We Made The List, Folks!

I love the Fox Mustang as much as anyone, but the suspension design leaves a lot to be desired. The aftermarket has done a great job improving on it, and with 3-5K you can get a pretty good handler. At that point the biggest problem is simply weight distribution, which is hard to fix with the engine ahead of the front tires.

I've always wondered what would happen if you modified a Fox to bury half of the engine under the windshield like the GM F-body cars... Like a full 12" setback or even more. Maybe then the shifter would at least be in a place you could reach it without having a lever that looks like the branch off a haunted oak tree LOL.
 
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You don't need to make a ton of changes to make one 50/50.... We were around 51/49 when we ran big batteries and bars. We are about 57/43 now with a single small battery and no wheelie bars. The motors only set back about an inch and lowered a bit
 
My buddy had a 66 back was I was 17. It had a worked 302, and a 4 spd. The car was a death trap...maybe I'm a little twisted but I feel like that makes it fun to drive. I like counter steering!
If I were at the track a lot, I'm sure I'd be singing a different tune.
 
Im not talking about running Nubrgring but a lowered fox with good shocks subframes, uppers & lowers and a couple other suspension mods and they feel great out on our roads even with some xtra hp pushing it! I love em!
 
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Im not talking about running Nubrgring but a lowered fox with good shocks subframes, uppers & lowers and a couple other suspension mods and they feel great out on our roads even with some xtra hp pushing it! I love em!

I gotta say, my old vert with lca's, subframes steeda sport springs, cc plates, Kyb shocks and struts, bump steer kit and a decent alignment held the curves better than I needed it to. I would call this a bolt on suspention, other that the subframes, and anyone with a set of wrenches and a couple of specialty tools can do this in their garage or driveway in a weekend.
 
How much different is the suspention setup on the 99-04 then on the 87-93's. I know that there are some parts that interchange but some are different.

Wider rear axle, wider front track, longer wheelbase, tighter body....makes a more stable platform


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I will nominate the Tempo and any boosted Probe. Both Tempos that I drove had torque steer bad enough to send you right into a ditch and a Probe can be wicked when the turbo kicks in. I will also nominate a Granada and anything with that bad of under steer that disintegrates into a terminal front end plow.
 
I gotta say, my old vert with lca's, subframes steeda sport springs, cc plates, Kyb shocks and struts, bump steer kit and a decent alignment held the curves better than I needed it to. I would call this a bolt on suspention, other that the subframes, and anyone with a set of wrenches and a couple of specialty tools can do this in their garage or driveway in a weekend.

Word. Usually all it takes is some nicer rear control arms and some fresh shocks and struts to make a Fox a little more cooperative. The ass-end slop is really the worst part about these cars, especially with 2o-something year old bushings. I'm not overly convinced that lowering these cars does much more tan make it look cool, but maybe it does have some effect on handling. CC plates are necessary when lowering, and definitely helpful if you want to run outside of factory alignment specs.

Brake upgrades are also necessary on a Fox, because its braking performance (or lack thereof) in stock form is probably the most terrifying part of the car. Why did Ford think it was OK to put grandma-car brakes on a vehicle capable of almost 150 mph? I'm with the camp that 5-lug swaps with SN-95 discs all around are a minimum requirement for a modded Fox.
 
Word. Usually all it takes is some nicer rear control arms and some fresh shocks and struts to make a Fox a little more cooperative. The ass-end slop is really the worst part about these cars, especially with 2o-something year old bushings. I'm not overly convinced that lowering these cars does much more tan make it look cool, but maybe it does have some effect on handling. CC plates are necessary when lowering, and definitely helpful if you want to run outside of factory alignment specs.

Brake upgrades are also necessary on a Fox, because its braking performance (or lack thereof) in stock form is probably the most terrifying part of the car. Why did Ford think it was OK to put grandma-car brakes on a vehicle capable of almost 150 mph? I'm with the camp that 5-lug swaps with SN-95 discs all around are a minimum requirement for a modded Fox.


one of the guys we race with runs about 151-152 to the 1/8 and runs stock brakes still. crazy **** if you ask me. but it stops with out the chute
 
I will nominate the Tempo and any boosted Probe. Both Tempos that I drove had torque steer bad enough to send you right into a ditch and a Probe can be wicked when the turbo kicks in.
Better add the first gen Taurus SHO's to that list. A friend of my dads bought one of the first ones in '89 when they hit the streets and let me take if for a ride. It would nearly rip the steering wheel out of your hand when you dropped the clutch hard.
 
I gotta say, my old vert with lca's, subframes steeda sport springs, cc plates, Kyb shocks and struts, bump steer kit and a decent alignment held the curves better than I needed it to. I would call this a bolt on suspention, other that the subframes, and anyone with a set of wrenches and a couple of specialty tools can do this in their garage or driveway in a weekend.


on the money! i have all what u named with a nice Addco sway bar i can let go of the wheel at any speed and she will track straight and corners great only held back from serious cornering cause of drag radials. I have even thought of some road racing just stopped when i thought of the abuse funds are not there for that
 
I'm disappointed that they didn't mention that what makes the fox dangerous, is also what makes it so much fun.
There is a reason people here land up coming back to foxes. Modern sports cars, while safer, better handling (out of the box) and ride better, just aren't as much fun. I've had the privilege of driving many cars, and i just can't come up with one that is as much fun to drive. Modern electronics that can't be deactivated completely and the fact that manual trans is becoming obsolete really ruin the experience of newer sports cars for me.
 
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I'm disappointed that they didn't mention that what makes the fox dangerous, is also what makes it so much fun.
There is a reason people here land up coming back to foxes. Modern sports cars, while safer, better handling (out of the box) and ride better, just aren't as much fun. I've had the privilege of driving many cars, and i just can't come up with one that is as much fun to drive. Modern electronics that can't be deactivated completely and the fact that manual trans is becoming obsolete really ruin the experience of newer sports cars for me.



i like what u said.....and the sweet fn music that comes out of the tail pipes dont forget that!
 
I'm disappointed that they didn't mention that what makes the fox dangerous, is also what makes it so much fun.
There is a reason people here land up coming back to foxes. Modern sports cars, while safer, better handling (out of the box) and ride better, just aren't as much fun. I've had the privilege of driving many cars, and i just can't come up with one that is as much fun to drive. Modern electronics that can't be deactivated completely and the fact that manual trans is becoming obsolete really ruin the experience of newer sports cars for me.

thats the damn truth! ive driven all kinds of REALLY fast cars and there is NOTHING like old school cars. hell my LX felt faster then the GTR i got to drive. till i looked down and noticed i was doing 150mph. even my lightning at 150 felt more stable then my LX does on slicks.... having to control the car is half the fun. paddle shifters traction control launch control ball warmers and all that fancy stuff just isnt for a true car guy
 
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I'm disappointed that they didn't mention that what makes the fox dangerous, is also what makes it so much fun.
There is a reason people here land up coming back to foxes. Modern sports cars, while safer, better handling (out of the box) and ride better, just aren't as much fun. I've had the privilege of driving many cars, and i just can't come up with one that is as much fun to drive. Modern electronics that can't be deactivated completely and the fact that manual trans is becoming obsolete really ruin the experience of newer sports cars for me.


Word. I'd put the Fox up with Jeeps and early Triumphs as some of the most fun cars to drive.
 
Better add the first gen Taurus SHO's to that list. A friend of my dads bought one of the first ones in '89 when they hit the streets and let me take if for a ride. It would nearly rip the steering wheel out of your hand when you dropped the clutch hard.
By the time I got my SHO, they had fixed most of that and the bad shifter. I hated to sell it, but I needed a truck more than a back seat and a leather interior. I should have got a trailer hitch for it and a 5 by 8 trailer.