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So why is it that some Mustang Enthusiasts crave the Fox (79-93)?

Cobra Jet

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Just curiously thinking - I’m a Fox Mustang Enthusiast, but really deep thinking about it, the Fox Era of Mustangs didn’t even resemble or look like Mustangs at all.

I’ve owned quite a few of them and I guess it’s just a crazy thing because they were my Middle School and High School Era of Mustangs - and the time frame the Mustang rung in the genuine “5.0 Era”. I recall hanging at Atco Raceway with many friends and during that time frame, aside from the Grand Nationals, the Fox Mustangs were THE Mustang to have, the Mustang to modify and the muscle car to beat.

Maybe it’s just that unique sound that lures everyone in, or the fact that such a small car packed such a torque punch for its time .... I can always tell when a 5.0 Fox is passing, be it within 1 block, 1 mile or 5 miles.
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Interceptor

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At one time they were a cheap car to have fun in.
V8 sound, 5 speed, lightweight. This was when 350 whp was respectable. Simple to work on.

Now they are expensive to buy in decent shape, and not really the street performers they use to be, since everthing runs in 13/14s now.

A 12 second Fox body was something in the day.
I have had 4 in the past and have no desire for another.
 

CJJon

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I disliked the Fox body when it came out back in the day. Still don't care for it. I see the utility in it, but it's not what I think of when I think Mustang. I think there were a lot of folks that disliked it back in the day. It is the oddball Mustang era. (Well, 'cept for the electric 4 door abomination).
 

Smunczen

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I bought a new 91 5.0 coupe it was one my favorite cars ever. I restored several coupes over the years. I can say they were kind of the 57 chevy of 80's and 90's tons of parts any were avail. They one of the fastest cars most people could afford out of the box. All that being said i've moved on to a new 550 and glad i did nice to get new parts and not searching the planet for NOS parts and having to rebuild a entire car.
 

dom418

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It’s nostalgia. Nice body style, easy to work on and inexpensive to modify. I was also big into the Terminator scene and owned 12 of those. They were also built on the fox platform.

It wasn’t until I drove the new S550 that I realized how bad those old cars drove. I have not looked back. Taking nostalgia out of the equation, the fox platform does nothing for me. They drive like crap, have some of the worst build quality I have seen and ergonomically are horrible.

That being said many still fork over big bucks to own them.
 

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Strokerswild

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Even though the Foxes were in reality pretty crappy cars, I have a soft spot for them. I wish I still had my '79 Indy Pace Car or '83 Capri RS. Nostalgia is a big deal.

I'm still half-heartedly looking for the right '86 SVO, as I was a high school punk at the time and was too busy saving for college. They're bringing more than I care to spend in a lot of cases though.
 
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whatdoyoufeedit?

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Lightweight and it fits a Coyote. Before I picked up my $500 mint MN12 I looked all over for a Fox Cougar/T-bird/Mark 7 but noticed the prices on even the odd Foxes including Fairmonts and Zephyrs are shooting up thus getting an MN12 which imho is a better car (especially in handling due to it's IRS/SLA suspension) in every aspect except weight due to the IRS. You can steal some SN95/New Edge goodies such as hubs, bigger brakes, and IRS Cobra differentials despite being unrelated to the Fox-based chassis cars.
 

bluebeastsrt

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I have fond memories of them. I bought an 87 iroc and learned to drag race on front street in philly back in the 80s. The street racing scene was something right out of a movie back then. The fox was the king of the street. Beating corvettes and Supra’s of the day. I got so fed up of losing to the foxes. I traded my Camaro for one. To this day that little Windsor still has the sweetest exhaust note in history!
 

Caballus

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Relativity. The '79 marked an emergence from the dark days the Gen II, Pinto-based Mustangs 🤮. Although still "compact" looking, it had more of a traditional looking body style and real engines were back...somewhat anyway.
 

D Bergstrom

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I have a soft spot for the Fox bodies. First Mustang I ever drove was a 1991 GT. After my first year of college, went back home for the summer of 1992 and my best friends roommate had a brand new 1991. (We were all 19 at the time.) I thought it was the coolest car ever! One day we stopped by the roommates work and he threw us the keys and said be back by the time I get off with a full tank of gas. We had all kinds of fun in that thing!

Fast forward to 2000 and I ended up purchasing my first Mustang, a 1993 GT. Car was pretty rough, but I loved it. Spent a lot of time and money on the suspension, new transmission, rear end gears, exhaust, etc. over the next 4 years. I then ended up trading it in for a used 2003 Cobra. One of the biggest regrets I have, I should have just kept it, especially since the dealer gave me nothing for it.

Back in 2017 I was looking around for a decent 1990 to 1993 LX. After my 1993, I started to like the lines of LX's more, was kind of over the GT body kit. Talked to my wife, and she said those are the ugliest cars ever, mid 80's box, you can't get one of those. We almost got divorced right then and there! lol Then she said if you want a mustang, juts go buy a new one, they look much better. Needless, to say, a few weeks later I brought home a 2017 GT. Still, if I ever have extra money laying around, a early 90's LX would be mine.

Doug
 

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Simple, they weigh around 3000 lbs, and can fit a Coyote. Do you need any more reason than that? Styling wise, I think they are gloriously boxy 80's goodness. I think they look better than the SN95/New Edge models.
I have a Coyote-swapped, Maximum Motorsports suspension '90 Coupe and it is a delightful car to drive. Great handling, great power-to-weight and all the amenities one needs.
 

garagelogic

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Do you happen to know the weight of the car post swap?
Yep. Full interior, A/C, power seats, windows and locks with dynamat in the doors and under the carpet in the cabin and trunk, 3198# without driver. I could probably shed another 10-15lbs with billet wheels.

Oh, and that is with a 6R80 automatic, not a lighter manual tranny.
 

WildHorse

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I never like FOX body Mustang/Fairmonts with one notable exception. The Mercury Capri. If I could find a Capri I do a whole bunch of SN95 swap overs & shove a 8500 rpm 427 Windsor into it.
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Fordohio

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I remember one of the guys I worked with had a 91 Gt Hatch. Flowmaster exhaust. I can remember the sound it made. It was the best sounding street car ever. I wish I could get mine to sound that way.
 
 




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