Is this pony still going strong?
A certain age group will always associate the white Fox Body Mustang Convertible image with Vanilla Ice. It was because of his 1991 hit song “Rollin’ in My 5.0”, which featured prominently on the album artwork as well as the music video. Listening to the music video will reveal that Mr. Ice is proud of his ragtop ponycar.
The career of the occasional actor and rapper has not been easy. The Fox Body, on the other hand has clung to its legacy. Although it may not be the most beautiful or fastest Mustang, its stock has been steadily rising over the past few years. But, does this Mustang still have a strong punch? Late Model Restoration (LMR), wanted to know.
They were able to test a white 1987 Mustang GT 5.0 Convertible. It was very similar to Vanilla Ice back in the day. This is a mint, low-mileage example that has just under 80,000 mi (128,748 km) on the clock. It could be said that it is quite new considering its age. This car is equipped with the AOD four-speed instead of the manual five-speed.
Stats? The 1987 Mustang GT 5.0 produced 225 horsepower (168 kilowatts) as well as 300 pound-feet (407 Newton metres) of torque when it was first introduced. Although these numbers may seem a bit tame, any vehicle with more than 200 horsepower (149kilowatts), was considered to be powerful back in 1987. But it has been 34 years since the machine was first brought to life. What percentage of that power remains?
There are some things to keep in mind before we can answer that question. Different from crank horsepower, wheel horsepower is different. The advertised horsepower will be less than what the dyno gives you. For rear-wheel drive vehicles we see a loss of power between 20-25%.
How did this pony do? According to the dyno it produced 184.4 horsepower (13.7 kilowatts), and 259.5 pound-feet (351.81 Newton meters) of torque. Although it may seem low, when you consider the age of the drivetrain and the loss, these numbers are still quite respectable. It’s a good example of how care and maintenance can go a long ways. This horse is very healthy indeed.