When did the Fox-body Mustang fun cars suddenly become classics?
Time has a strange way of putting it all into perspective.
Nineteen Eighty-Five is 25 years ago...
What does it mean when "late model" Mustangs suddenly become classics. And what differentiates Fox-body Mustangs from the half-century old, Falcon-based early classics? The Fox-body Mustang, which entered production in the fall of 1978, is the new classic Mustang - preceded by the 1974-78 Mustang II, which became a modern classic in the 1990s when they passed their 20-year anniversary.
Each generation of Mustang means something different to each of us. For those of us who love the 1965-73 classic Mustangs, we appreciate these automobiles for their styling - raw good looks - and the euphoric memories they yield.
For those of us who treasure the 1974-78 Mustang II, these cars have yet a different meaning because they aren't long on looks nor are they big on power - but exciting because they take us back to our youth in the 1970s. They're like the bell bottoms and platform shoes. Nice memories, but not items we're ever likely to wear again. Yet, we'd take the wheel of a nice Cobra II, King Cobra, or Mach 1 just to relive sweet memories of the era.
The new-generation 1979-04 Fox-Body Mustangs mean something even more different because they affect us differently than the classics and the mid-1970s Mustang IIs. Although the Fox-body Mustang got off to a lame start with its carbureted 2.3L turbo four and Lo-Po 255 and 302ci V-8s, it represents the Mustang's return to sporty performance. The Mustang returned to stardom in the 1980s with a convertible option, High Output 5.0L V-8, five-speed shifting, Quadra-Shock suspension and rack and pinion steering, and true dual exhausts. Ford also gave it big wheels and cool ground effects. And who could forget the ultra rare Mustang SVO that thrust this marque into high gear in 1984?
Those of us who like and appreciate the Fox-body Mustangs do so because they represent when the Mustang became exciting again. And sometimes, it's not even about that, but instead a desire to preserve a segment of Mustang history that could be easily lost to salvage yards, environmental laws, and the crusher. How many are already gone we're never going to get back?
Companies like Late Model Restoration Supply and National Parts Depot are already on board when it comes to Fox-body Mustang restoration parts and information. These folks are ready to do business with you right now. Would you believe there are reproduction and new-old-stock parts out there now for those of you who want to restore 1979-04 Mustangs?
It's time to restore a late model Fox classic. So what are you waiting for? It is also time to cruise EBay looking for low mileage original unrestored Fox body classics you can show now at any number of thousands of car shows across the country coming up in 2011.
Look to your Mustang Monthly Magazine for all kinds of exciting ideas you can practice on your late model Fox classic. In the months ahead, we're going to get more into what you can do with a 1979-04 Mustang, where to find the good ones, and which ones have the greatest value for your car buying dollar.
We're eager to hear your ideas and suggestions on what you'd like to see in Mustang Monthly as it pertains to late model 1979-04 Mustangs. Email us at Jim.Smart@sorc.com or thesmart67@msn.com. There are a lot of hidden treasures out there available at affordable prices in a weak economy you can get into promptly. What about yours? And when you get your unpolished gem back to showroom condition, you will have something valuable not necessarily for the classified ads or EBay, but for your own happiness.
Have you driven a Fox-body Mustang lately?