[Young_Buck]

Where does one begin when you first approach the Mustang Guru? Bow down and submit? :worship

"Hi! Happy to be here." ?

Well: Hi! Happy to be here.

I'm certainly new to the scene of the 5.0 Mustang.

The time has approached in which a new car awaits me. My current car just does not cut the Mustard anymore.

I've always had a thing for Fords, since I owned a V-6 '86 'Stang about two years ago and my stepfather urged the buying of "American Made Products". So, I have chosen to go with a soon-to-be Classic.

I've settled on the years of interest, focused in on a type that I want, and begun to work out all the dynamics of what I want. All I wait for now is the right car.

However, I have a question for the masses.

The "Fox Body" Mustang: What is it, exactly? What is all the hype about? How can you tell the difference between one that is and one that isn't? What's the pros to having a Fox? The cons?

 

[Fordgazm1]

The fox body is the platform that all mustangs were built on from 79 - 04 .

 

[shakerhood]

Other vehicles graced the fox platform too, such as the Fairmont.

 

[Guest]

The mustang fox body was from 79 to 93. 94 to 04 were SN95.

 

[Fordgazm1]

still a fox body .

 

[STONECOLD]

still a fox body .

How do you figure its the same platform?

 

[Guest]

It's not even the same chassis much less the same body.

 

[shakerhood]

[QUOTE='95.0 stang]The mustang fox body was from 79 to 93. 94 to 04 were SN95.[/QUOTE]
99-04 platform is designated S197

 

[ohno50]

ALL 79-04 Mustangs are Fox bodies... The only differences are the 94-04 are a little bit wider and longer... Also the Ford designations are different SN-95 from 94-98 S-197 ,99-04... Why would it be so easy to swap a IRS out of a late model Cobra into a 79-98 car??? Basically a bolt in right... Fox body is the designation Ford gave to the Mustang ,T-Bird ,Capri ,Grenada ,Mark VII ,Fairmont... A slew of cars... Fox Bodies and SN-95's 79-95 make awesome entry level hot rods very cheap and extremely easy to work on... But when they got 4.6's in 96 they became a tiny bit more difficult, really the headers in my opinion are the most difficult job on those cars that is saying a lot!!! Headers are EASY!!! Fox Bodies typically need subframe connectors ,some cases torque boxes... Basically the chassis needs to be stiffened up a bit. 4.6 cars really like gears initially 3.73 0r 4.10's. Basically pick what you want from 79-04 do you like pushrods with the boxier style body or overhead cams with a swoopier style body??? I am a sucker for the boxy 80's cars mostly the four eyes you know... Let us all know what you have found or like!!!

 

[Fordgazm1]

ALL 79-04 Mustangs are Fox bodies... The only differences are the 94-04 are a little bit wider and longer... Also the Ford designations are different SN-95 from 94-98 S-197 ,99-04... Why would it be so easy to swap a IRS out of a late model Cobra into a 79-98 car??? Basically a bolt in right... Fox body is the designation Ford gave to the Mustang ,T-Bird ,Capri ,Grenada ,Mark VII ,Fairmont... A slew of cars... Fox Bodies and SN-95's 79-95 make awesome entry level hot rods very cheap and extremely easy to work on... But when they got 4.6's in 96 they became a tiny bit more difficult, really the headers in my opinion are the most difficult job on those cars that is saying a lot!!! Headers are EASY!!! Fox Bodies typically need subframe connectors ,some cases torque boxes... Basically the chassis needs to be stiffened up a bit. 4.6 cars really like gears initially 3.73 0r 4.10's. Basically pick what you want from 79-04 do you like pushrods with the boxier style body or overhead cams with a swoopier style body??? I am a sucker for the boxy 80's cars mostly the four eyes you know... Let us all know what you have found or like!!!

Yup thats what I was saying . just in less words , but the 79-04 is still a fox body.

 

[Guest]

99-04 platform is designated S197

S197 is 05 and up. I beleive the chassis is borrowed from mazda, but that might not be true. 94-04 is SN95, and the body that they switched to in 99 is called "New Edge".

 

[Young_Buck]

I'm glad I asked the experts.

Thanks, guy. You certainly cleared that one up for me. :laughlitt

 

[kscoyote]

How do you figure its the same platform?

the SN95 is also called the Fox-4.

It's a widened gusseted Fox Chassis, pretty much everything from suspension, to brakes, etc, to k-members will bolt in.

 

[kscoyote]

99-04 platform is designated S197

no, that's 05+ built off a modified Jaguar Type S/Lincoln LS platform

 

[kscoyote]

[QUOTE='95.0 stang]S197 is 05 and up. I beleive the chassis is borrowed from mazda, but that might not be true. 94-04 is SN95, and the body that they switched to in 99 is called "New Edge".[/QUOTE]

No, the Fusion is from Mazda.

 

[kscoyote]

Where does one begin when you first approach the Mustang Guru? Bow down and submit? :worship

"Hi! Happy to be here." ?

Well: Hi! Happy to be here.

I'm certainly new to the scene of the 5.0 Mustang.

The time has approached in which a new car awaits me. My current car just does not cut the Mustard anymore.

I've always had a thing for Fords, since I owned a V-6 '86 'Stang about two years ago and my stepfather urged the buying of "American Made Products". So, I have chosen to go with a soon-to-be Classic.

I've settled on the years of interest, focused in on a type that I want, and begun to work out all the dynamics of what I want. All I wait for now is the right car.

However, I have a question for the masses.

The "Fox Body" Mustang: What is it, exactly? What is all the hype about? How can you tell the difference between one that is and one that isn't? What's the pros to having a Fox? The cons?

The bebefits are cost, comparative light weight, huge factory, OEM, and aftermarket support, and bulletproof technology.

The cons are the flexible Flyer frame, and the torque boxes and floor cracks from torsional bending, especially from high torque applications.

If you're planning to modify, it's better to get a 4 or 6 cylinder car and swap out the engine. THe platform was designed for a turbo-4 or six cylinder, and is called the Fox Platform because it was designed to compete against the Volkswagen Fox (an early Jetta).

If you go ahead and get an 8 cylinder, check the floor pans, and the areas that contain teh axle movement. control arms, etc. They are all susceptible to cracking under abuse.

No matter what you get, the 1st thing you should do, particularly on older cars, is reinforce the torque boxes and weld in subframe connectors.

Other cons are understeer combined with snap oversteer.

 

[ohno50]

That is correct S-197 are 05 and up cars... Fox-4 is 99-04... Must have been the crap beer I was drinking last night that made me put that down!

 

[Twister]

if you want to get REALLY technical, it is not a FOX Body, it is a FOX Chassis, and the Fairmont, T-Bird, LTD II, Granada, and many others were sitll FOX'es

 

[kscoyote]

if you want to get REALLY technical, it is not a FOX Body, it is a FOX Chassis, and the Fairmont, T-Bird, LTD II, Granada, and many others were sitll FOX'es

It's a Mustang Body on a Fox platform.


:happyhapp

 

[sircrashalot]

Buck- I also just recently spent months pondering and researching what kind of toy to get. I settled on the 'fox body' 91 GT 5.0 because for one thing, that body style brings me back to my high school parking lot and Friday nights at the track with my 280zx getting spanked by my friends in their 5.0's. SO, I guess that is part of what makes the mustang so mighty for me. As others mentioned, the parts and performance parts, and message board (like this one) support for these cars is incredible and makes the car hobby more fun and less frustrating. Next is the OEM 302...a very strong, reliable motor that loves mods and just plain sounds better than anything other than a Ferrari. ALso, for a modern hot-rod these cars are relatively easy to work on...and relatively inexpensive to restore and modify. There are lots of cheap bolt ons, and free tweaks to get a couple ponys out of your pony- heck I have had mine three weeks and based on stuff I read on this site have begun to awaken & cosmetically restore the car, for peanuts. Then there is the fact that if you go down to your local drag strip, you'll have at least 50 people there with your car with all different mods to talk to. Then there ar eburnouts and tire smoke...mmmmm tire smoke!
Then there is the evolution of time and 'classic' cars. The cars that end up being the most nostalgic are the ones that everybody wanted in high school in the cars era. Look at the old Fords and Mercs from the late 40's & the 50's. Then look at the 70's muscle cars- you could pick up a 70 Camaro in decent shape for three grand ten years ago, now you'll probably pay at least 30 grand. Look how much Mustangs from that era have gone up in value recently. Lots of us Mustang owners are betting that the Fox platform cars will be seen by history to represent 1980's American Muscle, with only a couple other contenders that are worth while. Book values have bottomed out already and are creeping back up- for proof of that try to find a notchback on e-bay- they are highly desired and bring big $$! SO, these cars can be viewed, or you can sell the idea to your wife, as an investment that will appreciate in value. BUT...drive the thing- it's a whole lotta fun, and thats the best part!!!! In the end, you have to pick a car that means a lot to YOU...but if you are looking for something in the 80's and dont get a mustang, get ready to get spanked at the track by all those mighty fox bodies!!!