Fox platform Mustangs have gained considerable favor with enthusiasts in the last few years. Weighing about 100 lbs less than the Mustang II, which was in turn at least 400 lbs lighter than the ’73 Mach 1, the Fox Mustang dished up the performance that had gone missing from the brand for years – but not at the expense of gas mileage. And if what came out of the factory isn’t good enough, owners enjoy almost endless possibilities for performance modifications. Here on craigslist is a 5.0-liter, five-speed LX from the last year of production, in rare Reef Blue. The seller is asking $8500, and the car is located in La Vista, Nebraska. Thanks, Barney, for handing us this tip – we appreciate it!
Underhood is Ford’s famous 302 cu. in. V8, good for 205 hp. The last carburetted 302 was produced in 1985; thereafter, electronic fuel injection controlled the mixture. This one is mated to a five-speed manual – preferable to the automatic overdrive option that cost extra. Some fans like the LX better than the GT, laden as it was with ground-effects bodywork. In 1993, the GT was about 95 lbs heavier than the LX. The seller says his car runs and shifts well after a “bunch” of new parts were installed recently. Mileage is quoted at 160k. The car’s underside is decent enough, showing off several new parts, including suspension, steering, and exhaust items.
The interior is a B+, with a burn mark in the driver’s side seat upholstery, but otherwise decent surfaces, including an uncracked dash and rear seats that look factory-new. Externally, the hood has lost much of its clear coat, and other paint blemishes are found at nearly every corner. Both the tail lamp and headlamp lenses are fogged.
Bad news awaits out back, where the hatch is rusted through and the rear bumper is damaged. However, the seller will include a rust-free hatch with the sale – setting the new owner on the path to body work and paint. In terms of value, this car sits in the center of the market – not technically a project car, certainly not a show car, but with that desirable V8/five-speed combo. While a paint job would do wonders for it, this example is still a relatively high-mileage car in a market that pays best for low-mileage “cream puffs”. What do you think this LX is worth?
Good write-up and analysis Michelle. As you say, it is at the ‘center of the market’:
— It is a Fox Mustang, a highly desired model
— It has had mechanical work (the pics help, but why not list them rather than “too many to list”)
— It is an attractive color
— But it needs the new hatch installed, and paint
— Needs interior work, too
— And then, it’s still a 160k car
But for someone, it would be a perfect project— one which isn’t too far gone to start with, and which could be personalized to their taste.
If driven sanely 160k is no big deal for this car. I have an ’88 LX with 320K and still runs like a top. With no oil usage. With the rusted out hatch, also pull.up the luggage area carpet and carefully inspect the tail light panel to floor area for rust through. Tap the floor area to verify no rust through. In rust belt exposed cars this is a seldom inspected area that can be a real problem to repair later. It effects the bumper cover attachment area. I believe the price is about right if no rust in the rear area as noted above.
I think this was one of the saddest generations for the Mustang.
EXACTLY! The worst 😫. Fox bodies were tiny.
We all can only think of One Worst.
However the worst was the Mustang II, the 1974 to 1978 model years.
POSATUTLY
I never cared for the Fox body much, but that did not stop me from buying one.
But this color is Great !
Trunk lid is a shame, had a Buick Apollo with great body, but with rust in the same one spot.
This should find a happy home.
This is a great color. A friend had one that looked just like this, but with grey leather interior and a sunroof. He bought it when it was a year old when he graduated from high school. He started racing it on Wednesday nights and over the years got it to run 11.40/ with Edelbrock heads and a Vortec supercharger on a worn out stock bottom end. He built a 347 with a more aggressive cam and better heads that would run 10.40’s, he’d also run it at open track days at a couple of road courses in the area, never once seeing a trailer. He had it torn apart sitting in his garage when one night his subdivision burned down, what remained was a warped body shell surrounding a 6pt roll bar. Luckily him and his family got out. He had a policy with Hagarty (sp?) with a declared value, they paid him within a week.
In the not too distant future this generation of 5.0 Mustangs will follow the path of the late1970’s Trans Ams in terms of value. The defines the late-80’s and early-90’s American made factory performance car for the generation growing up at that time. The after market has always had strong support for these which will continue.
Steve R
I’ve always liked the way fox bodies look. That pic of the trunk lid stopped me cold, but then I read that a good one is included. IMO a 5 speed is the only way to go with these Mustangs. and it’s good to see this one has it. I don’t know why anyone would call them sad, but then again I have never owned one.
Well, the saddest Mustangs (I think) were those with the 4cyl. I don’t know why any sane person would put a 4cyl in a Mustang.
Guess you NEVER considered the 1984-86 SVO Mustangs that were some of the quickest cars built at the time. The 2.3 litre Turbo was a very reliable and easy to hop up engines Ford ever put in a Mustang.
Mark, I would guess that Mr. Mustang wasn’t thinking of the SVO turbo-equipped engine. Had he owned / driven one, his opinion would have been changed. I owned one (1) of the last SVO ‘stangs made and it would make you a believer, secondary to zero turbo lag and the factory Bilstein suspension with Z-rated Goodyears. That lightweight engine at 200 bhp (remember now, that would be in 1986 ) in a Fox-body, balanced out an excellent power to weight ratio. I went head to head with a fair amount of GT’s back then, but when the turbo ‘spooled up’, it was see ya’ later.
Had a 4 Cylinder Mustang as a Rental Car last year, first Convertible I’d ever driven (it was January, didn’t use it)
300 HP Turbo, which is 20HP more than my 1994 Z28 had
It didn’t have the 6 speed manual or Cassette Deck the Camaro had,
It did have all the modern Blue Nose, Interwebs, and got 35mpg
It just doesn’t seem right, a Mustang with a 4cyl. The Mustangs were built for power, not efficiency. In the way of looks, I really think their demise began in the 70’s, and continued to go downhill until fairly recently, when there were some changes for the better in the way of design. But, at a glance, an LX does not really look like a sports car, in my opinion, especially with a 4cyl.
Was excited, until I saw the hatch, granted a hatch comes with it, but, still not a bad looking car, a little pricey though, considering how much time and money has to go into it to bring it up to par
The late 70’s versions were the bad times ’85 and ’86 were good years of the Mustang GT….Some of the later years were pretty nice when they got away from all the extra body pieces and went back to the clean look without all that goofy plastic add on’s
TOO MUCH ASKING PRICE WITH THE 40K MILES LEFT TILL 200,000…. NOT GETTING HALF OF 8500, SORRY FYI!!!
Fox platform sure had a lot of fans when it came to hot street and drag cars. Aftermarket went all in where it came to performance, body mods, handling. Maybe not the best looking ponies (although better than many of the offerings out there) but certainly popular and responsible for the performance resurgence in street cars. I wouldn’t be ashamed to be seen driving one in any configuration.
This would be a good starter Mustang for someone looking for a fun project car but with the high miles and rust and paint issues id have to say $3500 would be a much better price point for selling this car.
I challenge any non fans to drive a 5sp, 5.0 equipped 87-93 foxbody Ford and not smile.
I had a 91 Mustang LX, 5spd, all white with red interior that had fat tires which I eventually went back to stock tires although it did look good with the big tires and wheels. It had the 2.4L swapped out with a 2.4L turbo out of an 85 or so Turbo Coupe T-Bird. All this was done by the guy who I bought it from. It ran good with a little lag in the turbo. Under my time of owning it, it developed a crack in the intake manifold from what the guy said who I sold it to. He fixed that, and I saw him running around in it. I had bought mine for $5K and sold it for $3.5K about 3 years later. And this one had no rust.
This is the reverse example of the blonde in the bar that you spy from the back. Then she turns around and she’s got 3 teeth and peach fuzz on her chin.
LOL! :D
Amazing that the body rust seems to be restricted to that one area . . . !
“This posting has been deleted by its author.”
This posting has been deleted by its author.
Ad deleted, so sold? May have taken an offer.
No one knows for sure. That is what shows when a seller deletes their ad, regardless of the reason.
Steve R
Somebody liked it! Ad is gone.
I’d have thought the asking price was a bit high as well.
I’ve always wanted one. A buddy had an 85 GT, last of the carbureted 302’s, with a 5 spd he bought brand new. Very impressive from the passenger seat! Make mine an LX, 5spd, notchback. Very sporty in my mind.