tank and access the lock ring and remove the factory pump and sender.17. We had to remove the filler neck to drop the fuel tank and access the lock ring and re 18. The turbo is fed oil from the factory sender located on the front driver side of the engine. The fittings are supplied in the kit. We also had to change the oil filter to clear the new driver-side header.18. The turbo is fed oil from the factory sender located on the front driver side of the e 19. More power, more fuel. We had to step up to the 42-pound injectors that we also purchased from Summit Racing. We needed to remove the upper intake to get at them.19. More power, more fuel. We had to step up to the 42-pound injectors that we also purcha 20. We used a new, 255 gph, in-tank fuel pump and filter from Summit Racing that bolted into the factory sender bracket.20. We used a new, 255 gph, in-tank fuel pump and filter from Summit Racing that bolted in 21. The next big job was to install the intercooler. For that, we had to remove the front bumper cover. It’s easier than it looks.21. The next big job was to install the intercooler. For that, we had to remove the front 22. The kit takes the space of the factory airbox in the passenger fenderwell. The intercooler plumbing and the MAF are inside the fender.22. The kit takes the space of the factory airbox in the passenger fenderwell. The interco 23. The stock mass airflow sensor (MAF) gives up at about 350 hp. Our solution was a 90mm factory MAF from an ’01 to ’04 Ford Lightning truck. The hoses and aluminum adapter are sold separately by Hellion for the new MAF. We also bought a Lightning MAF plug from a local Ford dealer to connect the electrical.23. The stock mass airflow sensor (MAF) gives up at about 350 hp. Our solution was a 90mm 24. The factory computer comes with the old-style removable chip. It took most of a day to get the correct tune by burning, testing, then burning again. There are other methods, but this one seemed to be the cheapest. The computer is located in the passenger-side kick panel.24. The factory computer comes with the old-style removable chip. It took most of a day to 25. On the dyno, the turbo made 10 psi but began to creep toward the top of the powerband to almost 12 pounds. It made 441 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. Not bad for an otherwise-stock 302. After we address some transmission issues, we are headed back to Irwindale. Watch it run at YouTube/CarCraftMagazine.25. On the dyno, the turbo made 10 psi but began to creep toward the top of the powerband Dyno Day RPM HP TQ Boost 2,800 146 272 1.7 2,900 181 325 3.9 3,000 228 393 6.9 3,100 248 422 7.8 3,200 286 472 9.3 3,300 323 515 10.2 3,400 350 541 10.7 3,500 369 552 10.9 3,600 383 555 10.9 3,700 388 553 10.9 3,800 396 548 10.9 3,900 403 542 10.8 4,000 409 535 10.9 4,100 414 528 11 4,200 419 520 11.1 4,300 421 516 11.1 4,400 424 507 11.3 4,500 427 499 11.4 4,600 429 491 11.5 4,700 432 484 11.6 4,800 434 476 11.7 4,900 436 469 11.8 5,000 441 461 11.9 5,100 440 452 11.9 5,200 437 441 12 5,300 433 430 11.6 26. On the Westech dyno, we added some 118 Rockett Brand juice for added safety and let it fly. Note that it peaked at 555 lb-ft at only 3,600 rpm and ran out of cam and cylinder head at 5,300. The base timing was 8 degrees, and the average A/F ratio was 12.0:1.26. On the Westech dyno, we added some 118 Rockett Brand juice for added safety and let it Parts Description PN Price 5.0 Mustang 1987 $2,000.00 Autolite spark plugs (8) 24 12.00 Ford MAF Lightning plug 1U2Z-14S411-AY 47.38 FRPP 90mm MAF FMS-M-12579-L54 189.95 Hellion street heat turbo kit N/A 3,999.00 Hellion MAF adapter and hose kit N/A 100.00 (est.) NAPA oil filter 1085 4.36 Trick Flow fuel pump TFS-25002 124.95 Summit high-flow 42-pound injectors SUM-240042 339.95 Valvoline NextGen motor oil 10W-30 15.47 Total $6,833.06 By Douglas R. Glad Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
