With the 323 cubic inch boat anchor of a Chrysler small-block long gone to the scrappers, the lowest-performing vehicle in the BangShift Mid-West stable is currently the Great Pumpkin, the 1980 Mustang Ghia that is my wife’s first car. We know that the factory rating on the 4.2L V8, that smog-era special that just might be the most unmodifiable V8 ever to grace a car, cranked out a dismal 118 horsepower and 194 ft/lbs of torque. To compare, the 2018 Ford Fiesta ST uses a turbocharged 1.6L three-cylinder that makes 197 horsepower and 214 ft/lbs of torque. Nearly forty years of technology aside, a three-banger getting it done better than the V8 could is just embarassing. Luckily, we’ve got that 302 sitting in the garage, patiently waiting it’s turn to be built.
This 1981 T-top car doesn’t have the V8. It’s got the 3.3L inline-six that dates back to the Ford Falcon. It was never a powerhouse six, instead it filled the role of the economy motor that didn’t suck. Hey, it wasn’t the 144 cubic incher! The Fox body cars were the last to utilize the 3.3L mill, which finally went the way of the dodo in 1983. How much power do you think the buzzin’ dozen is making in this tired four-eye Fox? You know the immediate answer is “not a lot”, but the better question is how tired is the old Falcon six?
This reminds me, I need to get her car onto the dyno to find out where it sits. Not looking forward to that moment…
92?
What an optimist!
I’d go 79.
Yeah I was aiming pretty high. Wish I had my Geo Metro still. I wonder if the pathetic little 3 cylinder could even spin the rollers?
Worse than I thought. Did they really put straight sixes in these mustangs? I thought they were done by the time of Mustang II and that V6s had took over by then. I couldn’t see a under the hood shot of it so I kinda have to see it to believe it. Can anybody confirm?
Confirmed. While the Cologne V6 was available in the Fox Mustangs in 1979, but with the supply of engines drying up the 3.3L was pressed into service to fill the gap until 1983, when the 3.8L mill was ready.
Not only did they offer Fox body Mustangs with a straight six, the straight six cars used a unique K-member. They’re the only Fox bodies where a V8 won’t bolt in with just the factory motor mounts.
Final HP number at 9:10 in the video.
It’s buzzin’ HALF dozen…..