The competition had a bit of an effect on the 1987 Mustang offerings. For example, the SVO was no longer offered, the V6 engine was eliminated, and the only available trim levels were the LX and the GT. Before the SVO took its last bow it did affect the appearance of those models that made it to the 1987 model year with its aerodynamic flush headlights.
The 1987 ended up being one of the Mustang's most successful years, especially for the third generation GTs. There were 159,145 Mustangs produced in 1987 and rumor has it that there were 10,000 additional orders for GTs that Ford was unable to meet due to a lack of parts.
1987 Mustang Lineup
The SVO was no longer part of the Mustang lineup in 1987. Only the LX and GT were trim options.
Powertrain and Performance
The 1987 Mustang GT went through a redesign that made it outstanding inside and out. The 5.0L HO was introduced in 1987 to really push the Mustang ahead of the competition. The 5.0L EFI saw an increase in horsepower by 25 horses and the 302 had a larger intake plenum and throttle bore. One small problem arose that Ford handled amazingly.
The year before the Mustang lost performance and power due to changes in the heads. When 1987 rolled around and Ford wanted to revert to the pre-86 wedge heads the molds were already gone. So, what was Ford to do? They ended up solving the problem from within and used a cylinder head that was utilized on Ford trucks. The design was very similar and the performance was like the pre-86 wedge heads. So, the E7TE truck heads ended up being used for the HO 5.0L Mustangs in the '87 model year. An almost disaster was solved perfectly for Ford without compromising power or performance on the 1987 Mustang GT.
Some changes to the suspension were found in the 1987 in addition to the exterior changes. These changes would stick around for another six years so it's a good thing they worked well with the Mustang.
The front end of the Mustang was fitted with strut housing and spindles that were brand new. The 10.84 inch front brakes increased braking power on the Mustang. Cornering was also improved with improved struts. The sway bars were identical to those found in the '85 and '86 Mustang GTs.
Exterior
The 1987 LX performed just like the GT and really was the same except for the exterior. A new design was introduced in 1987 and the most obvious change was to the front end. An aerodynamic one piece headlight replaced the previous dual square headlights. The biggest difference between the LX and GT were the GTs extra exterior add-ons. Performance really was about the same on both trim levels.
As far as the GT was concerned the chassis and basic body style went unchanged. Although the rest of the exterior did receive design changes which were the first in eight years. The front end became smoother with the aerodynamic headlights, the rear quarter window was enlarged, and a standard ground effects package was offered in addition to a new rear spoiler.
The 15x7 Turbine wheels were new to the GT as well as the louvered taillights. The GT was only distinguishable as such by the fact that it had "Mustang GT" emblazoned on the rear and the side skirts. There were fewer exterior color options for the GT than the LX. These included black, dark shadow blue metallic, dark gray metallic, oxford white, light gray, medium shadow blue metallic, medium cabernet, and scarlet red. The GT also had a free option of a titanium lower accent paint treatment in addition to a molding insert stripe that was either blue or red.
The LX was available in the following colors: black, light gray, scarlet red, medium cabernet, metallic medium shadow blue, dark clove metallic, metallic bright regatta blue, metallic dark shadow blue, sand beige, oxford white, and medium yellow.
Interior
A new interior was included on the 1987 Mustang for both the LX and the GT. The new interior included a better than ever dashboard that placed all of the important instruments right in front of the driver for easy reference.
The GT interior saw a similar dash and instrument panel and other options as well. These included climate control, console, door trim, and seats. Power lumbar support was available on the front seats of the '87 GT while side bolsters and under thigh supports helped the driver and front seat passenger feel as comfortable as possible when on the road. The 1987 trim options for the GT included scarlet red, beige, and medium gray.
The standard GT features that consumers loved included interval wipers, a swivel map light, tilt wheel, 7,000 rpm tachometer, lights for low fuel, washer fluid, coolant, and check oil, and a center console. Redesigned brake and accelerator pedals allowed for downshifting with a heel and toe action and a left side foot support was also included. A premium sound system was available that sported six speakers and four channel power amplifier with a seven band graphic equalizer. Other options for the 1987 GT included air conditioner, power locks and windows, sunroof, remote mirrors, T tops, rear defrost, and rear window louvers.
Final Thoughts
As far as the 1987 Mustang goes it has been claimed to be one of the best of the third generation HO Mustangs, and some claim it to be the best Mustang ever. Sales were great in 1987 and some 10,000 orders are said to have gone unfilled due to a lack of parts. No major problems with power or performance resulted from the 1987 model year and overall consumers were ecstatic with the LX and the GT. Of course, the SVO was no longer available but Mustang aficionados were not too upset over this. The fact that the GT kept improving was enough to keep Mustang lovers happy.
