Difference between '79s and other years?

[f4fntm]

I know that the model years 1979 and 1980 were different from the later Fox Mustangs in some ways. Example, the goofy low-mount interior door latch. In what other ways are they unique?

[roughbutfun]

mainly wiring! also green dash lights dash pad screw
in different place and only 2 screws on fuse block
cover, also splined steering wheel and horn on
turn switch..... probably more but ive run accross
all of the above so far.

[795.0pacecar]

Door handles on the bottom of the doors, different style hatch latch.

[Merc]

I always liked the inside door handles in my 79 Capri. And the lock button. It always drove people nuts when they rode in it for the first time.

[RedFox82]

also green dash lights

:? Hrmmm.... my 82's got dem purdy green lights...?

[svo85]

Yep, My Capri does too (82) Along with the STUPID horn button located on the turn signal lever. What the heck were they thinking???

[79 cobra]

5.0 was in 79s .
4.2 in 80 .
For V8s .

79 had front aluminum bumper reinforcments .

[Travis T]

Only the 79's had low door handles, both 79 and 80 had the locks in that goofy location, and not all 79's have the aluminum bumper reinforcement. That's mostly on the turbo cars.

[79 cobra]

All 79s should have had aluminum front bumpers .

79 had 2.5 mph bumpers .
80 and up had 5 mph bumpers .

79 turbos had aluminum rear drums .

[Travis T]

I've taken apart a few 79's, and I know that aluminum doesn't rust. Some 79's have aluminum bumpers, not all.

[795.0pacecar]

Mine has aluminum bumpers.

[Hissing Cobra]

I don't know what year they stopped doing it, but the '79's had trim pieces that were secured to the top of the door's/quarter panel's sheet metal that ran along the belt molding of the windows. I do know that on the convertibles, they at least had them until 1984 (I've seen them on an '84 GT-350.) My brother's '85 GT doesn't have these 4 pieces. Does anyone else know anything about these?

[79 cobra]

My 3-79 and 7-79 non turbo mustangs had aluminum
bumpers .

Chances are if replaced , they would be steel .
Alot can happen after 25 years .

[Travis T]

Those window trim pieces you are talking about Hissing Cobra, were optional. The base model cars don't have them, but cars with the exterior decor group or Ghia package do. All of the Cobras seem to have them too, along with the Pace Cars.

And the cars I took apart with steel bumpers were original, none had ever been wrecked.

[Mike Croke]

Something not mentioned yet is that the transmission crossmember mounts are different. You cannot interchange crossmembers with the later years without welding.

My '79 Capri had steel bumpers.

[f4fntm]

Something not mentioned yet is that the transmission crossmember mounts are different. You cannot interchange crossmembers with the later years without welding.
Is that because of the changeover from C4 to AOD? Or SROD to T5?

[Mike Croke]

SROD to T5 happened sometime in '83 I think.

The difference is the "tubes" that the crossmember mounting bolts go through are about 3" long compared to the ones on later cars that are 6" long. Thus, the flanges the crossmember bolts to are spaced differently. Not a big deal unless you want to run a double hump crossmember on a '79. Then the welder comes out.

[Hissing Cobra]

I should have remembered that crossmember difference, as we had to relocate mine. I swear, sometimes my mind is on a different planet! :roll:

I'm not too sure about this one, but I've read a post on another board recently where someone was looking for '79 V-8 motor mounts because the newer style wouldn't fit his '79 crossmember. Is there any truth to that? I didn't experience this with my Turbo 4 cylinder to V-8 swap, because we switched crossmembers to a 1986 GT unit and I bought new '86 style mounts for that one.

[Mike Croke]

I believe that isn't a '79 specific issue. I think the inline-6 cars had a different engine crossmember which required unique motor mounts.

[795.0pacecar]

My car has the stock crossmemeber and 88 mustang engine with 88 convertable motor mounts and it all fit fine.