Oppo, Teach Me Something New: The Fox Body/S197 Mustang

"K-Roll-PorscheTamer" (k-roll390) 04/12/2014 at 14:21 • Filed to: Mustang

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It seems that everyone(or at least the majority of people) love the Fox Bodies, my question is why? What's the good, bad, ugly about them? Fun facts and whatnot? What's the word and consensus and blah blah blah! What's the best to own, drive and stuff!

Now, what about the S197? What up with it? Same questions as above!

lonestranger > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 04/12/2014 at 14:37

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Fun fact: the SN95 wasn't a clean-sheet design. It's heavily based on the Fox body with a near-identical floorpan. (The entire drivetrain was carried over as well, with the 4.6L V8 not being released until '96).

"Mustang's FOX-4 platform is almost totally new for '94. The colored sections are new, while the white is nearly carryover. Yellow is convertible only, Green is GT-only. Blue is modified from the previous generation Mustang. Red is new and common to the coupe and convertible, the V6 and the V8 GT."

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 04/12/2014 at 14:38

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Fox: cheap, light, simple, huge aftermarket. And despite what the uninitiated armchair commentators will say, they can be made to handle very, very well, and you don't actually have to throw an insane amount of money at them to make it happen.

S197: lots of people like the look, and while they're still saddled with the 4.6, it's the 3V version which makes decent power and the heads flow pretty well and take kindly to boost. Big aftermarket for appearance parts, which is both good and bad (lots of options, but lots of ugly examples out there too). Very easy to make into a competent corner carver as well.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 04/12/2014 at 14:42

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I have seen some ugly S197s online..

I actually find the early ones very dull and boring, but I like how they seem similar to the 1st gen. '71-73 Mustangs.

claramag, Mustaco Master > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 04/12/2014 at 15:00

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Fox body: Smallish, cheap, simple, been around long enough to have one hell of an aftermarket. Introduced for the '78 model year the fox platform was used on 12+ applications (Continental to Cougar to the Fairmont, all same platform) but held it's use longest in the Mustang. Underwent a major redesign for '94 but still a fox, just a bit fatter. The foxstang decades are generally pretty damn interchangeable, so replacement parts are everywhere in the states. BUUUUUUUUT the fox mustangs had some pretty poor build quality on the interior/exterior. Door panel gap, tearing seats, cheap plastic. To some it's inexcusable. To me, character.

Also surprisingly hard to kill. Have a 15 and 22y/o mustang and they WILL NOT F****** DIE.

S197: couple hundered pounds heavier, typical modern age bs (lookin at you ford sync), pretty much the same. OEM suspension tuning's a bit more controlled. Lost some weight and got a little less ugly in the 2010 redesign, but still kept that hideous interior (god don't even get me started on the steering wheel). Learned stick on a 2010 GT with it's new Chinese made transmission. Easy first car to learn on, the transmission is rated way higher than stock torque so it's open to some abuse

But the S197's saving grace, the one true piece of acceptance in it, the new modular 5.0 engine. She may very well be my favorite non carb ICE cuz god damn does she sound pretty

Dsscats > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 04/12/2014 at 16:55

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Fox: Pretty fun car to drive, spectacular aftermarket for everything. Hard to find a good example, but nicely modded ones go for about $10,000. Notchback is generally more desirable than hatchback. Main issue is handling. Apparently the chassis isn't strong enough to handle high speed cornering and the chassis may crack. Solution? A crossbrace under the car. Not to expensive and generally not too hard to install.

SN197: Most of the V6s were shit.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Dsscats 04/12/2014 at 17:00

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Could you maybe show me the difference between the Hatch and the Notch? Every picture I see looks the same..Also I was told there was a Fastback version?

Dsscats > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 04/12/2014 at 17:38

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^Notch (flat trunk

^Hatch (hatchback trunk)

Dsscats > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 04/12/2014 at 17:40

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And no fastback unless you consider the hatch one,

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Dsscats 04/12/2014 at 17:45

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Thanks! I now know I definitely prefer the Hatch. looks cleaner and more complete IMO.