Progress Thread Finally got my first Fox Body - 1988 GT

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This looks interesting...


unfortunately it looks like you won't be doing a tranmission R&R with this style.
Pretty pricey too...but an interesting approach. Seems like you’d have more light/visibility and space to move around.
 
Took some time to escape to the beach for a week, but recorded a new Vlog before departing.

View: https://youtu.be/cLH4eScMGJE


Spotted some pretty clean Stangs while road tripping but was driving for a lot of them and only caught a few while my wife was doing the driving.
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The red fox made me more self conscious of the condition of my Fox’s rear bumper and graters :(
I also saw the new Mach 1 in person in that slick gray color, but couldn’t get a pic. It looked really nice.

A few other sightings from the road:
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Spotted this yesterday in a grocery story parking lot. Needs some work but I would absolutely drive a purple Fox. Also, the graters look excellent on this color. :cool:
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Just got back from our road trip. I’m late to the party on this but New Orleans is fantastic. I probably gained 10 lbs in three days there. The food (all of it) was phenomenal. On the trip, we also stopped in Pineville, which is pretty much smack dab in the middle of Louisiana, to visit a friend who recently bought a 1996 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO rally car:
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This isn’t directly Mustang/Fox related obviously but had to share because this car was absolutely bananas. It has 300 wheel horsepower and weighs just over 2700 lbs. It was also the first time I ever drove a RHD vehicle.

I think I’m either going to have to get one of my own or turn the Fox into a rally race car, lol. I made a video with first impressions driving the car.

View: https://youtu.be/9K82iF7vxlU


When we got back over the weekend, I was reminded I need to quit being lazy and get the thermostat housing and radiator hoses sorted out on the Fox. Hoping to make time for that after work tonight so I can drive the car again in the next day or two. :cool:
 
Ok so I found some time to remove the thermostat housing. The gasket that came with the housing is pretty much destroyed:

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FWIW I think the gasket on the thermostat is because of me maneuvering everything around trying to remove the thermostat housing (I got a ratcheting socket sort of stuck on the bottom bolt.

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So my latest question is - should I try to get another gasket or would I be good just using a good amount of this stuff?
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Thanks. Yeah I saw that the top bolt is the longer one. I only struggled with the bottom one because I was an idiot and used the ratcheting wrench too long.
Dude, you will continue to figure out ways to do something wrong.
Part of automotive life.
The trick is to remember NOT to do it that way next time.
 
Ok so...after driving that EVO III, and then somehow just now discovering the On3 turbo kit exists and is shockingly affordable, I’m really thinking about how awesome a turbo would be on the Fox. I understand that since my car is an 88, I would need to do the mass air conversion before doing a turbo kit.

Someone feel free to chime in and burst my bubble or encourage my impulses. Lol.

Stock bottom end 1988 with a mass air conversion and a turbo? What type of engine lifespan am I looking at here, assuming I could do the installation correctly and have a solid tune. :oops:

Obviously I still have some other stuff I still want/need to do before adding a turbo but now I’m super hyped.
 
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Like with all power adders a good tune is a must for an engine to last. Now your gonna need to back it up with stronger trans, suspension, and extra tires to fry.
 
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Ok so...after driving that EVO III, and then somehow just now discovering the On3 turbo kit exists and is shockingly affordable, I’m really thinking about how awesome a turbo would be on the Fox. I understand that since my car is an 88, I would need to do the mass air conversion before doing a turbo kit.

Someone feel free to chime in and burst my bubble or encourage my impulses. Lol.

Stock bottom end 1988 with a mass air conversion and a turbo? What type of engine lifespan am I looking at here, assuming I could do the installation correctly and have a solid tune. :oops:

Obviously I still have some other stuff I still want/need to do before adding a turbo but now I’m super hyped.
I say do it...... as long as you continue to document on utube.
 
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You don't have to convert to MAF. Take the dinosaur computer out and install a MSPNP2 or micro squirt.

A stock engine can last a long time with a good tune and low boost. Low meaning 6psi. That's enough to give decent power and you get all the turbski noises.
 
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Don’t worry folks. I watched the installation video on LMR last night. Knowing that those videos usually make the installation look a lot easier than it really is....and that made me convinced I can’t do it, at least not alone. :oops:
 
My only tidbit of advice is this:

I’ve seen peers and forum members take nice running, street driving cars they enjoy driving and modify them to the point there are no longer fun to drive on the street, or so temperamental they lose their love for the car and it ends up sitting for years until sold one day.

Brew2L did an On3 turbo on his calypso fox, and I feel every video his chasing a problem or fixing something.

just my unsolicited opinion
 
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My only tidbit of advice is this:

I’ve seen peers and forum members take nice running, street driving cars they enjoy driving and modify them to the point there are no longer fun to drive on the street, or so temperamental they lose their love for the car and it ends up sitting for years until sold one day.

Brew2L did an On3 turbo on his calypso fox, and I feel every video his chasing a problem or fixing something.

just my unsolicited opinion
Unsolicited opinion duly noted and appreciated. I do still keep reminding myself to remain focused on the things that actually need to be fixed or replaced so that the car runs the way it should....but damnit a turbo sounds like a lot of fun. I will check out Brew2l’s vids on the turbo stuff.