Finally a Fox Body Owner - 1988 GT acquired!

DudeStang

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I had a local shop weld in Flowmaster high flow cats to the offroad x pipe (it was on the car when I bought it). The car definitely seems a bit quieter and I think the cats helped get rid of most of the gas smell but I'll need to drive more to confirm.
IMG-5435.jpg

I still have the drone, I assume due to the Flowmaster mufflers, so at some point I'm going to see about adding a new cat-back or swapping the Flowmasters for a different muffler design.

Anyways, I uploaded a new vlog with a bit more on the cats and other things, a few days ago:

 

Juice

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The GT turndown tailpiles definitely increase drone. Since I put the cobra replica rear cover on and put the LX style tailpipes on, I practically have eliminated the drone. Even as stupid loud as mine is. lol
 

tjm73

of Omicron Persei 8
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Google Helmholtz chamber and/or J-tube resonator (aka 1/4 resonance). Will kill drone with the mufflers you have.
 

DudeStang

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I've been lazy about updating my various threads but I have a few updates on the Fox from the last month or so. After getting the double din with apple car play, adding cupholders felt like a natural next step:
IMG-5525.jpg


This led to me finally getting the windows tinted:
IMG-5811.jpg
IMG-5810.jpg
 

OX1

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I had a local shop weld in Flowmaster high flow cats to the offroad x pipe (it was on the car when I bought it). The car definitely seems a bit quieter and I think the cats helped get rid of most of the gas smell but I'll need to drive more to confirm.
View attachment 80207

I still have the drone, I assume due to the Flowmaster mufflers, so at some point I'm going to see about adding a new cat-back or swapping the Flowmasters for a different muffler design.

Anyways, I uploaded a new vlog with a bit more on the cats and other things, a few days ago:


Dynomax super turbo's. This used to be a direct fit with mount bracket.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...nt=Dynomax&utm_campaign=Part+Number+Ad+Groups

Looks like they discontinued those, but still have these without the mount bracket.

https://www.dynomax.com/mufflers/super-turbo-mufflers/super-turbo-offset-offset-17928.html

If you only want 2-1/4, they still make one with the bracket.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2831792404...80702890871448&abcId=9300602&merchantid=51291


Darn quiet overall, nice burble @ higher RPM. Zero drown no matter what you put behind them. I've gone 114 MPH in my 86 Capri, so don't think are of much of a restriction.
 

86GT351

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DudeStang

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Thanks. How does the mounting bracket work? My brain isn't comprehending.
 

DudeStang

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I wish I had more substantial updates to report on the Fox but work has been really busy and lower temperatures have kept me out of the garage. I did get the body moulding stripe back on though, so the car is finally looking a bit more civilized, at least from 10-15 feet away.
IMG-6508.jpg IMG-6493.jpg

I also got the other light fixture installed in the garage and did a little comparison video:

 

tjm73

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I know the turbine wheels are right for the car, but I'd have to run something else. Car looks good.
 

DudeStang

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I know the turbine wheels are right for the car, but I'd have to run something else. Car looks good.
Thanks man. I have a set of pony wheels (that I bought a year ago now, lol) but I don't want to spend money on summer tires and not be able to use them for five months & I don't want to have two sets of all season tires for the Fox.
 

DudeStang

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Major complex/technical upgrade accomplished yesterday…….I replaced the passenger side mirror:


It actually did end up taking longer than I expected (shocker) because I didn’t realize I would have to take the inner door panel off to access the connector for the mirror. I'm pretty happy with the quality on the new mirror though. I didn’t replace the driver side but will do that too eventually.

I also discovered that I did have a door speaker on the passenger side but the wiring had broken off right at the speaker. I guess I misunderstood the guy who installed my new head unit a couple months back.
7F991EC7-ECDF-4F9D-BD97-85C95E7BB1FA.jpeg

If I had known earlier that yesterday was going to be a warm day, I would have taken it off from work and tried to get the steering shaft assembly installed. Missed opportunity.

Still haven’t found a good/affordable option for having rear end gears installed. All of the shops I've called either don't do gears or have quoted me over $1,200. Trying to determine what else I can make progress on while the weather is mostly cold.
 

DudeStang

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Added a new vlog after receiving some new parts a couple of weeks ago:


Update since then - a Fox owner on another forum that I frequent gave me the name of a shop. I got a much more reasonable quote from them. I dropped the Fox off at that shop the week before last, to have the 4.10s installed. It seemed the shop was a little behind because they didn't get to it until this week. They gave me a call a couple of days ago to update me that the gears were done but that one of the axles looked like it needed to be replaced. I asked them to go ahead and replace both of them while they have the car and I am hoping I might be able to go pick it up tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
 

86GT351

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I had a local shop weld in Flowmaster high flow cats to the offroad x pipe (it was on the car when I bought it). The car definitely seems a bit quieter and I think the cats helped get rid of most of the gas smell but I'll need to drive more to confirm.
View attachment 80207

I still have the drone, I assume due to the Flowmaster mufflers, so at some point I'm going to see about adding a new cat-back or swapping the Flowmasters for a different muffler design.

Anyways, I uploaded a new vlog with a bit more on the cats and other things, a few days ago:

That is what a Catalytic does. Disperses unburnt fuel. Flowmasters are known for a drone.
 

DudeStang

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Almost a month later, I finally picked the Fox back up yesterday. The 4.10 gears are installed…..along with new 31 spline rear axles, a new rear main seal, a new clutch, a new clutch cable, and the speedometer gear kit. Long story but I think most of you know how it goes. I wasn’t thrilled to spend more money but I am happy that some things I knew the car needed (or would need not too far down the line) are fixed or replaced.
74725274-F6DC-4231-9C8D-4E38B986CDA9.JPG
IMG-8838.jpg

I didn’t drive it too hard right after picking it up. From driving it just a couple times, I can say that it feels a bit more like my 2014 Mustang, in that there is enough torque/power regardless of what gear you're in. Less downshifting required it seems. We'll see if I continue to feel this way in a few weeks or months. Also, the clutch feels lighter, which is nice. I hadn't driven the car in almost a month though. Will need to drive it more.

I was hoping that the RMS being replaced would reduce the oil dripping from the car but it already seems like that isn't the case. I've got more oil dripping from around where the transmission meets the engine and there's oil getting onto the X pipe that's creating a little bit of smoke and giving off a burning smell. From scrolling through search results, I understand the RMS is apparently never an easy fix and that it might not even be the RMS that is leaking. The joys of a project car.
 

86GT351

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Almost a month later, I finally picked the Fox back up yesterday. The 4.10 gears are installed…..along with new 31 spline rear axles, a new rear main seal, a new clutch, a new clutch cable, and the speedometer gear kit. Long story but I think most of you know how it goes. I wasn’t thrilled to spend more money but I am happy that some things I knew the car needed (or would need not too far down the line) are fixed or replaced.
View attachment 81197
View attachment 81196

I didn’t drive it too hard right after picking it up. From driving it just a couple times, I can say that it feels a bit more like my 2014 Mustang, in that there is enough torque/power regardless of what gear you're in. Less downshifting required it seems. We'll see if I continue to feel this way in a few weeks or months. Also, the clutch feels lighter, which is nice. I hadn't driven the car in almost a month though. Will need to drive it more.

I was hoping that the RMS being replaced would reduce the oil dripping from the car but it already seems like that isn't the case. I've got more oil dripping from around where the transmission meets the engine and there's oil getting onto the X pipe that's creating a little bit of smoke and giving off a burning smell. From scrolling through search results, I understand the RMS is apparently never an easy fix and that it might not even be the RMS that is leaking. The joys of a project car.

5.0 Fox Engines are known for upper oil leaks that appear to be The Rear Main Seal. Behind the Intake where the PCV goes remove the PCV valve. Replace the Valve, The screen in the intake and the grommet. If the screen gets clogged it causes oil to push past the rear lower intake seal. Appears every time to be a Rear Main Seal.
 

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