Time flies (foxes are so old, now)

[FastDriver]

In late '91 or early '92, I remember my old man bringing home a cherry red all-original pristine '68 fastback. I remember thinking how cool it was to ride in a car that only had lap belts, and if memory serves, no rear seat belts. It was beautiful. I remember him taking the family to the sonic where the waitress tried to hook the tray onto the window, but because of the metal frame around the glass, the tray wouldn't hook, and she ended up dumping a slushie right into my father's lap and onto the seat and floor. He was so mad, but kept his cool.

So, recently I was reminescing about this and realized that at the time, THAT old car was as old as an '87 5.0 is today. Wow!

 

[capri debris]

It's funny you bring this up. Just yesterday I was had my fully restored mint '86 Capri out and was filling her up at the gas station. An older guy (late 50's) was behind me and asked, "How are getting away with running classic plates on that car?" I looked at him strangely and said, "Well.... because it 25 years old... and that makes it a classic car." Then he said, "That car is 25 years old... what the heck IS it?"

Most people, even many who are car guys, don't quite get the fact that Fox Chassis cars are this old now... and don't give them the same respect the old Muscle Cars get when they reached the same age back in the late 80's... I've had to explain this more than a few times when I've been asked about my car.

 

[aar0s]

Mine will get classic plates next year, 35 bucks every two v. 110 a year.

 

[wythors]

My first car was a 69 Mustang that I got in 1978. I thought it was an old car then. My daily driver is a 98 Ranger that feels like a new car to me. Weird huh.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Wow, I never even considered classic plates on our foxes. When I think of classics, I still think of 60's era muscle.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Wow, I never even considered classic plates on our foxes. When I think of classics, I still think of 60's era muscle.

You're not alone. That's how most have and probably always will view it.

Funny, I again showed of a picture of my Fox to a person at work last night and he had no idea what a Fox Mustang looked like. One look and he said "Oh...those ones. Yeah, they're fast, but I don't like em. Too boxy". I should have known better. Had another tell me I should have gotten the GT Cobra of that year...it was way faster. He then looked again and said..."Ohhh, that' the LX model right. It's actually probably faster than the GT Cobra, since the LX's only got the 4-cylinder engines originally and when you put the big V8's in them they were really fast." I tried to explain to him that they were practically the same car and all LX's and GT's got the same engine options, and that the only true Cobra's built were in '93 and that even they weren't much faster, but I soon just gave up.

I've actually had people see and say wow, nice car...what is it. Only to have them look disapointed after I tell them it's a Mustang. Funny, it was nice until they new wat it was. I guess they expected the Mustang to be a much nicer car?

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I still have people of all ages ask me what kind of car my coupe is. I'm always shocked especially if they're 30s or older...like, were you in a coma for all of the '80s??? Not knowing what a Fox Mustang is, is like not knowing what Miami Vice was or who Don Johnson is. My car is 27 years old this year as it was built in late '84...after DD'ing my '03 Crown Vic for 9 months now, it's just now starting to really feel like an old car when i get into it. The Vic is the newest thing i've ever DD'ed though so i guess always having older cars keeps me "in the past".

 

[Adams91LX]

Yep yep... my 1980 Coupe shell is now 31 years old

Classic Plates here in Texas cost $15 more... and I don't think they have ANY benefits. I don't know why anyone would want the Classic Plate??

 

[LarsD]

Yep yep... my 1980 Coupe shell is now 31 years old

Classic Plates here in Texas cost $15 more... and I don't think they have ANY benefits. I don't know why anyone would want the Classic Plate??

I think they are the same as antique plates. Which means you don't need a state inspection, and the registration is cheaper.

 

[aar0s]

Yep yep... my 1980 Coupe shell is now 31 years old

Classic Plates here in Texas cost $15 more... and I don't think they have ANY benefits. I don't know why anyone would want the Classic Plate??

Mine will get classic plates next year, 35 bucks every two v. 110 a year.

friend of mine has a fleet of old cars, well maybe not a fleet, 7, guess that could be a fleet, anyway most of them have classic plates.

 

[87_LX_5.0]

Yep yep... my 1980 Coupe shell is now 31 years old

Classic Plates here in Texas cost $15 more... and I don't think they have ANY benefits. I don't know why anyone would want the Classic Plate??

Each state is different. In Pennsylvania classic and antique plates are permanent (no yearly registration) and neither require smog testing. Classic plates still require yearly state mechanical inspection but antique doesn't. So there are beneifts.

 

[90mustangGT]

Yes, a 19 year old at my second job refered to my car as "one of those classic mustangs". I was a bit taken back, but yeah, they are. Still plentiful, but they are getting more rare. I'll tell you this, when the economy comes back, and if gas prices fall, our cars will rise in value big time.

The new 5.0 didn't render ours obsolete... it made our 5.0's "classic 5.0's" and well, they wouldn't go back to it if there wasn't something special about it.

 

[Adams91LX]

I think they are the same as antique plates. Which means you don't need a state inspection, and the registration is cheaper.

Antique plates are cheaper, and there are mileage and usage limitations... which isn't useful for me.

Classic plates cost more... and IIRC they both require inspection stickers?

 

[Mustang5L5]

In MA, and antique plate limits you to weekends and driving too and from a car show. Hopping in your car to take a ride to work on a nice sunny Friday would be a no-no with antique plates

 

[LarsD]

Antique plates are cheaper, and there are mileage and usage limitations... which isn't useful for me.

Classic plates cost more... and IIRC they both require inspection stickers?

Not in Texas. I had classic plates on my Dodge and didn't need an inspection (you have to run the year specific plates), I have antique plates on the wife's 67 and it doesn't require an inspection sticker either.

In MA, and antique plate limits you to weekends and driving too and from a car show. Hopping in your car to take a ride to work on a nice sunny Friday would be a no-no with antique plates

Same here for the most part. I switched back to regular plates so I could drive whenever I wanted too.

 

[Boydster]

When I went to college in '82, I had my 302 Toploader '67 Fastback. Me and my friends all thought of it as old. It was 15 at the time.

Today my original owner 87 GT is 24 years old. I guess it is old... I've had it for exactly 1/2 of my life. But it doesn't feel as old as that '67 did.

In Maryland, 20 years old will get you Classic tags. Cheap tags, cheap insurance, no smog, no safety inspection. Has to be "not substantially altered" from stock. 25 will get you Hot Rod tags for cars that HAVE been substantially altered. Guess my '87 kind of fits both of those... depends on how ya look at it.

She has classics now, but will be getting Hot Rod tags next year.

 

[1990Coupe]

I guess i'm one of the few guys who, whenever I have my fox out, I always have someone saying "nice car man".. And i dont even think it looks good. It needs paint. lol

 

[aar0s]

I guess i'm one of the few guys who, whenever I have my fox out, I always have someone saying "nice car man".. And i dont even think it looks good. It needs paint. lol

Im in the same boat, always get the nice car but thats from like 30 ft away, if they got closer they'd see how bad the paint is!

 

[1993whtstang]

In MA, and antique plate limits you to weekends and driving too and from a car show. Hopping in your car to take a ride to work on a nice sunny Friday would be a no-no with antique plates

Yep, got to love our state of Massachusetts. I got the US plates when I registered my mustang this year. They look good on my white mustang and I think some of the money goes toward the troops.

Im in Tewksbury, what part of mass are you from?

 

[bdazzgt]

I took mine to the tire shop today and the tech said "I haven't seen a clean foxbody like this in forever, these are becoming few and far between." We talked for a bit by the end of the stay all the tech were looking at the car. It is just funny how they used to be a dime a dozen but my oh my times have changed. It was nice to see someone who appreciates all the work I put in the car the last few months.