Can we finally call the Fox body Mustang a classic? We know they have certainly reached cult classic status, but have they reached classic car status? We think they are slowly on the rise in the classic car scene. This first year example is a nice, well optioned car. The paint and body work look excellent, and it features the desirable V8 stick shift combination we all want in a Fox. This well maintained Mustang is listed for $4,500. Find it here on craigslist out of Detroit, Michigan.
The heart of the beast(or should we say the fox?), is the ever so well-known Ford 302. This being a first year car there were a slew of engine options, but most were lack luster to say the least. The best option you had available as far as performance goes would have been the carbureted 2.3 turbo engine, or the 302. The 302 only adds to the cool factor of this car, and its desirability. The engine and the bay look unmolested and fairly clean for a 37 year old car. We certainly think it would clean up nicely with a fine and patient detail job. In this day in age it is rare to find an unmodified Fox Body Mustang, being it is the race chassis of choice by many.
The exterior presents well and has a very clean and straight appearance. This is an inspiring Fox to say the least. It is located in Detroit, the home of Ford, it’s been garaged all of its life and is only driven on dry days. The owner is an adult that has really taken very good care of the car, and he picked wisely when he purchased this car. We love the rear window louvers, a very excellent period item.
Anyone that has spent any time in a mid-1970s to early-1980s Ford knows that the interiors can be fragile. The dash board in this Fox is phenomenal. The carpet looks clean, rich, and plush, with no imperfections. Really the interior looks mint aside for some splitting of the vinyl on the driver’s seat. The door panels, look perfect. This is easily the nicest surviving early Fox interior. A newer head unit has been added to the car, but we are positive that the seller either has the original, or that an original could be sourced without much trouble.
So can we just say it? The Fox Body Mustang is a classic!? This First year Fox looks like an excellent opportunity on many different levels. It’s a clean, original, unmodified, first year, well optioned, V8, and stick shift car. It doesn’t get much better than this. Would you pick up this soon to be classic Mustang? And what would you do with it if you did?
Never cared for this body style.. That said, this is a nice find and should make a great daily driver. I like it, but wouldn’t want to own it..
Gimme the 67 thru 73 Stangs any day..
71-73 Mustang rear is one of the most atrocious cars I have ever seen. Not even a Mustang.
Sooooo agree!
Nope. No interest here. My mustang interest stopped at the 1970 model year.
My first car was a 302 powered 1980 Mustang. It was a rad car. I, unfortunately, was a teen with a heavy foot. Still miss that car.
The 1980 model Mustang was not available with a 302 V8. The only V8 available that year was the 255 V8 and only came with an automatic transmission.
The home of Ford is Dearborn, but you knew that ;)
I like it, but it needs earlier wheels, but not necessarily a set of TRX. Rear spoiler not original and not typical on these early foxes.
I like it, for its collectable status amongst baby boomers. The 302 block was gold to build on with inexpensive after-mkt goodies. These def have a following crowd that’s only getting bigger, there values r starting to move up the spectrum.
Seems a darn good deal, they might not be collectible per se but they certainly are coveted.
Fly in for the Woodward cruise in a couple weeks and drive it home!
For children of the 70’s and 80’s (like myself) there’s a strong attraction. Infinitely better to build on than the previous generation, these are a lot of fun to play with for a low cost of admission. Aftermarket replacement parts like weatherstripping used to be near impossible to find but is easy to source these days.
The radio mod does bother me just a little. Up until ’84 (I think, definitely through ’82) the radios were old school 2-shaft units. The dash has been hacked to fit that single-din radio and while there is a trim plate for the factory radios, depending on the hackiness it may be a challenge to get the proper radio to fit properly.
Parts bin engineering at it’s (near) best. So much newer fun stuff out in salvage yards, ebay and craigslist to add (if you choose to modify). Hell, a 2000-ish Cobra IRS is a near bolt-in for this: http://www.mustangandfords.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/1306-cobra-irs-under-fox-body-mustang/
Nothing more than a Fairmont in disguise. Junk.
Great input.
Why is it called a “‘Fox” body? GM had A, B, and C for a long time, A being Chevy, Pontiac, and until ’48 or so the small Buick and small Olds, and then the mid price Buick and Olds as a B, and then the Roadmaster and Olds 98 being the C with Caddy. Then more bodies but all with letters. Are there other Ford Fox bodies, like the Fairmont maybe?
“Fox” was Fords in-house name for the platform. It includes the ’78-83 Fairmont/Zephyr, ’79-93 Mustang, ’79-86 Capri, ’80-88 Thunderbird/Cougar, ’81-82 Granada, 83-86 LTD/Marquis (mid-size, not to be confused with the LTDII), 82-87 Continental, ’84-92 Continental.
That last one should be ’84-92 Mark VII, not Continental.