Help-85 mustang GT

[Jerred C.]

I am starting a project for a friend I work with and need a little help please. This friend wants me to build a 1985 mustang Gt like his 1:1 mustang, so I bought the monogram 1985 mustang SVO and come to find out the head lights are different. I was wondering if there was a GT version made out there somewhere, or anybody has any idea of how I can build the headlights using styrene. I did notice there is a seperate grille piece from the hood on the Gt and the SVO hood comes down past the grille piece. Any help is appreciated and thank you in advance.

[djway3474]

NOPE. You will need at least 3 to 4 kits to recreate the car. I had the white version you show myself and I am slowly recreating it. I used 3 kits and hand made the black section behind the rear window and then Later I saw that in another kit. Then you need to mix and match to get the correct interior. Here is what I have so far.

Hosted on Fotki

here is a link to the kits I had to use plus picts of the build. I had to scratch out the radiator inlet.

http://public.fotki.com/djway3474/model-car-projects/1986-mustang-gt-my-/

hope this helps and you better not finish before I do LOL

[GTMust]

I too have a 1985 and a 1986 Mustang GT (Both with T-Tops) and I recreated one of them in the Fox body CBP thread. I started with a '79 body and hacked out the front grille to represent the '85 front end. (No kit has been issued, that I know of with the '85/'86 front grille.) The SVO is completely different and would take major surgery to modify it. If you can find a '79 through '84 model, it's much easier to change and you can still mate it up to the main SVO body as long as it's a Monogram 1/24 scale kit! But you'd be better starting with the earlier body.

I've done a full step by step of my two Mustangs builds on the CBP thread, so you could check it out there. There are still a lot of details on the Monogram body and interior that you would have to change to make it 100% accurate.

The SVO kit comes with the turbo 4cyl, which has to be changed out for the 302. I used the one from the "New Monkees" convertible kit as it is correct for an '85 with an automatic CFI fuel injection and dual snorkel air cleaner. If the car is a 5 speed, it would have the later style SEFI injection system which can be had from the later Monogram Mustang kits up to '93.

The expert on Fox Mustangs is Whale392 (Brad) and he can correct any mistakes in this text and fill in any other detail information you may need.

But first read all the posts in the Fox body CBP build thread.... all 28 pages...... just about anything you need to know will be in there!

[Romell R]

The best kits to start with if you're doing an 1/24 '85 Mustang hatchback would be the Monogram 1979 pace car or 1979 Cobra kits to get the basic body. You'd also want the 1983 GLX convertible to get the closest front grille/headlight buckets (you still need to scratchbuild the grille-less nose) and the SVO Mustang to donate the lower front spoiler area and tail lights. The other pain with using the Monogram kit is the need to fab up a reasonable rear spoiler...their SVO/Cobra/Pace Cars have a molded-in spoiler that's not the right shape for an '85 GT. The chassis/engine in the 1983 GLX is the best Revellogram starting point for a GT, but it's not perfect. The headers and exhaust from the 1993 Cobra kit would be a good addition, too, although the '85 GT had a single-cat 2-into-1-into-2 setup from the factory, though most of them will have had the exhaust replaced by now in the real world.

You can do the same thing with MPC kits, but save yourself some work as you can use a 1983/4 GT Mustang hatch body which already has the best nose to start with, and sub in their SVO rear spoiler (with the bi-plane wing cut off) and front spoiler/fog lamps.

Either one is going to need some resin 10-hole wheels, too, but they're out there.

:lol:

[GTMust]

.......... although the '85 GT had a single-cat 2-into-1-into-2 setup from the factory, though most of them will have had the exhaust replaced by now in the real world.

Either one is going to need some resin 10-hole wheels, too, but they're out there.

Would you believe my 1:1 '85 GT still has the original style 2 into 1 into one dual tailpipe exiting on the driver's side under the rear bumper cover? The 4 cylinder exhaust that comes with the turbo four Monogram kit is actually correct for the '85 302.

And yes, I forgot to mention those 10 hole wheels..... one of the aftermarket resin companies did make them but I don't know if they still do.

Making an exact replica of an '85 Tang is going to be difficult as you also have to change the style of the body side moldings if you substitute an earlier front bumper cover and a miriad of smaller details around the car. At best you will finish up with a slightly customized version unless you go crazy with parts swapping, scratchbuilding and extra detailing.

Not that I want to put you off...........!

Tony

Edited June 28, 2011 by GTMust

[SSNJim]

Here's a pretty good reference to most of the Fox-body Mustang model kits . Most are out of production, but it will help you know what to look for.

[GTMust]

Your car must be a CFI car? The 4-barrel had twin pipes, but one on each side of the car...I believe only the CFI/AOD cars had the "turbo style" tips.

Right Mark, my '85 GT has the CFI with an AOD. My '86 GT is a five speed with the SEFI (I think) injection system (the same as the '87 5.0's onward). I only have basic knowledge of these systems... not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination... always need the service manual beside whenever I've got a wrench in my hand! I envy all you guys that really know what you're talking about when it comes to these "technical" terms!

Are you confused enough yet Jerrod?

Tony

[whale392]

85GT, whether CFI or carbed, had the single side exit exhaust and a 7.5" rear. 1986 was the first year for true dual exhaust and the 8.8" rear end. The trunklid spoiler also had no CHMSL in 1985, it became a federal mandate in 1986. These are the external distinguishing features between 1985 and 1986 models. 1985 CFI/auto, Carbed/T5 5spd. Also, the 1985 is unique in it is the first year for tubular factory headers. They are unique to 1985 as they are the only year tubular header to come with heat riser shields on them (to feed heated air to the underside of the dual-snorkel air cleaner). 1986 got the Speed Density SEFI electronic fuel injection system. Also, 1986 intakes are unique as they are shorter runners/narrower inner tubing than the 1987-93 units. They also came with E6 heads (which sucked) and true flat-top pistons. 1987-93 got the E7TE heads and revised (taller/longer) upper intake.

Now, to create a STOCK 1985 Mustang GT with the Carbed/5spd combo. Take one Monogram 1979 Variant Mustang Hatch, remove the front end AT the fender/door seam to include the cowl(so, cut it under the front windshield lower trim, removing the cowl and cowl vent detail with the front clip). Take the Monogram 1983-84 GLX Mustang convertible, remove its' front clip (at the same places you cut the 1979 body) and graft it to your 1979 body. Use the hood from the 1983/84 GLX as well. This gets you close to overall design criteria. Take the top of the bottom spoiler in the Monogram/Revell 1985 SVO kit and glue it to the top of the spoiler on the hatch of the 1979, file to shape. Remove the grill section form the nose, beveling the lower corners to form a smooth radius on either side. Using styrene, create the upper portion of the new nose, thereby creating the open grill of the 1985-86 Mustang. The lower nose is where it gets tricky. While the SVO has the correct spacing and fog light holes, it angles too steeply back toward the car. Careful reshaping and filing will get you close enough to make this lower nose work. The belt line molding will have to be filled in and re-scribed with the 1985-86 Mustang specific split-2 line indentations in the belt molding. Creating the 1985-86GT specific belt molding trim pieces bearing the GT logo in front of the rear wheel well openings will be the biggest challenge. While you are at it, pick up a Monogram/Revell 1/24th scale Thunderbird TurboCoupe kit to use the engine bay, T5 transmission, rear end, and front suspension out of.

Engine; well, use the 83-84 Mustang GLX engine, mated to the Thunderbird TurboCoupe T5 trans, with the exhaust manifolds from the 1987-up GT verts or the 1993 Revell Cobra Mustang kit. Add heat riser tubes to the exhaust manifolds and you will be close.

No accurate dash exists for the 1983-86 GT Mustangs, but careful scratchbuilding of the 'Fighter Jet bezeled' dash can bring a good looking dash to the build. Use the SVO steering wheel if his car does not have cruise control, the 1987-UP GT steering wheel if he does have cruise. Seats will have to be modified from either the 1979, 83-84, or SVO into single-post Halos versus dual-post Halo headrests. Remove the netting, as 1983-86 Lier-Siegler seats didn't have the netting in their headrests like the 1979-82 Recaro seats did. You will have to modify the interior door panel trim, front and rear seat patterns, and inner plastics from the SVO kit to match the 85GT units.

As for wheels, Reliable Resins makes the 10-holes. Tires from the SVO kit will work fairly well. I am sure I am missing some info, but I hope this helps you along some.

[whale392]

After reviewing my own literature, you are correct on the twin-exit exhaust. However, it was 2-into-1-into-2. 86 it became true duals with the H-pipe and 4 cat system. The Turbo cars got the single-into-split2 tip exhaust. I have a stainless 'copy' of the 1-into-2 split tip (3 inch inlet with 2 2&1/4" tips....for my Holset HX35/HX40 Hybrid turbo set-up on my 84GT Turbo Mustang).