Return of the Jedi: Fox Body Build Project

50 Deep

SVT JEDI
Established Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
3,427
Location
sacramento
I find myself plagued by this constant desire and urge to build a Fox body. Having started several projects in the past but never seeing them through to fruition, I decided to right that wrong. My love for the Mustang platform runs deep, and I would be remiss to forget about those models that came before. The Fox Body is one platform that we all have love for, and building a set of 4-lug wheels to showcase what can be done only seemed right.

The car was a simple craigslist find. Bone stock with tons of documentation, surviving paint, and a 4x4 ride height. A little persistence and patience got me the car for $5500. My goal with this car is build it to be a baby GT350R if you will. Following an OEM+ design philosophy I want to modernize the car into something streetable and trackable like the GT350R. Experiencing what a car that is a complete package with a synergistic relationship amongst the components has changed what I want out of a car.

Along with the fully forged Signature Wheels I have plans to give the car a full treatment with components from Griggs Racing, Baer Brakes, Carters Customs, Steeda, MGW, Trackspec and a few others. Hope to bring some write ups, reviews, installation tips, and comparisons against the GT350R along the way.

Here are a couple pics to get the ball rolling.

27999-B22-29-D7-437-B-9-B31-3-B80-C6-F893-B8.jpg

5-C5-B19-C5-D9-C9-4-B02-B6-E5-71-B88-A1-B298-E.jpg

7721-EB49-A963-4-E31-AAE3-A83-E0-D6-B2794.jpg
 

50 Deep

SVT JEDI
Established Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
3,427
Location
sacramento
The fox has some really good qualities about it. One of them being the surviving paint job that it has now. The body itself is very straight with only a few minor scratches and dents. The worst paint area on the car was the aftermarket hood, and it has some peeling clear coat. For some reason the previous owner decided to spray the cowl vent and windshield wipers to match the car. One of the first things I plan to change.

I bought the car at night and then stored it at my brother’s house. By the time I saw it again in the daylight it was filthy. Decided to drop the car off at Imperial Works in Sacramento to see what they can do with it. They did all the outstanding detail work on my GT350R. Told them to get to it whenever and see if it can be brought back to life. Got the call to pick the car up after a few weeks and check it out. I can say that It was definitely a happy experience. The factory paint job cleaned up extremely well for some polishing and paint correction. Ceramic coating will come later and I look forward to those results.

55-BB2-B80-1-FEC-4-C71-9717-5-A663-C78-A8-C6.jpg

56863038-9-C65-47-C6-A4-C1-CAE03-D2670-FF.jpg

56571648-48-B4-4-CBB-AA30-91-BAC2-C99779.jpg

E5-DFC497-6-D3-A-41-C2-9-F37-F839-F50-D28-EE.jpg

337-C4-FAC-F6-E5-4144-BAF3-2-B2579-E170-BA.jpg

6-C7-A3-A28-F61-F-4525-A7-A6-AF6-B959570-F2.jpg
 

Tob

Salut!
Super Moderator
Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Messages
12,192
Location
The Ville
It's kind of weird owning various Mustang chassis cars over the years and then going back to work on a Fox era platform. We have the luxury of hindsight at this point and let's be honest - they were awful. Thankfully, aftermarket support is simply huge and allows you to take the car in any direction you want to go. I know you'll make the car better than it ever was T and I wish you good luck with it.
 

50 Deep

SVT JEDI
Established Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
3,427
Location
sacramento
Nice new project
Thanks Allen
For 5500 that's a steal cause foxbody prices are through the roof right now.
This is true. The main reason why I moved on it.
It's kind of weird owning various Mustang chassis cars over the years and then going back to work on a Fox era platform. We have the luxury of hindsight at this point and let's be honest - they were awful. Thankfully, aftermarket support is simply huge and allows you to take the car in any direction you want to go. I know you'll make the car better than it ever was T and I wish you good luck with it.
Thanks T. Watching your project is definitely motivating. Talking with you about having a plan before you start buying makes life easier.
Subscribed.
-J
:)
I think I'm going to like this.
This makes two of us.
 

50 Deep

SVT JEDI
Established Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
3,427
Location
sacramento
In order to make the Fox worthy of track use I know there are a plethora of areas to be addressed. In my experience it is better to learn on a slow car with a sorted suspension, than a fast car with a suspension system that is out of whack. This will be handled thanks to Griggs Racing.

While those Griggs components are being built, I am going to work on some aero, aesthetics, and reduction of heat. One of the first parts to get installed will be a Trackspec Motorsports hood vent. As seen with other Mustang models and aerodynamic testing the best location for the vent is directly behind the radiator. This helps to pull hot air up, through, and out of the radiator. At speed it will also help to prevent lift by reducing under hood pressure. I looked over some installation tips from FJD Performance about using tape to locate the spot directly behind the shroud. After some quick measurements with the template from Trackspec it was time to get cutting.

IMG-9187.jpg

51-FCCF34-9-B3-A-4849-A7-B5-BF960-ED05-F67.jpg

5-E3-CDC11-0-B23-4-D8-C-B271-B1535-BB73-E84.jpg

8-FE6-FE2-F-9-F0-C-4-DBB-B244-E97-E311-F9-B9-C.jpg

IMG-9289.jpg


Used a Ryobi angle grinder with a cutting wheel and some prayer to get this done. A file came in handy for those corners where you did not want to run to far. Some work with a rivet gun and the deed was done. The first cut is definitely the hardest, but once you realize you cant go back it gets easier. This hood vent is made for the S550 and based on the GT4 car. The supplied rivets are too short to go through my aftermarket hood so some longer ones had to be sourced. Looks good though.

D443-FFBA-8-C8-F-4-DC2-B8-EC-46464-BB5-AE34.jpg

F2-B6643-A-514-A-4-FCB-BBB9-7-E0-F48238690.jpg


Working for a wheel company and playing around on track have taught me the importance of lightweight wheels to reduce unspring weight. Having a setup that is strong, stiff, provides adequate caliper clearance, has proper fitment, and leaves you with enough threads for your lug nuts is tough to find. Not to mention the lack of available wheels for the 4-lug platform. To start I will build the new Signature Wheel Reserved SV902 in a 4 lug for the car. Eventually the car will see a 5-lug swap due to my desire to run the Griggs SLA up front, but for those with no need to swap we will have some excellent custom-built options. Here is a peek at what is coming. You will notice the front is not concave due to the amount of protrusion from the front hub/bearing. A concave wheel will not allow the front center cap to fit, which always drive me insane with I see it. These will be a direct bolt on to any 4-lug car, will not require any modification, and the front center cap will fit. Not to mention weighing only 20-22lbs in an 18x9 / 18x10.

IMG-8906.jpg
 

me32

BEASTLY SHELBY GT500 TVS
Moderator
Premium Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Messages
18,457
Location
CA,NorCal
Those rims look nice. Starting on the cooling mods. When will try your 1st day at the track with the fox?
 

50 Deep

SVT JEDI
Established Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
3,427
Location
sacramento
Those look nice post a pic when you get them on.
You bet man. They are on now, but need to photo the car up.
Those rims look nice. Starting on the cooling mods. When will try your 1st day at the track with the fox?
Thanks Allen. Hoping to have it out on the track on April 15th at Willow Springs. Day after Fab Fords
Also who made the wheels?
We make them at Signature Wheel :)
T will give you two guesses

Bet you’ll only need one though ;)

He works for a wheel company :)
Speaking of which, how are things at the new shop?
 

50 Deep

SVT JEDI
Established Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
3,427
Location
sacramento
The Fox is not an inherently aerodynamic vehicle. Inbound to help with some of those issues are components from Carters Customs. The owner Adam Carter is an engineer by trade and does an excellent job making all of these parts himself. Install on these cannot come soon enough. The car will see his front splitter, fender vents, rear diffuser, side skirts (once developed) and a Steeda Aero Spoiler.

8-CD2-C319-C924-4444-959-B-F8-B03-FEB92-E1.jpg

C09-E61-DB-03-C9-41-BA-A9-CA-EC9-BBBBE4-E0-D.jpg

CCE70-BEE-B1-AA-4-B03-9-DDA-C01081-D2-A8-D7.jpg

52-FB5-B62-3-C2-C-4-A88-A30-D-7907896-AF63-F.jpg

866-C6144-8941-4909-ABAB-242529-B88564.jpg

019-F3677-94-DE-4655-AD29-AA5-D55-AACDEA.jpg


On the subject of aerodynamics I also was able to get a set of custom LED intake lights made courtesy of Stuart Gaskins of Premium Fuel Mag. These were created and developed as an idea to get more air flow into the radiator and liven up the front end of the car. They are out of production but some persuasion made it possible to get another set built for my car. They operate a white LED during normal operation and flash orange like a turn signal. Cant wait to get them. Part of my plan to build the car as a complete package is modernization of the systems.

69-A4579-F-E11-B-41-FD-A4-E5-815-ED839400-D.jpg

B4-A0-D189-9546-40-AC-8-F13-123-C4-F69-ECA0.jpg
 

Attachments

  • D443-FFBA-8-C8-F-4-DC2-B8-EC-46464-BB5-AE34.jpg
    D443-FFBA-8-C8-F-4-DC2-B8-EC-46464-BB5-AE34.jpg
    220.8 KB · Views: 214
  • F2-B6643-A-514-A-4-FCB-BBB9-7-E0-F48238690.jpg
    F2-B6643-A-514-A-4-FCB-BBB9-7-E0-F48238690.jpg
    238.9 KB · Views: 222
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread



Top