Just a brief look back to May 23 to compare the difference between the earlier 1979 - 1982 Capris and the 83.
"Frankenstang" was just a standard L model 4cyl when it started life so no hood scoop. The RS and Turbocharged 4cyl Capris where the only cars to get the hood scoop.
After I got my RS the GF was commenting how she really wished she had a hood scoop for her Capri. I did happen to have one in my possession that had come off a turbo Mustang that someone had cut open the front on to make it functional. The only function they served from the factory was to give hood clearance for the turbo system on equipped cars or to give the Cobra, GT and RS V8 cars a sportier look.
During the time frame of June and August I took the scoop I had and mounted it on Frankenstang.
What makes all this relevant is my RS actually came equipped with the Turbo version of the hood. In all the years of the Fox body Mustang/Capris I had ever dealt with and even first generation Mustangs that had hood scoops for just the look all the hoods where a standard hood that had a scoop mounted to it.
Turbo cars however had a unique hood with a cut-out to make room for the turbocharger, and a raised lip to help keep water that may leak under the scoop off the top of the motor.
My RS has the actual Turbo model hood which I noticed when I opened it the first time and is easily seen in these pictures taken in October when I pulled the scoop off to clean under it and see what the original paint looked like.
I got curious as to why my car with a 5.0 had a turbo hood. I double checked my VIN number and verified it was an actual 5.0 car and not a transplant.
After searching around on forums, especially FourEyedPride.com I learned that Ford/Mercury had forecasted that, with fuel prices and their big push of the turbocharged 4cyl, they would sell more of the turbocharged cars than the V8 cars.
During the 1979 and especially the 1980 & 1981 model years this might have been true with the anemic 4.2L 255cid V8 that made the turbo cars look better. But with the return of the 5.0L HO in 1982 and even more powerful in 1983, they underestimated the desire to have Camero killing power over fuel economy.
This had left them with a shortage of non-turbo hoods to fill the orders for 5.0L RS cars so they pulled from the turbo stock to meet demand. History lesson over what does it matter?
I had a hood with a natural opening begging for a cold air induction set up. Frankenstang had a scoop that was already cut open and was only catching insects and causing unnecessary drag.
Eventhough it meant I had to give up the original scoop off my Capri, I was happy in the knowledge I did not have to chop holes in my rare car and still be able to have a functional hood scoop.
So it happen!
If I had the original factory dual snorkel air cleaner that had the fender cold air I would not have done it.
October 27th I had a pretty good scare. While driving the car to the store I noticed the smell of hot brake pad and the car started pulling to the right really hard.
I pulled over, got out and could see smoke coming from the front right brakes. I was only about 1/4 mile from the house so I turned around and drove it home. When I pulled in the yard the brake had caught fire!
Luckily I had a fire extinguisher close at hand and the fire was put out.
Tearing into the brake later I determined that the piston had locked up from being over extended, due to the rotor being worn very thin and the pads almost non-existent.
I decided I needed to replace the entire assembly but would need new wheel bearings and seals for what I had on the shelf for a better upgraded system.
For the short term I did have some old brake pads that had very little wear on them to use till I could get the parts. I would just have to drive the car very easy and limited until then.
That pretty much sums up 2010 and the first months with the RS.