I had a used 79 Cobra at the end of High School with the rare 5.0 and 4 speed manual (3+overdrive). It also had the sunroof. I still have dreams sometimes that I found somewhere and was able to buy it back. I think I’m young again in those dreams as well.
The Fox chassis Mustang saved the car. If sales had tanked in 1979 Ford was going to do away with it. The biggest thing about the Mustang is that the GT could deliver performance very close to the Corvette for less than half the price.
Mustang has been saved a few times. All designs age and need saving at some point. See the Mustang II video on this channel. It sold very well at first.
The GT didn't return until 1982. I am pretty sure a lot of it had to do with marketing. The Cobra at that time was the top performance model, but reminded a lot of people of the somewhat gaudy and dated Mustang II Cobra models. The GT recalled the first generation Mustang's popularity (not to mention the model's 1st performance glory days), which I am sure was likely an important reason for resurrecting the trim level.
@@95Sn95 The difference wasn't that great. The 302 V8 was doing around 130 hp, while the top engine option in the C3 was mustering between 165 to 200 hp. The Corvette was a larger, heavier car with a bigger engine in a completely different class of car (the Corvette by this time was more of a heavy GT than a sports car by this era) and the C3's C4 successor was already being tested using prototype development mules.
Nice paraphrase of the wikipedia page. At least ur presentation, narration-matching videos and the priceless, nostalgic ads we didn't get to see elsewhere was flowing, well laid out and kept me watching. Thx.
We, Dad and I, have had our '91 Titanium Frost GT hatchback since new, getting it on August 30, 1991, Labor Day Weekend that year. I was 13, and learned to drive on it. The car went unused for many years in the garage, and needed to be towed out. I got choked up just steering it out from the garage as it was pulled by the tow truck. After it was sent to the mechanic for essentially just changing fluids, it worked out that it was finished on Friday of Labor Day weekend in 2022. Aside from wishing the driving position was a little different, it's a joy to drive. Time hasn't dimmed the "fun to drive" thing with these cars whatsoever. It's so nice to see how many people have wonderful memories of theirs, and getting the respect and love they deserve with time. I am extremely fortunate to have mine, and so grateful. It does make it all the more special to me for the car to have been family since it was born.
The 4 eye notchbacks with T-tops will always rank high for me. I hadn’t learned up until about a year of how many special edition foxes were out there. Incredible video!
Great video Tony...such amazing detail. 1979-1993 were my formative years , from 7th grade thru college and the Fox bodied Mustangs were a BIG part of it...from wanting a 5.0 GT for a decade, to owning the '86 GT 5-speed that I bought in the Air Force, to lusting after my older brother's 87 GT AND 88 GT. SO much fun to drive these torquey cars. Your knowledge of these cars and their development is really amazing, thanks for putting this video together. Now off to blast around in the 2023 Mach1 that I just got in May. THANK YOU Ford engineers for keeping our Mustangs alive and kicking!
Now we’re talking. Great video Tony! This brings back so many great memories. An Oxford White ‘79 with the inline 6 was my first car in ‘87 and I loved it, until I got a Medium Canyon Red ‘85 GT 5-sp with t-tops and the Holley 4-barrel two years later. That was my fun college car. Then I had a ‘93 Probe GT for a couple of years before returning to the Mustang stable with a Race Red ‘94 Cobra. Didn’t care much for the Mustangs that followed, so I dabbled in Corvettes and Acuras for a while, until Ford got serious again with the DOHC VCT Coyote V8, so I picked up a Race Red ‘12 GT 6-sp. Now I’m in automotive heaven with my Oxford White ‘22 Mach 1 just like yours Tony. I always did want an ‘87-‘93 GT though, but that was an itch I never was able to scratch.
As always, I love the informational value, coupled with the nostalgic ads and schematics. I often learn facts about ford that augments my work acumen. Thanks so much Tony, please keep making great content. Can't wait to see more SVO!!!
Had an 82 gt 4 SPD in 93 ..my first car ...boy was it fun ..put a 4 barrel carb on it an 411 gears my cousin had ..added headman headers an true duals ..was awsome lil car that kept up
Before I started college, I bought a used ‘79 Mustang Cobra. It was Black over Black and had a 5.0 V8 and 4-speed overdrive transmission. My best friend got a ‘79 Pace Car with the Turbo 4-cylinder. We had so much fun with them. I desperately wanted an SVO after I graduated but they were still too pricey. I ended up with a used ‘86 GT. My wife had an ‘86 LX 2.3 when we married. Mind you I still owned the ‘79 so we were a 3-Fox Body power couple for a while 😂. More good memories. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
85 and 86 GT's were the greatest / hottest ever built imo. I still think the 85's horse was understated because of the temperamental carb. What a great era - hope to find one in mint shape someday! Thank you for the GREAT video!
I bought a 79 Mustang around 1986 and that thing was always in the shop for something, I eventually returned it to the used car lot that I had bought it from and got a 80 GMC pickup (straight 6) which I really liked and lasted for years.
Great vid! Great look back..I am one of the letter writers that saved our beloved Mustang from being ' Probed!') ..Ford actually wrote me back about 4 years after I sent them the letter!😂
This vid made us recall our 1979 Cobra 2.3L Turbo/Bright Red. Purchased used, few months after Highschool w/cash frm 1st Full-time job. Well, cash & our favorite European Ultra Lightweight 12ga semi-auto shotgun we'd worked all summer in HS to pay for. It was elegant. Cobra 4 banger was blown when bought, due to the turbo eatin itself as they often did w/mi on them. We fully rebuilt the eng. Converted to 'solid-cam/lash adjuster' setup for better revs. Used to carry spare hyd lash adjusters & chg on side of road, if I missed 3rd gear. It pop 1 from overrev. Install 2- 2 bbl Side Draft Euro carbs, on an Esslinger Alum intake, & all the other typical bolt on stuff.. Beat on it daily, till blew it up ourselves when doing hard pulls w/ car full of ~700lbs+ of passengers - spinning #3 rod bearing. Only had 1 veh, so it required drivin it to wrk a few days, listenin to #3 forged flat top piston, slap the cyl head. Had to be at wrk to pay for all this nonsense. (These next details are frm ~40yr ole memory, & may not be 100% correct) Few cool features I remember being unique about this platform Stang, were its Trac-loc diff in the 7.5" - w/3.43 gear. Better shocks. 1st Stang w/4 link & coils. Rear Anti-Swaybar - that was the size of a coat hanger, yet did help, vs not havin one. Car cornered better than any previous leaf spring Stang I'd ever been in.. Those TRX Michelin tires, to replace, cost $125+ ea new, over 35+yrs ago. They were odd metric & no other manufact's made um, as I recall. Also, I seem to remember that the rear brake drums on the Cobra were light weight, & aluminum, if memory serves me. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. Tranny ratios in the manual box were decent, but limited due to being a 4spd. Our car had a pop up manual moon roof, or whatever Ford called it. I assumed it was factory, but as a used car & 35+yrs ago, I could be wrong. I could go on, but nobody cares enough to read what I've already written. Ya hav covered many of our own rides, from the '78 Fairmont Futura 2dr (460 BB) we had, & our new 1991 Ford Probe (here) we bought new bk then. U've also covered our '71 Mach 1 351C 4bbl head car, we loved. & our '89 Stang in this vid as well. Did you do the S550Bullitt yet? and then recently, our GT500 Shelby S550. You have covered so many of our own Stangs in your vids. 👍 U covered our BB/ Small Blk '69 Torino's, in another vid if memory serves me, yes? Sold our '70 FB Stang, to fund the GT500 purchase after a yr wait. That car is by far, the heaviest, & the best handling stk Stang we have ever owned. She's about ~2 1/4 tons of fun, with us in it. Tried to buy a few 2dr Maverick's more than once, over the yrs, but just never put that purchase together. I loved ur videos & road trip w/your Mav. Owned just 1 Pinto after we broke a timing chain in the "Land yacht" '71 Mach 1, to get to wrk in as my 1st bk up car. Glad I don't have to hotrod our DAILY any longer in life. Lots of long weekends, & trips to the only 24hr parts store within 100+mi from our residents, & did that round trip way to often 😀. Thk gawd for friends Givin ya rides. Can't say we've seen a vid yet of yours, we didn't enjoy. Thks again !! Apologies for the ramble. ' Life is but what we remember '
Thank you so much for sharing and watching! Your memory seems to be pretty great! Yes I have a Torino video out there a few other select Ford cars. I started making videos as a way to share what I knew and learn what I didn't. Also to share some of my trips so that my daughters would have something to look back on when I'm no longer around. I'm glad you enjoy my content and appreciate your viewership.
I bought a 1987 Ex CHP Pursuit Mustang with the 5.0 and a 5 speed manual at auction for $800 in 1991. It only had 88 k miles on it . It was a bunch quicker than the hp rating would have suggested it would be. I drove it until 2003. Had a lot of fun in that little car.
I was a Lincoln-Mercury tech in the late 70’s and into the 90’s. I remember the Fox platform with fondness. It was such an unreliable rolling turd that I made a good living rebuilding differentials, replacing clutches, resealing rack and pinion steering, resealing valve cover gaskets…and the list goes on.
The 87 through 1993,such great bang for the buck.such a well designed motor,the 1993 said 225 horse's,when you drove it,it didn't feel like it.the 5 speed had so much power right off the showroom floor.not a Ford guy,but you have to give credit where credit is due on these years
The engine's paper numbers actually dropped from an advertised 225 hp to 205 hp in 1992 due to a change in how car companies measured horsepower (using SAE net figures with accessories attached vs the previous SAE gross without them) despite no difference at all in the engine's real world performance.
I've watched a number of your videos and found this one interesting as always, thank you Tony. I purchased a new '79 pace car replica which I ordered from my small town Ford dealer and took delivery on April 20, 1979. It's the 490th one built with 302 and manual 4 speed, no A/C. Drove it a total of 26,000 miles and it's been in storage since the mid 90's.
Having lived through the era boy did these look good in the beginning! Sadly for the Fox Body, GM in the 1980's, came out with a stunning Camaro & Firebird that wowed so many in the looks department. GM stylists deserve a special award for cars that even today are most desired. Even with that the Fox Body was a nice car that evolved very well. Ford was on the way back and the Job 1 slogan had substance in peoples minds.
@@331Grabber oh dang! yeah when i was around 18 someone in town had a white 83 turbo GT350 convertible. At the time I didnt have the cast for it, but I prolly coulda got it for that same amount. it was a little beat up bit nothin that couldnt have been fixed.
Thanks Tom! Yes it was quite the project. There is a lot of contradicting information so I needed to use multiple sources and try to get a consensus for a few details.
Had the 79 Indy Pace car with the 5.0, painted it guards red, put in 1885 tail lights and dropped a 1988 fuel injected motor with a 5 speed in the car. So much fun and a great car to drive. Great videos You put together!
A friend of mine and I were invited in building 79 to 86 Mustangs for scca club racing in the early 90’s. We were really excited about how much we could do with factory parts using the updat/ backdate rules. The 79 and 80 Mustang could be bought with manual brakes and manual steering rack. Turbo Mustang was built with aluminum bumper reinforcement beams which were very lightweight. A crafty builder could easily assemble a very lightweight roadrace car just using stock parts. We had lots of fun and it was a great experience for young guys who wanted to build something to use for club racing.
Work at Ford dealer back then, the Indy pace car what's the coolest, had the horses sticker on the fenders and the turbo 4 and manual transmission,, some pintos had the V6 with manual
Great video Tony! Can't wait to see the SVO you purchased. Also, I forgot how many special edition mustangs there were that are foxes. I still remember seeing the 7up models around here
The Mustang on the Fox chassis were amazing cars lasting for quite a number of years. The 1979-1982 models were my favorite especially in the GT version.
Great video. I had a 93 LX 5.0 for a long time. Adored that car but finally let her go to get a Grabber Blue 22 Coyote GT. That s550 is incredible, my mother says I talk about this new car like it's my girlfriend 😂. But without the Fox Body I could not have gotten my Petty Blue dream car 💙
My Older brother had a black 86 convertible 4speed manual and out of the 10 or more he had the 86 was his favorite an faster i believe untill his last mustang which was a 03 Roush black hardtop no conv that time Jim passed in 03 exwife trashed it...Nice wish i could of afforded it i would had an put it away for memory sake!! Instead I ended up with one of his rare Chevy trucks he bought 94 door Yukon that's my memory keeper got one spot rusting but that's it I need to mix ASAP Trucks a keeper he drove it from New Mexico back to Illinois with a loaded down trailer BECUZZ he was moving jobs he got to Illinois an found out he had to drive strait up a shared driveway to get to his new rental from his job an had to put it in low low to get an the kids an loaded trailer with all the home amenities up to his new home He Loved the fact that thing did wat it did I told him that's CUZZ it got that bow tie on front don't ya know 😆 dang Ford guy
Excellent details of the fox body history. Alot of memorable moments in the comments...equally as important is the younger kids learning about the Fox and think its desirable/cool car!
I LOVE the 1985-1986 Mustang GT. Beautiful car. The 1987 GT is also very nice. My sister and brother in law bought a new 1987 Mustang GT in black (just like in your video). They bought it right after they got married in April of that year.
Great review of the Foxes. The 79 came out when I was in high school and I read everything I could find. I still remember the 79 Pace Cars, and how I think it was Jack Rousch who was tasked to build three 302-powered hatches. They had modified 302s with four barrels with C-4 transmissions and I think either did not use the TRX suspension, or at least got modified to take Goodyears. Street-wise, none of them were terribly impressive performance wise. Never had anything to do with the turbo fours. In the spring of 82, I test drove a new GT. Probably was not a wise decision for an 18 year old or the salesman. Anyway, it was an experience. I also watched a stock 82 run in an autocross right after a 68-68 BBC Corvette made a Smokey run around the cones. The GT, with limited TRX traction treated us to even more tire smoke. Neither came close to beating the Morris Minors. I do remember starting to see GLXs with 5.0 badges and more conventional, mundane looking wheels in the parking lots of my college campus sometime after 82. They weren’t advertised as an option, but street racers started catching on. I didn’t have much to do with them again until 1992 when I bought a 92 LX. Loved that car. As it still had the 302 with forged pistons, I consider it the pinochle of the Fox bodies. I later drove a same-year SSV notch back with an automatic. The trans was pretty loose by the time I got it. My 92 with subtle mods such as aftermarket headers, K&N, Hurst shifter, subframe connectors had to go after I got married and got kits on the way. I still miss that car. A roller cam 302 turning close to the cutoff through headers and Flowmasters is unique music of its own. When 94 Camaros Z-28s started snowing in the parking lot at work, no one ever offered to challenge me. I suspect that the Camaros would have beaten me, but those American Thunder pipes made a pretty had sound. Ironic that Ford spent so much money developing the Contour/Mystique. You still see a few Fox bodies driving around, and no one even remembers the Contour.
RE: '79 Pace Car... Roush, and my uncle Don Bowles (RIP). (Ask Jack). And, there were were 5 'real' Pace Cars built- Uncle Don's was the only hardtop (non-T-top).
1979’s were also built with 2.8 liter V6’s until Ford ran out of them, then they substituted the 3.3 inline 6 through 1982. Working at a wholesale car auction in 1995 one day a red 1982 GT arrived. No 5.0 badges on the fenders so I opened the hood and was surprised to see a 3.3 inline 6.
The 2.8L being replaced by the 3.3L due to 2.8L not being available or supply running out is not true. Both engines were available at the same time for most or all of the entire length of production. The 1982 GT was available with the 5.0L with 4-speed manual, 4.2L with auto, turbo 2.3L (Canada only) with 5-speed manual, and, as engineering test vehicles only, the non-turbo 2.3L. The 3.3L was NA.
@@foxchassis I'm sure both of you know more about the engine options for these cars than I do. I put together a general information video because I couldn't find one. I used what I could find from multiple sources and tried to use the information that aligned through these multiple sources, Feel free to battle this one out. but I'm going to step aside. :)
Aussie Ford lover here who just discovered your channel. What a comprehensive story on the Fox body Mustang...thankyou. We never got it down here unfortunately - although it was raced in the local Group A series by Ford stalwart Dick Johnson ...and a couple of other less competitive drivers...during 1985/86. Sadly though Dick had limited success with it...and switched to a Sierra Cosworth when they exploded onto the scene.
Thank you for watching! I have a Falcon XB-GT video posting today. It was a lot fun learning all the details about the car so hopefully it does well and I can discover a few more Aussie Ford's to cover.
I had a 69 Mach 1, 428 CJ. It's braking and handling were both worthless. But in 86 l tried the new EFI V8 GT and LOVED it. It was all the Mustang l ever wanted. I loved it so much l bought a 88 GT for my wife. Also a great Mustang.
Tony I learned a lot from this video. Excellent video! One example is I did not know how the seven up cars got their name. Now I do. Thanks for sharing this! 👊😎✌️
These cars were awesome, starting in 1981. The two years before...nah. I loved my 5.0 Mustang. 1989 Mustang. It embodied what a Mustang was! Powerful fun to drive, not bad on gas mileage, and small. I wish I still have it now. Peeps get them you find them!
Owned many cars over the years..5.0, xr7 turbo, boss, mach1 etc. My Comp prep SVO by far my fav. Window sticker still on but I do drive it. Such a fun car.
Last summer i got a 79 mustang Indy Pace turbo that had been sitting in my neighbors garage for 30 years, I got it for mowing his small yard all summer on top of my regular pay, a total win. It was a little rough but no thru rust and it was complete down to some original TRX wheels. He said last time he checked the car was worthless, and it was in the 90's but i only had the car listed for 15 minutes before i got a hit on my $2500 asking price, and now i see that car out all the time. I'm just sorry it isn't me driving it.
Another great video as expected..ive owned alot of em. Still have my 91 GT purchased new. Funny tidbits on the early wheels im sure you know about. The 390mm TRX you couldn't give away and still are worthless. Only one tire fit from Michelin and cost a fortune. I had the 14" TRX's laying around different times i restored and named my price. Haha always thought they looked like F series wheel covers. When you replaced center caps at ford garage for them bag had TRX written on it. I worked at a ford dealership for 8yrs back then i couldn't wait to check & test drive them after transport drop. Btw ive heard yrs ago someone has remakes of the metric TRX but in standard 16".
Thank you for the kind words. The TRX Wheels were part of the U.S. is going to convert to the Metric system that never happened. Ford had those wheels available for almost every performance car T-bird, Cougar, Mustang, and the sporty version of the EXP. There were a few off brand manufacturers of tires that fit some of the rims not many and they were hard to find. The TRX wheel was idea that never took off was on plenty of cars, and then was replaced and forgotten about almost as quickly as it arrived on the scene.
I've had nine Mustangs in my life including two fox bodies. I can confidently say up till my first test drive in a buddy's 86 red GT 5 speed, I was a hardcore Ford hater. But one drive in that car instantly converted me and a few months later I had my no option, 88 Regatta blue 5 L 5-speed coupe. I've been hooked and I bleed Ford blue ever since, and of all the Mustangs I've had, I've never been disappointed with any of them. As long as you get a V8 they're great fun and almost bulletproof. Great bang for the buck then and it still holds true now, although the new ones are getting pretty stupidly expensive but that's just the market I guess?
These are fantastic videos Tony. High quality, lots of research, love the commercials and print ads you find and put in, and you have a great voice for narration as well. Quality stuff... FAR better than so much CRAP coming out of Netflix, Disney, Hollywood, etc. Your kind of content is what has replaced television watching for me. Please keep it coming.
Thank you so much! As a one man operation it takes a lot of time to research, write, collect, edit, shoot, and do the voice overs. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hopefully you check out a few others.
The 3.8 could be had in the coupe and hatch in 1985, as well as the convertible. It was optional at ordering. Love the video...and the old fox body. Mine is an 86 base coupe with a 5.0 5 speed...in Sand Beige on tan guts.
@@EffequalsMA IF RUclips would allow creators to edit errors post upload it would be really helpful. All we can do at the moment it cut out segments. For a team of one like myself it's tough to get everything right even after reviewing things multiple times.
The Fox body Mustangs are probably my favorite Mustangs. Unfortunately, I have never owned one? But I did get to test drive an 89 LX with the 5.0 in it. I was an automatic, but it had impressive acceleration. My 23 year old son has a 2000 GT, 4.6 V8, with a 5-speed. It too is fast, but nothing compared to the new ones? But it’s still fun to drive.
Bought an 88 5.0 LX at an MSRP of $11995, the same as a mid range Civic, to the dollar. Went out the door for $14,006 all in,....the car was radio delete and I had the dealer install an Am/Fm unit. Wind up windows, manual locks, no A/C. Fast car and I had a lot of tickets. Still own it.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs some of the things the Fox Mustang historians won't tell you: TRX equipped Mustangs had no available winter tire when they first came out and my local dealer told me that stock steel wheels wouldn't work with the special suspension....he solved that by selling custom steel stock car wheels with the right offset to take low profile snows. The cars were low cost but poorly built. My 88 was built in Louisville and I refused delivery at first.....hood misaligned by a quarter inch and there was cigarette ash embedded in the paint in the driver's side door jamb. Dealer fixed it. The cars handled well on the then huge 225 60VR15 Goodyear Gatorbacks, but the compound was incredibly soft. They wore out in no time and were so expensive to replace that me and everyone I knew with one put on BFG T/As....much cheaper and harder, but a lot less grip. You could loop the car easily on a wet road. And at speeds over 140mph, the air rushing over the A pillar would suck the window frame off the seal...it would howl like a banshee and you could see a sliver of light through the gaps out of the corner if your eye. Only did it once
Well. I have covered the Fox spectrum pretty well. 79 Ghia 5.0 auto 85 GT T-top 5-Speed 86 SVO 92 LX 5.0 5-SPEED hatch. The one I miss most is the SVO. Truly the most balanced of them all with 5 lug 16 inch wheels and great 4 wheel disk brakes. The shocks were adjustable too. It was a little slower accelerating than the 86 GT until i got a bigger intercooler from a T-Bird TC, ableeder valve to up the boost from 16 PSI to 18 to 20 PSI. Also added a small intercooler fan. Those few mods added 30 or so HP and my SVO could then outrun stock GTs pretty easily. Later i ported everything, big valves, roller cam, big turbo, upped the compression, built short block, 8.8 inch rear with 4.10 gears. 3 inch exhaust lots of other things Like an SDS Ecu. It then was easily outrunning my friend's LS1 6-Speed Camaro. Disclaimer: SVO on 91 octane with new engine could only run 12 PSI max boost but was still way faster than stock. When new engine was fed a few gallons of 100 octane with its regular gas it could push 22 PSI and was bordering psychotic at full boost over 3000 RPM. It otherwise drove very nice and got 29 MPG on the highway. I now have an 03 Mach 1 5-speed. Some of the SVOs bits live in my 75 Pinto now. Though its not as powerful making around 250 HP. Lol. I'm old now.
Very nicely done vid, thanks for presenting! I'm a Fox Fanatic having owned 3 coupes ('84, '88 x2 with two of these being SSPs), 2 hatches ('90, '91) and a convertible ('89) plus a couple of later Fox SN-95s ('01 GT coupe and '03 GT 'vert). I still own one of the SSPs, an '88 CHP fully restored - that one is a keeper!
If you got the 390 wheels. You were in for a BIG surprise when it came time to buy new tires. Michelin was the only choice you had and if i remember correctly the price was 150 or more a tire. Sold lots of wheels and tires for them back in those days.
There were so few and it was such a long video as it was. I typically look at the low production cars in separate video at some point when I can track a copy of one down. Thanks for watching!
I tried for yrs to get this old timer to sell me his Pace Car 5.0 Mustang, but it just sat and rusted away, seen it at the local wrecking yard about to go to the crusher for scrap in the late 90's...i cried a little that day : (
I love the Fox Body Mustang. Its refreshed styling in the mid and late 80s, along with peak horsepower, make it my second most favorite generation or styling after the 1964.5- 1968. I'm a big fan of listening to those late 80s/early 90s 5-speed 302's accelerate. The Fox Body was the return of the original Mustang. The all-new 1994 Mustang was a huge difference and had me disappointed. It had me thinking of the Mustang II due to its bubbly design and a more plain look vs the Fox Body. I've always considered the Fox Body to be the fourth or fifth gen. The first gen of the Mustang really looks to be either 2.5 or 3 generations in a short period. Even though the 1964.5-1973 Mustangs were built on the same platform, look at the exterior designs and the big changes in length during its run. 1964.5-1968 would be the first gen. 1969-1970 would be the 1.5 gen. And 1971-1973 would be the second or third gen. Fox Bodies have been gaining a lot of popularity in the past few years and are becoming more valuable quickly. They're showing up more often now in auctions and are becoming a collector's car.
I agree with a lot of what you had to say on this one. The generations are decided by Ford. They really do not need a reason or a platform change. IF they want to call a car a new gen it is. The Fox Body cars are definitely on the rise in the collect car market.
They made 200, give or take, GT convertibles painted vibrant red in 93 very late in the production run in late June. I guess you could consider them to be special edition even though they really aren’t.
Good stuff, thanks Tony! Had a 67 2+2 when i was a youngin, of course wish I'd kept that one. Maybe im an oddball, but was never a big fan of the 80s-90s body style. They're ok, but much prefer the SN95 & up or the old origionals like my 67.
Only the three cars used to pace the race had T-tops. The 'replica' Pace Cars all had a sunroof and the T-roof was not available on any other Mustang until model year 1981.
The 1983 Mustang GT commercial is 🔥🔥🔥🔥 it's so 1980s I love it!
I had a used 79 Cobra at the end of High School with the rare 5.0 and 4 speed manual (3+overdrive). It also had the sunroof. I still have dreams sometimes that I found somewhere and was able to buy it back. I think I’m young again in those dreams as well.
Being young again is difficult but there are 79 Cobras out there IF you look. Thank you for watching!
The Fox chassis Mustang saved the car. If sales had tanked in 1979 Ford was going to do away with it. The biggest thing about the Mustang is that the GT could deliver performance very close to the Corvette for less than half the price.
Completely agree!
It's more like the mustang was only slightly slower than the not fast Corvette lol
Mustang has been saved a few times. All designs age and need saving at some point. See the Mustang II video on this channel. It sold very well at first.
The GT didn't return until 1982. I am pretty sure a lot of it had to do with marketing. The Cobra at that time was the top performance model, but reminded a lot of people of the somewhat gaudy and dated Mustang II Cobra models. The GT recalled the first generation Mustang's popularity (not to mention the model's 1st performance glory days), which I am sure was likely an important reason for resurrecting the trim level.
@@95Sn95 The difference wasn't that great. The 302 V8 was doing around 130 hp, while the top engine option in the C3 was mustering between 165 to 200 hp. The Corvette was a larger, heavier car with a bigger engine in a completely different class of car (the Corvette by this time was more of a heavy GT than a sports car by this era) and the C3's C4 successor was already being tested using prototype development mules.
Nice paraphrase of the wikipedia page. At least ur presentation, narration-matching videos and the priceless, nostalgic ads we didn't get to see elsewhere was flowing, well laid out and kept me watching. Thx.
I am glad you enjoyed the video and appreciate your feedback!
The 80's! My older brother had a 87' Buick Grand National. Remember those days of Mustang vs GN races!
There was no comparison! I raced my friend in my 85 GT and he passed me like I was standing still.
Thanks for the information you gave us about the foxbody
Thanks for watching!
We, Dad and I, have had our '91 Titanium Frost GT hatchback since new, getting it on August 30, 1991, Labor Day Weekend that year. I was 13, and learned to drive on it. The car went unused for many years in the garage, and needed to be towed out. I got choked up just steering it out from the garage as it was pulled by the tow truck. After it was sent to the mechanic for essentially just changing fluids, it worked out that it was finished on Friday of Labor Day weekend in 2022.
Aside from wishing the driving position was a little different, it's a joy to drive. Time hasn't dimmed the "fun to drive" thing with these cars whatsoever. It's so nice to see how many people have wonderful memories of theirs, and getting the respect and love they deserve with time. I am extremely fortunate to have mine, and so grateful. It does make it all the more special to me for the car to have been family since it was born.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your story!
@@TonysFordsandMustangs You're welcome, Tony. I enjoyed it.
I will never forget seeing that 87 GT for the first time 😱🤯
The 4 eye notchbacks with T-tops will always rank high for me. I hadn’t learned up until about a year of how many special edition foxes were out there. Incredible video!
Thank you sir!
Great video Tony...such amazing detail. 1979-1993 were my formative years , from 7th grade thru college and the Fox bodied Mustangs were a BIG part of it...from wanting a 5.0 GT for a decade, to owning the '86 GT 5-speed that I bought in the Air Force, to lusting after my older brother's 87 GT AND 88 GT. SO much fun to drive these torquey cars. Your knowledge of these cars and their development is really amazing, thanks for putting this video together. Now off to blast around in the 2023 Mach1 that I just got in May. THANK YOU Ford engineers for keeping our Mustangs alive and kicking!
Thank you for watching and sharing!
Now we’re talking. Great video Tony! This brings back so many great memories. An Oxford White ‘79 with the inline 6 was my first car in ‘87 and I loved it, until I got a Medium Canyon Red ‘85 GT 5-sp with t-tops and the Holley 4-barrel two years later. That was my fun college car. Then I had a ‘93 Probe GT for a couple of years before returning to the Mustang stable with a Race Red ‘94 Cobra. Didn’t care much for the Mustangs that followed, so I dabbled in Corvettes and Acuras for a while, until Ford got serious again with the DOHC VCT Coyote V8, so I picked up a Race Red ‘12 GT 6-sp. Now I’m in automotive heaven with my Oxford White ‘22 Mach 1 just like yours Tony. I always did want an ‘87-‘93 GT though, but that was an itch I never was able to scratch.
Thank you for sharing and watching!
As always, I love the informational value, coupled with the nostalgic ads and schematics. I often learn facts about ford that augments my work acumen. Thanks so much Tony, please keep making great content. Can't wait to see more SVO!!!
Thanks Chris! There's more SVO content coming. Mostly because this car hasn't been touched mechanically is a quite a few years. :)
Had an 82 gt 4 SPD in 93 ..my first car ...boy was it fun ..put a 4 barrel carb on it an 411 gears my cousin had ..added headman headers an true duals ..was awsome lil car that kept up
Before I started college, I bought a used ‘79 Mustang Cobra. It was Black over Black and had a 5.0 V8 and 4-speed overdrive transmission. My best friend got a ‘79 Pace Car with the Turbo 4-cylinder. We had so much fun with them. I desperately wanted an SVO after I graduated but they were still too pricey. I ended up with a used ‘86 GT. My wife had an ‘86 LX 2.3 when we married. Mind you I still owned the ‘79 so we were a 3-Fox Body power couple for a while 😂. More good memories. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
That sounds like a great garage. Thanks for watching!
Appreciate all your time and energy put into this video!
Thank you for watching!
85 and 86 GT's were the greatest / hottest ever built imo. I still think the 85's horse was understated because of the temperamental carb. What a great era - hope to find one in mint shape someday! Thank you for the GREAT video!
Thanks you for the kind words and for watching!
yes sir! Thanks again@@TonysFordsandMustangs
I bought a 79 Mustang around 1986 and that thing was always in the shop for something, I eventually returned it to the used car lot that I had bought it from and got a 80 GMC pickup (straight 6) which I really liked and lasted for years.
Great video. 25 minutes flew by.
Thank you for watching!
The Lima 2.3 turbo is one of the best sohc engines ever. I put 1 in my 73 Capri and its such a great upgrade. Great video thanks man.
Thank you for the kind words and for watching!
I bought 1 of the 79’ Pace Cars with the 5.0 V8 in 1982 and had it until the winter of 1985. Was an awesome car!
Great vid! Great look back..I am one of the letter writers that saved our beloved Mustang from being ' Probed!') ..Ford actually wrote me back about 4 years after I sent them the letter!😂
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing and for writing that letter!
This vid made us recall our 1979 Cobra 2.3L Turbo/Bright Red. Purchased used, few months after Highschool w/cash frm 1st Full-time job. Well, cash & our favorite European Ultra Lightweight 12ga semi-auto shotgun we'd worked all summer in HS to pay for. It was elegant.
Cobra 4 banger was blown when bought, due to the turbo eatin itself as they often did w/mi on them. We fully rebuilt the eng. Converted to 'solid-cam/lash adjuster' setup for better revs. Used to carry spare hyd lash adjusters & chg on side of road, if I missed 3rd gear. It pop 1 from overrev. Install 2- 2 bbl Side Draft Euro carbs, on an Esslinger Alum intake, & all the other typical bolt on stuff.. Beat on it daily, till blew it up ourselves when doing hard pulls w/ car full of ~700lbs+ of passengers - spinning #3 rod bearing. Only had 1 veh, so it required drivin it to wrk a few days, listenin to #3 forged flat top piston, slap the cyl head. Had to be at wrk to pay for all this nonsense.
(These next details are frm ~40yr ole memory, & may not be 100% correct)
Few cool features I remember being unique about this platform Stang, were its Trac-loc diff in the 7.5" - w/3.43 gear. Better shocks. 1st Stang w/4 link & coils. Rear Anti-Swaybar - that was the size of a coat hanger, yet did help, vs not havin one.
Car cornered better than any previous leaf spring Stang I'd ever been in.. Those TRX Michelin tires, to replace, cost $125+ ea new, over 35+yrs ago. They were odd metric & no other manufact's made um, as I recall. Also, I seem to remember that the rear brake drums on the Cobra were light weight, & aluminum, if memory serves me. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. Tranny ratios in the manual box were decent, but limited due to being a 4spd. Our car had a pop up manual moon roof, or whatever Ford called it. I assumed it was factory, but as a used car & 35+yrs ago, I could be wrong. I could go on, but nobody cares enough to read what I've already written. Ya hav covered many of our own rides, from the '78 Fairmont Futura 2dr (460 BB) we had, & our new 1991 Ford Probe (here) we bought new bk then. U've also covered our '71 Mach 1 351C 4bbl head car, we loved. & our '89 Stang in this vid as well. Did you do the S550Bullitt yet? and then recently, our GT500 Shelby S550.
You have covered so many of our own Stangs in your vids. 👍 U covered our BB/ Small Blk '69 Torino's, in another vid if memory serves me, yes?
Sold our '70 FB Stang, to fund the GT500 purchase after a yr wait. That car is by far, the heaviest, & the best handling stk Stang we have ever owned.
She's about ~2 1/4 tons of fun, with us in it. Tried to buy a few 2dr Maverick's more than once, over the yrs, but just never put that purchase together. I loved ur videos & road trip w/your Mav. Owned just 1 Pinto after we broke a timing chain in the "Land yacht" '71 Mach 1, to get to wrk in as my 1st bk up car. Glad I don't have to hotrod our DAILY any longer in life.
Lots of long weekends, & trips to the only 24hr parts store within 100+mi from our residents, & did that round trip way to often 😀. Thk gawd for friends Givin ya rides.
Can't say we've seen a vid yet of yours, we didn't enjoy. Thks again !!
Apologies for the ramble.
' Life is but what we remember '
Thank you so much for sharing and watching! Your memory seems to be pretty great! Yes I have a Torino video out there a few other select Ford cars. I started making videos as a way to share what I knew and learn what I didn't. Also to share some of my trips so that my daughters would have something to look back on when I'm no longer around. I'm glad you enjoy my content and appreciate your viewership.
I bought a 1987 Ex CHP Pursuit Mustang with the 5.0 and a 5 speed manual at auction for $800 in 1991. It only had 88 k miles on it . It was a bunch quicker than the hp rating would have suggested it would be. I drove it until 2003. Had a lot of fun in that little car.
That would be tough to do today. Thanks for watching and for sharing.
I was a Lincoln-Mercury tech in the late 70’s and into the 90’s. I remember the Fox platform with fondness. It was such an unreliable rolling turd that I made a good living rebuilding differentials, replacing clutches, resealing rack and pinion steering, resealing valve cover gaskets…and the list goes on.
Always loved the 87 GT commercial doing the drive by
The 87 through 1993,such great bang for the buck.such a well designed motor,the 1993 said 225 horse's,when you drove it,it didn't feel like it.the 5 speed had so much power right off the showroom floor.not a Ford guy,but you have to give credit where credit is due on these years
The engine's paper numbers actually dropped from an advertised 225 hp to 205 hp in 1992 due to a change in how car companies measured horsepower (using SAE net figures with accessories attached vs the previous SAE gross without them) despite no difference at all in the engine's real world performance.
@@houseofno cool,I didn't know that,appreciate that information
I've watched a number of your videos and found this one interesting as always, thank you Tony. I purchased a new '79 pace car replica which I ordered from my small town Ford dealer and took delivery on April 20, 1979. It's the 490th one built with 302 and manual 4 speed, no A/C. Drove it a total of 26,000 miles and it's been in storage since the mid 90's.
Thank you for the kind words! The 79 pace car is one to hold on to
I owned an ‘82 GT and a brand new ‘95 GT. Loved both cars
Having lived through the era boy did these look good in the beginning! Sadly for the Fox Body, GM in the 1980's, came out with a stunning Camaro & Firebird that wowed so many in the looks department. GM stylists deserve a special award for cars that even today are most desired. Even with that the Fox Body was a nice car that evolved very well. Ford was on the way back and the Job 1 slogan had substance in peoples minds.
I still got my first car. The 84 GT turbo. Great Video
That's an awesome car and Thank you!
84 turbo, pretty rare and worth preserving!!
I hate myself for passing up the chance to buy an 83 GT Turbo for $1000 about 20 years ago. Was in great condition
@@331Grabber oh dang! yeah when i was around 18 someone in town had a white 83 turbo GT350 convertible. At the time I didnt have the cast for it, but I prolly coulda got it for that same amount. it was a little beat up bit nothin that couldnt have been fixed.
@@futureconsequence5374
I saw a GT350 Turbo convertible in Fresno many years ago for sale. Wasn't that one was it? 104 or so of them made :)
Well done Tony! I’m sure that was a lot of work to edit and make.
Thanks Tom! Yes it was quite the project. There is a lot of contradicting information so I needed to use multiple sources and try to get a consensus for a few details.
Yes, excellent editing and research.
@@thebionicbassplayer thank you sir!
Had the 79 Indy Pace car with the 5.0, painted it guards red, put in 1885 tail lights and dropped a 1988 fuel injected motor with a 5 speed in the car. So much fun and a great car to drive. Great videos You put together!
Very cool and thank you very much!
A friend of mine and I were invited in building 79 to 86 Mustangs for scca club racing in the early 90’s. We were really excited about how much we could do with factory parts using the updat/ backdate rules. The 79 and 80 Mustang could be bought with manual brakes and manual steering rack. Turbo Mustang was built with aluminum bumper reinforcement beams which were very lightweight. A crafty builder could easily assemble a very lightweight roadrace car just using stock parts. We had lots of fun and it was a great experience for young guys who wanted to build something to use for club racing.
Work at Ford dealer back then, the Indy pace car what's the coolest, had the horses sticker on the fenders and the turbo 4 and manual transmission,, some pintos had the V6 with manual
I worked at a dealer when the 88's came out. Fun times!
16:08 wow, so the crowd magnet joke has been goin since the 80's
Great video Tony! Can't wait to see the SVO you purchased. Also, I forgot how many special edition mustangs there were that are foxes. I still remember seeing the 7up models around here
Thanks for watching brother!
I love everything about the 87 GT but the tail lights. The original tail lights were so awesome.
The Mustang on the Fox chassis were amazing cars lasting for quite a number of years. The 1979-1982 models were my favorite especially in the GT version.
Thank you for watching and for your comment. It is appreciated!
Great video. I had a 93 LX 5.0 for a long time. Adored that car but finally let her go to get a Grabber Blue 22 Coyote GT. That s550 is incredible, my mother says I talk about this new car like it's my girlfriend 😂. But without the Fox Body I could not have gotten my Petty Blue dream car 💙
Excellent video! I learned a few things I didn’t know about Foxbody’s mustangs. Thanks 👍🏻
Thank you for watching!
Love the Fox's! I had 3 GT's during the 90's.
Thanks for the presentation!
Thank you for watching!
I learnt so much here. Thanks Tony.
Thanks for watching!
Very comprehensive report and I heard not one inaccuracy.
@@shaindaman13 Thank you very much and I’m sure there are a few. 😉
85-86 are my fav
My Older brother had a black 86 convertible 4speed manual and out of the 10 or more he had the 86 was his favorite an faster i believe untill his last mustang which was a 03 Roush black hardtop no conv that time Jim passed in 03 exwife trashed it...Nice wish i could of afforded it i would had an put it away for memory sake!! Instead I ended up with one of his rare Chevy trucks he bought 94 door Yukon that's my memory keeper got one spot rusting but that's it I need to mix ASAP Trucks a keeper he drove it from New Mexico back to Illinois with a loaded down trailer BECUZZ he was moving jobs he got to Illinois an found out he had to drive strait up a shared driveway to get to his new rental from his job an had to put it in low low to get an the kids an loaded trailer with all the home amenities up to his new home He Loved the fact that thing did wat it did I told him that's CUZZ it got that bow tie on front don't ya know 😆 dang Ford guy
Excellent details of the fox body history. Alot of memorable moments in the comments...equally as important is the younger kids learning about the Fox and think its desirable/cool car!
Thank you!
I LOVE the 1985-1986 Mustang GT. Beautiful car. The 1987 GT is also very nice.
My sister and brother in law bought a new 1987 Mustang GT in black (just like in your video). They bought it right after they got married in April of that year.
Thank you so much for all this valuable info , I will now only by the 1987 cos I love the T-Top and Tilt Steering column ones ❤
Thank you for watching!
Excellent video!
Thank you very much!
Great review of the Foxes. The 79 came out when I was in high school and I read everything I could find. I still remember the 79 Pace Cars, and how I think it was Jack Rousch who was tasked to build three 302-powered hatches. They had modified 302s with four barrels with C-4 transmissions and I think either did not use the TRX suspension, or at least got modified to take Goodyears. Street-wise, none of them were terribly impressive performance wise. Never had anything to do with the turbo fours. In the spring of 82, I test drove a new GT. Probably was not a wise decision for an 18 year old or the salesman. Anyway, it was an experience. I also watched a stock 82 run in an autocross right after a 68-68 BBC Corvette made a Smokey run around the cones. The GT, with limited TRX traction treated us to even more tire smoke. Neither came close to beating the Morris Minors. I do remember starting to see GLXs with 5.0 badges and more conventional, mundane looking wheels in the parking lots of my college campus sometime after 82. They weren’t advertised as an option, but street racers started catching on. I didn’t have much to do with them again until 1992 when I bought a 92 LX. Loved that car. As it still had the 302 with forged pistons, I consider it the pinochle of the Fox bodies. I later drove a same-year SSV notch back with an automatic. The trans was pretty loose by the time I got it. My 92 with subtle mods such as aftermarket headers, K&N, Hurst shifter, subframe connectors had to go after I got married and got kits on the way. I still miss that car. A roller cam 302 turning close to the cutoff through headers and Flowmasters is unique music of its own. When 94 Camaros Z-28s started snowing in the parking lot at work, no one ever offered to challenge me. I suspect that the Camaros would have beaten me, but those American Thunder pipes made a pretty had sound. Ironic that Ford spent so much money developing the Contour/Mystique. You still see a few Fox bodies driving around, and no one even remembers the Contour.
Thanks for watching and sharing!
RE: '79 Pace Car...
Roush, and my uncle Don Bowles (RIP).
(Ask Jack).
And, there were were 5 'real' Pace Cars built- Uncle Don's was the only hardtop (non-T-top).
I had a very limited 1981 king cobra
1979’s were also built with 2.8 liter V6’s until Ford ran out of them, then they substituted the 3.3 inline 6 through 1982. Working at a wholesale car auction in 1995 one day a red 1982 GT arrived. No 5.0 badges on the fenders so I opened the hood and was surprised to see a 3.3 inline 6.
They did that a lot back in the day.
The 2.8L being replaced by the 3.3L due to 2.8L not being available or supply running out is not true. Both engines were available at the same time for most or all of the entire length of production.
The 1982 GT was available with the 5.0L with 4-speed manual, 4.2L with auto, turbo 2.3L (Canada only) with 5-speed manual, and, as engineering test vehicles only, the non-turbo 2.3L. The 3.3L was NA.
@@foxchassis
I know what I saw.
@@MustangsTrainsMowers I wasn't there but so I can't dispute what you saw. Doesn't mean a 13-year-old car was original as delivered from Dearborn.
@@foxchassis I'm sure both of you know more about the engine options for these cars than I do. I put together a general information video because I couldn't find one. I used what I could find from multiple sources and tried to use the information that aligned through these multiple sources, Feel free to battle this one out. but I'm going to step aside. :)
Great video Tony! 😁
I had 88GT . Fast at that time. Loved it.❤
Thanks Roy! Glad you enjoyed it
I know of 1 1981 Cobra that came equipped with the 2.3 turbo. So it wasn't discontinued until 82.
Turbo was available in 1981 and 1982 in Canada only.
Aussie Ford lover here who just discovered your channel. What a comprehensive story on the Fox body Mustang...thankyou. We never got it down here unfortunately - although it was raced in the local Group A series by Ford stalwart Dick Johnson ...and a couple of other less competitive drivers...during 1985/86. Sadly though Dick had limited success with it...and switched to a Sierra Cosworth when they exploded onto the scene.
Thank you for watching! I have a Falcon XB-GT video posting today. It was a lot fun learning all the details about the car so hopefully it does well and I can discover a few more Aussie Ford's to cover.
Can't wait to see it. Cheers Tony!
Great video Tony. You really create informational videos. Thanks!
Thank you!
Nicely done video! No over the top music or talk. Surprisingly crisp video those commercials especially considering how old they are.
Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I love the foxbodies and owned an 89 LX 5.0. Awesome video Tony thx!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had a 69 Mach 1, 428 CJ. It's braking and handling were both worthless. But in 86 l tried the new EFI V8 GT and LOVED it. It was all the Mustang l ever wanted. I loved it so much l bought a 88 GT for my wife. Also a great Mustang.
Thanks Tony. Great video 👍
Thank you for watching!
Tony I learned a lot from this video. Excellent video! One example is I did not know how the seven up cars got their name. Now I do. Thanks for sharing this!
👊😎✌️
Thank you for watching!
These cars were awesome, starting in 1981. The two years before...nah. I loved my 5.0 Mustang. 1989 Mustang. It embodied what a Mustang was! Powerful fun to drive, not bad on gas mileage, and small. I wish I still have it now. Peeps get them you find them!
Thanks for sharing!
Fox body is just gorgeous!
the fox body the first mustang lot of us drove mine was a 1979 cobra 5.0 3 door hatch back trx rims @9:51
8:42, 9:35, 9:51 , 12:40, 14:00, 14:25 19:38 ...20:08 my dream mustang ,,,23:09 rare car and manual crank windows to save wt
Owned many cars over the years..5.0, xr7 turbo, boss, mach1 etc. My Comp prep SVO by far my fav. Window sticker still on but I do drive it. Such a fun car.
I'm enjoying my SVO as well! T
Good stuff, thank you!
Thank you!
Great Video! More Fox Body Mustang videos please!
Thank you and I have an entire SVO playlist. ruclips.net/p/PLz2M3b_orpr23scHlRh4ZKAUpX3G538pi
Last summer i got a 79 mustang Indy Pace turbo that had been sitting in my neighbors garage for 30 years, I got it for mowing his small yard all summer on top of my regular pay, a total win. It was a little rough but no thru rust and it was complete down to some original TRX wheels. He said last time he checked the car was worthless, and it was in the 90's but i only had the car listed for 15 minutes before i got a hit on my $2500 asking price, and now i see that car out all the time. I'm just sorry it isn't me driving it.
You might have wanted to hold on to that one. Thanks for watching!
I have a 1984 , drag car not sure what trim it was but 3.5 seconds in 300ft. Wouldn’t take anything for it. Very informative video thank for posting.
Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Another great video as expected..ive owned alot of em. Still have my 91 GT purchased new. Funny tidbits on the early wheels im sure you know about. The 390mm TRX you couldn't give away and still are worthless. Only one tire fit from Michelin and cost a fortune. I had the 14" TRX's laying around different times i restored and named my price. Haha always thought they looked like F series wheel covers. When you replaced center caps at ford garage for them bag had TRX written on it. I worked at a ford dealership for 8yrs back then i couldn't wait to check & test drive them after transport drop. Btw ive heard yrs ago someone has remakes of the metric TRX but in standard 16".
Thank you for the kind words. The TRX Wheels were part of the U.S. is going to convert to the Metric system that never happened. Ford had those wheels available for almost every performance car T-bird, Cougar, Mustang, and the sporty version of the EXP. There were a few off brand manufacturers of tires that fit some of the rims not many and they were hard to find. The TRX wheel was idea that never took off was on plenty of cars, and then was replaced and forgotten about almost as quickly as it arrived on the scene.
I've had nine Mustangs in my life including two fox bodies. I can confidently say up till my first test drive in a buddy's 86 red GT 5 speed, I was a hardcore Ford hater. But one drive in that car instantly converted me and a few months later I had my no option, 88 Regatta blue 5 L 5-speed coupe. I've been hooked and I bleed Ford blue ever since, and of all the Mustangs I've had, I've never been disappointed with any of them. As long as you get a V8 they're great fun and almost bulletproof. Great bang for the buck then and it still holds true now, although the new ones are getting pretty stupidly expensive but that's just the market I guess?
Thanks for watching and sharing your story and I would agree the Mustang is getting too pricey.
These are fantastic videos Tony. High quality, lots of research, love the commercials and print ads you find and put in, and you have a great voice for narration as well. Quality stuff... FAR better than so much CRAP coming out of Netflix, Disney, Hollywood, etc. Your kind of content is what has replaced television watching for me. Please keep it coming.
Thank you so much! As a one man operation it takes a lot of time to research, write, collect, edit, shoot, and do the voice overs. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hopefully you check out a few others.
Thanks Tony - and thank you to John Colletti who kept the mustang going !
Mr Colletti was always in the Mustang's corner. Thank you for watching!
The 3.8 could be had in the coupe and hatch in 1985, as well as the convertible. It was optional at ordering. Love the video...and the old fox body. Mine is an 86 base coupe with a 5.0 5 speed...in Sand Beige on tan guts.
I'm sure I have a few details that are off here and there. There is so much to cover over that time span. Thanks for sharing and watching!
@@TonysFordsandMustangs No problem, man, it's a lot of history!
@@EffequalsMA IF RUclips would allow creators to edit errors post upload it would be really helpful. All we can do at the moment it cut out segments. For a team of one like myself it's tough to get everything right even after reviewing things multiple times.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs Wow, I did not know that wasn't possible. Kinda disappointing that.
I just built the 1/25 AMT 88 Mustang GT model kit a week or 2 ago.. came out pretty sharp i think...
The Fox body Mustangs are probably my favorite Mustangs. Unfortunately, I have never owned one? But I did get to test drive an 89 LX with the 5.0 in it. I was an automatic, but it had impressive acceleration. My 23 year old son has a 2000 GT, 4.6 V8, with a 5-speed. It too is fast, but nothing compared to the new ones? But it’s still fun to drive.
As long as you enjoy owning a car it's a good car. Thanks for watching!
Bought an 88 5.0 LX at an MSRP of $11995, the same as a mid range Civic, to the dollar. Went out the door for $14,006 all in,....the car was radio delete and I had the dealer install an Am/Fm unit. Wind up windows, manual locks, no A/C. Fast car and I had a lot of tickets. Still own it.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs some of the things the Fox Mustang historians won't tell you: TRX equipped Mustangs had no available winter tire when they first came out and my local dealer told me that stock steel wheels wouldn't work with the special suspension....he solved that by selling custom steel stock car wheels with the right offset to take low profile snows. The cars were low cost but poorly built. My 88 was built in Louisville and I refused delivery at first.....hood misaligned by a quarter inch and there was cigarette ash embedded in the paint in the driver's side door jamb. Dealer fixed it. The cars handled well on the then huge 225 60VR15 Goodyear Gatorbacks, but the compound was incredibly soft. They wore out in no time and were so expensive to replace that me and everyone I knew with one put on BFG T/As....much cheaper and harder, but a lot less grip. You could loop the car easily on a wet road. And at speeds over 140mph, the air rushing over the A pillar would suck the window frame off the seal...it would howl like a banshee and you could see a sliver of light through the gaps out of the corner if your eye. Only did it once
Well. I have covered the Fox spectrum pretty well.
79 Ghia 5.0 auto
85 GT T-top 5-Speed
86 SVO
92 LX 5.0 5-SPEED hatch.
The one I miss most is the SVO. Truly the most balanced of them all with 5 lug 16 inch wheels and great 4 wheel disk brakes. The shocks were adjustable too.
It was a little slower accelerating than the 86 GT until i got a bigger intercooler from a T-Bird TC, ableeder valve to up the boost from 16 PSI to 18 to 20 PSI. Also added a small intercooler fan. Those few mods added 30 or so HP and my SVO could then outrun stock GTs pretty easily.
Later i ported everything, big valves, roller cam, big turbo, upped the compression, built short block, 8.8 inch rear with 4.10 gears. 3 inch exhaust lots of other things Like an SDS Ecu. It then was easily outrunning my friend's LS1 6-Speed Camaro.
Disclaimer: SVO on 91 octane with new engine could only run 12 PSI max boost but was still way faster than stock.
When new engine was fed a few gallons of 100 octane with its regular gas it could push 22 PSI and was bordering psychotic at full boost over 3000 RPM.
It otherwise drove very nice and got 29 MPG on the highway.
I now have an 03 Mach 1 5-speed. Some of the SVOs bits live in my 75 Pinto now. Though its not as powerful making around 250 HP.
Lol. I'm old now.
Thanks for sharing and none of us are getting any younger. :)
🇺🇸👍 Good video,I owned a 64 1/2 Mustang. Today I own 2 Mustang II and a 2016 Mustang 👍
Thank you for the kind words and for watching!
Excellent video 👍
Thank you!
Very nicely done vid, thanks for presenting! I'm a Fox Fanatic having owned 3 coupes ('84, '88 x2 with two of these being SSPs), 2 hatches ('90, '91) and a convertible ('89) plus a couple of later Fox SN-95s ('01 GT coupe and '03 GT 'vert). I still own one of the SSPs, an '88 CHP fully restored - that one is a keeper!
Thank you for the kind words! The SSP's are a very cool car to own!
Why did the switch pistons? I liked these, had a few.
If you got the 390 wheels. You were in for a BIG surprise when it came time to buy new tires. Michelin was the only choice you had and if i remember correctly the price was 150 or more a tire. Sold lots of wheels and tires for them back in those days.
Tony, you forgot to mention all the Saleens and McLaren’s… the diamonds of the fox bodies.
There were so few and it was such a long video as it was. I typically look at the low production cars in separate video at some point when I can track a copy of one down. Thanks for watching!
I tried for yrs to get this old timer to sell me his Pace Car 5.0 Mustang, but it just sat and rusted away, seen it at the local wrecking yard about to go to the crusher for scrap in the late 90's...i cried a little that day : (
That's a sad story. Thanks for sharing.
The SROD 4 speed wasn't a Tremec. And the Foxbody GT never came in a Notchback configuration.
If I got a couple of things wrong in a 25 minute video I can live with that.
The 4-speed manual 'SROD' was indeed made my Tremec (in Mexico)
@@foxchassis Bang on. The T-170 SROD was First stamped as an Orion, then as Tremec ,always made in Mexico for FoMoCo by Tremec!
Would love curb weights on each car mentioned. Other than that ... damn near perfect video.
Thanks you for the kind word and nobody's perfect especially when it's a one man show. ;)
In 85/6 the v6 was available in all body types. I owned a hatch with it, and a coupe with it...
Those TRX wheels and tires. What were they thinking?
I was so happy to see the new fox body in 1979...I hated the mustang 2....I had a 95 gt convertible a few years back with the last 302 and I loved it!
It was sad to see the Japanese inspired Squair Fox body should have been called the Box body!
Thank you
Thanks for watching!
The Fix Body did for Ford what the K Car did for Chrysler.
I still love the 1979-1982 Mustang hatch.
I love the Fox Body Mustang. Its refreshed styling in the mid and late 80s, along with peak horsepower, make it my second most favorite generation or styling after the 1964.5- 1968. I'm a big fan of listening to those late 80s/early 90s 5-speed 302's accelerate. The Fox Body was the return of the original Mustang.
The all-new 1994 Mustang was a huge difference and had me disappointed. It had me thinking of the Mustang II due to its bubbly design and a more plain look vs the Fox Body.
I've always considered the Fox Body to be the fourth or fifth gen. The first gen of the Mustang really looks to be either 2.5 or 3 generations in a short period. Even though the 1964.5-1973 Mustangs were built on the same platform, look at the exterior designs and the big changes in length during its run. 1964.5-1968 would be the first gen. 1969-1970 would be the 1.5 gen. And 1971-1973 would be the second or third gen.
Fox Bodies have been gaining a lot of popularity in the past few years and are becoming more valuable quickly. They're showing up more often now in auctions and are becoming a collector's car.
I agree with a lot of what you had to say on this one. The generations are decided by Ford. They really do not need a reason or a platform change. IF they want to call a car a new gen it is. The Fox Body cars are definitely on the rise in the collect car market.
Great Vidya
Thank you for watching!
I had a 4cylinder '79, back in the 80's. I was passed by a school bus while going up a hill once and my mom laugh at me. Not one of my finer moments.
They made 200, give or take, GT convertibles painted vibrant red in 93 very late in the production run in late June. I guess you could consider them to be special edition even though they really aren’t.
Good stuff, thanks Tony! Had a 67 2+2 when i was a youngin, of course wish I'd kept that one. Maybe im an oddball, but was never a big fan of the 80s-90s body style. They're ok, but much prefer the SN95 & up or the old origionals like my 67.
The SN-95 video is on my to do list. Thanks for watching!
Veen looking forward to this one
So was the 79 pace car the only mustang ever with t-tops?
The 79 Pace was the only one that year that had them. Late '80 to early '88 had them. They almost all leak as they will twist and flex alot.
Only the three cars used to pace the race had T-tops. The 'replica' Pace Cars all had a sunroof and the T-roof was not available on any other Mustang until model year 1981.
😲 0-50mph in 7.1 Seconds❗❤
Great info, but you left out the M81 McLaren Mustang program.
There were so few of them and I spent 30 Hours putting the video together. Thanks for watching!