While there are times the Fox Body Mustang seems entirely old hat to me, certain examples just seem to epitomize why I never fully remove them from my potential project car list. While a notchback GT is the one I hope to own, this 1988 GT convertible looks perfect on the turbine wheels with white-letter radials and the preferred manual transmission inside the cabin. Find this low-mileage example listed here on craigslist for $6K with some needs noted.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Ikey H. for the find. Now, let it be said that I think $6K is a lot of cash for this Mustang, which shows plenty of obvious needs just in the craigslist photos alone. The top needs to be replaced, the radio has been yanked out, one of the fog lights is missing, and the seller notes the gas tank had to be professionally cleaned due to sitting with old gas. While survivors are rare, this is simply a stock project car that has some immediate needs.
Is it a survivor? It’s hard to say. I sometimes will give a car some slack if it’s a model that’s typically over-modified and incredibly difficult to find in stock condition. The Fox Body ‘Stangs certainly fall into that category, but there’s also plenty of these cars that went into long-term storage that haven’t been offered for sale yet. This GT, if it were possible to purchase for $4K or $5K, leaves room for the next owner to make the necessary improvements without fear of blowing the budget.
The good news is the most important features – the 5.0L V8 and manual transmission – are installed and working fine. If cosmetic fixes are the bulk of the Mustang’s needs, the next owner will be in fine shape. But with the admission that the gas tank needed cleaning due to sitting, it makes me wonder just how many other small issues may pop up in the meantime that are considered typical for cars that are parked for long periods. Is it worth a gamble?
Good luck finding a notchback GT lol! I’ve seen LX notches with the GT nose, ground effects, and taillights, and it aint pretty.
These car handle and run much better than the old mustangs from the 60’s which are usually rusted out. I call this car a fair deal.
I’d drop 5k on this. As for that GT notchback…
Mid-80’s Fox bodies were capable of sub 6-second 0-60 times with the 5.0, and there’s a short ton of go-fast equipment available. This drivetrain combo sounds like something I’d like to drive the p1$$ out of with no fear of wrecking something really expensive.
Was never a fan of the plasticky cladding but this one’s in relatively nice shape.
Someone’s gonna have some fun.
Jeff, there was never a such thing as a GT Notchback.
I think the Fox body Mustangs will start to bring good money soon for clean, unmolested, low-mile examples. The ’60’s Mustangs are out of reach for the average guy and the Mustang II’s have limited appeal. Personally, I like the hatchbacks having some experience with a ’79 Pace car and a ’93 Cobra. A lot of these Fox bodies were driven hard, modified and used until they wore out. There is a good supply of aftermarket parts to make them go faster as well as OEM bits to bring them back to stock.
This ’88 seems to be priced a little high but it’s a drop-top with a stick and in pretty fair condition. Try to buy it right, restore/refresh it back to original and it will probably increase in value as the years go by and as the guys who had one or wanted one when they were younger retire and can afford a toy from their youth.
Absolutely agree. I think that the market for unmolested versions of these cars will continue to get better and values are on the cusp of rising at a pretty steep rate. You can debate on whether this car is worth $6k today but I don’t think you can debate that held a few years and fixing it’s current issues that it will be worth quite a bit more. And about that notch-back GT …….. don’t think those existed. You can get 5.0 LXs or retired police cars with the same underpinnings but will have the lower trim level LX interiors.
The prices on Fox bodies have been slowly and surely appreciating. If you can get this for $5,500, especially with the 5 speed, I would say you got a heckuva deal.