Those 5.0 Mustangs... - Ford Forums

Ford59Panel · 04-07-2001, 01:58

Don`t want to start a war or anything,I love Ford,wouldn`t buy anything else.Anyways,my mother bought a brand new Jeep Cherokee SE 4dr in 1997.She ordered it with 2wd and the HO 4.0 I-6.It weighs in at a hair under 3000lbs.This thing FLYS! Easily spins the tires,smoky burnouts and all.It is totally stock and easily outruns stock Camaro`s and Firebirds,and those Dakota R/T`s.I have even beaten quite a few 5.0 Mustangs with it.A few times I raced a friend in his `84 LX hatchback 5.0-5spd,mostly stock.Saleen wheels,headers/h-pipe,carb,ignition mods.I can keep dead even with him until about 80mph when he starts to slowly pull away,at about 95mph he`s about a car length ahead.These things have some real potentiol!! Another time I was on the highway and was passed by a late `80`s GT Convert.I acceled up next to it,a girl was driving it.She floored it,and so did I.my speedo stops at about 100mph,but I didn`t feel a governor kick in and it kept accellerating.She had the most confused look on her face too.i eventually pulled ahead.

Vulcan Power · 04-07-2001, 14:10

Yeah those have the 4.0L straight six cylinder. I have driver them too, and yes, they are pretty quick. But you have to remember a few things. You are racing 80's Mustangs that have been used and abused for over ten years now. A new Cherokee should give one a tuff time if the Mustang has alot of miles on it, or is not tuned properly. But I think if the 5.0 was in great running shape, tuned properly, had low miles, etc...... I'm sure it would have smoked ya. From the start, to the end. They do have real potential, and I am pretty sure that you can buy alot of stuff for the 4.0L Cherokees. Most people mod them for 4X4'ing however and not racing. But anyways.. laters

04-07-2001, 19:25

Lots of guys have 5.0 'stangs out there in need of a tuneup....

My 1989 LX Hatch (when stock) was running 13.54 times at the
track with nothing more than gears and suspension upgrades.

At that time the engine was completely stock except for MAC
equal length headers, off road H-Pipe, and a Detroit Locker with
3.73 gears, and 14 degrees of timing. Valve covers had never
been off.