Fox Body Mustangs:
Fox Body Mustangs:
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 0
From: Corpus Christi, TX
The Ford Fairmont & Mercury Zephyr were the first 'Fox' bodies, the Mustang's chassis was based off of this, so it's a Fox body also.
I had always figured they got 'fox' from the Fairmont, being that 'foxtrot' is the phonetic version of F (like in, a - alpha, b - bravo, c - charlie, d - delta, etc etc).
I had always figured they got 'fox' from the Fairmont, being that 'foxtrot' is the phonetic version of F (like in, a - alpha, b - bravo, c - charlie, d - delta, etc etc).
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
The "fox" were from 78-93 mustangs. The 94 was considered FOX-4, all capitals and 4 for the year the new model debuted, 94, it was also called the SN-95 chassis. I have three mustang books and I just quickly looked through them and I couldn't find why it was called fox. I know that platform was used on other vehicles. I thought I saw it somewhere before and forget, but I'm not 100% sure.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: North of Kansas City.
78 Was still the Mustang II's.. 79 is when fox's started.. I love Fox body stangs.. I plan to buy one in the very near future.. Since my probe blew up.. I never got the idea for the Name though.. What about Mustang II's also.. i quess there not good enought to be called a Mustang.. Lol.. Wait, i own 3 Mustang II's!!
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 2
From: Georgia
Originally Posted by Munkey
The Ford Fairmont & Mercury Zephyr were the first 'Fox' bodies, the Mustang's chassis was based off of this, so it's a Fox body also.
I search all over the net last night looking for that definition because that question got me wondering also. I love all fox bodies. Unfortunatly I wasn't able to find nothing.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 2
From: Georgia
And I have to add that the Mustang II is one of the best Mustangs built. OK, I actually one of the best if they were rebuilt by hand in people garages.
Light bodies, and room to put a decent V-8 under the hood equals massive opportunities to kills one self by driving to fast. I love those little buggers also.
Light bodies, and room to put a decent V-8 under the hood equals massive opportunities to kills one self by driving to fast. I love those little buggers also.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: North of Kansas City.
Yes i love Mustang II's too.. I got a 76 Cobra II my dad bought new, a 78 and a 77.. None of them are runing right now about like everything else i got. They do handle really good.. 351w is about the biggest motor you can go with in them though. I would fix one of my Mustang II's but i want the gas mailag eout of the fox bodys.. and my dads Cobra only has 56k orginal miles on itl.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 2
From: Georgia
Originally Posted by 73-79P/ULover
Yes i love Mustang II's too.. I got a 76 Cobra II my dad bought new, a 78 and a 77.. None of them are runing right now about like everything else i got. They do handle really good.. 351w is about the biggest motor you can go with in them though. I would fix one of my Mustang II's but i want the gas mailag eout of the fox bodys.. and my dads Cobra only has 56k orginal miles on itl.
I bought a 75 coupe to restore then a 78 coupe for parts. ended up restoring the 78 because it was better body, had the big 8 inch rear, & the suspension to support the V-8.
Before we highjack this thing to far I want to say if you ever decide to depart with one of them send me a email.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 0
From: Auburn/ Opelika
I hated my foxbody stang, a red 91 four banger. Don't get me wrong it got me around but I just didn't feel safe on the interstate with it, and the defroster for the front windshield didn't do a good enough job. I could never see when it rained, snowed or a general funky weather change. My friends 89 5.0 was the same way. I always thought they were foxbodys because the lights looked like fox eyes and they were tiny little cars like a little fox. -BBB
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
From: tucson/luray usa
when ford started to design the fairmont, they code named the chassis "fox" to identify the car. thus all cars based on the fairmont chassis were called fox bodies. they include the 78-83 fairmont/zephyr, the 79-93 mustangs, the 79-86 capri's, the 80-88 thunderbird/cougar, the 83-88 mark Vll and the lsc, the 81(?) up granada, the 83-86 ltd/marquis. the 94-04 mustangs are the fox-4 because they are an improved fox chassis. the reason the -4 was added was because it was introduced in the 94 model year.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Yea ford started designing the 94 model back in 91 and didn't have the money for a complete revision. They took the older fox chassis and majorly overhauled/improved it. The SN-95 chassis started as the previous fox body and was highly modified which is why they still consider it a fox platform, but hardly (called FOX-4 instead of Fox).
My book said 78 because ya know how everything's a model year ahead.....they said it ended in 93 and lasted for 15 years..so i put 78 down.
My book said 78 because ya know how everything's a model year ahead.....they said it ended in 93 and lasted for 15 years..so i put 78 down.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,323
Likes: 2
From: Montana Territory
they named it after me...
well thats my last name anyway...or at least its supposed to sound like "Fox".
I bet one of the nerds at FoMoCo was talking about a hot chick at work, and to hide the fact that he liked her, he said the car frame was a fox.... i dunno... seems good enuf reason to me...
well thats my last name anyway...or at least its supposed to sound like "Fox".
I bet one of the nerds at FoMoCo was talking about a hot chick at work, and to hide the fact that he liked her, he said the car frame was a fox.... i dunno... seems good enuf reason to me...
