Slammer race project?

[Matt Harper]

I've been walking my dogs past this car in my neighborhood for about a year. needless to say, it's kind of neglected and is visibly deteriorating as time goes by.
From time to time, I bracket race my 300C at the local drag strip, but I'm worried about breaking something that could end-up being very expensive to fix.
I got chatting with the owner today. The car is a bone-stock 5.0 EFI auto with 110,000 miles, that runs (allegedly - battery dead, knackered tyres, needs coolant and oil flush/change before a fire-up attempt).
I'm thinking of giving myself an early Christmas present and winter project, to make a stock elminator race car out of this old banger.
My problem is, I'm not particularly knowlegeable about these cars. My understanding is that it's factory fresh output as a pretty puny 220hp. Is this motor developable - or do the hoards of Fox Mustang racers pull this motor and run something more tuneable (302/351 Windsor, Cleveland or similar)and run in an 'open' class.
I think I can snag this derelict for less than a grand and the Summit Racing catalogue and my local speed shop (Titan Motorsport in Orlando)who run one at O/town Speedworld, suggest that they can be made quite speedy.
Any thoughts on how sensible a start-point this clunker might be?

Edited by Matt Harper on Thursday 25th November 15:38

[Procharmo]

Dear Sir, you have a prime candidate for some serious racing....The suspension parts, strengthening and engine combinations for that model Mustang have been fettled to a very high level by thousands of American enthusiasts at all levels.

If you are on a budget then don't tub it like many UK racers will advise you to do. You can get a stock suspension Fox Mustang to run low sevens with minimal mods.

Obviously you will need to sell the current engine and install either an SBF/SBC/BBF/BBC with a power adder. Either Turbo or Procharger as Nitrous cars have a steep learning curve and even in the US there aren't too many 7 sec street NOS cars.

There are plenty Turbo and Procharged 7 and 8 sec cars on 315 or smaller drag radials. If you get it and keep your budget tight I'll see you at the track in a little while.

Here's some inspiration for you.....

Alan's Beast
F3 procharged 92 mustang
David Wolfe Drag Radial Twin Turbo Mustang 6.57sec!!!

[Matt Harper]

Some pretty awesome stuff there - but I'm thinking a little more modest/hobbyist, which is why I was leaning to a tightly regulated bracket class (stock elim gives very limited mod latitude - and mainly around cam/exhaust/axle ratio/tyres). No transplants, forced induction or serious suspension mods, which makes it cheap and fun stock weight/stock power class.
I'm very familiar with GM/Mopar product, not so much with late model FoMoCo - despite running a Jr comp alt big-block Ford in the UK back in the mid 80's.
I can pick this car up for buttons and see a lot of them running in open classes at my local strip, but the original motor (necessary in Stock Eliminator) seems to be a bit lame. I wondered if anyone knew how well it would respond to a more aggressive cam, ignition tuning and a free-flowing, open exhaust.

[davepoth]

The motor in there is a 302 Windsor anyway I think, they just renamed it a 5.0 to make it sound European.

[Matt Harper]

I'm certain that you are correct - though, on the street, Windsor 302 would readily by interpreted as 2/4 bbl carb, front mount distributor - and the five point oh being the EFI variant.
I've read that converting this motor back to carb is very straightforward - but would preclude it from S/E bracket, as the induction system has to stay factory spec. I really like the idea of a tightly controlled class - it's a great equalizer and goes some way to prevent "winning with your wallet".
I've bid $500 for it as it stands and the owner's thinking about it.
I would be really interested to learn from anybody's real-world experience of gains via cam reprofile, plus ignition and exhaust improvements.