Looking for opinions on Fox Convertibles

87lc2 · Oct 26, 2010

Hey guys, I currently own a 96 Cobra but am looking into another Fox Body. I have had 4 in the past but never a convertible. Can you please give me your opinions on the verts? problem areas, how bad do they squeak & rattle? The few Im looking at are both 91 GT convertibles that are bone stock down to the airboxes & factory mufflers. Both also have relatively low mileage, 60-80k. Any opinions are appreciated.

1987LXragtop · Oct 26, 2010

I had minor rust around the windshield frame under the black trim, a little in the front floor. check the trunk along the inside of the fenders at the bottom. As always the trunk lids. Check the frame for the top thoroughly for signs of bends or breaks in the frame

aar0s · Oct 26, 2010

I had a little rust in the floorpans under the pedals and in the doors at the bottom but ive seen several foxes with rust there.
once i got the subframes on i didn't really notice all that many rattles, but subframes are a must with a vert. I do get a lot of wind noise but thats because my windows dont line up and my header seal is shot.
If the car is kept indoors then the top will last a good while, if not and the sun can beat on it then forget it. most people dont like the verts but even with the problems mine has i wont sell it.

Ozz · Oct 26, 2010

How bad they squeak and rattle depends on the car itself. Mine has similar mileage and I can only think of one rattle which I think is due to a busted control arm bushing.

Onefine88 · Oct 27, 2010

Squeaks and rattles are typical of most all fox Mustangs. With the verts just add in wind noise from the vert top.
The only thing I can add to be aware of is potential trouble from the rear windows. As the years go by the tracks get sloppy and the motors get weak. But, there are replacement motors and parts.

I own two Fox verts, one of which I bought new in '88. I have had years of fun from these cars and highly recommend that everyone own at least one.

Enjoy!

1987LXragtop · Oct 27, 2010

yeah wind noise but you deal with that. Mine is acutually kind of quieter with the top down and the windows up than with the top up too.

87lc2 · Oct 27, 2010

Thanks guys. Both of the cars I'm looking at have been garaged their whole lives and the owners have assured me that theres no rust. They actually couldnt even tell me if the tops leaked at all because they never had them in the rain. One of them said he hasnt had the top up in years. He just leaves it in teh garage with the top down and takes it out on nice days. Would that cause any problems with the top, being down for that long? Obviously ill check everything out for myself but they are both completely stock, non-abused cars. Im leaning toward the one with a bit more miles (83K) because of the color combination (triple black with leather interior). The other one has the white top and white leather which i really can barely stomach. Ill definitely weld some MM full length connectors on her, have done that to every fox ive ever owned and never really had a rattle trap. Guess Ill just have to go drive them this weekend and see what happens.

Thanks for the opinions guys, ill be sure to post some pics of whichever one I go with.

Mike in Texas · Oct 27, 2010

Vert

Subframes required, they rattle, even w the subframes, noisy, little heavier, tops are a pain to keep clean, more parts to break. I still like 'em.

Onefine88 · Oct 27, 2010

Ok, I would shy away from the one that has been garage kept with the top down for years.

Leaving a top down over night is not recommended. If it has been down for years, it probably won't go back up. The vinyl on these tops firms up and shrinks somewhat in time. Its the nature of vinyl.

If you lean towards that car make sure that the top will go up "and latch". Inspect it well and make sure it operates ok.

New tops installed can cost around $1000 bucks. Been there, done it. "Twice"

If/when you purchase a Fox vert always put the top down, use it, enjoy it, and store it up and latched.
I should have mentioned this in my first post.

good luck

bwguardian · Oct 27, 2010

I love my vert. The noise all depends on the wheather stiping. I am finishing the resto on mine and replaced the original top and wheather striping. I am further having it painted here shortly and the trunk hinge gaskets have caused the trunk to get cancer at the bottom edge...the car has been in covered storage sitting since 1994. I have a new trunk lid and gaskets to go back on. Check the dew wipes on top of the doors and if cracked, check the door bottoms. The squeaks and rattles depends on how hard driven, but given the ones you are looking at with the mileage and being stock...I would bet they are tight cars.

aar0s · Oct 27, 2010

yeh if its had the top down for years then its probably not going to reach to the windshield when put back up. they have a tendency to shrink some.
I dont really mind the wind noise, its not a daily driver and usualy if im driving it i have the windows down. tops are a pain to keep clean, like another poster said, but a plastic scrub brush and a couple of min. when you wash it and its not that bad. i had my top replaced about 5 or 6 years ago, top, pads, back glass and cables 800 bucks and done the next day. like i said the trick is to keep in in a garage.
post up some pics of the one you get!
to tell ya the truth, its usually so hot around here in the daytime in the summer i mostly have the top down at night, after a while the sun beating down on ya is brutal!

rbonella · Oct 27, 2010

A member in our club has a black LX vert with 8pt cage, sits nice and low, t-trim 306, big cam, Lt's X and Spintechs. Went for a ride with the top down this summer....man was that loud lol. I loved it

FoxVerts · Oct 27, 2010

I love Fox chassis convertibles. I have had 9 Fox chassis Mustangs since 1980 (3 converts, 3 hatches, and 3 coupes), and still have 2 of the convertibles. My 34k mile 86 GT has subframe connectors and a strut tower brace, but still is a rattle trap on uneven roads. My 45k mile 90 5.0 LX convertible is bone stock, but seems to be less noisy. I have a BMW type fabric top on my 86 and I leave the top down a lot and its not a problem when I go to put it up. The vinyl top on the 90 is hard to get to latch after being down for a couple of days, so I would do as others said and put it up at night. Foxes with sunroofs and t-tops are fun, but there something extra special about a convertible (at least for me).

aar0s · Oct 27, 2010

FoxVerts said:
I love Fox chassis convertibles. I have had 9 Fox chassis Mustangs since 1980 (3 converts, 3 hatches, and 3 coupes), and still have 2 of the convertibles. My 34k mile 86 GT has subframe connectors and a strut tower brace, but still is a rattle trap on uneven roads. My 45k mile 90 5.0 LX convertible is bone stock, but seems to be less noisy. I have a BMW type fabric top on my 86 and I leave the top down a lot and its not a problem when I go to put it up. The vinyl top on the 90 is hard to get to latch after being down for a couple of days, so I would do as others said and put it up at night. Foxes with sunroofs and t-tops are fun, but there something extra special about a convertible (at least for me).

pics of the cloth top? how much more was it? ive been thinking about doing that for the next top on my car.

FoxVerts · Oct 28, 2010

aar0s said:
pics of the cloth top? how much more was it? ive been thinking about doing that for the next top on my car.

I had it done at a local shop in 1995 and it cost me $850.00 (I kept the original window section and had the area below the glass covered in the new material). I found the receipt from 2005 for my 90 convertible top replacement (stock white vinyl and new rear window section) and it was $1,265. I would guess a hartz fabric roof today would run you around $1,400.

ReplayMan · Oct 28, 2010

Wow...Foxverts, that is one nice four-eye vert. I used to have a an 86 hatch, now picked up a 91 vert. I love it, a little more rattle than norm, I highly recommend replacing top to a cloth and include a headliner. This makes a huge improvement. Cosmetically and physically. The cloth tops are darker in color...black is black and stays black....vinyl looks gray. The cloth also is quieter and the headliner helps tremendously too.

FoxVerts · Oct 28, 2010

ReplayMan said:
Wow...Foxverts, that is one nice four-eye vert. I used to have a an 86 hatch, now picked up a 91 vert. I love it, a little more rattle than norm, I highly recommend replacing top to a cloth and include a headliner. This makes a huge improvement. Cosmetically and physically. The cloth tops are darker in color...black is black and stays black....vinyl looks gray. The cloth also is quieter and the headliner helps tremendously too.

Thanks! I like the cloth top so much better than the vinyl. My 90 has the white vinyl top and I would like to replace it with black cloth, but the top only has 3k miles on it and that money would be better spent elsewhere. Here is an 83 5.0 GT convertible that needs a little more work than just a new top. Found it this summer by my cabin (the owner is going to restore it some day, right). It is red, but there is so much pigeon dung on it, its hard to tell.

aar0s · Oct 28, 2010

yeh dude, like its been said thats one sweet four eye! im really diggin that cloth top, wasnt sure how it would look on there after seeing the vinyl top for so long but my next top will be cloth! what do you have to do to keep it clean and mildew free, any problems with that?

ReplayMan · Oct 28, 2010

No problems with mildew at all. It's easy to clean...soap + water and a soft brush. You have to coat it with a UV protectant...like RaggTopp Car Kit.

FoxVerts · Oct 28, 2010

aar0s said:
yeh dude, like its been said thats one sweet four eye! im really diggin that cloth top, wasnt sure how it would look on there after seeing the vinyl top for so long but my next top will be cloth! what do you have to do to keep it clean and mildew free, any problems with that?

No problems with keeping it clean or mildew free. It gets darker when it gets wet, but dries evenly. I just wash it with a mild detergent and let it dry in the sun. Never put it down if the top material is damp. The top is now 15 years old and looks pretty much the way it did the day I picked it up.

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