Does a Fox Mustang qualify as a “regular car”? That’s a strange question to ask, but it is an honest one. The 1979-1993 Ford Mustang (and it’s upscale and slightly less-loved twin, the Mercury Capri) have many things going for them: they are light little cars that have one of the largest aftermarket followings out there, they were produced by the millions with more than plenty still roaming roadways (and even more hiding in the weeds, waiting to be rescued), they can be anything from a fuel-sipping four-banger, two-door notchback to the fire-breathing 5.0 hatchback that “that guy” in high school, wherever he was at, owned at one time or another. And yet, for all of those positives, the Fox Mustang has negative traits too: besides “those guys”, you can check off body flex, questionable early engines, relatively low power, typical 1980s build quality, handling that might actually put an icy spike of fear into your spine, and twenty-three years after the last Fox rolled off of the lines, the daunting task of refurbishing and restoring one to a useable specification. But is it worth it? Go to any NMRA meet…hell, go to any event, period, and see just how many Fox-Body Mustangs you’ll see parked in the fields, sitting in the staging lanes, and in the parking lots. You can’t say that with any other member of Ford’s Fox family of cars. When was the last time you saw a loved and driven 1982 Granada?
Click play below and let Mr. Regular talk you through his opinion of these two late-Foxes: the white 1987 is a 5.0, and the teal 1993 is a 2.3L four-banger. Meanwhile, I’ll be in the garage, spinning wrenches on a Fox of my own…
Had two Fox body Mustangs over the years, and every car i’ve ever own since has never given the same fun as those two cars. There a benchmark in what car should do.. time to get another one i think.!
I’m a Chevy guy but have a good friend that had a 1988 for over 15 yrs. I know pretty much bumper to bumper mostly everything about these cars. It’s amazing the prices for the 5.0’s today. Supply and demand.
I’m on my fourth Fox, 1 low miles 4 cyl/auto and three notchback 5.0 5 speeds. A brand new Black 1988 that I traded in for a new 1989 that I wadded when I fell asleep, but that’s another story…..the white one I drive now is a 200KM car, 3.08’s, stock internally with full MSD6AL, scattershield, welded sub frame connectors/battle boxes done/axle tubes welded/Koni underpinnings/caster camber kit/bump steer, not mint but very clean. This thing runs 13.7’s on street tires, and I do track days at The Ridge and Portland International with it as well. 25mpg plus If I drive it somewhat sanely, and I love it. Still the best bang for the buck car wise out there. 🙂