Parts Source

[TX_92_Notch]

I let my fox sit for too long and it’s reached the point that it needs some serious restoration type work. I’m going to start with the interior.

Where is everyone getting parts these days? I’m not the type that has to find one shop and stick with it, but I tend to overdo the price shopping and I figured I’d check here to see what you guys recommend.

I’m talking carpet replacement, random interior bits, door seals, etc.

[Rick Modena]

LMR near Waco is where my buddy bought most of his interior stuff for his '92 Fox.

[bird_dog0347]

LMR for new re-pops or Facebook marketplace for decent used stuff.

[Mach1]

After racing a fox for many years, I found a lot of stuff now is China junk, sometimes scrap yard stuff is the best. I went through several aftermarket TFI modules and had to get a used motorcraft one from the scrap yard so it would hold up to a 25-30 min race.

[JC316]

Depends on the year and type. If it's a 4 eye, or a notch, good fucking luck. Beyond that, LMR and Jeremy are my go to guys.

[TX_92_Notch]

It's for a '92 coupe.

My brother-in-law cleaned it up this past week. From 30 feet, it looks like a super nice car. Open the doors and the interior reeks of rat piss, the carpet is chewed to pieces and the seat cushions are hollowed out. All of the rubber on the car needs to be replaced, from weather stripping to exhaust hangers. It has a sizable dent in one of the rear fender openings. The list goes on.

I'm pondering what to do with the car. It's either throw some bandaids at it and drive as is or go all in and strip it down for a complete rotisserie style rebuild, upgrading everything along the way.

Does anyone have a rotisserie they want to sell?

[Rick Modena]

I'm pondering what to do with the car. It's either throw some bandaids at it and drive as is or go all in and strip it down for a complete rotisserie style rebuild, upgrading everything along the way?

It depends, if you go the full rebuild route, you will have spent what it will be worth. In that case if its a family heirloom, like it was given to you by your dad or it was your dads, etc. Then by all means restore it, but if not I would just fix what needs to be replaced and sell that mofo and maximize the profit.

You can buy a fox that doesn't need the headache of a full restomod, most guys that go that route get in way over their head and then car sits for years and never gets finished, seenT it many, many times over the years on all types of cars.

Unless you have deep pockets and plenty of time to do everything yourself, then good luck...

[Rick Modena]

I guess I can talk from experience too, my '89 GT Hatch sat for almost 7 years and I owned my own collision shop, lol.
I just never had time to do the free shit, I bought it and replaced all the mechanical stuff since I didn't have time to do all that, so I had a mechanic shop do it for me, water pump, all hoses, belt, plugs, wires, dist cap, new radiator and flushed with new anti-freeze (which was a blessing cause it stayed outside for many winters) and clutch assembly.

I figured that if I spent the money to get the mechanical side fixed it would light a fire under my ass to re-paint and replace the BC's and all the exterior lenses...WRONG!
I eventually pulled it into the shop and re-surfaced all the tops of the metal that had deteriorated and rusted and replaced the BC's cause they dry rotted beyond repair. It was a full month of working on it every day in my shop to get it finished. In the end it was done right and it was pretty straight to begin with after the re-paint, but I spent a lot of cash on the afore mentioned parts, and all of the door rubber, and rear hatch shocks. The interior just needed a good cleaning but nothing aside from the ashtray mod ( ) it was ready to sell then.

Again, good luck...

[TX_92_Notch]

I have pondered selling it and buying another. In the end , I want a super clean fox body.

I'm going to end up redoing someone else's car or spending $30k or more to buy one that's in the shape I'm looking for and the odds of finding a car someone else built that's even close to what I would build myself... well, not likely.

Fortunately, business is good and I've also got another project I've lost interest in to sell and fund this one. Time, on the other hand, is a bit harder to come by.

[Rick Modena]

I have pondered selling it and buying another. In the end , I want a super clean fox body.

I'm going to end up redoing someone else's car or spending $30k or more to buy one that's in the shape I'm looking for and the odds of finding a car someone else built that's even close to what I would build myself... well, not likely.

Fortunately, business is good and I've also got another project I've lost interest in to sell and fund this one. Time, on the other hand, is a bit harder to come by.

I feel ya, time is important and then what's your time worth?
Especially if you have kids and if no kids to take your time up then when free time does frees up, the last thing you want to do is drag out to the garage/shop and fuck with your project car in the Texas heat or frozen tundra after work.
Not trying is dissuade you one way or the other as I know this is your car and it has sentimental value, but I've been there done that.

When you start on it post up a thread on the Project Cars Forum...

[TX_92_Notch]

Not to get all philosophical, but the whole time debate leads down a long rabbit hole. Speaking financially, we’d never leave our desks if it was just about time that could be spent generating income. Time with kids, well, there’s the hope that my kids can get in the shop with me and turn a wrench. I know my oldest son would spend hours out there and maybe even a couple of my girls or my 5 YO son (yes, I have a lot of kids).

It all boils down to YOLO. A badass Fox body is high on my bucket list.

[BLAKE]

Time spent thinking/planning/working on stuff is at least half the fun. At least, it better be if you plan to embark on resto work. I have one that’s “finished” (they never are), one that’s about halfway done, and one waiting in the wings for its turn. If it wasn’t about the journey, I’d find a different destination.

[TX_92_Notch]

I've been planning this one since some time around 1990..... along with an Ultima GTR, then EVO, now RS...