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  1. #1

    Default Automobile Magazine: Nice Fox Article

    So this month's Automobile's Collectible Classic article is about Foxes this month. The featured car is an '88 notchback done up with IRS and a full Maximum Motorsports treatment and a refreshingly mild EFI crate 302. Definitely a nice build. Something I could see myself doing if i had more time and money. Foxes: They're not just for drag racing anymore. I could do without the gaudy wide wheels and fender flares, but at least they serve a function.

    Anyway, I think the article nicely captured the spirit of the Fox enthusiast. The owner says "There's no value in preserving it in its current state. There's only value in the smiles I get." A perfect Fox perspective, if you ask me. A great car to build, but you're probably not going to cash in.

    They do kind of imply the aeros are the only cars that matter, but obviously we know anything you can do to an aero, you can do to ANY Fox car.

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    Last edited by ZephyrEFI; 04-23-2017 at 11:42 AM.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  2. #2

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    Seen a lot of these articles recently touting the love for the Aero acting like they are the only Foxbody. I don't understand why people forget a whole 8 years of production. Just because you don't have have EFI or a stupid round nose.
    1981 Mustang Hatch 3.3 "Orange Juice"
    1983 Mustang GT Convertible "Triple Black"
    1994 Ford ThunderBird SC
    1987 Firebird T/A
    1984 Firebird Forumla
    1988 Mazda RX-7 Infinity
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    1994 Eagle Talon TSI
    1991 Eagle Talon TSI
    2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member webestang's Avatar
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    As an 4-eyed and Aero nose owner I understand the 87-93 only lovers. I do believe it has to do mostly with the EFI 225hp right out of the box. EFI also spawned the hugh aftermarket we know today. Most forget the first year of EFI as 86 simply because of the nose. The 87 style was based off the SVO and stayed till the Fox's death in 93.

    I remember in 1987 when I still owned my 81. Let me tell you I thought the new style was very sweet and sleek, same feeling I had in 79 when the all new design came around.
    But I do agree with my 4-eyed brothers and sisters. The first 8 years should be lumped in with the 87-93, as in "Remember the Fox 79-93 Mustang?" .....or at least a foot note would be nice.

    Scotty
    1985 Fox Notch 4-banger Ranger tube header Eastwood Royal Blue
    1988 Fox LX 5.0 AOD Vert BBK 170mph speedo Candy Apple Red
    1999 Mustang Coupe V6 Auto Chrome Yellow -Daily Driver.
    Past Pony's.....
    68 Coupe Inline-6 3-Speed-Man. Primer
    78 II Hatch 302 3-Speed-Auto Sunroof Black
    81 4-Eye Coupe 4-Banger 4-Speed-Man. White

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member BMW Rider's Avatar
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    Most people think my fox is a Mustang II when I say it's a 79. I am quick to correct them.

  5. #5
    FEP Super Member roush235's Avatar
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    Another example of the increasing respect given to Fox Mustangs, even if our beloved four-eyes largely remain in the background.
    Bob in Lebanon, TN
    79 original owner six cylinder coupe
    MCA Gold Card judge for 3rd Generation cars

  6. #6

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    As an owner of both, there is no question the '87-93 is a far more refined and finished product as it should be given the extra years of time to improve what they had. I love them both equally.
    Liberty once lost is lost forever.

    John Adams
    July 7, 1775

  7. #7

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    Yeah, when i got my first car at 17, a '79 notchback, in 1993 i thought it was pret-ty lame compared with an '87-93 GT like some of my classmates had. Mine was rocking the wheezy I-6 and couldn't get out of its own way, while they had on of the most respected cars of its day. Probably contributes to my hatred of the ol' 200 to this day. I had about as much jealousy for this one girl in my class with a '85-6 GT I would see on the way to school. Jalapeno red, and everything!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  8. #8

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    I guess it's just the common perception that a foxbody is a 5.0 That's fuel injected. I personally don't like the new nose job, but that's why I don't own an aero, just personal taste. The carb is what brought me to the 83 year, as I wanted a car without any computers of any sort, maybe other want just the opposite ?
    1981 Mustang Hatch 3.3 "Orange Juice"
    1983 Mustang GT Convertible "Triple Black"
    1994 Ford ThunderBird SC
    1987 Firebird T/A
    1984 Firebird Forumla
    1988 Mazda RX-7 Infinity
    1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
    1994 Eagle Talon TSI
    1991 Eagle Talon TSI
    2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

  9. #9

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    Funny, I didn't care for aero foxes when they were popular, but I kind of lump them all together now. Back in the 80s there was more of a pronounced distinction between pre 87 cars and later. Nowadays there all just foxes. But I did not care for the bluntness of the aero nose, the tweed seats, the Japanese-ish pod dash, or the weird cheese grater tail lights, but 225 hp and 300 lbs of torque could not be denied.
    1984.5 GT 5.0 5 Speed ANALOG
    BBK Long Tubes/H pipe/FM
    Edelbrock Intake/Holley 600
    8.8 w/FMS 3.73s
    Steeda Shifter

    2010 GT 5 Speed DIGITAL
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  10. #10
    FEP Senior Member
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    Thankfully that was written by someone other than Matt Farrah, the owner. Farrah said after he finished the car that he spent $50k on it and it wasn't really worth it. It couldn't out-handle anything in that price range like an S550, M3, etc. He also said he probably wouldn't do it again.

    Half of the price tag is in labor alone as he doesn't actually wrench on cars himself. He bought a lot of pieces and had various shops put them on for him. His build is on TheSmokingTire on YouTube if anyone hasn't seen anything about it.
    Last edited by Basin Motorsports; 04-25-2017 at 11:23 AM.
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    '86 Hatchback V6 / Auto Restomod (For Sale)

  11. #11

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    No wonder it was so much. Of course it's too much if you're going to pay someone to do it all. Shop hours are expensive!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  12. #12

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    I remember Farrah complaining that it wasn't really worth it in the bang for the buck sense (again, these things happen when you don't turn your own wrenches). Since that one article he has regularly mentioned the car favorably for just being a fun, smiling-inducing car.

  13. #13

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    Listen, I get it. Not everyone has the space, time, or mechanical know-how to work on there own car versus taking it to a shop. I'll be honest, I work on my car when I can, but I don't do oil changes or brake jobs anymore...its cheap enough to get done by a shop and in the end I don't have to worry about recycling. I think he went into that knowing it would cost big money, but the frustration was in getting it dialed in and all the other stuff that breaks. Welcome to the world of 30 year old fox bodies!
    1984.5 GT 5.0 5 Speed ANALOG
    BBK Long Tubes/H pipe/FM
    Edelbrock Intake/Holley 600
    8.8 w/FMS 3.73s
    Steeda Shifter

    2010 GT 5 Speed DIGITAL
    Track Pack
    Pypes Violator axle back
    Airaid Cold Air

  14. #14

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    I don't have the time or space either. Honestly though, if i had a lot of money and I was starting from square 1, i might have a shop do most of the work. Like say if I had a '69 Mustang built from a new body. Everything state of the art. Just do it and I'll pick it up when it's done. But a Fox body? I'd still do most of the work myself. Maybe that's part of why he didn't feel so good about it initially. Writing that check... not really having much of a stake in the result himself... I'm glad he's enjoying it now though.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  15. #15

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    He spent that kind of money and the fender flares are pasted on? I think Gas Monkey Garage does better work for that kind of money!
    W

    As always, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you, it's what you think you know that just ain't so."

  16. #16

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    In one of his videos he mentions that that was how he wanted the flares for some reason. I think they are just riveted in place, not my cup of tea either.

  17. #17
    FEP Super Member PaceFever79's Avatar
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    Matt rocks 😎

    Sent from my LGL44VL using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Strange......

    I've got to say, the entire time I've owned my 1986 GT I've always felt I've had the coolest of the GT foxbody cars. It was always underestimated and never disappoints.

    In stock form it takes a rare fox like a dominator to whoop up on it and even then that's assuming the lug nut behind the wheel can drive.

    Yes the SVO was awesome and the 1993 Cobra was great too. The SVO would have been quicker than mine if the guy who owned it knew how to drive it as hard as possible. The Cobra got out-gunned 0-60 and after that I never saw him - dunno but the boy got gapped.

    Ive owned an 89 LX sport and even all turned up it couldn't touch what my 86GT would do with a lesser tuneup and worse fuel.

    That reminds me - I wonder what ever happened to that NOS setup that went into the lines under the upper manifold.

    Dry systems are way mean to the ol HO even with retarded timing but a 75 shot really put that 71 challenger 440 6-barrel 4-speed 4.10:1 axle car in its place. So worth it! Little bottle in the door panel.... he never did figure out I was spraying it...

  19. #19

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    At this point, whatever sells fuel injection... is what "they" will do.
    Mike
    1986 Mustang convertible ---> BUILD THREAD
    Past Fox-chassis "four eyes":
    1983 Mercury Cougar LS
    1986 Ford Thunderbird ELAN
    1980 Capri RS Turbo

    Work in progress website ---> http://carb-rebuilds-plus.boards.net/

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