Over the past five years, the Fox Body Mustang has exploded in popularity, especially with young hot rodders. The funny thing is, most youngsters don’t even know what a Fox Body Mustang is, and you can’t blame them.
The Fox Body is a hidden gem in the automotive world, so you better get one before they’re all gone. Before we jump into why you need one, let’s quickly cover what a Fox Body is.
What is a Fox Body Mustang?
A Fox Body Mustang is a Mustang produced anywhere from 1979 to 1993. It doesn’t matter if it’s a coupe, convertible, or hatch. It also doesn’t matter what engine it has either or transmission. As long as it’s between the production years of 1979 and 1993, it’s a Fox Body.
Why is it called a Fox Body?
I know, it’s a bizarre name to give to a car, but it’s called a Fox Body because it’s on the Ford Fox platform.
Ford designed the Fox platform as a unibody chassis and used it across a wide range of Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles.
Ford’s main objective with the Fox platform was to downsize the massive cars they made in the ’70s.
Why is it called the “Fox” platform?
I cannot find a sure reason why Ford identified this chassis as “Fox.” Some people say that it had something to do with VW’s “Rabbit,” but I can’t confirm that.
I assume the Fox name has something to do with how Ford downsized their vehicles. Ford’s vehicles went from being big as a cow to small and nimble like a Fox.
Now that you know what a Fox Body is let’s talk about what makes them so awesome. Also, if you doubt my knowledge on the topic, check out the article I wrote about my own Foxbody: The Story of my 1991 Fox Body Mustang.
8. 1980s Goodness
Ah, the ’80s, something that the Fox Body represents strongly. Back in the day, you would see Fox Body Mustangs around every corner.
Even my mother had a Fox Body back in the day, although she ended up totaling it. The day I came home in my Fox Body, she was dying to take a ride in it. What other cars can bring people from completely different generations together?
The only vehicle I can think that brings people together as a Fox Body can is a Jeep.
Fox Body Mustangs also represent vehicle styling from the ’80s and ’90s. The long horizontal taillights, the factory GT body kit, the simple body lines.
Look at a BMW E30 and try to tell me it doesn’t look similar to a Fox Body couple. Even the interior screams the ’80s, which is awesome because interiors weren’t cluttered with fancy junk back then.
All you have is a steering wheel, pedals, gear shifter, and a basic radio.
Another great thing about ’80s cars is that you have to drive it yourself. What do I mean by this? Modern Mustangs come equipped with traction control, stability control, line lock for burnouts, and ABS.
The Fox Body Mustang has none of the above; your right foot is the traction control. If you throttle mid-corner, you better know how to control the drift, or you’ll end up crashing.
If you want to survive driving a Fox Body you’d better learn how to drive really well.
7. Camaro Killer
Back in the ’80s and ’90s, there was always stoplight racing between the Camaro and Mustang. However, the Fox Body was almost always faster in a straight line.
They both have similar power and torque, but the Fox Body’s low weight give it an advantage on the Camaro. The Fox Body weighs in around 3,000-3,200 lbs, depending on the model and body.
The 3rd gen Camaro weighs in around 3,300-3,400 lbs. A few hundred pounds might not sound like a huge amount, but it’s a huge advantage, especially when drag racing.
The Camaro had a more advanced rear suspension and braking system, which makes it stop and handle a little better.
But, these are American cars, and most people never take their cars on a road course or Autocross. The Fox Body’s lack of rear pan hard bar holds it back when it comes to Autocross and circuit racing.
Simply adding a pan hard bar to the rear axle will greatly improve the Fox Body’s handling.
RELATED: Ford Coyote vs. Chevy LS: Which One is Better?
The 3rd gen Camaro LT engine is based entirely off small-block Chevy engines before it. But, the TBI and TPI fuel injection systems aren’t very popular with tuners.
For this reason, many 3rd gen Camaros are carb/aftermarket EFI swapped. When it comes to the aftermarket, I would definitely say the small block Chevy is more popular. But that’s not to say the small block Ford isn’t popular in the aftermarket.
Both the Fox Body Mustang and the 3rd gen Camaro are unbelievably fun to stoplight race.
Even in their stock condition, they’re an absolute riot, but the Fox Body will almost always take the win. 3rd gen Camaros also have this weird stigma.
If you drive a 3rd gen, everyone thinks that either you’re a hillbilly or have a mullet.
6. They’re Sexy as Hell!
Whether you love or hate the style of the Fox Body, you’ll probably agree that it’s interesting. But it doesn’t really resemble the Mustangs of the past.
The lack of “tri-bar” tail lamps and the wonky front end definitely set it apart from the typical Mustang. The Fox Body definitely has its design flaws. For example, the GT’s rear bumper is hideous.
The GT’s rear bumper is shaped like a giant square with a weird lip at the bottom. Also, the LX’s rear bumper is too short.
The Fox Body represents the vehicle styling of ’80s automobiles as I said earlier. Many enthusiasts considered cars like the BMW E30 to be one of the best-looking cars to ever be created, and the Fox Body shares much of the BMW’s ’80s styling.
I think that’s partly why the Fox Body is becoming really popular with the younger generation. Just look at the Fox Body below and try to tell me it’s not a good-looking car.
If you decide you need to buy a Fox Body, be sure to read our Fox Body buying guide.
The Fox Body Mustang came in a Fastback, Coupe, and a Convertible. This was the last generation Mustang that was available in a fastback before the 2015 Mustang.
In the eyes of the younger generation, the Fox is incredibly good-looking. Like I said above, this is probably due to its ’80s styling and small size compared to new Mustangs.
Performance shops such as Saleen put their own twist on the body styling of the Fox Body. Arguably the best-looking body kit for the Fox Body is the Cobra style body kit.
Generally, the Notchback is more desired, mostly because of its rarity but also because it’s the lightest.
The coupe is also about 100 lbs lighter, making it much more popular with drag racers. I’ve always personally liked the LX hatchback more, but that’s probably just 17-year-old me remembering all the awesome times I had in my Fox Body.
5. 300 LB-FT of Torque
The Fox Body Mustang isn’t exactly a sports car. In stock form, they’re known for their boat-like handling and tail-happy rear end.
However, the Fox Body Mustang was the first car Motor Trend ever tested that pulled over 1G on a skidpad. The infamous 5.0L doesn’t make large amounts of power by today’s standards.
Back in the day, however, 225 horsepower and 300 ft-lbs of torque were pretty decent.
Although 225 horsepower is pretty lackluster in today’s world, 300 lb-ft of torque isn’t.
Torque is the same reason that everyone loves the Fiesta ST. All that torque means you don’t have to rev the engine way out just to go fast.
The torque pushes you back into your seat even at 2k RPM, which is surprisingly fun.
Also Read: 7 Weird Things You Never Knew About the Ford Mustang
Luckily, 225 horses is actually a good amount considering the Fox Body weighs in at 3,100 lbs in stock form.
With a bit of weight reduction, a Fox Body can achieve a weight of under 2,900 lbs. My personal Fox Body Mustang had a pretty significant amount of weight reduction; gutted interior, A/C delete, aluminum heads, etc., and it could achieve 0-60 in about 5 seconds. That puts it on par with a 2015 Mustang. For specifics, visit: Fox Body Wikipedia
My personal 1991 Mustang LX
Check out: Top 5 Must-Have Mods For Your Fox Body
With such a light car, you can imagine how fun this car is to drive around. They’re not a role model when it comes to handling, mostly thanks to their “live axle” rear end.
The handling characteristics aren’t very fast, but they’re definitely fun. Every time I drive a Fox Body, I just want to do donuts, and most of the time, I do.
4. Aftermarket Performance
It’s a Mustang, what do you expect? The aftermarket parts are nearly endless, from engine accessories to suspension components.
Factory performance parts are extremely abundant, too, since the Fox Body shares parts with newer Mustangs. This is because SN95 and New Edge Mustangs are on the same Fox platform as the Fox Body Mustang.
So, I’m sure you can imagine how many parts are available for the Fox Body.
Ford saw an opportunity to get its foot in the aftermarket, and they created Ford Racing Performance Parts.
Ford Racing makes some of the most popular parts for the Fox Body Mustang, including the E303 and B303 camshafts. They also make the GT40-X aluminum cylinder heads which are pretty decent.
I will say that the Ford Racing engine components aren’t as good as aftermarket companies. The GT40 heads will never flow as well as a true aftermarket set of heads, and the Ford Racing cams are also heavily outdated.
However, the Ford Racing components are dirt cheap compared to the normal aftermarket prices for similar parts.
One of the interchangeable parts between the Fox Body and newer Mustangs is the Cobra independent rear suspension.
The Cobra IRS makes the Fox Body Mustang platform handle like a true sports car. The factory solid rear axle is known for wheel hop, which can make handling unpredictable.
Other Cobra parts like the steering rack are also easily interchangeable. Think about all the praise the 03-04 Cobra gets but in the 3,000 lb Fox Body chassis.
Also Read: Why are Jeeps so Ridiculously Expensive?
There are countless amounts of companies that produce engine components, suspension, and ascetic parts for your Fox Body.
One of the biggest and best sources for Fox Body parts is a company named American Muscle. They specialize in Mustang parts and really know what they’re doing when it comes to building Mustangs.
3. They’re like Legos
What’s your dream build? Drag car? Drift car? Street cruiser? Well, you can literally do anything you want to a Fox Body since Mustangs from 1979 to 2004 are almost identical under the skin.
You can plop in a built 302ci or even a larger engines like a 351w and build a drag car. Installing a Cobra IRS with some steering changes, and you’ll have an awesome drift car. A mild little 302ci would make the perfect street cruiser.
World famous drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. uses a Fox Body for his “Drift Missile,” and he says, “The Fox Body is the best-kept secret of drifting.”
Maybe you want a canyon carver? You can build a Fox Body Mustang like Matt Farah from The Smoking Tire.
He built his Fox Body with the sole purpose of canyon carving and focused entirely on the chassis. He used fender flares to fit stupid wide tires at all 4 corners, a bunch of Cobra suspension parts, and lots of chassis stiffening.
His chassis first approach with a nearly stock 302 resulted in a relatively cheap car that shreds canyon roads.
Check Out: Ford Goes all Aluminum, When Will Chevy Follow?
No matter how you modify your Fox Body, there’s information online to help you. Pretty much every modification has already been done and was well documented to help others.
Plus, you can keep the factory reliability with all the parts you can source from the Cobra.
2. Engine Swaps
For some people, the 302ci small-block Ford isn’t enough. Unfortunately, it just can’t provide high horsepower and great reliability at the same time.
Some might consider it blasphemy, but many people are swapping Chevy LS engines into their Fox Body Mustangs. Sure, you could build a 302ci to make 350 horsepower naturally aspirated, but you could build a Chevy LS to make 500+ horsepower.
For those of you who hate the idea of a Chevy engine in a Ford, you could swap in a Coyote 5.0 engine.
It’s significantly more expensive than an LS-powered Fox Body, but it’s arguably cooler. Another common swap is the 4.6L Terminator engine which can make well over 500 horsepower with simple bolt-ons.
We’ve even seen things like a 4G63 Mitsubishi 4-cylinder swapped into Fox Body Mustangs.
1. It’s a Classic
The Fox Body is now wandering into the 25+ year-old range, depending on what year you own. This means it’s starting to become a “classic,” and when that happens, prices go up.
CNN Money even mentioned the Fox Body Mustang in their “Top Ten Investment Cars under $5,000“. On top of it becoming a classic, it’s also facing a similar issue to the 240sx’s “Drift Tax.”
Young hot-rodders are scooping up Fox Body Mustangs left and right, causing the prices to go up even more.
Seriously, hop on Craigslist and try to find a nice Fox Body for less than $2,000. It’s almost impossible to find a rust-free Fox Body that’s been taken care of.
Young hot-rodders and collectors aren’t the only ones driving up the price. Enthusiast drivers are also picking these up for their next project, and I don’t blame them. Who wouldn’t want a Fox Body as a project car? It’s light, fast, and cheap (for now).
Think of the Fox Body like a stock market. If you invest in one today, it’ll be worth way more than ten years from now. Unfortunately, the prices are already rising. Just five years ago, they could easily be had for a $2k – $3k, and now they’re $5,000+.
Is a Fox Body Mustang For You?
Ask yourself, have you ever wanted to go do donuts and street racing just for the thrill? Have you ever been jealous of that one old guy in your neighborhood who owns a classic car?
Do you love the feeling of a cammed muscle car? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you need to start looking for a Fox Body.
As a matter of fact, we love the Fox Body so much that we listed it in our “Top 4 Sports Cars for Under $4,000“
When I was 17, I LOVED tuner cars, but then I took a ride in my friend’s Fox Body, and I fell in love with it so much that I traded my Jeep for a Fox Body a few days later.
So, even if you are a die-hard tuner, or maybe you just don’t like Mustangs at all, I promise you from the bottom of my heart, the first time you drive a Fox Body Mustang, you’ll fall in love with it.
What to Look For
If I’ve convinced you to go out and buy a Fox Body, you need to look for a few things before you make the sale official.
Make sure the frame isn’t twisted or rusted out. High horsepower Fox Body Mustangs will likely have a slightly twisted frame if subframe connectors aren’t added. This is somewhat unrepairable.
Generally, the 5.0L engine is bulletproof, but it does have some common issues. The rear main seal is a common oil leak. On your test drive, make sure it holds good oil pressure at really high RPMs. If it doesn’t, it may need an upgraded oil pump.
Summary
Overall the Fox Body chassis is extremely good in almost every way. It has that ’80s and ’90s nostalgic feeling and that awesome ’80s look.
With a plethora of ground effects to choose from, it will always look sexy. It hammered Camaros back in the day and still will today if it has enough modifications.
If you have the money to get a Fox Body, do it today, seriously. It will be the best car you have ever bought.
Plus, if you do not like it, you could always hold on to it for a few years and double your money. Let me know what you think of Fox Body Mustangs in the comments below!
I have a 87 mustang Gt built for drag racing and a 2002 TJ wrangler that i drive every day. I love em both!
I’ve owned my custom 1992 foxbody 23 years. It’s not going anywhere!
I own a 92 foxbody and love it. I’ve had others and now also own a new 2015 mustang Gt. While I love the modern ride and amazing smooth power of my new one, I still get excited to drive my fox. I really enjoy the raw feeling of it.
I drove a foxbody Mustang for many years as a patrol car while working for the California Highway Patrol. The car would scoot, and it was easy to jump up on speeders from a dead stop with the 5-speed trans. The only drawback, the car floats at the
top end of 140 mph. It could do the speed, but was not aerodynamically designed to go that fast. Yup.. unintentional lane changes. I could see how amateurs could get into real trouble if they jerked the steering wheel, stabbed the brakes, or even came off the gas to abruptly.
Sounds like your talking from experience as a novice driver pmsl …140mph would of taken half a day to get there….
Yup…if your days are 40 seconds long…
I love my mullet and I love my Fox!
I bought my 90 GT in 89, drive it to work every day and get compliments on it almost every time I stop somewhere. It will NEVER be for sale so long as I can drive. I got it 10 days after my son was born, my wife had her baby and I went to get mine……now my son has his own Fox.
That is awesome, I bought my 90 Fox back in Feb of this year as my birthday gift. I still haven’t drove it because I sacrificed getting my license to own it.
I have a 91 lx fastback big tire drag car powered by a big block Chrysler easiest way to go 10s car only weighs 2830lbs with driver and still has steal fenders, doors and factory bumpers. was always a mopar guy but I love this little fox tons of wheels up fun.
Hi there William.
I’m from South Africa and have just aquired an 81 fox coupe. I also have been offered a complete Chrysler 383 drivetrain cheap. Is there much fabrication and cutting to fit this setup in my fox??
Thanks in advance
I ‘ve had my ’88 gt since new. Not selling it any time soon.
Not a bad article. Except the 225hp/300tq – weren’t “to the ground” those are crank ratings. Far less planted to the wheels! Still love my foxes though 😀
my second car was a 90 fox i loved it now i own a 89 5.0 and an 06 gt my brother has a 2014 5.0 we love our mustangs we bring them to car shows and hopefully we will be going to mustang week next year
I own a 88 5.0 fox and love it
I have a 66 hardtop, 86 GT, 89 GT that l bought new, and an 08 GT500. The 89 is getting ready to go back on the road. I’ve missed it!
I owned an 86 gt .i wish i still had it.
I have an 84 Lx vert 5.0 H.O. all original
4 sale now now now runs as well as the day it pulled off thr lot
call if interested 334-419-3966
clean title
Bought my 93 LX Convertible 5.0 5 speed as my ‘Bucket List’ car. Finally got back to something I could ‘power shift’, and at 72, many dreams come back from the 60’s.
I own 2 rare 1993 feature cars. They are both convertibles. One is white and the other is yellow with white accents.
Nice, I own a red 92 LX Summer edition and a 90 LX 7UP mustang. I have owned them both for over 20 years and they are in amazing condition. 92 is almost all stock and the 7UP is customized like a mofo…will never sell them.
Hello Brian , Still have them both? 🙂
I own a 1985 Mercury Capri with a 408 stroker and many other mods. I have a tremendous amount of fun but no one wants to race a car that can do endless 2nd gear burnouts! Lol
I find those cars pretty cool. I don’t see them around at many car shows but would love to go for a ride in one one day!
I too owned an 85 Mercury Capri 5.0L RS Dark Red with Gray lower trim! I miss that car and they are rare to find these days!(2018} I currently have a 03 Mustang GT/Cobra Project car, but I am waiting for the 2019 Shelby GT500 to come out! God Bless!
I own a 85 and 92 GT
The reason they are called fox bodies is they were geared toward competition against the volkswagen rabbit and foxs chase rabbits. Straight out of fox body recognition guide.
I have an 84 gt convertable little over 44000 miles always garaged
The 94-98 Mustangs were technically Fox platform too 🙂
I currently own a 91 Lx with a few mods! Love it! Owned for 12 years not going anywhere!
’92 5.0 LX convertible. It’s all original!
I’ve had my 89 lx cp since the near end of 1990 .. didn’t matter if you 2 wheels or 18 if you wanted to race I was ur guy . It now has a 331 dss racing short block with tfs alum heads and edelbrock intake . It’s not going anywhere til I’m gone at least
Thought you might find this interesting:
https://www.facebook.com/mustang4challenge/
I own a 88 5.0 The Old fox convertible little over 35000 miles always garaged.It’s all original!
I have a 1993 all original concours triple white Feature convertible.
im well over 50ish so they aren’t just for the younger guys ive had mine for 5 yrs now and love driving it in the summer 302 roller 5 spd and 410 gear
For me it’s SSP mustangs. I have an 82 the first year and an 86 both cars restored.
I have been in love with foxbodies ever since 1988 when i had a 87 GT beat my 86 Iroc. I traded the Z in the next week and purchased a Black 88 GT and since then my passion in life has been foxbodies. I have every MMFF magazine dating back to the 1st one ever published. My 84GT has been redone to 1989 specifications and the local foxbody GURU at the local dealership can not tell its an 84. I know technology has changed and performance parts today are supposedly more advanced but, I still prefer yesterday’s performance parts of choice. My GT has the old school WILL BURT TFS Iron Heads ( Street Heats) Tubular GT40 Intake, Pro M 77mm MAF, motorsport x303 camshaft, accufab 75mm throttle body and so forth. Let me tell you, the old technology still works today here in Dallas because I have taken down a few LSX’s and coyotes with my old school parts and will never change how I feel about them… Foxbodies are in my opinion, the best ford mustangs ever made…..
Love my Fox, built for the corners! Check her out on my blog.
I just picked up an 87 convertible with a newer dark cherry paint job. She’s also been 5 lugg swapped and has some grey deep dish bullit rims that have the mustang Emblem on them (preferred over American muscle rims) with a set of Yokohama performance tires all around. Brand new. About to swap the trans because I’m not a fan of the t5. She had an aftermarket exhaust but I’m not sure what type yet. Hardly any rusted under her. Some in the ussual spots but she’s 30 years old and been garage kept most of her life. I plan on undercoating it soon.
I own two foxbody Mustangs that are being featured in a new indie drag racing movie!
Best bang for the buck of any muscle car
I am the original owner of an 88 GT convertible. Purchased 3 20 89. Look that one up. I bought n my mid 20s n am now 5 pt 0 myself!!! On my third motor, a DSS racing 347 stroker w a Novi 2000 supercharger, full length headers, 2 trans – a Tremec TKO. New interior w 3A racing seats n a Fla 5.0 complete instrument cluster. Been resprayed once w same 3 color combo as original. White, gray w lt bkue stripe.
500 hp to the wheels. We have 3 other Mustang GTs
My son who wad bought home in the back seat of my Fox now drives his own low miles flawless modified GT.
Its in the blood! My 88 GT was my first child n love. Could not part w her n won’t. These new Mustangs owe their very existence to the gen that saved the Mustang, Fox.
Fox ran half the Mustangs very life! Yes, Ford was gonna axe it or make/replace it w the front drive Probe!
The passionate Fox dides n clubs saved our beloved Pony car. You welcome dudes!!!
I’ve owned my 90 LX 5.0L convertible since it was new. It was supposed to be bright yellow but ford decided not to use that color because of problems. It only has 27000 miles on it now and you can eat off of every part of it. When I bought it I drove it everywhere especially street racing (am I allowed to say that) the first 3 months I put 13,000 miles on it. And let me tell you I handed a lot of camaro and firebird boy’s their a_ _es. And I was a huge part of the GATEWAY 5.0L CLUB here in St. Louis. FOX’S 4 EVER. ?
Shameless plug with American muscle when there are mustang only companies that have been in business for much much longer and actually design and engineer their parts not just copy or resell them.
Stumbled on this article and had to leave a quick response. I’ve had my 92 LX 5.0 hatchback since 95. 21 years and still no plans of parting with it, fun and cool looking. Great memories that can’t be replicated. Thanks for the article.
The fox mustangs hold a very special place in my heart. When I was around 10 yo my father bought a fox. Low miles nice car. He kept it mainly garaged for years. It was his gem…still is. Of course I never got to drive it…you know how fathers are. So years later after a total loss situation with my only vehicle at the time I turn directly to the fox nation. Foxes have brought my father and I closer than we have ever been. Once you catch the fox bug it is a good thing. Let’s keep them out of the scrap yard and on the road…these cars are the next classics. Cheers friends.
What other car can bring people from completely different generations together? The only vehicle I can think that brings people together like a Fox can is a Jeep.
I have a 1987 Mustang GT 5.0 thatI bought new and put 308,000 miles on it. I also have a 1968 Willy’s V6 CJ5 I’ve had since 1977. I guess I’m cooler than I knew!
I had 5.0 89lx coupe when I was younger. I lost the car do to a part hungry friend who strip the car. Ever since then I dreamed about getting another fox. My dreams came true that same friend sold me an 5.0 88lx hatch in beautiful shape with a system alarm sunroof and everything for like 1000 dollars. U can say he made up for the horrible thing he did?
Love the article, big fox fan here, I got the mustang script found on the bumpers of 87-93 stangs tattooed on my arm. I’ve had 5 fox body cars 6 on the fox platform(an 86 cougar). First car was an 85 hatch with a Cleveland and a 9in, then 87 gt vert,88 gt hatch, 81 Capri base, and my greatest score, a 1990 green and white 7up convertible. It’s pretty rough, but it’s what I’ve always wanted. And picked up on a steal. Let’s restore these cars, and keep foxes around to become the hot rods of our kids’ kids.
Just bought my 86 gt 3 weeks ago. I am 69 years and what a thrill Built 5.0 5 speed. Just wanted another mustang owned 65 260 v8 70 351 c 67 gt 289 v8.
This will be my car until God calls me away!
You want a muscle car? Buy a 1969 Dodge Charger. This hunk of junk looks no different than any other ricer you see on the streets nowadays, and is the farthest you can get from a muscle car.
Is it just me, or are are these abominations among the ugliest cars ever built? And I love Mustangs, just not these – they all look like K-Cars. Collectors’ items? Fill your boots boys, to each his own I always say, but in my view the most eye-pleasing are 65-68 and 05-09. Beyond that they’re creeped out, front to back, and I think that both Lee and Carol would agree.
I had a 85 4cyl 4 speed notch and a mind built 86 t top. The 85 was neat but the 86 would down right FLY. the b and m short throw made it shift like a dream. I had it for two weeks and traded it for a 79 elcamino 38th a 396 stiffed in it and of regreted it since day 1. I WILL have another when I can afford one
I liked your comments on the seven reasons to love a fox body. I have a 1989 LX 4cyl in rough condition but would like to sell it could you help me in acquiring a buyer?
I I’m in love with my fox I have a 89 convertible 5.0 mild mods going to be done . Kids love wife loves it in storage for winter.
I own a 92′ lx hatch and love it. It has a some mild mods with 50,000 original miles. And I walk away from stock camaros and coyotes. She’s a blast to drive.
I’ve had a 87 gt built 302, 92 lx with a few bolt ons and now a 88gt that I’m not selling and plan to get a turbo 331 and as many other mods withing the next ten years. Love the foxbody, extremely fun.
Bought my son a Fox for his first car. ’89 5.0 5-SPD notch.
When we bought it, it was a “roller”, no engine or tranny.
Rust free car, paid $500.
He has spent the past 3 years building it and finally hit the street and track this past summer.
We swapped a carbed 5.3 LS and a TH400 into it.
So far it’s been to the local dragstrip 3x, and has run a best if 12.40 on drag radials and through the mufflers, just as driven off the street. This was with crazy wheel spin through 1st and well into 2nd gear.
So far this winter he has stepped it up with race ported heads, a nitrous system, a little larger carb, and a set if lightweight wheels with drag slicks and skinnies.
Car is an absolute riot to drive and draws tons of attention.
Hoping for some 9 second runs this spring…can’t wait.
Sounds like an awesome car. What a great way to start out . Build it from the ground up with some hard work more rewarding than handing him a brand new expensive turn key stang. Still have my 1990 (for 25 yrs) my son is 15 and likes to help work on it probably pass it to him or find another fox too have fun guys!
The only thing that is missing to the fox is a new all wheel drive system… The brakes sucks,the suspension sucks,,cant turn..the mpg suck the power suck ….after you change everything in the car you finally can enjoy it…Dont try to live with the car stock because is a knife …someday it will hurt you…or someone you love..
You have to know your limits with stock setup Mpg not a big deal bad mpg in an awesome fox is better than 50 mpg in a crappy Prius anyday!
….BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Probably the worst era of Mustang, except the years previous. I remember growing up I thought they were horrible, didn’t even look like a Mustang. I mean, a sleeper needs to be truly a non-sports car with the engine of one, not a sports car that is designed to look like a god-awful 2 seater hatchback.
and who are you again? oh ya that 1 person blog bombing just cuz they can, I wouldn’t doubt that this is the only one you’ve tried to bomb today,, but like the man said in the article, these are hidden jems, which people that ACTUALLY KNOW about cars would agree..BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! (LAUGHING AT YOUR IGNORANCE)
I still have my 1990 gt bought in 92 80,000 mi drive every day only 3mi to work usual bolt on mods not afraid to scratch it and mash the gas! I’m 50 yrs old not trying to return to the 80s I never left!
I’ve owned a 93 convertible lx for a long, long time. Comp cam, 351 heads and exhaust. She gets up nicely and it’ll be with me till I die! Lucky to be a built JEEP wrangler owner as well. Best of both worlds!
bonjour j ai un mustang gt 1982 acheté en 1982 neuve et je l ai encore elle a 35 ans cette année
Yes it’s sentimental value with these cars for sure! That’s what I see with all these posts.Keep on Stangin people!!!!
Fun article! Although I wouldn’t consider the Ford Racing cams “outdated” or the GT-40 heads subpar.
Because the FOX platform was used for the 1978 Fairmont till the 2004 Mustang and 13 other carlines including station wagons.
Of course there are tons of inner changable parts.
And dont say a 2004 Mustang is not a Fox…
If it wasnt, you couldnt bolt the IRS into any year Fox Platform.
I like how these foxes are being more and more talked about. I always loved them and I’m a little too obsessed with those cars. I enjoyed this article. I’d point out also that these cars are really one of the last true “driver’s cars” with no ABS, no traction or launch controls… Check out my blog called FoxStang, I put my obsessive energy towards that lol. Cheers!
One thing I don’t like is how some youngsters change the cars up when there mostly original 🙁
My dad got a 1989 gt for $1500 on Craig’s list all original except for paint I wana buy it off him he wants to sell it for $5000 obo I hope I get $5000 quick
I think the 5.0 5 speed fox body is so fun because of the driving experience. You can feel the seat shake with the lope of the cam at idle and hear the burble of the exhaust. The bottom end torque makes the car fun accelerating from a stoplight. It is easy to spin the tires if you want to, even without dumping the clutch. Gripping the 5 speed’s shifter lets you feel the power spinning through the transmission. Power-shifting is not too hard to master and rewards you with a satisfying bark from the rear tires. Driving the 5.0 is a thrill.
You’re description of the driving ‘feel’ is great. I have an 87 GT T-Top. When I let off the full throttle in 1st gear, I can feel the body ‘unflex’ from the fantastic torque!
Erik
I ve owned two foxs in high school 89LX 5.0 and a 91GT cov. Absolutely loved them tons of memories made in these foxbodys lol
I just recently purchased a 89Gt and will end up giving it to my son in two years .nothing like getting your highschool car back! Stangs 4life
Original owner of a garaged ’93 GT 5.0 convertible, 147k miles. Original everything except had to replace the tires a few times, the clutch and the radiator once.. So fun to drive, best car ever….
I had no idea that mustangs are similar to Legos in that you can literally do anything you want with it. I can see why it would be fun to have a custom made car with the features you want. I have been thinking about getting a new car that I can really design to fit my personality. I’ll have to go to a local dealership and see what they have in stock.
I own an all original except for headers and exhaust 1989 lx 5.0 convert. White on white. Has the factory pony rims. I believe its the 25th anniversary. Anyways, its pretty fast and I’ll never sale it.. I wanna do a rebuild on the motor oneday. But she runs real strong still and good on gas so I’ll wait a few years.. I use nothing but the expensive fuel. I always seem to beat the ones with mods and stuff. So I like to keep it stalk and unmolested..
With that said, it’s s a
Cali Mustang. Im the second owner..
A 1989 would have 10 hole wheels or “phone dials” as some have called them. Ponys where introduced in 1991.
64.5-66 Mustangs were “A”
67-68 “B”
69-70 “C”
71-73 “D”
74-78 “E”
79-93 “F”…in the phenolic alphabet F is foxtrot.
This is how I’ve always assumed it to be.
I have one a 1990 fights body 5.0 convertible 5 speed
I own a 89 ssp coup, with a fully built 347 and minor weight reduc(a.c. delete, aluminum heads etc), full bolt ons, from the radiator back, she is fully built and replaced, Will die an old man as the owner of this car..
Yes, i have 8 of them, in various states of disrepair…..And i will Never sell them.
I am 78 ,years old, have been drag racing since I was 14. I have a supercharged, blue print 1988 SSP and a 1989 HB (bought it new) modified. The SSP will usually blow the doors off of most street cars. These cars keep me young besides giving me a thrill every time I can find a street drag. I attend custom car shows at every opportunity remembering “Big Daddy Don Garlet,” breaking the 200 MPH 1/4 mle at Pomona CA.
Ron, Don’t Know if your still with us……But thanks . I’m 71 and have several of them. notchbacks being my favorite. It’s 2023 Now and hope to enjoy them continuously like you.
Not exactly the most attractive car on the planet. Good performance potential but screams Ford Escort.
i have a 91 fox body, its a convertible and a nice car to drive but the motor is only a 2.3 and the acceleration is ass so its not very tail happy so its kinda boring because i step on the gas and the tires dont brake loose.. :c
i own a custom 87 mustang lx a truly one of kind car
I have a 89gt convertible replaced the roof,new radiator, alternator, suspension, clutch brakes, wiring and spark plugs. It’s scheduled for body works new paint and all.
I bought my 1991 Fox 5.0 LX hatchback when I was 19. Original owner. Pristine condition! Still love it.
i have a 1985 gt hatchback svo edition me and my dad are putting a 347 stroker in it all in time for me to be 16
I love Mustangs, but full disclosure: I have never driven a fox-body. I WANT to like them, I really do. It really does seem like it would be a fun car to drive.
The problem is, of course, that it is absolutely one of the ugliest things a company ever decided to mount on 4 wheels. I have seen sleeker wheelbarrows in my lifetime.
It’s the 87-93 that are ugly. That front nose looks completely out of place with the oversize headlights. The convertible models are even worse, it’s poorly integrated. And the GT ground effects are gaudy.
The 79-86 weren’t works of art either, but at least the design was right and remained simple. And the 79-82 Pace Car/Cobra/GT look really badass. They just need better rims than what was available.
Fox Body – It’s a Classic? A classic would be a 1973 Mustang Convertible, 351C, C6, 3.25 traction Lock, Ram Air, and Forged aluminum wheels! Why? ’73 was the last year you could buy a classic mussel car and the last year for convertibles for 10 years. The only year you could get the real ram air option and the only year for the wheels!
93 Cobra here. Arguably the best looking factory fox. A random Craigslist find that I basically stole. 100% stock down to the date coded plug wires and serial # labels on the body panels. Even still has the air silencer. I’ve owned several built foxes that were much faster, but this one is the keeper. At 24 years old and 100k+, it’s amazingly tight with absolutely zero mods. A rare occurrence in these cars.
I also own a heavily turbo’ed 2013 Coyote GT. It’s very, very fast, but the raw thrill, and SOUND, of the fox body can’t be beat. Hands down, fun factor in the fox is better than any other car I’ve ever owned. I will never ever sell my 93 Cobra. Always wanted one and finally got it. I seriously might have to be buried in this thing.
90 GT Hatch here, purchased this car last year from a guy off of craigslist , n let me tell you, I GOT A DEAL OF A LIFETIME…with a FULLY Rebuilt motor with no miles that right 0 miles for only $1,500 dollars..Proud owner..ive always dreamt of owning a fox body just like my older cuzzin a while back when I was a kid he owned a 87 hatch gt but has since sold it, and just like the rest, he wishes he hadn’t after seeing mine. I always new there was something special about this car, and reading this forum confirms my belief , THAT THE FOX BODY IS THE GREATEST MUSCLE CAR OF ALL TIME AND THE BEST MUSTANG GENERATION OF EM ALL. FOX4LIFE. AND I agree with the guy from the comment above mine, that I might just have to be buried in this thing, thats the only way I can rest in peace!
I inherited the family’s Torino Squire with a 351 Windsor. I embarrassed every fox body Mustang I ever ran up against. Anyone who says this is an attractive car is blind and you keep saying how great it can be if you do all these things to it. Isn’t the idea for it to have those things to begin with? And a unibody for a true hot rod are you kidding?
How can you even call it a muscle car? The highest horsepower rating I saw you mentioned in your long article was 225. My daily driver Subaru has 250. My dad had a 65 Mustang with a tweaked 289. It also walked all over fox bodies.
A 1986 Subaru put out an astonishi 98hp you dad’s 289 probably puts about that to to tire. PERSECTIVE people. I know how awesome those 80’s sunnies were were. Everybody lining up to snatch those from the crushed hu
Just bought my 1990 5.0 of convertible 5 speed I dreamed of owning one since I was little and I got in it and couldn’t stop smiling by far the best car I have ever driven also most tail happy I ever seen yo be stock sadly previous owners painted it canary yellow
I have owned a 1993 Cobra for 13 years now. It has 15k on the odometer, and save for exhaust and 3.73 gears is 100% stock. I have won best of show at Ford dealer car shows and 1st place in class countless times. I am always afraid to drive the car for fear of theft or accident (not by my fault). So I just recently purchased a 1990 GT that had a ton of performance mods including a supercharger, aluminum heads, lumpy cam, tremec TKO 500 etc etc. Only issue is the interior was absolutely unsalvageable. Ill be putting in Corbeu seats front and rear and completely restoring interior. I love fox bodies and have always said they would increase in value. Cheers to all who appreciate them!
I bought my 1979 5.0 Notch 08/01/1979 in Germany and still love and sometimes drive it. Original Owner, Original Paint, Odometer 210K km, Excellent running Condition.
I sold my 89 convertible that I had built 11 years ago,replaced it with a c5 corvette that I kept till this past May .
I have regretted selling my mustang ever since. Woke up one day a couple weeks ago, found it for sale on face book !
Bought it back same day,Needs a ton of work; and now I am looking forward to restoring it with my 8 year old son !
I had a Mitsubishi 3000GT, I told my wife I had it in great shape..finally. She said “sell it now, get rid of it” and suggested I buy a Fox Body. I bought an 89 LX Convertible that needed work and sold the Mitsu the same day. That was 3 years ago and I’ve uh we’ve got it in pretty good shape. See there are happy endings and car shows.
1987 GT, my first new car. never driven in snow. about 72,000 miles. Decided to redo the exterior and interior. It’s at the shop getting final touches. It’s hard to wait for it and I am so excited. it was my first new car.
Wow. I have been debating whether or not i should buy this one Mustang my neighbors selling. A bit of work but i see potential. After reading this article, im more hyped than ever.
Thanks for sharing!
I had a 93 GT, unfortunately it was “totaled”. Luckily a yr later I found a non running,rust free and in nice shape,4cyl 93 lx and saved it from certain doom in a scrapyard, (I literally stopped them from putting it on a flatbed with only minutes to spare!)for a well spent 400 bucks. After I swapped all the good stuff from the GT, and added some sweet new goodies, I was back in the drivers seat of a quick and sexy road car. Of all the different “fun/project” cars I’ve owned, my Mustangs are the car I enjoy and love the most.
Fox body under 5k? Must be in really bad shape…love the article but great shape fox body’s range from 15-20k if well taken care of and low to average miles…I disagree the GT has a hideaous bumper don’t know how you determined that…these cars are way underrated right now if you restore one they will be with I think 40k+ in the next 10-20 years
I don’t remember where I read it, I was probably in high school in the late 90’s, but it’s called the Fox Platform because Ford wanted a world car to compete with the Audi Fox (or to be like it anyway) they even hired the engineers from Audi to help them. But anyway the chassis failed as a world car because Europeans didn’t want a solid axle, and I think the rear fuel tank didn’t help either. So it was released in America as the Fairmont.
Then Ford came with the Merkur another failed world car, then the Contour/Mondeo which failed in the US. They finally got it right with the Focus; now almost all their vehicles are world based.
Can someone please tell me why the hell those cars from that period stood higher at the front, lower at the back ???? It looks horrible and old!
I have owned my 1993 for 24 years and it is the best looking car on the road. It will never leave my possession and I never had any issues beating any Camaro or Corvette thrown my way – I love when people doubt the little 302. I recently got a 2004 GT to add to my collection and be more of a “daily driver” and that car is a blast too….. 13.0’s with 3.73’s and drag radials…. not too shabby.
I had an 80 at one point compleate backyard redneck build but i enjoyed it was originally a 4cyl torbo car could tell because it had the turbo hood and a indicator light in the dash but someone dropped an old 302 in it, no speed eqipment but i had fun with ithad its problems of course due to the redneck swap however i did enjoy the car
Original owner of 88 GT hatchback. Love the car but have lost interest since being widowed and no one to enjoy it with. Only take it out a couple times a summer now. All original even tires, 12500 miles, light grey, automatic. Debating on selling it. Any comments on what I should ask if I decide to part with it? Can’t find any comparable to get an idea.
Hi Joyce, If you still have this car I’d be interested in purchasing it as long as you’re within reasonable driving distance from NC. I’ve owned several fox bodies among other mustangs and brand x cars, but fox bodies are my one true love in life lol. I can give it a great new home if you’re ready to part with it!
I have a 86 Gt with 44k miles all orignal. The body has no rust but the paint has some chips on it. I have been debating should I leave it original or repaint. Anyone care to share opinions?
I would leave it as is. My Mustang looks like it was once red but was silver when I got it. It is such that I really don’t care if someones door bangs into it in the parking lot. I don’t want to have to be concerned about every scratch or ding. I just want to drive it and drive it hard.
I bought my 92 GT auto in 92 had it two months and all hell broke loose in the quest for more HP 3.73, x303 3500 stall 90/10 struts trick flow heads the list goes on. I still own it with 53000 mile on it a 1/4 mile at a time Lol.
My son and I just bought a 1992 Fox Mustang with 5.0 and 5-speed manual. We paid $3200 and had to put about $1800 into it (radiator, water pump, oil pan, fuel tank, serpentine belt, clutch cable). The car is a blast to drive and turns a lot of heads.
I had to laugh at the “high” price of $5,000. noted when this article was published. A minty, stock, very low mileage (20-30K miles) fox is upwards of $20K now. Guess I should have bought in 2015! PS..I don’t think they’ve come close to reaching their peak yet.
I don’t think the BMW looks anything like the fox body on the outside, except for being 80’s. I wouldn’t say they shared styling, just culture.
Some great points are made. The key to the Fox body mustang’s performance is its relatively low weight.
It was in the 90’s when the performance aftermarket support for these cars took off, and I would argue that this platform is second only to the Jeep in that aftermarket support. On the same point, the aftermarket performance parts selection for the bowtie competition of that time period pails in comparison to what became available for the SBF 5.0…from intake manifolds, cam selection and even cylinder head options. Nitrous, superchargers and turbos too.
Getting into to chassis upgrades the aftermarket continues to support the notion that you can take the Fox body in any direction you want, from street bruiser, to all out drag racer, from autocross to road course.
At this point, one thing is for certain, when you line up next to a Fox body mustang, you never know what you are up against.
I own a 1992 shelby MK2 convertible in black and gold with radio delete option (yup 1 of 70 one of 3 out of those 70 and 1 of 1 of those 3) I absolutely love it I take it to the rod run in Tennessee best car of my life.
In 2007 I traded my 97′ Infiniti Q45a (few weeks earlier I hit a deer messing up the grill) for an 88′ GT 5.0 convertible all black w/ grey interior and some extra aftermarket horsepower under the hood. Ever since then it’s been kept clean, plus the basic care and garaged. An outstanding car
THE BEST TRADE I’VE EVER MADE!!!
Where do I Start, It all started for me in 88 I purchased my first fox 1985 GT 5.0 5spd non a/c Car black, it was quick when the carb was on point. Traded that for an 86 GT Grey 5spd short lived. Traded that for a new 88GT Scarlet Red with Red interior a/c car with 5spd 2.73 gears I cut the mufflers off and made it straight pipes. Put an order in December of 88 for 89 LX 5.0 5spd Notchback white with blue interior 3:08 gears. Got the car in March of 89.. Orders back then took awhile depending on color options etc. Was surprised the car came in with a 140 mph speedo.. I am pretty sure that’s the first year of the 140 speedo.. That car probably was the quickest I owned. I was 21 back in 89 LOTS of light to light Racing. 12 years Ago I purchased a 93 cobra that I sold a year later to buy a house Great down payment and Fantastic investment! Today I have an 87 white 5.0lx vert with blue interior that resembles my car back in 89. Gn&R & Motley Crue Still Cranking on Cassette deck with Factory EQ! Cheers to all the FOX Fans! Thanks for the Great Article brings back many memories!
I got a 88 gt love it and never will part with it.how could you ever say fox body’s are not best looking and sounding cars ever? I can hear a fox a mile away best cars ever period! Middle finger to all the haters!!
Have the only 1979 Mustang CABRIOLET ever made! Headlight washers, 1 of a kind dash, interior, taillights, etc. Fox rocks!
Owned my 1991 Fox hatchback 21 yrs. bought it for 500 bucks with 62k miles on it and a few dents. Modified it to 485 horsepower after daily driving it to 2009….finished all the work by 2011 and released back on the street in 2017. Would never sell, replace, or trade. It’s gonna be with me to the end!! JD-Yellow Fox.
lOL, pretty funny how among hundreds of comments here only a couple of turds think foxes are either ugly or not muscle cars at all. Let me tell you charger owners, chargers were dead for some 40 years and still today are,slow as heck if not for their humongous engines. Another lady stated her NEW subaru has more HP than a car wich it’s power output was huge by 1987 standards, when a subaru from 1987 wouldn’t made over 90 HP L O L, yes, your torino was fast only for it’s big output. Ok I’ve owned a 92 fox hatchback AOD for 16 years,now she’s around 173K miles. Only downside it’s the crappy overdrive gear on those AOD”s, she was my first and my last car though I own a 2009 GT CS and a 2003 toyota 4runner. I kept her mostly stock but wish to afford the money to make her a track ready car. I know many cars even mom soccer fugly suv’s can be today as fast or faster than my jewel fox, but again, it is ca car whose power output was from 1986-1987, only faster cars were exotics back then, still has a lot of potential to make those 5.0’s to breath to well over 400 HP. I’m planning on stripping as much weight I can from it so it’s lighter thus nimbler, I live in Cali, so no major upgrades can be done, but among all of the cars I’ve owned and driven, no car makes me happier than my good ol foxie. She’s electric blue with black stripes, chromed ponies. There’s no doubt, FOXES ARE the best muscle cars ever made. Just the huge aftermarket support and popularity talks by themselves, and they ARE beautiful specially when they got a nice set of wheels and stance. Haters gonna hate lol.
Hi loved this article , especially since i just bought an untouched ‘92 convertible. 2.3 auto. original everything except floor mats. It’s white with blue top blue cloth. An elderly guy and his wife garaged it always the last 10 years. Lived in small town in IA and drive it only to the city golf course never in winter. Still has the original white boot! no wear on the seats! no stains !
I told my wife i bet we see even this with the 2.3 liter 4 go up since people are pulling the 2.3 to add more power. i’m planning to not change it. The 150 horses get just as many thumbs up and i’m smiling the whole time i’m cruising!
personal plates will be. 923FOX!
I acquired a convertible with a 4cyl with 8 spark plugs. Woohoo!
Whole lotta fun. I have it for cruising drop too.
Picked it up inexpensive before the rush…
The Fox body has to be one of the ugliest POS cars ever built.
I have a 90′ gt with a naturally aspirated 427w stroker. 600hp street car. I eat boosted cars all the time. Built for nitrous too. That’s for the big league street cars.
Bought a 1984 GT 350 brand new and still have it today. Garaged it shortly after full paint and body resto many years ago. Only change was straight dual exhaust and swapped the metric for 90 cobras (still have the original TRX rims). Finally am retiring and cant wait to get it back on the road. Saw one go on Barrett and Jackson go for $35,000
My first car was an 82 gt that my dad gave me. He drove it for a few years. I loved that car and someone hit me and totaled it. A few years after the 82 I bought an 85 gt T top car. I was young and it was my daily driver so I got rid of it cause I was always broke. Now I’m 43 and bought an 85 LX car a couple months ago. It’s a project car and I’m not getting rid of this one.
I ordered my 1983 Mustang GT from Ford when I was 22 in March 1983 . I still have and drive my 1983 pony once a week or every other weekend. I’ve had several vehicles over my lifetime but my 83 fox has been my favorite. My Foxbody Mustang was our marriage chariot in 1990 and today together with my original Foxy wife how could anyone have a better life story! So get yourself a Foxbody and Foxy wife and live WIDE OPEN!
I love these cars we currently have 3 foxbody mustangs and a ltd2 foxbody chassis car these bring back time and alot of old memorys
Yes indeed, I love the Fox body Mustangs, I’ve only owned one, a 87 LX 4 banger but I only had it a week when the timing belt broke. Sharp looking car, I’d love another but I have too many granddaughters to haul around.
Back in the day I had an ‘80 Cobra with the hood scoop, spoiler and red/orange decals (they also came in green/light green.) Cool looking but in 1980 we were in a gas crunch and the V8 was an anemic 4.2L 255 cubic inch from the Granada, topped off with a horrible “variable venturi” carb (or a 2 barrel). The car I owned couldn’t get out of its own way. A few years after that they went back to the 5.0L but by that time I sold it and moved on.
I recently bought a 1984 Mustang GT/Hatchback and she’s a beauty! The car does need slight work, but overall I got a nice car. I also have a 2012 Jeep Wrangler and trade off every few days to keep both running, but growing obviously more fond of the Stang every time I drive the car. My Foxbody is my first Mustang and will probably be my only one…..total attention getter with that cammed 5.0 sound only they can make.
I own and love a red Mustang gt fox body 1993 never going any where, I bought it 3 years ago and it was my dream car since I was a teenager, I get compliments every time I drive it and you are right, younger guys likes it.
Has anyone tried a 5.0 347 Stroker motor?415 HP Looking forward to driving the one in my 1954 Mercury.