Some ideas for an article

[4 eyes]

Again, thanks to you awesome and knowledgeable enthusiasts for keeping me on my toes.

I want to build individual stories about each special fox, kind of a spread from the generic (fox story). Just to complete my collection and learn more about the fox history. So far I have found:

Pace Car
Dominator
Predator GT302 + GT302R
84 GT350
SVO
Saleens
SSPs / CHPs
ASC McLaren
Rousch Prototype 351 Twin turbo
7Up 'Vert
93 Cobra / Cobra R
[There's a strange tuner mustang where the dude changed all the body panels to make into some sort of 2 seat roadster, remember seeing it but can't remember the name, started with P I think?]


Also would it be cool to write about FEP? Being this is the #1 place for 4-eye owners... before more people do aero-nose swaps.

So far this blog has been a great learning experience for me (and I hope others will be inspired and get into foxes) and thanks for providing me with feedback.

[vxr500]

Again, thanks to you awesome and knowledgeable enthusiasts for keeping me on my toes.

I want to build individual stories about each special fox, kind of a spread from the generic (fox story). Just to complete my collection and learn more about the fox history. So far I have found:

Pace Car
Dominator
Predator GT302 + GT302R
84 GT350
SVO
Saleens
SSPs / CHPs
ASC McLaren
Rousch Prototype 351 Twin turbo
7Up 'Vert
93 Cobra / Cobra R
[There's a strange tuner mustang where the dude changed all the body panels to make into some sort of 2 seat roadster, remember seeing it but can't remember the name, started with P I think?]


Also would it be cool to write about FEP? Being this is the #1 place for 4-eye owners... before more people do aero-nose swaps.

So far this blog has been a great learning experience for me (and I hope others will be inspired and get into foxes) and thanks for providing me with feedback.

That sounds great. I'd like to see more specific 4 eye articles rather than just general facts and figures by year and grouping years together. I'd also throw the 82 GT in there for its seminal value as the 2nd coming of the muscle car. In fact, I'd like to see every year represented. But then again, I'm not taking on this task. lol

[vintageracer]

How about the export cars?

Specifically the 300 or so 79 T5's that were made from September 78 to December 1978 and sent to Germany?

Starting the in January 1979 the Mustang name became legal for Ford to use on new Mustangs sent to Germany as the Krupp's trademark on the use of that name on a vehicle expired.

The result was only a hand full of Foxbody T5's were built!

[Fastlane]

In 1989 I ran across an 89 5.0 white Notch Mustang on the used car lot. It only had around 100 miles on it, but it had a calibrated Speedo which I had never seen before. I asked the Salesman if this was an option, he told me the Mustang was ordered by the Washington State Highway Patrol, but was one too many ordered, and since the Mustang was modified for the Highway Patrol the dealer was forced to sell as a used car. The price at that time was $7500.00.
I actually didn't like the blue color interior or the manual rollup windows, but I liked it was a 5 speed, and loved the 160 speedo (at the time the speedo was still 85mph). I had no Idea how rare this was to find and since I had already purchased a used 87 GT Mustang, I really could not afford it, so I passed on it.

[4 eyes]

In 1989 I ran across an 89 5.0 white Notch Mustang on the used car lot. It only had around 100 miles on it, but it had a calibrated Speedo which I had never seen before. I asked the Salesman if this was an option, he told me the Mustang was ordered by the Washington State Highway Patrol, but was one too many ordered, and since the Mustang was modified for the Highway Patrol the dealer was forced to sell as a used car. The price at that time was $7500.00.
I actually didn't like the blue color interior or the manual rollup windows, but I liked it was a 5 speed, and loved the 160 speedo (at the time the speedo was still 85mph). I had no Idea how rare this was to find and since I had already purchased a used 87 GT Mustang, I really could not afford it, so I passed on it.

I heard about these too. I also heard Saleen bought some of these off of Ford?

Edit: BTW a 4 eye is winning the feature ride competition so far... so many votes for that original 79 Cobra!

[FoxChassis]

Saleen converted SSP coupes from the 1988 model year. The VINs are JF172217 through JF172230.

[xctasy]

Two queries.


1. The pet love I have is the foriegn factor. Ford USA used all its best Down home engineering sub contractors, and then sent there Jack Roush development engines over seas to be used in the grind of international Endurance racing. For most Americans, they see the Fox as a less than 65-67 Shelby Mustang, a less sucessfull kind of car to the verile 289 GT350 that ruled the US and International ciruit races as factory Mustangs. In actual fact, the Four Eyed Foxes were exceptionally cheap and strong long distance machines, that really upset a lot of Class Racing the world over. And IMHO, the nicest looking US cars of the 80's in race trim.


The Zakspeed Belga/Esso car









and the Belmondo Mustang in its two colorings






Both of these ended up in the Antipodes, doing hard core service in demanding track events against much more powerfull 304 Holdens and Turbo 242 GT Volvos and BMW 635's, M3's and V12 XJ-S Jaguras and 3500 Rovers.







The cars started of a woefully inadequate mild 260hp engines, which then rapidly grew in homolgated steps to progressively stronger to 320, 350 and finally, 390 hp engines with performance and reliabilty in Group A (Fisa Group 2) 1983-85 spec Mustangs.


They started as Belgium owner/operator cars, then ended up being purchased my many campaigners down the bottom of der werlt in 390 hp form as very compentant 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 Endurance race cars. The story about how to go from the basic 1979 Indy Pace Car Roush engine (without the heavy duty cranks, Shelby intakes, and 351 heads but rather more stock 1983 GT parts) is very interesting, because 390 hp is what the old quad Weber 289 GT40 engines made in 1967 road GT40's, while the last campaigned Mustangs were right up to 2-1/4 times the power of the stock 83 engines with reworked stock intakes, 650 cfm 4150 carbs, and Motorsport ignition.

Those cars were so strange with Mike Kranfaus's German Capri axles and Volvo rear disc brakes, and BMW Getrag gear boxes which were proof of concept for the disc rear brake SVO's and 5 speed roller cam 1985 GT's. The early non roller Jack Roush engines never met the 320 hp hp targets claimed, not even the 270 hp claimed for the 1979 Brickyard engines, but they were totally reliable!. They started off in 24 hour races in Spa and Lemans, and then got sent to Australia and New Zealand to further development on 400 to 600 plus mile endurance races. SVO subbed out there development work, and the result was a huge improvment of every aspect of braking, steering, and performance and drive train strength for all road going Four Eyes.


The information is kind of easy to get from old magazines, but the missing parts are the questions only Americans can get answers for...like what 303 letter cams were used, how were the intakes cut, gasflowed, and reglued, and why the foreign, German gearboxes when Ford already had 7.5" axles and T5 gearboxes? Why did they down grade to the Koln 7.5" Atlas Axle and BMW Getrag gearbox?


2. As a Kiwi, I loved the rampant "balsyness" of Kiwis like Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon and Denny Hulme, who won stuff for racing with Pushrod American engines, often in Dye Mark Road Marking Paint or the infamously dangeous sliver and black colored LeMans cars. The M81 is for me the fullfillment of the late Bruce McLaren's rather grandious ideas of making the M6 GT into a road car to challenge Ferrari. A little like using Kiwis to clense out the Viet Cong in camps before bringing the troops in, Kiwis seamed to love ptting there hiney's into the odd spot of bother just for the he|| of it...I can't understand why Bruce would have thought a Ferrari challanger with mid engine and Pushrod US V8 would be any more fun than being an official driver or tuner for a major Detriot auto maker, but I never understood my countrymen much anyway. I'd much rather have my crest on 250 spining hubcaps than 8 M6 GT's you can't drive on the road...




For me, the M81 was that car ( a volume production, Yellowy Bitter Sweet First On Race Day Ford), becasue the Carb Fox 2.3 Turbo had a huge amount of potential mass produced reliabilty, and with McLarens aspirational and downright avant garde race technolgy nature...but we all knew it always had a funny ring to it, not even being a 100 mph car for the 8 released to sale, seldom having even a 5 speed gearbox, and there being no proven EO compliance for the adjustable boost screw to make it a 175 hp plus car. An 81 4 speed 3.3 RS Capri was just as fast, in fact. Just not as quick.

I just here Alice in Chains California "Check my Brain" eveytime I even hear, see or read about the M81. Such an enigmatic car!


I know Kiwis aren't anything differnet to any other people in the world, people are people after all, but they love US engineering because its smart, cheap, and you have the technology, and you can rebuild it. Having 6 million dollar men to foot the bill sure helps too.


The M81 head space, and why it was the way it was...that's what I wanna know.

[Fastlane]

Saleen converted SSP coupes from the 1988 model year. The VINs are JF172217 through JF172230.

I'm surprised Ford didn't sell more of the 5.0 Coupes. Not only were they cheaper to make, but are a lot more rigid. I suppose the small trunk wasn't a big hit, but the coupes have much better visibility, compared to the Hatch. I actually went looking for a New 5.0 Coupe back in the 80's, the small dealers usually didn't have any, the large dealers maybe had 1 or 2, lots of 5.0 hatches and 4cly coupes.
Attached is some more information on the 14 SSP Coupes Saleen converted.
http://saleenforums.soec.org/showthread.php?t=8635

[vxr500]

I'm surprised Ford didn't sell more of the 5.0 Coupes. Not only were they cheaper to make, but are a lot more rigid. I suppose the small trunk wasn't a big hit, but the coupes have much better visibility, compared to the Hatch. I actually went looking for a New 5.0 Coupe back in the 80's, the small dealers usually didn't have any, the large dealers maybe had 1 or 2, lots of 5.0 hatches and 4cly coupes.
Attached is some more information on the 14 SSP Coupes Saleen converted.
http://saleenforums.soec.org/showthread.php?t=8635

Hatchbacks were just more popular in the 80s. Plus the fastback look of the hatch was more in line with what a sports car should look like then. The coupes are cool, but they did have a kind of "Reliant K car-ish" look.

[ccurtin]

Again, thanks to you awesome and knowledgeable enthusiasts for keeping me on my toes.

I want to build individual stories about each special fox, kind of a spread from the generic (fox story). Just to complete my collection and learn more about the fox history. So far I have found:

Pace Car
Dominator
Predator GT302 + GT302R
84 GT350
SVO
Saleens
SSPs / CHPs
ASC McLaren
Rousch Prototype 351 Twin turbo
7Up 'Vert
93 Cobra / Cobra R
[There's a strange tuner mustang where the dude changed all the body panels to make into some sort of 2 seat roadster, remember seeing it but can't remember the name, started with P I think?]


Also would it be cool to write about FEP? Being this is the #1 place for 4-eye owners... before more people do aero-nose swaps.

So far this blog has been a great learning experience for me (and I hope others will be inspired and get into foxes) and thanks for providing me with feedback.

Please don't forget the Capri's.- RS Turbos
- Black Magic
- Crimson Cat

[4 eyes]

I'm surprised Ford didn't sell more of the 5.0 Coupes. Not only were they cheaper to make, but are a lot more rigid. I suppose the small trunk wasn't a big hit, but the coupes have much better visibility, compared to the Hatch. I actually went looking for a New 5.0 Coupe back in the 80's, the small dealers usually didn't have any, the large dealers maybe had 1 or 2, lots of 5.0 hatches and 4cly coupes.
Attached is some more information on the 14 SSP Coupes Saleen converted.
http://saleenforums.soec.org/showthread.php?t=8635

I've been looking unsuccessfully for an 86 coupe factory 5.0/T5 so I settled for an 87. It has factory radio & AC delete, no power windows or anything. Factory black, grey interior and 5 speed. Notches weren't really popular when the Mustangs were in the dealerships, they are today because people caught on that they're light and a tad more rigid but also because they didn't sell super well, a little more expensive.

Like only 2000 some 86 coupes made :/ Hard to find one in decent shape without spending over 10 grand.

[FoxChassis]

2825 5.0L coupes in 1986 and 72% of them were 5-speed

[4 eyes]

Yes, very hard to find. I also wanted one that wasn't totally modified either LOL... After all this research on the fox bodies, I'm craving a clean mint original 82 GT now. I think these are what brought the performance back into the Mustang.

[9DBlackMagic]

Don't forget about the White Black Magic Capris also. There is also the special edition mustang very like the canary yellow with black interior and chrome ponies, the white with white interior and white ponies, and the red with white interior and white ponies. All three had this spoiler on the back. I think they were in 93

[Ray Dog]

I was investigating Conn State Police use of Mustangs( I was on the receiving end once)
I found an article when the USAF tested a CHP SSP for a unique job.
http://justplanehistory.blogspot.com...hase-cars.html

[Capri-Magic]

[quote]
Please don't forget the Capri's.- RS Turbos
- Black Magic
- Crimson Cat

X2 on that and the White Magic Capri

[mustangxtreme]

X3 on the Capri's

[4 eyes]

Thought I'd update you guys first... Dan and I have been talking and we put this together: http://foxstang.com/restoring-fox-body-mustangs-dan/

Dan really is an awesome dude, he's done a lot for the community by bringing these old girls back to life!

[4 eyes]

double-post sorry

[84StangSVT]

Thought I'd update you guys first... Dan and I have been talking and we put this together: http://foxstang.com/restoring-fox-body-mustangs-dan/

Dan really is an awesome dude, he's done a lot for the community by bringing these old girls back to life!

Very cool! I have had the pleasure of meeting Dan and talking to him. He is a very stand up guy and is passionate about these cars.

Good to see some recognition go his way and can't wait to see what else he has in store.

[4 eyes]

I'm saving up my pennies because I honestly want one of his restored foxes now.

[84StangSVT]

I'm saving up my pennies because I honestly want one of his restored foxes now.

I hear ya. If I ever want a resto done on mine, I'm going to see if he will do it.
Mines not "rare" by any means but it is of limited options and low production color.

[4 eyes]

I am planning on doing my 87 this winter, taking it all apart and borrowing a friend's shop. I did it the best I can without a rotisserie...








Full read, I know it's not a 4-eye : http://foxstang.com/my-personal-project-87-notch/ <- One day I will get another 4-eye! either an 82GT or an 86 coupe. To balance things out a little, here's my 86. I had to sell due to a growing family

[bluesfannoz]

My original Dominator that I sold in 1990 and unfortunately was rolled in 1995





Found this car in a barn up in Iowa


Dan went and bought it. When we finally found what had happened to my original car. He sold this one to me.
This one is 101482 my original car was 101484.
What it looks like today thanks to Dans Magic!

Thought I'd update you guys first... Dan and I have been talking and we put this together: http://foxstang.com/restoring-fox-body-mustangs-dan/



Dan really is an awesome dude, he's done a lot for the community by bringing these old girls back to life!

[conmech]

Don't forget about the White Black Magic Capris also. There is also the special edition mustang very like the canary yellow with black interior and chrome ponies, the white with white interior and white ponies, and the red with white interior and white ponies. All three had this spoiler on the back. I think they were in 93

Red convertible with white interior, white top (I believe)....aka: SUMMER Edition.
Got a buddy of mine restoring one.
Interested in finding out what you have on the 84 GT-350's.........