[mustangmaniac95]

Decided yesterday that i want to buy a project car for me and my dad to work on together before i go to college..i found one about 2 1/2 hrs from me. The guy hasnt told me everything on the car yet, but its an 88 lx 5.0. He said it has a small cam, and some other stuff done to it, but said the car cranks but dies soon after. He says the body is in great shape, just needs a paint job (havnt seen pictures yet). All hes asking is $1100 obo. Should I try and talk him down in price? Also, once I find out whats all done to it, I'll let you guys know, but what are some good, low priced, mods I can do to an lx to make it relatively a fun car to drive? This would probably be a weekend driver for me and my dad. Also, does insurance tend to be high on foxbodies?

[GreenMustang00]

The price depends on the bodywork needed, mileage and motor condition.

When checking this out, look at the strut towers(they like to rust out)

Cheap mods are as follows

-headers
-exhaust
-intake
-throttle body
-gears

You could also get some heads and a cam to match them well. If you find a deal on a cobra or explorer upper and lower intake then go for it. They flow pretty good for stock components from Ford.

[mustangmaniac95]

heres the link to the ad: '88 ford mustang lx 5.0 hatchback $1100 o.b.o.

he already has an e303 cam and has 3:73 gears

[ryanw]

why dont you save your money, and you and your dad just work on your car ?

[GreenMustang00]

Originally Posted by ryanw why dont you save your money, and you and your dad just work on your car ?

Was kinda thinking same thing

[mustangmaniac95]

well we were, but we both really like the foxbodies and he used to have an 85 and wants another one, so suggested we get a project one for cheap and do it together that way we can both have fun with the car.. so hopefully we will be fixing one up, its still not set in stone yet though..im just looking right now

[Jobra98]

hahaha i read this also, i live here in ridgeland, ms

[mustangmaniac95]

ive emailed the guy and texted him but no answer i really want this lol, how far are you from mendenhall, where the car is?

[Jims88gt]

Don't do it!
You want to have a good base for a project, whether it's the body or the engine. From the ad it sounds like it'll need bodywork as well as engine work and it doesn't have a title..... (salvaged?) I would run from that thing unless you can get it for like 300 bucks.

[ryanw]

the main thing id look for is the body being in good shape with no rust,and no mayjor body damage. every thing else can be replaced. but with that being said fox bodys are every where, so dont go buying the first one that seems like a good deal. And dont buy any thing with a salvage title.

[cleangtvert]

add sounds like it was written by someone that knows shit about cars. it has rocker arms, lifters, and pushrods!!! you better grabb that up!

[mustangmaniac95]

lmao i was kinda thinking the same thing, but cant you upgrade all of those?
theres alot of fox's out there around here but people are too proud of these cars and want a lot of cash money for them

[cleangtvert]

if he spent the money on upgraded roller rockers i would think he would say that and know what kind. also a ''built'' t5, maybe rebuilt, but i doubt it has been upgraded. just really sounds like a 16 year old kid to me. i wouldnt rule it out without looking at it though. if this was a thread looking for a dailly driver i'd say stay away, but your looking for a project car and it deffinatly sounds like a project!! i wonder if the cars still speed density? it might not like that cam.

[ryanw]

Originally Posted by cleangtvert add sounds like it was written by someone that knows shit about cars. it has rocker arms, lifters, and pushrods!!! you better grabb that up!

Lmfao. I read that to. I was thinking WTF. If it didn't have those things I'd take a guess and figure that's the reason it doesn't run right.... Lol. I bet it doesn't even have 3.73 gears in it. I bet every thing that was done to the car was just some thing he was told when he bought the car.


But to the op. Make sure the stuff he said is done to it is true. Jack up the read end. Put a mark on the drive shaft. Turn the wheel one full turn. You should have seen the drive shaft turn 3 & 3/4 times. If this doesn't happen then you know you can't believe a f-ing thing that this guy says or prints on paper.

[mustangmaniac95]

well im probly just going to pass on that one since hes not answering email or phone, guess it might be a scam, idk..some people want a shit load of money for foxbodies lol..i dont want to get a project car too far from me because i would have to tow it home, and towing isnt cheap

[mcglsr2]

Don't know if it's a scam or not, but a bonded title is NOT as good as a normal title. They can be challenged for like up to 3 years (or whatever your local DMV has set for the time frame). Assuming it's not challenged, it could then be turned into a normal title. You might pay higher taxes on the bonded title as well. Depending on your plans for the car, this might be a possibility, just make sure you take a look at it and get a *really* good price. Personally, I would suggest looking for something else that isn't quite as sketchy.

And I totally relate on the prices people ask for the cars. When I was looking for my Mustang, I was thinking in the 2 to 3K range, and cars I were finding were in the 5 to 6K range (mostly stock-ish). I couldn't believe it. KBB and NADA (for what that's worth, which should be quite a bit as that's what the insurance companies will use should the car get totaled) said those same cars were worth like $2500.

[ryanw]

You can insure a car for what ever you want . If you pay 5 grand for a fox body mustang but the insurance says is only worth 2500. Then you tell them you want it insured for 5 grand. They will just charge you more per mounth. If you then turn around and dump 10 grand more into it with a new paint job and engine. And you want to recoup any losses should it ever get totaled, then you can insure it for more, if you willing to pay the extra cost

[brought_pain]

Originally Posted by mcglsr2 And I totally relate on the prices people ask for the cars. When I was looking for my Mustang, I was thinking in the 2 to 3K range, and cars I were finding were in the 5 to 6K range (mostly stock-ish). I couldn't believe it. KBB and NADA (for what that's worth, which should be quite a bit as that's what the insurance companies will use should the car get totaled) said those same cars were worth like $2500.

Same here. Some guy wanted 3000 for an old, gutted interior, visa and the frpp catalog in bed together under the hood, won't stay running, retired drag racer. Another guy wanted big bucks for one that only needed to be "put back together".

...the used car scene is a joke and the used mustang scene is a bad joke.

...one place wanted 16 large for a 2001 cobra(looked like a bunch of aftermarket crap with cobra badges).

The experience I got from looking is don't bend over.

My dads philosophy was it takes two cars to make one. I'm finding that true with my mustang parked...driving another car. Something to think about when taking on a project car.

[ryanw]

you have to think about the fact that fox body cost a lot only because people are willing to pay that price. Its called supply and demand. if no one wanted them, then you would see them all the time for a grand or two.

i personaly havent priced them in a long time (locally.) so i have no clue what they cost now

I bought mine back in 1998 for a little over 7000 dollars. it blue booked at the time for 8200 dollars. All that was done to it at the time was.flowmaster mufflers,k&n filter, jba headers, american racing wheels, nice tires and 3:27 rear end gears. it had 53000 miles on the engine.the paint and interior were perfect. every thing worked. the only flaw was a small tear in the drivers side door weather stripping.

[Durr4456]

Hey! I live in Mandeville! Anytime you need help, hit me up! It'd be a pleasure.