We're no strangers to building race cars from scratch. Multiple times we've started with a bone stock street car, then written about every single step of the process to prepare it for the track. And while that makes for good editorial, it's a little bit hypocritical of us: We often write that the best way to get into racing is …
I got to the ABA swap and thought well that's a weird engine swap for a Fox body then said ohhhhh ... that kind of Fox.
And I also was thinking "another Mustang build up". Thank you for making me wrong!
And glad to see it has the "good" ignition coil/transistor.
Love it!!! Tom has been a race teammate a few times and is a great guy. The car was pretty damn fast and well cared for by him. It did make him want to pull his hair out though...
Came for fox-body content.
Leaving optimistically disappointed?
I knew I wasn't the only one expecting Mustang. Ha!
I give it 36 months before it sees a rallysprint
Wheel/Tires, coil-overs, 2.0 motor > $500.
The car in its' racing prime....
pinchvalve said:Wheel/Tires, coil-overs, 2.0 motor > $500.
Agreed that's a great value.
Rules-wise, one of the best things Lemons has done in recent years (unofficially) is lighten up a little and allow cars that aren't steaming piles. BS judging has done a pretty dang good job of classing competitively. Show up as a dark horse with a nice car and you're going in A. Your racing results (consistent pattern of failure) will get you reclassed appropriately. Lemony cars that have a pedigree of winning move up and/or get laps.
It's a system that seems to work well, even if it infuriates rulebookineers. There's other low buck series more tailored to that style though.
Congrats on the purchase! I look forward to racing with you guys some time.
If ever two words were meant to be together, it would be “Fox” and “project.”
I jest- this will be a cool project to follow!
Score!
We took over for Tom in the Lemons Fox camp last year with a sportwagen. They're delightfully awful cars. Let us know if you're gonna coax it up to the northeast.
I am so chuffed this is not another poontang build.
The 1987 Fox that I bought new and autocrossed made a great street car. A somewhat less than mediocre Autocross car. No idea what sort of road racer. If you want a car with a really low 1st gear and really high 2nd gear well then this is the car for you. I look forward to future episodes.
Mike T
Javelin said:Came for fox-body content.
Leaving optimistically disappointed?
I figured it was fox-body but clicked anyhow on the off chance it was a Fox
So I'm leaving highly pleased :)
A lot of the suspension is Audi/Dasher compatible, as is the drivetrain. It is possible to put a 1.8/2.0 16V motor in it if you use Audi 90 2.0 liter intake and exhaust manifolds. One issue is the distributor sticking out into the battery tray.
Unfortunately, most of these Brazilian beauties have rusted back into the earth here in the Northeast...
I had one that was gifted to me, needing only a passenger side half shaft. Used that car to Marshal the Maine Forest Rally back in '02. John Buffum gave everyone $20.00 for gas ;)
Car had an issue with aquaplaning... Great in the snow, though.
Mike T said:The 1987 Fox that I bought new and autocrossed made a great street car. A somewhat less than mediocre Autocross car. No idea what sort of road racer. If you want a car with a really low 1st gear and really high 2nd gear well then this is the car for you. I look forward to future episodes.
Mike T
That's funny! I had a 1993 Fox that I bought new on April Fools' Day 1995. The car was a good value, not really memorable, but I will never forget that huge gap from first to second gear.
Like previous posters had mentioned: the Fox carries over alot of drivetrain parts from the '80 - '87 Audi 4000. The trans, subframe and front suspension/struts should be swapable.
The hot ticket is to get some '89-'91 audi 80/90 10v 2 piece front struts, you can modify them for xtra camber at the knuckle and also use G60 Corrado 11" rotors calipers and carriers (big brakes!), the downside is you have to drill the hubs for 4x100 bolt pattern. You can also run mkII 16v GTI rear discs and get rid of the crappy drums!
In reply to nutherjrfan :
i dig the purple interior
You are brave. Should have been called the Volkswagen "fix". This is the car that made me love Hondas. Although the previous owner's success with it is a good sign. If GRM needed any more proof that they support the underdog this is it.
I'm on the other side of the continent but I did dig a close ratio Audi 4000s 5 speed out of my storage building today to put on craigslist.......
I don't know why, but I have always liked the VW Fox. Probably because growing up I was a kid in the back seat of an Audi Fox. I will have a soft spot for these cars. But i can never find one. I will need to look at the links above for the abandoned projects.
+1 for following this build.
nutherjrfan said:
Way too close to me. Good thing I am broke.
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