Junkyard Savior: American Muscle’s Project Fox Body

One of the most distinguishable Mustangs of all time, the Fox Body, represented an era in Ford history that encompassed the first year Ford’s Special Vehicle’s Team (SVT) produced the Cobra. This iconic Mustang was a formidable warrior in its day and, to many, is still one of the baddest cars on the road. The only regret is that Ford did not offer the ’93 Cobras in convertible form. Not to worry, the gear heads over at AmericanMuscle are building their very own 1993 Cobra convertible and aren’t just slapping a few Cobra emblems on any old 5.0.

Project Fox Body

Coined “Project Fox Body,” this is stage 2 of a three part series detailing the restoration of one beaten, neglected, then beaten again 1993 GT and its transformation into a one-of-a-kind ’93 Cobra convertible. Stage 1 included an essential tune-up, new clutch, body work and fresh paint in preparation for stage 2. The horrendous duct taped intake found with the car has been replaced with an SR Performance cold air intake ahead of schedule just so the tired 5.0 could be driven safely to the paint booth.

Wheels & Miscellaneous Exterior

Picking up where they left off, stage 2 pays close attention to the details both on the interior and exterior of the car. Starting with the wheels, what Cobra replica would be complete without a set of Cobra style rims? Black with a chrome rim sets off the competition paint job quite well and keeps true to the cobra theme. To fit the 5 lug 10 anniversary Cobra style rims, a 5 lug conversion kit and rear disc brakes were installed. This is a common swap seen with many Fox Body builds as it allows for fitment of a wider selection of rims and brake options.

To stay on point and get this project car as close to an authentic Cobra as possible, this GT received a set of ’93 Cobra tail light lenses; a small change that made a huge difference in the car’s rear end appearance. A true restoration project wouldn’t be complete without paying special detail to the little odds and ends. With this in mind, the missing cowl grill and dry rotted windshield molding was replaced, along with a new set of wiper arms. Again, these are small changes that go a long way in adding value to the overall appearance of this Fox Body.

Convertible Top & Interior Restoration

Probably the biggest eye sore on this 1993 GT was the tattered and crumbling convertible top. To mend this, basically the entire top had to be rebuilt. In tackling this, AmericanMuscle went with a new, OEM quality replacement top, tinted rear glass, top pads, boot cover, new cable, J hooks and alignment pins. No restoration project is complete without replacing all of the old and cracking molding and weather stripping on the car. What is seen by some as a tedious and somewhat annoying task, replacing this stripping is one of the finer details that, if not done or completed properly, will have you critiqued at shows and leave the car with an “almost” finished look.

Digging into the car, it was easy to see the interior hadn’t fared much better than the outside of this Mustang. Fortunately, the dash, which can be a hard find for those looking, wasn’t in too bad of shape. After a quick sanding, some primer and paint our dash was back to new condition. The carpet did not fair quite as well and after a quick inspection, clearly needed to be replaced. Using the old carpet as a measuring point, holes were cut and the new carpet lined up and installed. All that remained was replacing the worn-out arm and console padding, shifter boot and knob, replacing a few broken switches and tying everything together beautifully by installing a mint condition, factory radio- something offered strictly as an option on the 1993 Cobras.

After salvaging this 1993 GT convertible from a near junkyard burial, the guys over at AmericanMuscle have brought this once-upon-a-time clunker back to live in a spirited fashion. What could turn out as one of the few, if not only 1993 Fox Body convertibles, has already proven to be a great looking restoration and useful resource for anyone looking for tips or inspiration when restoring their Fox Body.

Sources: American Muscle Fox Body Part 1
American Muscle Fox Body Part 2