1981 Ford Mustang Coupe 3.3L Inline 6 from North America

Summary:

Great car with cool 80's style muscle look and an infinite amount of aftermarket support

Faults:

Carburetor required rebuild.

Lots of small items surrounding the engine such as temp sending unit, oil sending unit, ignition control module.

Fuel sending unit.

General Comments:

The 3.3L inline 6 is a great engine if it is maintained with normal service intervals.

When it is running at its best, you can expect to get 17-21 MPG in the city, and as high as 30 MPG on the highway.

It is not the fastest engine, only rated at 85 HP, but it has decent torque in the range of 160ft lbs.

For performance, fuel economy and the fun factor, a standard transmission is a great bonus. The car came with either a 4 speed manual or 3 speed automatic transmission.

The ride is rather jumpy, but this is common for fox body platforms.

Good heat for cold weather.

Always starts.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th November, 2012

1981 Ford Mustang LX Coupe 3.3L i6 from North America

Summary:

Best car I've bought!

Faults:

Well it needed the rear brakes replaced, new carburetor (leaking gas out of the idle jet linkage)

Spun a baring between the crank shaft and the fly wheel, (my fault, it was worth it though!)

Problems with the aoutomatic choke, but easily converted to manual choke.

General Comments:

Very fun to drive, recovers from fish tails easily.

Very comfortable black vinal interior.

Agresive looks many modifications available, pleas don't rice them out though... it's a mustang!

The 3.3L in-line 6 gives a lot of power with around 120 horse power and 150 foot pounds of torque!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st October, 2004

1981 Ford Mustang Not sure from North America

Summary:

My 'Stang Girl is a Studmobile!

Faults:

Well, I bought it and it was a 19 year old car, so you can't expect perfection. It needs a motor mount, a new ball joint, new tie rods, and new struts. But it's a 20 year old car, and all these things (with the possible exception of the struts) are the absolute original parts. So I mean come on, that's pretty good.

The trunk doesn't stay opened, so I've got a broom stick in there to hold it up when I need to, until I can get new arms for it.

Other than that, I don't know. I got a really lousy history of the car when I bought it, the dealership I bought it from said there were probably 3 or 4 previous owners, and they weren't even sure of the mileage, I mean we knew what it was on, but they had no clue how many times it had rolled over... I know it's about to roll over again, and when it does it will be AT LEAST 300,000 miles, and she's still going strong!

Oh yeah, and when she gets cold (like in the 11 degree weather we've been having lately), the automatic choke on the carborator kills the engine, so she can't start. She takes a lot of work to get started, but once she's going, she's going strong.

And last August, when the temperatures kept hitting over 112 and 115, the radiator busted.

General Comments:

Good car, once I get the stuff fixed on her she needs (ball joint, tie rod, motor mount, struts) she'll be in great shape. Perfect body, no dings or dents, or peeling paint. Sexy thin blue pin stripe down the sides and around the front and stuff.

She (yes, my car has gender) has a manifold vent hood ornament, a straight six engine, an automatic transmission, perfect interior (except an open sliced cut on the center console from, I assume, wide temperature variances), mint condition exterior, still has both rears and everything.

She's got a hatchback, which I made fun of when I first bought her, but it has come in handy on many occasions when helping friends move, and bringing home big things from Walmart (where I shop a billion times a week), and it will come in handy a lot more when I get my wood shop set up and use it to bring lumber home in every weekend or so.

And she's absolutely sporty! I'm a girl, not really into cars for anything other than what they're made for, transporting people, and things, but I've met a lot of great guys because they were interested in my top condition 1981 Ford Mustang. :)

This is my first car, and I bought her in May of 2000, knowing I was going to have to make a lot of the repairs, but I don't mind, I love the sportiness, and I love the attention, and it's a great learning opportunity for me!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th January, 2001

26th Jul 2004, 10:19

I have a 1979 Mustang hatchback which I bought new in May, 1979. It has 344,000 miles on it - same engine - straight 6 - 200. It doesn't like cold weather, but still goes after it warms up. We have replaced the steering and the transmission has been worked on once, but other than that just replacing parts, etc. have been done to the car. I will never get rid of this car!

25th Aug 2004, 13:19

I have owned three early 3rd generation Mustangs. A 1979 Cobra fastback, a 1980 Ghia coupe and a 1981 Ghia coupe which I may be buying back soon. The 81 has a straight 6 with automatic transmission. Being a Canadian car it is non-AC. Which was quite common back in the early 80's. There is very little rust. I bought the Mustang some years ago becoming the second owner. This yellow coupe with white vinyl roof had wire wheel covers and looked really nice when it was clean.

My daughter and I enjoyed the car which I sold (with great reluctance) to pay for repairs on a 91 Escort. The Mustang was very reliable. The engine was a little fussy in the cold before it complete warmed up, but more so in the rain. It was reliable for me and the next two owners. Because of its good overall condition, I have no hesitation in restoring the car as it will need very little work.

And you can change the oil without having to put the car on ramps or jack it up!