1979 Ford Mustang Hatchback Sunroof 490

1979 Ford Mustang Hatchback that started its life as a 4 cylinder turbo pace car. The first nine years of the ownership, the car was transformed into the look of a 1992 Mustang GT Pro Street Hatchback. The car was owned by the previous owner for 28 years.The car has never been raced. Only used as a street car and show car.
The Body
The front and rear bumper covers were changed out to the GT covers and the GT ground effects added. The GT ground effect pieces in front and back of the rear wheel openings have been shortened to fit the stretched wheel openings. The windshield wipers and wiper motor have been removed. The wiper hole in the cowl panel has been filled and smoothed. The cowl vent panel has been sectioned to remove the other wiper hole. The rear gas door has been welded and smoothed. The engine compartment walls have also been welded and smoothed. The custom aluminum wing was painted to match the car. The hood is a pro stock style scoop that was molded to a pin-on hood. It has stainless steel strips bonded to the under side edge of the hood for added strength and to help reduce flexing. The fenders, doors and body are all the original body panels. The car has all the glass in it. No plexiglass!!
The Interior
The racing bucket seats were professionally done and custom covered with a layer of foam then finished in a grey tweed. The dash, door panel inserts and rear interior panels are also covered in the grey tweed. The floor is covered with a sound/ heat barrier and carpeted in gray to match. The car has a gray headliner, as well. The dash has aluminum inserts with Auto Meter Pro Comp tachometer and speedometer. The speedometer has never been hooked up or calibrated to the 33 inch tall tires. The Ford Racing gauges (fuel pressure, oil pressure, water temp and amp) are manufactured by Auto Meter and are liquid filled except for the amp gauge. The interior has a 10 point cage with polished aluminum tub work. The shifter is a Hurst quarter stick. The steering wheel is a "Momo Race" mounted to a Tilt wheel column. The car is wired with a Ron Francis wiring harness.
The Drivetrain
The engine is a 490 CI big block Ford. It has 11.5 to 1 compression. It's bored 140 over making it a 4.500 bore and a 3.85 stroke. It has Cobra steel rods, Venolia pistons, Howards solid lift cam 640 lift and 310 duration, Crower roller rockers and larger valves in the heads. It has an Offenhauser Port O Sonic aluminum intake with a Holley 850 carburetor that has been worked by Barry Grant and flows 1080. The engine is mated to a C6 transmission with a reverse manual valve body. The rear end is a Ford 9 inch with 411 gear, 31 spline axles and a traction lock carrier. The housing is mounted to a 4 link rear end with adjustable coil overs. The wheels are Cragar drag star wheels.