Project Fox Mustang: Parts Galore!

We deliver the Mustang to Maximum Motorsports in San Luis Obispo, CA, and check out the treasure trove of parts we've assembled for it.

[@DanielFoland]

We bow our heads... Thank you, Flowmaster, for the bountiful gifts you are about to give us, for the sound and the happy, and for making the "loud pedal" deservedly so in such a humble Ford. Thank you for helping Matt and his insane crew bring us the Internet's best videos, especially for the sound that they are about to bring us. Thank you Maximum for doing Fox body builds in 2014, you insane bastards...

[@Jesusmakesmelovelife]

Like a kid in a candy shop. This stuff, a car guy doing upgrades on an affordable car, is absolutely great stuff. Thanks for this.

[@stevenkudlacek2744]

Looks like an awesome build! Love the old stripper car idea, fox bodies rock especially with that coyote swap and new IRS.

[@ET_Videos]

Thanks for the update Matt. This is going to be an awesome build!

[@rickyhildebrand114]

Wow ! What started out as grass roots has certainly took a extreme turn

[@RCBasher]

Really looking forward to the finished build. I had a 87 HB,these cars rocked at the time but braking and handling were crap stock,Best bang for the buck and a lot of fun though but they were sketchy to drive fast. That independent rear end,frame ties,front end suspension upgrades etc should really make it a lot more fun to drive and actually handle well. Thanks for keeping the show REAL and your take on the pros and cons of cars you get to drive.

[@ValentinoMustangs]

I love this project it’s helped me greatly get good ideas for my 87 foxbody Saleen clone project. I recently found a 04 cobra IRS and can’t wait to get it installed..😎

[@neaton77]

Satisfied. :) Well done guys. Always enjoy watching the show. Keep up the hard work.

[@acab1015]

Finally! It seems to be the re occurring topic amongst my friends…"Has Matt made an update video yet?" or "What happened to the mustang project?"… this should hold us off for a week or so… can't wait to see the end product. Best of luck.

[@nismotigerwvu]

Looking good Matt, can't wait to see the finished product.

[@cgeller13]

I think it's really cool that you respond to your viewers. Love the show. Love the car. Would love to get my self an old fox body that needs work. Keep up the great work!

[@OAK_MTN]

Massive pile of parts ! Looking forward to more updates !

[@OG_FIVEO]

These videos are tempting me to dump a bunch of money into my foxbody coupe. Bad ass build sir.

[@willbrown5543]

I can't wait to see the update on the IRS install. I've been kicking around the idea of doing that to my Fox Body for a couple of years now.

[@DinasGarage]

Remember Matt you said you "Promise" haha good stuff can't wait to see the finished project!

[@rahzel45]

i actually have a fox 91 and your project gonna be awesome !!

[@ParadoxdesignsOrg]

Can't wait to see this thing in action again!

[@muzman777]

Love your work Matt, but would love to see more regular videos from you and the team. More workload dude!!

[@Fradias11]

This car is what made me subscribe to TheSmokingTire when the first episode about it came out. It's epic and I can't wait to see more about it! I've also been watching some other videos and I'm starting to really like this youtube chanel

[@neobae77]

REALLY NICE WITH THE TORSEN DIFF.... BEST OF THE BEST

[@Maxpound]

I'm so damn jealous man. Its gonna be a beast when you get all that stuff in there.

[@sparkymike83]

Can't wait for this. you've made me aspire to own a fox body as a project car one day.

[@Trusty_Steed]

It has got to feel so delicious to get a palette of parts for your car. shit I got excited just receiving a wheel bearing in the mail.

[@SimonvRdn]

I've got the feeling that this car will be fricking badass!

[@nedaCFilms]

OMG, you are going IRS... I love it!!!! Your Mustang is going to be an absolute BEAST brutha, lol. Can we be best buds?

[@edwardlthompson]

Nice!

[@MrLittlegdawg]

the foxbody is a beast stock

[@DanyAnctil]

IRS...Good idea! I love it! Nice project!!

[@ArcadeDude44]

Congrats, that'll be an awesome Fox, when you're done. MM RULES!!! I need to order up some cc plates for my 03 term, soon!:)

[@Alex1130]

thats a wicked pallet of parts, looking forward to the "after" video

[@jameshawkins809]

I had a 1990 5.0 hatchback. That solid rear end was kinda hard to drive around the curvy roads where I live. I bet that IRS set up is worth it but I'm not balling like that so I sold it. O well. I'm looking forward to see this build.

[@Shavinglass]

Glad to see you went the IRS route Matt!

[@PHATDAN420x]

Awsome..a update about the fox body, stocked on the finale of the build. Good choice on the cobra IRS ...!!

[@brianz426]

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to more.

[@98rickstang]

Wow this makes me miss my Foxbody/Coupe. Can't wait to see the next video

[@baloonia1]

Darn it Matt I'm so excited even tough it's not my car, can't wait until it will be ready.

[@jolmeaki]

The rear end conversion impressed me.

[@Raytarded66]

Ive been asking for this on every video Matt has posted in the last few months, i like this fox body build bc its an everymans car

[@RumblestripDotNet]

Next up TheSmokingTire dial up Jesse Kershaw and tell him you need part numbers M-6007-M50S and M-6017-A504V

[@TheSmokingTire]

looks like an excellent value :)

[@Xfullboost]

yes please

[@RumblestripDotNet]

TheSmokingTire Well, you know, this way you can have IRS AND spin a motor to 8K RPMs!

[@NegativeNumbers427]

Rumblestrip.NET Surely the Coyote is good for about 7k right out of the box, but would need porting and all that witchcraft to get to 8,000?

[@RumblestripDotNet]

NegativeNumbers427 Just a re-flash of the ECU. The part number for the engine is the one used in the NMRA Coyote Stock class, there is a spec ECU flash for the class and the redline is moved to 8200 and the racers are using all of it.

[@Frdmstang]

This is so similar to my Fox build that it's scary. I have all of the same front end parts except my K-Member is the motor swap version. Doing the LS thing. I also am running a softer front spring. MM told me 350's so that's what I'm starting with. 425's are going to be hella stiff! In the rear I also am doing IRS but am going with Full Tilt Boogie Racing's bushing kit instead of MM. MM is still killer stuff. I didn't get the joy of a full pallet of parts at once. I went poor kid route and pieced the kit together 1 part at a time. MM's "deal of the day" was used multiple times. With MM helping your car will no doubt go together quicker than mine. Loving the direction of your build so far!

[@PseudoKirby]

Way to go Matt, you somehow got me into the fox body mustang, went from a mild interest to considering buying one..

[@shaunrifield8329]

That Cobra rear end got me pumped for this build, one big plus is that you get rid of those shitty drum brakes. Cant wait to see what it does to the car. May need some cooling up grades for the track.

[@brian5o]

Wow, that IRS looks heavy. I didn't realize that the system was so bulky. It will be interesting to see how it improves the handling of the old fox. Damn I miss my old 1988 SSP Mustang.

[@TheSmokingTire]

It's heavier than the SRA, but also has less unsprung weight. So it actually has a double effect of reducing unsprung weight while improving the overall balance of the car rearward at the expense of about 40 net pounds.

[@brian5o]

Thanks for the info! Wow, 40 lbs is nothing. It definitely sounds like 40 lbs well spent, too. It looks like the IRS will do a great job at reinforcing the rear suspension, too. That is a pretty beefy sub-assembly and I bet it all by eliminates any unwanted movements of the rear suspension. I am really excited about this project. Thanks for the update on it and I can't wait to see what it looks like when it is complete.

[@NegativeNumbers427]

brian5o You have to remember that those IRS components are stamped steel etc. If you can weld, or know of someone who could weld, your own replacement parts, you could drop some of that weight.

[@brian5o]

Thanks for the info! That's great to know. Matt or someone else from the channel also sent me a reply and said that the difference in weight between the SRA and the IRS only ended up being about 40 lbs which was kind of a surprise. I think he also mentioned that it reduced the unsprung weight and improved the weight distribution. I wish that I could undertake a project such as this however I would be afraid to do so. I have never really made mods like this to a car and I don't have any friends who have the skills necessary that could help me. I used to own an SSP Mustang just like this, an '88 X-Florida Highway Patrol car and even with the live axle, the thing was a blast. Some of the short-falls that come with the live axle actually added some character and fun to the driving experience. I am sure for what Matt is planning to do with his car, the IRS was the way to go though.

[@crazzy88ss]

good stuff matt. Nice to see the whole rear end on a table. kinda nifty.

[@Carstuff111]

I am not a Ford fan, nor am I a Mustang fan, however, I am excited to see what you get out of that old fox body. I admit I almost bought one, and the fox body Mustangs do kind of interest me. Currently though, my budget for modding cars has me working on a 1992 Honda Civic DX 4 door. To most people, not a cool car to mod, but I love my Honda, it is easy and cheap to work on. Good luck man, I bet she will be a lot of fun when you get done with her.

[@Xmvw2X]

Crikey that's a sexy rear end. That car will get very interesting with those mods.

[@Sigrafix]

THIS is how you mod a fox.. Fucking awesome, can't wait to see the end result.

[@mylescovington4585]

Been waiting awhile for the update, thanks guys. Can't wait for the next vid!

[@gtiracer]

Awesome Matt. I hate solid axle cars though some of them look nice. I love these kinds of upgrades for handling. This is a definite follow

[@MrBronos]

So excited for this build!

[@Soulvex]

Excited to see progression.

[@josesuarez-martinez1412]

Nice! How about some footage of the actual build in the shop on the next update.

[@Buell2009xb]

Good shit! Looking forward to the results and your take on the performance increase.

[@1faselm]

Satisfied. Cannot wait to see the end result :-)

[@Pstruwing]

Got it, got it, need it, got it, need it, need it need it!

[@mariuszanfir2298]

+1 for choosing Bilsteins +1k for converting it to independent rear suspension :)

[@andrewmarasek620]

im excited for that rear end. i didnt know you could do that even

[@mowzer75np]

Oh very nice can't wait for more updates guys :).

[@nathanpetrohilos]

MY CAR PARTS BONER IS HUGE RIGHT NOW THANK YOU SMOKING TIRE

[@LoudGuitar14]

Awesome Matt! When you are done you and TST should try to put your fox mustang against the fox mustang being built by the Engine Power guys on Power Nation. It would be interesting to see how the differences in the builds affect the resulting cars

[@MrSukiflash]

Now your mustang will handle like your vette and then some!Must be nice to know people in the business or is all this on a new crefit card?Awesome project car to start with light weight and going to be as stiff as my,who am I kidding at 59! Thanks for the update

[@DirtyD07]

Look at all the pretty parts!! Matt, this car is going to be epic? I need to email you again to hurry up. LOL

[@TheBulitt]

yay finally! now we can pester Maximum Motorsports to see if its done yet haha

[@Munkenba]

now tell us what the hell happened to the delorean

[@ElijahWash]

In his garage

[@Zanpaa]

I think Mr. Regular had a go in it...

[@TheSmokingTire]

Zanpa he did, and seemed to enjoy it. I had to disinfect the whole interior.

[@RegularCars]

Leave it to me!

[@GamerGuy51]

RegularCars let's not!

[@SWEbear021]

cant wait to se all parts on the fox and se what she can do;)

[@KapteinFruit]

Hahaha what a tease video! I can't wait for an update with all of that sexyness installed :)

[@2586ss]

PLEASE, please keep this project going. Not all of us can afford a new Ferrari, Porsche, etc. The Mustang is often maligned as a stupid car and is the target of many jokes when talking about automobiles. I'm excited to see real enthusiasts making something great out of a decent but not expensive platform. Thanks !

[@Liplip40]

IRS? Dude you've out done yourself. Siiiiiiiiick

[@ChevyCamaroIsBetter]

That's one nice fox body.

[@stormer1092]

can't wait for the full videos.

[@GaryLamb2020]

Question: Did you have to modify the crankshaft? Im planning on doing an IRS swap and wanted to know if I need to buy an adapter of sorts.

[@Cammac8]

Been too long in between updates! Super keen to see how this turns out!!

[@hyundaiverna]

cool to see IRS in a fox body mustang!

[@cpjones1989]

You know a Million people will now email you about this haha

[@FourValveFox]

The only issue you will run into running the IRS is backspacing of the rims. Test fit some 17 or 18x10 rims with the 7.25 backspacing which are commonly use on the 05-14 GT's. I used a 18x9 designed for a SN95 car on the front and 18x10 from 11-14 GT on my fox body. Fender lips will have to be rolled front and back. Good luck. I can't wait to see the end result.

[@TheSmokingTire]

HRE is making me a one-off set of wheels, and Maier racing will be supplying the wide body

[@MyWolffy]

Finally!! Cant wait for more!

[@Dialysisforever]

Due to the IRS being so expensive, I don't suppose you will test the car with all the other goodies before installing the IRS. We might be able to swing the other goodies but the IRS is out of the question for a lot of us. That car is gonna be awesome.

[@TransAmsandDashcams]

Noooow I wanna start researching putting a 5th gen Camaro or GTO IRS under my '77 Trans Am. Shit. Build is looking good, Matt!

[@nissan300bhp]

looking good matt

[@StudioBrock1337]

That's going to be bad ass!

[@aelx69420]

It's... spherical!

[@matthewf9568]

Matt took so long to update us on the Stang because he hit 88 mph in the Delorean and was stuck in 1955.... about time we heard whats going on!!

[@johnwanderin2524]

Usually not a fan of Fox body Mustangs because around here they're typically driven by the douchey type and the rest are strip queens. However, I can appreciate one done right and this one looks like it's gonna be badass. Can't wait for the finished thing.

[@aceofspades02]

I wish I could install one of this in a 70's Ford Maverick.

[@JohnHeritage]

this is awesome! and yes you deserved those emails :) - thanks for this update!

[@montey1017]

goddamn, a fox body that might actually turn. I thought this was going to be a cam/intake/exhaust LOOK HOW FAST OUR 1/4 MILE TIME IS car, but this is way more badass

[@Angel-HC]

I think it's crazy that your Mustang will be running 420lb/in front springs. That's just 20 lb/in higher than what I run on my canyon setup Miata. I guess it goes to show that Mustangs used to be light cars. Btw, Bilsteins are amazing when re-valved properly.

[@ebgonzalez93]

stop teasing us haha, I love this build...

[@MuttiFPS]

Thanks for this Matt! Was waiting a long time!

[@silver350z94]

Hey matt you should get different parts and let us the viewer choose which ones and then do it weekly. That would be muchore immersive. You are such a fuckimg boss man

[@walterwyatt5580]

Hell yeah! Its about time!

[@TonyDSG]

Very cool project! I like the direction you guys are going with this! Can't wait to see it ready. Big brake kit in the works I'm assuming?

[@ScourgeBound]

I bought a 1990 fox before you uploaded another video, i hope you're editing in some really good special effects the suspense killed me so much that i went and bought one of my own! #FirstCar

[@TheLexusguy94]

Makes me wanna get a 5.0 and make it a project

[@ssdajoker]

This is going to be one hell of a foxbody Mustang, now to email Matt about the next video, just kidding.

[@Jimbo-SliceGJL]

Very nice!

[@hueroski]

I love free videos on youtube!

[@XxThatMOPARDudexX]

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG

[@TheMrkaninja]

Hey Matt, have you dyno'd the car yet? I ask only because of what I suspect as aluminum GT40 heads as it is a Ford crate motor. I ran those heads in 2002 with a B303 cam and a GT40 intake and I was well short of 300hp at the wheels on a freshly built 306 shrotblock. (260hp if I remember correctly) I later swapped out the heads and cam for a TFS Twisted Wedge set of heads and TFS stage one cam and picked up another 60ish hp at the wheels on a Mustang dyno. Porting the GT40 lower gained me more and I ended up around 330 hp. It was a completely different car. The GT40 heads and E303 cam are from a different era, and they were an improvement over the original parts, but there is so much better available now. I highly recommend you update those parts, especially if you are looking at forced induction in the future as the gains will be even larger. Good luck and I wish you the best on this project. I love seeing old Foxes taught new tricks. Also, great Explorer upper intake manifold.....just port the lower and you are set!

[@xanderrr521]

Fuck yeah, IRS and all those goodies

[@NoobySammy]

Wrap the yellow stuff in blue chrome! :p would be sick!

[@aloner217]

Matt needs to host Top Gear USA.... I would watch it if he did