Does anybody on here know about foxbodys?

"Suuuubaru" (suuuubaru) 10/28/2013 at 18:02 • Filed to: Mustang

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I have no need for a foxbody mustang. I don't have the time or the money to work on one and have a feeling they won't be much fun in the snow. But I want one. bad.

So I'm wondering - has anybody on here owned one? Or had a friend with one? Or maybe even had a parent that owned one? I'm more curious at this point than seriously interested in buying one anytime soon, but I'd like to know how they are to drive around. Granted, I'm not expecting Porsche levels of engineering or steering precision, but how are they to drive? Anybody have any comments on transmission/practicality/steering/engines/misc. stuff?

Like I said, I doubt I'll buy one within a year, but eventually I'd like to save up for something more exciting than my Subaru

EL_ULY > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:03

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mycarneverruns87 is a pro.

xxxxxx > EL_ULY 10/28/2013 at 18:04

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not sure if serious

A3R0 > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:06

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My Dad owns an 82 with 62,000 miles and 1 previous owner that he just got, I post about it pretty often. I'm not old enough to drive so spend my time on my Dads cars.

EL_ULY > xxxxxx 10/28/2013 at 18:07

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he'll be on soon, he has built a couple from the ground up. Currently a 5.3 GM swap Fox coupe. I sent him a text to get on here, give this dude a hand

offroadkarter > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:07

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Clean ones bring good money, because most of the ones left are either beater shit box street cars for high school kids (one kid at my HS had a 88+ GT that had no 2nd gear) or they are all drag cars now.

I want to pick up a 86 four eye GT one day

PS9 > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:09

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I know they can get into LEO if you try hard enough.

PS9 > A3R0 10/28/2013 at 18:11

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Bah, just snatch the keys when he's not looking. What's the worst that could happen...?

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:12

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I have and know quite a few people who own Foxbodies. I'm a fan myself. I have a newer Mustang now, but nothing beats a Foxbody you can hoon.

Easy to work on. Easy to find parts for (would stretch to say THE easiest). Easy to drive. The list goes on.

Downfalls are definitely towards the interior and sadly the shape that most are in. Older ones tend to have lacked maintenance in the suspension department and can cause some work to be needed there. But, find a well taken care of example and you can enjoy hours of fun without worry.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:13

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I will ask you this one question. Do you want to be a badass? Yes? Then buy one!

xxxxxx > EL_ULY 10/28/2013 at 18:13

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Oh. I thought you made up a user while making fun of the Foxbody's reliability.(I don't know about it)

A3R0 > PS9 10/28/2013 at 18:15

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That would go well! I somewhat know how to drive stick though!

webmonkees > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:17

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Dont forget the Notches.

feather-throttle-not-hair > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:18

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I dont have anything helpful to add other than that I like them. My good friend really likes them as well. In fact he posts on Jalopnik under the handle "Foxbody"

The funny part is that he doesn't and hasn't ever owned one.

Also. Capri.

Turner950s > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:20

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I wonder if he took the picture or just got it off the internet.

mycarneverruns87 > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:25

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I have driven and owned many a Mustang but I keep gravitating back to Fox body cars. They are dumb easy to work on and your local craigslist is filled with replacement and go fast parts for them for small amounts of monies! They are on a dated platform so yes, don't expect a Porsche but they are extremely fun and versatile. Set it up squishy and hit the strip or coil-over it...hell or even swap an IRS in and take it to the twisties.

I prefer the coupes most but that's just me. GT's, LX hatch's, T-Top, or vert they are all fun. Look for any rust on the front shock towers and in the floor. T-top cars rust pretty easily as well as leak with bad seals, verts are generally a bit nosier and heavier, coupes are light and solid. Alos look for the lower core-support to be bent back...common but only slightly is not a deal breaker.

Just look for a 5.0 5-speed car and it will be hard to go wrong. The 5.0 engine is strong but not bullet proof, regular maintenance is key. Torque is great and makes burnouts for the ladies a snap! I think they drive very well for the age and are comfortable for me, GT seats FTW! First mod is a set of sub-frame connectors...these are a must and increase chassis rigidity and handling. They also quiet a lot of rattles which is great.

Be picky and find a solid car, they are everywhere so don't jump on the first you see. $2500-$4500 should get you a good car as long as the seller is fair on price. I am on my 4th fox and plan to have more in the future, they are fun and you shouldn't be disappointed.

Suuuubaru > offroadkarter 10/28/2013 at 18:28

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There's not much of a point in me buying a pristine example. I don't have a garage and can't afford a second car so the winter weather will just eat through one of those.

mycarneverruns87 > mycarneverruns87 10/28/2013 at 18:28

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Also, the main generations are 1979-1984, 1985-1986 = 4 eyed, 1987-1993 = aero cars. First year fuel injection was 1986 but was speed density. Mass air came in some late 1989 cars but mainly 1990. I like the 1989 because no air bags = lighter and last year for a tilt steering wheel.

offroadkarter > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:35

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crapboxes seem to be overpriced to, so you've been warned. I love seeing high mile AOD cars with no interior with an asking price of 4 grand.

Just remember, its an old car, the platform came out in 1979, which means from development terms its even older than that. But the fox platform from 79-04 is still the most popular platform.

zx6rob > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:35

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I'm a newer Mustang owner myself, but whenever people start talking about Fox-bodies, I always like to bring up The "Click". Different people have different names for it, but if you intend to autocross the car at all, you probably need to be aware of this. Apparently, the rear axle and suspension allows a not-insignificant amount of horizontal play (whether this is by design or by accident is, I think, somewhat up for debate). As a result, hard cornering will cause the back of the car to sort of "jump" or "click" into place as the rear end settles to one side or the other. I thought the first guy who told me about this was absolutely full of it and had just gotten a crummy car until several other Fox-body owners later confirmed that it is, in fact, a real thing.

I've never heard of it impacting daily driving, but hard cornering apparently causes this little double-jump sort of thing that can make the back feel a bit nervous. It's hard to put into words. Now, that being said, don't take this as anything other than a recommendation that you get one. A buddy of mine had, for a brief time, the holy grail of Fox-Five Mustangs: a 1989 LX coupe with a 5-speed manual and 5.0 V8. Over 100 pounds lighter than the "upmarket" GT, with all the same good bits under the hood, this thing was a blast. The tires were absolute garbage on the back, so it was ludicrously easy to light them up, but even on proper rubber, you could spin them without trying too hard. These things are fun, fast, cheap, and easy to work on. If I wasn't busy pouring my money into a pair of motorcycles right now, I'd love to find a late-'80s LX and build myself a little V8 autocrosser. Keep us posted if you decide to give in to your longings!

Philbert/Phartnagle > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 18:43

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I own two at the present time, an 86 GT and an 89 GT Convertible. Over the years I have owned several and these two are my all time favorites. The 86 GT is heavily modified and currently awaiting the installation of a supercharger and the accompanying mods and equipment. The 89 GT Convertible, belonged to our youngest daughter who was killed in 2007 by a drunk driver. We are modding it in accordance with her wishes and her sisters will show it at local cars shows along with her story and a warning about drunk driving.

Winter driving, if applicable.

I do not drive mine in the winter anymore, but I have and if you use some common sense and do a little preparation they get along ok.

1. Invest in a pair of Blizzak snow tires.

2. Carry a couple of sandbags, preferably ones you can open if needed to spread a little sand under the tires in case you get stuck.

3. Second gear take offs with a bit of clutch slippage in the manual transmission cars will help get you moving easier without spinning.

Summertime driving.

They are fun to drive stock and a blast to drive when modded for performance and handling. As a bonus aftermarket performance parts are still plentiful and reasonably priced.

My preference is and always will be the V8 5.0 (302) manual transmission versions. They do not handle all that great stock, but they are not terrible either. Just decide what you want to do with the car and mod it for that purpose. Being one of the most modded cars on the planet there is plenty of help available and advice freely given just a Google search away. My favorite forum for modding advice is Mustang Modders , but there are a plethora of other Mustang forums on the net for you to choose from as well.

Best of luck to you and if there's anything I can help you with just let me know.

Suuuubaru > Philbert/Phartnagle 10/28/2013 at 19:01

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Thank you, that's exactly the type of stuff I'm looking to know. Also, best of luck with that convertible, I really applaud you for doing what you are with it.

Philbert/Phartnagle > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 19:13

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Thanks, we appreciate that.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 19:33

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Step 1: Install subframe connectors.

As has been stated, the platform is rather old at this point. There are TONS of things that you can do to them to get them to handle incredibly though. I own a fox body Cougar ( basically a stretched Mustang ) and it'll flat-out out handle a stock new Mustang.

While clean examples of them are rather pricey, upgrade parts can be had for relative peanuts if you are patient. I just picked up a complete running motor with low miles (under 100K) because the price was that good. I only plan on using the shortblock if and when my current one goes.

GhostZ > Suuuubaru 10/28/2013 at 19:35

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If you buy it, expect to double the money you spent by adding mods to it. They're incredibly easy to modify and make fast.

It used to be the best $/HP deal out there (400HP for under a thousand but demand has sort of inflated the prices a bit. They went from "shitbox with secret tuning ability" in 2005 to "classic car that can be updated to modern spec" in 2010.

So if you want a project ahead of the curve, you missed the boat, but if you want to ride on other people's hard work and demand to have a cheap DD coupe, you're in a sweet spot.

gavinski91 > mycarneverruns87 10/28/2013 at 20:22

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My 17yo brother just picked one up an 88 GT. It's probably the one of the straightest examples I've seen, and I think he paid $1900 for it. The oil pump was shot, so he's rebuilding (and upgrading) the engine for his high school senior project. I'll have to pass on the subframe connectors info to him (although he's spent so much time researching them I wouldn't be surprised if he already knows about it).

Seeing as how he's planning on upgrading the engine, would you recommend a swap to an MAF system?

mycarneverruns87 > gavinski91 10/28/2013 at 22:59

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The subframe connectors are a very simple "investment" for the car. It will drive better, handle better, and hook better.

From 1989/90-1993 the mass air cars came with the A9L EEC computer which is not overly amazing but is special in that it really takes well to simple mods. The hot combo that is simple is to add an adjustable fuel pressure regulator, headers, intake, and throttle body. Set the timing at around 12 degrees, fuel to 39lbs ISH..., and go have fun. If he wants to mod the car, a mass air conversion would be a good idea.

gavinski91 > mycarneverruns87 10/28/2013 at 23:39

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I think he was planning on doing all of that, plus heads and a cam (with this kit I believe http://www.americanmuscle.com/topend-engine-… ), probably gonna need some tuning but should be great once he has it going.

mycarneverruns87 > gavinski91 10/29/2013 at 09:07

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Yea that would be a solid 320 RWHP combo. Just make sure he gets injectors and installs a minimum 190 lb/hr fuel pump in the tank.