Have You Committed These Fox Body Sins?

By James Derek Sapienza - May 28, 2019

**We’re all entitled to our individual tastes but here’s a list of mods you absolutely should not do to your Fox.**

Ah, the Fox Body Mustang: The perfect tunable Ponycar. On top of a cheap buy-in, there are tons of them out there. Plus, aftermarket support is incredible, and you can get a lot of power without spending a fortune. Mustang die-hard or not, the trusty Fox Body is as blank a canvas as you can buy in the automotive world. If you can dream it, chances are you can build it. But…there are some things you probably shouldn’t do.

We’ve all seen it before. That tuner car that’s so over-the-top it takes away from any kind of impressive performance or craftsmanship. Of course, everyone should be able to build the car they want. But there are still some things that you should probably avoid.

That’s what YouTube Brew2L tackles in his recent video. “Now, these may not be things that bother me or bother you, but as a whole, are frowned upon in the community,” our host says.

First up: Euro-style taillights. Unfortunately, this late ’90s-style fad stuck around far too long in the Fox community. It looked bad then, and it looks worse now. Maybe they work on an old Civic, but c’mon, this is a Mustang. The same goes for one-piece headlights. They’re another refugee from the ’90s, and by and large, they look awful. There are exceptions to the rule, of course. But for the most part, this is something to steer clear of.

Next, our host roasts the monster-sized tachometer. Once a staple in Fox Bodies, these eyesores have no business in the cockpit – unless, of course, it’s needed for the strip or the track. Otherwise, our host wonders why people don’t stick with the factory tach; it works just fine. Plus, drilling into the brittle dash is a real risk. If it cracks during installation, the whole thing is toast. Really, if you’re thinking about modding your interior, don’t. Keep it simple. The days of body-colored or billet steel plates and switches are long gone. As Fox Bodies get older, fans are starting to appreciate Ford’s original design. Today, even the hottest Foxes look pretty stock inside.

Of course, wheels are another flash point. “The standard is, don’t put anything above a 17-inch wheel on your Fox Body.” And if you put a style that clashes with the car, look out.

Clones are also a dicey proposition. They’re completely acceptable, but no matter what you do, do not try to pass it off as the real deal.

Let’s be clear: There are no rules when it comes to building the car of your dreams. If you want to do any of these things to your car, then by all means. This video is more of a warning; if you do these things to your car and post about it online, be prepared to catch flack for it from the internet snobs. Is it fair? Certainly not. And don’t let it stop you from loving your ride. Then again, we can’t really argue with any of the points raised here.