Mustang Monthly: Best Fox-Body Bargains

TWF_John

I got my issue of the latest (December 2008) Mustang Monthly last week. I just got a chance to read the article "Best Fox-Body Bargains." It covers '79 to '04. Not surprisingly, the general message was that it is a great time to buy one.

If they were hot when you were in high school and you would like to relive your youth, buy one and enjoy the memories. But don't buy one to restore because parts are hard to come by. Don't restore one with an eye on resale value because you're going to be disappointed.

There is a good amount of truth to that statement. Our feature cars got a mention -

noac

I don't really agree with either one of those 2 opinions of the author. I would say that between cjponyparts, foxmustangrestoration, year one, mustangsunlimited, blueovalindustries, searching ebay, mps, performancepartsinc and probably 15 other places you can find almost any part for a foxbody. I also don't count foxbody mustangs as 79-04. Fox stangs are 79-93. 94-98 are sn-95 and I think the 99-04 go by new edge. Fox bodies have an extremely loyal following and I think a restored or great original fox body will always hold their value and in some cases go up in value. The cars that I personally think are really holding their own in value, restored or original are 87-93 coupes and 1993 cobras. There was just a 100,000 something mile restored black coupe 92? on ebay with a fine paint job that I think made it into the 12000 range. I don't think that people who buy are types of cars really do so with profit on the mind in the first place.

Rare_92

I also don't count foxbody mustangs as 79-04. Fox stangs are 79-93. 94-98 are sn-95 and I think the 99-04 go by new edge.

Yeah I defiantly agree!

Stangfan

It's an interesting article, but for some reason they missed including the 7-Up Cars in with the 92/93 Limited Edition verts.

twocarnuts

I think that the author kinda missed the boat. I know how hard it is to recoup restoration expenses but these cars are true future collectibles. And it is true that many low mileage models are bringing high dollars.

TWF_John

I also don't count foxbody mustangs as 79-04. Fox stangs are 79-93. 94-98 are sn-95 and I think the 99-04 go by new edge.

Yeah I defiantly agree!

I third that. This wasn't the first time they grouped them. The Nov. 2008 cover included the text: "NEW! 79-04 Fox Body Rear Suspension".

After thinking about this I feel the problem I have with it is that they include the word "body". IIRC the SN-95 platform was a derivation of the Fox "platform". A lot of change but there is some part of the fox in there. So, maybe the SN-95 cars could technically be said to be based on the fox "platform". But, Fox-body, no. Don't worry it probably makes the SN-95 folks cringe, too.

twocarnuts

I also don't count foxbody mustangs as 79-04. Fox stangs are 79-93. 94-98 are sn-95 and I think the 99-04 go by new edge.

Yeah I defiantly agree!

I third that. This wasn't the first time they grouped them. The Nov. 2008 cover included the text: "NEW! 79-04 Fox Body Rear Suspension".

After thinking about this I feel the problem I have with it is that they include the word "body". IIRC the SN-95 platform was a derivation of the Fox "platform". A lot of change but there is some part of the fox in there. So, maybe the SN-95 cars could technically be said to be based on the fox "platform". But, Fox-body, no. Don't worry it probably makes the SN-95 folks cringe, too.

You know we own a version of each: Fox platform and a SN car too me they do not share many similarities at all. For all the " respect" the ole foxes get they sure do get smacked down quite a bit.

Rare_92

I do know what you mean. I get alot of "thats a Mustang" "And Only 225 Horsepower?"

But yes, Most of the kids I talk to are high school kids. They have no idea!

mustangdanimal

I don't think Mustang Monthly and then Mustang and Fords have been the same since Jeff Ford left.

As for the whole SN95 debate, many Ford engineers refer to the 94-04's platform as Fox4, so that spills down to the magazine guys.

One of the nicest cars I'd ever seen at our show (Indiana SAAC Spring Fling in Nashville, IN) was a fully restored '84 GT350 convertible. This guy did a rotisserie resto on the thing. Had to have well over 20k in the car and it showed. I loved the passion the guy had for the car and it showed as nice as any of the $100k plus Shelby's there!

MustangDanimal

19641/2 Mustang Convertible - 17D build date
1992 White Feature
1999 Performance Red Limited Edition Convertible

Fox's owned in the past:
'79 Pace Car turbo
'85 SVO
'85 GT hatch
'86 GT Convertible
'89 5.0 LX Hatch Saleen clone
'95 GT convertible

twocarnuts

I don't think Mustang Monthly and then Mustang and Fords have been the same since Jeff Ford left.

As for the whole SN95 debate, many Ford engineers refer to the 94-04's platform as Fox4, so that spills down to the magazine guys.

One of the nicest cars I'd ever seen at our show (Indiana SAAC Spring Fling in Nashville, IN) was a fully restored '84 GT350 convertible. This guy did a rotisserie resto on the thing. Had to have well over 20k in the car and it showed. I loved the passion the guy had for the car and it showed as nice as any of the $100k plus Shelby's there!

MustangDanimal

19641/2 Mustang Convertible - 17D build date
1992 White Feature
1999 Performance Red Limited Edition Convertible

Fox's owned in the past:
'79 Pace Car turbo
'85 SVO
'85 GT hatch
'86 GT Convertible
'89 5.0 LX Hatch Saleen clone
'95 GT convertible

I agree on the Fox 4 debate. Great reference to the GT350 here again is a really neat car that gets no respect. All in due time though. I have attended may of the spring meets at Brown county and believe that I have seen the car you speak of. Take care.

Rare_92

Wow you have had some awesome cars, and you have some really cool ones now!

noac

We've had feedback on our Fox Mustang values article, which showed up in a recent issue of Mustang Monthly. Not all of you agree with our findings. But here's the way it is. Supply and demand are what drive prices. So is the economy, which is also rooted in supply and demand.

Ford produced an unwieldy numbers of Fox body Mustangs between 1979 and 2004. Millions of them. Although rare Fox body Mustangs still command generous prices (depending on type), most are well below what they used to be because there are so many of them. Condition dictates price once rarity has been established. The hottest Fox body Mustangs remain 1994-04 followed by the 1987-93 Mustang GTs and 5.0L LX models. Collectors like the 1985 Mustang GT for its status as the last carbureted Mustang. Although not many 20th Anniversary Mustang GTs survive in showroom condition, they didn't pan out to be the hot collector car we thought they would in 1984 when some of us were putting them in storage.

Another factor in Fox body Mustang values is the SN197 2005-09 Mustang, which has been a smashing success. It has become the hottest late-model Mustang ever - stealing the Fox 5.0's thunder.

With 1979-2004 Mustangs, find the gold in this economic crisis. If you want a hot "bang for the buck" Mustang fun car, the 1987-04 Mustang is the way to get there. If you are a seller hoping for better times, you're going to have to wait it out and consider your late-model Mustang a good investment in your mental well being. Drive and enjoy it
..............found this on the Mustang Monthly website....talk about clueless. The hottest fox-body remains the 94-04?? No such thing as an 94-04 foxbody. Sure they made a ton of foxes but how many have survived, and survived well? The 05-09 can thank the fox body since if it wasn't for it continuing a legend started in the mid 60's, sufferring a depressed state in the mid 70's- mustang II, the 05-09 wouldn't exist. This author has a problem with fox body stangs. I would bet he never owned one.
The author probably isn't aware of the group of owners of the 79-86 4 eyed stangs dedicated to preserving and restoring these beauties.