Progress Thread Finally got my first Fox Body - 1988 GT

[90sickfox]

Some new parts arrived a few days ago. Basically all of the parts (I hope) I needed to get the 4.10s installed. Uploaded a brief Vlog to share:


View: https://youtu.be/iq91d27FpqI


I drove the car about 70 miles today to drop it off at the shop that’s going to install the new gears. That was the longest drive I’ve done in the Fox since the day I picked it up. My knees and back were killing me and I definitely contributed to future hearing loss with that drone.



Can’t wait to drive the car with the new gears, even though the same drive back with 4.10s might be even more unpleasant, lol.

Didn’t catch any pictures while driving but we saw a lot of Amish buggies a few miles from the shop. I didn’t realize there was such a large Amish presence in Southern Maryland until today. I’m used to usually only seeing those horse drawn buggies when I visit friends in Lancaster, PA.

The Amish and Mennonites are all over souther MD. Glad you got over there without any issues. I went ro the Drtail Garage get together down on Lafayette Blvd. In Fredericksburg. It was rainy this AM but a few die hards were there.

 

[General karthief]

I hope you like those 410 gears, I personally think it's too much for a stock ride more so with the 15" wheels. But that's me, I drove a 55 shoebox with 410 gears and 15" wheels and tires about the same height as your, heavier car, first gear is useless, maybe you'll like it time will tell.

 

[DudeStang]

I hope you like those 410 gears, I personally think it's too much for a stock ride more so with the 15" wheels. But that's me, I drove a 55 shoebox with 410 gears and 15" wheels and tires about the same height as your, heavier car, first gear is useless, maybe you'll like it time will tell.

Yeah. I mean…I understand it might not be ideal but the ring and pinion were a gift from a couple of friends. One of those friends - we bought him 4.30 gears for his 2002 GT years ago and he had them installed and it was a blast to drive. I just want to give them a try. Worst case, if I don’t like them, I will just change to 3.73s or 3.55s at some point. I think for the type of driving I do with my Fox most of the time, they will probably be pretty fun.

The point about 15” wheels - are you saying that wheel size is maybe too small for those gears? I do plan on adding the 16 inch pony wheels eventually but not sure if that will make a significant difference. I need to read more about gears vs tire/wheel size.

 

[General karthief]

More about tire height than wheel size, you can run a taller tire with more gear (higher numerical), I chose a 355 gear for the junk pyle because it put me in that 'sweet spot' for my mods and the 5 speed.
The 410's will get you into the high rpms pretty quickly especially when tire spin comes into play more so with a short tire.
Yes it can be fun.

 

[Mustang5L5]

One of those friends - we bought him 4.30 gears for his 2002 GT years ago and he had them installed and it was a blast to drive. I just want to give them a try. Worst case, if I don’t like them, I will just change to 3.73s or 3.55s at some point. I think for the type of driving I do with my Fox most of the time, they will probably be pretty fun.

4.30's in a 4.6L is different than 4.10's in a 5.0. They will pull hard to the 6K redline where a stock 5.0 is really running out of steam at 4500rpm. I've driven a 4.6L Cobra with 4.56's and it was a hoot and felt perfectly driveable due to the almost 7K redline. But those cars really do pull hard at upper RPM as well.

With the 5.0, after 4500RPM or so, it's like you are just making a bunch of noise and not really going anywhere as you go through that last 1500 or so RPM. These cars just don't breath well at high RPM in stock form

I have 3.73's in my car, and when my engine was mostly stock I just wasn't a fan. A 3.27 or 3.55 is better suited. I'll reevaluate with my new combo once i start driving it, but i have a 3.27's in a box that i might convince myself to install at some point.

 

[General karthief]

The advantage will be you don't have to down shift to pass at 50 mph.

 

[DudeStang]

4.30's in a 4.6L is different than 4.10's in a 5.0. They will pull hard to the 6K redline where a stock 5.0 is really running out of steam at 4500rpm. I've driven a 4.6L Cobra with 4.56's and it was a hoot and felt perfectly driveable due to the almost 7K redline. But those cars really do pull hard at upper RPM as well.

With the 5.0, after 4500RPM or so, it's like you are just making a bunch of noise and not really going anywhere as you go through that last 1500 or so RPM. These cars just don't breath well at high RPM in stock form

I have 3.73's in my car, and when my engine was mostly stock I just wasn't a fan. A 3.27 or 3.55 is better suited. I'll reevaluate with my new combo once i start driving it, but i have a 3.27's in a box that i might convince myself to install at some point.

Yeah, I wasn’t trying to imply it would be exactly the same but thanks for the additional information.

Most of the driving I do in my Fox is running errands or slightly spirited driving on some twisty back roads not too far from my house. I think the 4.10s might be fun for this but I won’t know until I get the car back and drive it again.

I guess another option would be using the gears as an excuse to mod the engine more heavily…maybe.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Do it. We love to spend other people’s money here

 

[Rdub6]

I guess another option would be using the gears as an excuse to mod the engine more heavily…maybe.

Now your thinking!!

 

[DudeStang]

I didn’t get my Fox back from the gear shop yet (hopefully early next week) but my wife did get me this t-shirt.


Merry Christmas y’all. Hope you’re enjoying the holidays and you and your families are safe and sound!

 

[General karthief]

I'd get one but I'd grow tired of explaining it to my brand x friends.

 

[DudeStang]

Fox is still in the shop. I was expecting to pick it up this week but now I’m kind of glad it was delayed.



Power has been out for over 24 hours. Lots of trees knocked over onto power lines all over the area. Folks in Virginia, Maryland, and DC, hope you’re staying warm and safe.

 

[DudeStang]

Almost a month later, I finally picked the Fox back up today. The 4.10 gears are installed…..along with new 31 spline rear axles, a new rear main seal, a new clutch, a new clutch cable, and the speedometer gear kit. Long story but I think most of you know how it goes. I wasn’t thrilled to spend more money but I am happy that some things I knew the car needed (or would need not too far down the line) are fixed or replaced.

So far, I’ve only driven the car back from the shop to my house because I am working today. I didn’t drive it too hard right after picking it up. Maybe folks on here will have thoughts but it seems I should not go too bananas for a few hundred miles after the new gears are installed.

So far, my takeaway is that this was extremely accurate:

The advantage will be you don't have to down shift to pass at 50 mph.

It actually reminds me a bit more of my other mustang now, in that it feels like there’s enough power/torque no matter which gear I’m in. We’ll see how I feel in a few weeks or months.

Also, the clutch feels lighter, which is nice. I haven’t driven the car in almost a month though. Will need to drive it more.

I’m curious to see if the RMS being replaced will help significantly reduce the amount of oil dripping. Fingers crossed.

 

[Willybill32]

I paid a shop $500 to replace my 2.73 gears with 3.55 gears, plus the price of the gears. He said to take it easy for the first 500 miles to allow it to break in correctly.

Bill

 

[Potomus Pete]

50/50 chance on the rear main seal. Next time I'm getting a sleeve.

 

[Rdub6]

Almost a month later, I finally picked the Fox back up today. The 4.10 gears are installed…..along with new 31 spline rear axles, a new rear main seal, a new clutch, a new clutch cable, and the speedometer gear kit. Long story but I think most of you know how it goes. I wasn’t thrilled to spend more money but I am happy that some things I knew the car needed (or would need not too far down the line) are fixed or replaced.

So far, I’ve only driven the car back from the shop to my house because I am working today. I didn’t drive it too hard right after picking it up. Maybe folks on here will have thoughts but it seems I should not go too bananas for a few hundred miles after the new gears are installed.

So far, my takeaway is that this was extremely accurate:


It actually reminds me a bit more of my other mustang now, in that it feels like there’s enough power/torque no matter which gear I’m in. We’ll see how I feel in a few weeks or months.

Also, the clutch feels lighter, which is nice. I haven’t driven the car in almost a month though. Will need to drive it more.

I’m curious to see if the RMS being replaced will help significantly reduce the amount of oil dripping. Fingers crossed.

Nice man!! Can’t wait to hear what you think after a while!! You’ve done, and had done, a lot of work to that car to turn it into a real nice Fox! Awesome.

 

[Potomus Pete]

I would love to try a car with 4.10s or 373s to try it. Nobody can every get the description worded good enough to imagine the feel. Need a 1 to 10 score on the experience.

 

[Olivethefet]

My car has 373 gears. I don't have a lot of experience with other gearing options. The only other fox I've owed was a 90 automatic with factory 308 gears. My current car is much more fun to drive with the 373 and a 5 speed gear box. 10/10 would do again!

 

[DudeStang]

So…funny thing about the gears: I was pretty convinced that the gears in my fox were stock or something close to it. I had driven a couple other foxes with 3.73s before buying mine and I thought mine felt different than those.

The guy at the transmission shop said that mine had 3.55s or 3.73s (there was another fox at the shop at the same time apparently and he said one had 3.55s and one had 3.73s). So it’s possible mine had 3.55s or 3.73s the whole time and I didn’t even know. I forgot to ask again when I picked the car up so I will have to call tomorrow and see if he ever confirmed.

 

[Rdub6]

So…funny thing about the gears: I was pretty convinced that the gears in my fox were stock or something close to it. I had driven a couple other foxes with 3.73s before buying mine and I thought mine felt different than those.

The guy at the transmission shop said that mine had 3.55s or 3.73s (there was another fox at the shop at the same time apparently and he said one had 3.55s and one had 3.73s). So it’s possible mine had 3.55s or 3.73s the whole time and I didn’t even know. I forgot to ask again when I picked the car up so I will have to call tomorrow and see if he ever confirmed.

I went from 2.73 to 3.73 and first reaction was ........ “this car just wants to go”. I had redone all the brakes, suspension, steering rack, and everything that goes with it, so I had a lot to dial in and to work the kinks out of.
I still haven’t just “sent it” in first gear to see what happens, but this spring, I’ll have some fun....... and then report back! Lol