Readers’ ride: 1985 Ford Mustang GT

Dang! It feels good to be a GT. “Grand Touring” has gotten lost in the world of acronyms. A wonderful descriptive adjective combined with a verb that we excited car guys turned into a noun. We borrowed this term from the British, whom take their driving very seriously. Back before the days of Ford’s “fox body” Mustang, the GT package disappeared for a while. That was okay with Mustang buyers of that era. If they couldn’t make the GT package exciting as it used to be, then don’t tease us. Well, they went and did it right. Motor Trend compared them to exquisite German engineering and indeed thought Ford had stolen BMW’s crumpets in the year of our garage find feature car. 1985 was a good year indeed.
  As they tested their toes with some 302 V8s throughout the 1970s and in the early 1980’s, Ford Fox buyers knew that something wicked this way comes. And now it is 1984. What is new for 1985 models in the otherwise yawn fest in automobile showrooms? The original owner of this 1985 Mustang GT saw a way out of the mundane. 

A dual-snorkel air cleaner, pure vintage muscle car tech, helps the 302-V8 breathe.

Holley Be Thy Name
  Who would have thought a legendary Holley carb would be feeding anything other than speed store patrons in that era? It was quite the surprise for Mustang buyers underneath that awesome duel snorkel air cleaner. More good news under that! The 302 V8 was back and a little angry. 210 horsepower angry. A roller style camshaft and roller lifters were present. Tie this to the available 5-speed manual transmission and this became an enthusiast car in the era of otherwise disposable transportation. Hold on, American streetlights… this could start another horsepower war. Which it did and left almost everyone wanting to leave their legacy under someone’s right foot.

A Holley carb feeds the 210-hp engine the Go-Go juice.

Optioned with options
  Junkyard Life’s friends Jason and Deidra Trammell recently rescued this white hot example of 1985 Pony Car Prestige. This car was a very well optioned GT from the beginning and was treated accordingly along the way. How could someone resist a crisp autumn night with the t-tops out (t-tops are a Mustang thing too!) and the musical symphony of sorts provided by the tuned exhaust? Somehow, the original owner did resist and eventually the Trammells scored a high option, low-mile fun machine that’s a little on the rare side. 
  We love the halo-style seats and the integrated spoiler. The Trammell’s car is finished in Oxford White with a very classy Charcoal interior. Every power option seemingly known to Ford was checked, except the shifting. You must do that yourself, but who are we kidding? We would love to! Fresh out of the barn and into their extensive collection, this pony has a good new home. They plan to keep it as original as possible. 
  Junkyard Life intends to be there for the initial cranking. Jason and Deidra are going through the usual motions taking care of things that have been dormant for several years before that happens. “GT”? As far as we know, it stands for “Good Times.”

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life

Halo headrests in the Mustang 5.0.

5.0 Fun facts: 

• The famous 5.0 liter displacement mathematically is actual 4.9 liters. 
• In 1982 the GT name came back after a 13 year absence. The slogan? “The Boss is Back.” 
• 5-0 (pronounced “five oh”) was slang for the police in urban areas.
• “Hawaii Five-0” a television series about law enforcement from the 1970’s is widely credited for the nickname. The show however, was actually named because Hawaii was America’s 50th state. 
• Ford further fed the stereotype (so to speak) when they produced 5.0 liter Mustangs for law enforcement, hence 5.0 was forever associated with police.
• The LX based (Code SSP “Special Service Package” ) police cars were very powerful, but unfortunately did not handle very well in inclement weather. They are very collectable today and usually come with a story wrought with adventure. 
• The 1993 5.0 suffered the curse of a hypereutectic pistons, thus not allowing the high doses of nitrous oxide that the 1985-1992 Mustangs could handle.  
• In 1986 the 5.0 Mustangs got their first fuel injection. Despite the power rating being lower than the 1985 model (210 hp vs 200 hp) However, the fuel injection and a few tricks to free up more power made the 1986 model perform a little better. Time taught us they still had much up their sleeves.
• Robert Van Winkle (Vanilla Ice) converted from an IROC Camaro to a Mustang GT drop top in white and let us all know he was rolling in his 5.0
• Adam Sandler revived Vanilla Ice and his 5.0 for a great scene in his movie That’s My Boy. Sharp eyes may spot that the movie car is an automatic. The original ’Stang that Vanilla Ice drove was a five-speed. 
• In a recent interview with Vanilla Ice by The Car Connection, he told them he wishes he did still have that 5.0.

Spotting the 5.0 emblem on a Fox body gave instant cred. 

View from behind the wheel of a 1985 Mustang GT.

Subtle GT decals spelled doom for would-be racers driving Third Gen Camaros.

Fog lights on your LX?

1985 Mustang GT ready to be unloaded. 

Power windows and locks on this heavily-optioned 1985 Mustang GT.

Wimbledon White Mustang GT hatchback. 

Stereo controls and command center for fuel gauge and lights.

Tach baby! And 80,000 miles on the odometer.

T-tops in a Mustang GT? Yes!

Do you have a great classic or muscle car barn find story? Send us details and we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com & Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net