Buying my 1st Fox 5.0
- Thread starter VanD
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2005
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TrophyHead
15 Year Member
If the driver seat has "gangsta lean" meaning it's leaning to one side...It's probably has ripped floorpans. And that leads to busted TQ boxes. Tq boxes are where the rear control arms attach to body of car.
If the body dosent need to get painted I'd grab it.
If the body dosent need to get painted I'd grab it.
i agree with Mustang5L5... recheck when it's not raining. if you can get the car on ramps that might be best to check underneath. check all the frame rails and make sure they are legit...especially the rear ones b/c they are hard to see if the car is not put up.
you're getting a lot of advice b/c guys on stangnet don't want to see a fellow fox fan get ripped. many of us have experienced the BS'ing sellers and ripoff artists. if you can it might be good to get a second set of eyes on the car. where are you located?
good luck!
you're getting a lot of advice b/c guys on stangnet don't want to see a fellow fox fan get ripped. many of us have experienced the BS'ing sellers and ripoff artists. if you can it might be good to get a second set of eyes on the car. where are you located?
good luck!
Torque boxes are where the uppper control arms bolt to the body.
Crawl under the car and inspect to see of the lower control arms aren't pulling out of the body.
Don't pay a premium because the motor is supposedly rebuilt. Buy the car. The engine is just an component like a shock or a alternator. Does then entire car as a whole deserve the asking price?
All to often I see people buy rats nest cars because they overlooking it because of a few choice aftermarket parts. You can always buy the parts yourself.....but the car they are bolted to can't be changed.
So best peice of advice I can offer is take whatever the guy tells you that you can't confirm with a grain of salt. Wouldn't be the first time a guy who knows how to build engines, slaps a junkyard motor together inna car he just wants to offload.
how bad are those to fix? not worth it?
the paint is decent, not perfect. it was resprayed that color and has a couple chips in it.
i understand and appreciate it! u guys kno what to look for and i'm a total noob to these cars right now.
i'd love for someone local to be able to check it out with me, i'd pay for gas/beer/whatever works.
thanks again for all the replies and info!
edit - i'm in the bay area, nor cal.
Cobra912
Active Member
TrophyHead
15 Year Member
It all depends on how bad they are. Could be easy could be a nightmare.
If I could do it all over again I'd buy a car with nice paint job and nice underbody. The motor/tranny/rear end would be the least of my worries. Motor work is fun and Body work sucks big time. I would have loved to buy a car with nice body and frame. Then I could just worry about the motor/driveline. I was 16 years old when I bought my car didnt have a clue.
"I can paint the car any color I like"
LOL boy was that dumb thinking.I ended up fixing my ripped floorpans and reinforcing the Tq boxes..install full length subframes. Upgrade brakes. Also had to fix a section in the engine bay that was cracked due to a front end accident....and the front right lower control arm. Looked like a banana. Not to mention the rear 1/4 panel that needed to replaced. Rotted big time under rear GT ground effects. Dented in cowl from previous owner fiberglass hood lifting up. Fixed it all. Pretty much my car turned into a nightmare. It came along way. Will be out of paint jail come the springtime.
If my car was striaght and clean to begin with I'd have a 10 second car by now no doubt.
It's depressing big time. Once I get this car done I will never be able to sell it. Way to much money involoved. Never be able to re-coupe my costs. Unless somebody offers me like 20K.
Maybe 20 years from now.
Cobra912
Active Member
those are so small I can barely tell what kinda car it is...............need better pics for better opinions
It all depends on how bad they are. Could be easy could be a nightmare.
If I could do it all over again I'd buy a car with nice paint job and nice underbody. The motor/tranny/rear end would be the least of my worries. Motor work is fun and Body work sucks big time. I would have loved to buy a car with nice body and frame. Then I could just worry about the motor/driveline. I was 16 years old when I bought my car didnt have a clue.
I ended up fixing my ripped floorpans and reinforcing the Tq boxes..install full length subframes. Upgrade brakes. Also had to fix a section in the engine bay that was cracked due to a front end accident....and the front right lower control arm. Looked like a banana. Not to mention the rear 1/4 panel that needed to replaced. Rotted big time under rear GT ground effects. Dented in cowl from previous owner fiberglass hood lifting up. Fixed it all. Pretty much my car turned into a nightmare. It came along way. Will be out of paint jail come the springtime.
If my car was striaght and clean to begin with I'd have a 10 second car by now no doubt.
It's depressing big time. Once I get this car done I will never be able to sell it. Way to much money involoved. Never be able to re-coupe my costs. Unless somebody offers me like 20K.
OUCH! Thankfully I dont live in SNOWVILLE. that doesnt mean cars dont get in accidents tho of course, but rust is a super pita. i'll give the car a better inspection some time this week.
and i'll take better pics when i inspect it next.
the offer stands if anyone is near me and can help me with the inspection process! gas/beer/hookers/etc
1987LXragtop
Member
Rule 1 for buying a car - never test drive or look at a car in the rain.
Rule 1 for selling a car - try to get people to look at it in the rain
Rule 1 for selling a car - try to get people to look at it in the rain
Shaolin Crane
Banned
Cliffnote: Shaolin is stabbing another guy but he thought he was younger than he is.
nooooooo, i dont care how old they are
kpack5982
Yeah, it was pretty stiff, but eventually a buddy
Take a flashlight, it helps out immensely. Look behind the strut towers, underneath the car really well, and check the alignment of the fenders to the front bumper cover and the radiator support behind.
Just remember what one person may pay for a car can be different than what you think it's worth or will pay. So as long as you're happy if you buy it, that's what counts.
Just remember what one person may pay for a car can be different than what you think it's worth or will pay. So as long as you're happy if you buy it, that's what counts.
just talked to the dad, he said suspension is stock and he's gonna get back to me about what specifically has been done to the motor. he said he should also have receipts for the work, he's gonna dig around.
gonna look at the torq boxes and floor pans for stress/flex and if those look fine then the car should be solid for me. i'll do some suspension stuff to it as i can. first being subframe connectors.
gonna look at the torq boxes and floor pans for stress/flex and if those look fine then the car should be solid for me. i'll do some suspension stuff to it as i can. first being subframe connectors.
Shaolin Crane
Banned
show me a nicer 1 in cali then
looking on CL near me, nothing else comes close to the price. anything less is a beat up project. and there are more expensive "pimped" style rides that dont say a thing about maintenance.
fresh motor, clutch, rear end, with 3.73 sounds solid to me. then add good maintenance like water pump, timing chains/gears, seals, and tune up.
i also looked on the LA CL and they were even worse...
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