Like just about all performance cars from the Eighties, the third-gen Ford Mustang – AKA Fox Body – is currently having fun with a repopularization of sorts. Not that it ever went out of fashion for enthusiasts, but like other icons from the rad era – automotive or otherwise – Fox Bodys are only becoming increasingly more wanted.
Back in 2013, Mike Garrett and Larry Chen took a take a look at arguably one in every of the best 5.0s around. In that story – which we’re revisiting today for Throwback Thursday – Mike spoke about how the Fox Body sat in an odd position – too old to be considered modern but not sufficiently old to be considered a classic like a ’69 Mustang. But 10 years on, the Fox Body has found its place, which hopefully means we see more restomods like this one.
For now though, let’s wind the clock back a decade…
2013 Feature
Within the eyes of somebody who grew up in america, it’s hard to think about Eighties automobile more iconic than the Fox Body Ford Mustang. It might not have been the fastest, most advanced or sexiest automobile of the last decade, but I don’t think there are various automobile people within the States that don’t no less than have one story that involves a 5.0 Mustang…
It doesn’t matter whether you’re keen on or detest the Fox Body, there’s just no denying the importance of this automobile. The 5.0 brought the Mustang back to relevance after greater than a decade at midnight, and for the primary time fuel-injected V8s were being hot rodded and tweaked like their carbureted predecessors from the ’60s. A wholly recent aftermarket industry quickly sprung up across the automobile.
Soon, modified 5.0s began appearing and winning at drag strips and stop-light contests across the nation, and it’s been that way ever since. In the event you preferred corners over quarter-mile ETs, the Fox may be made to handle thoroughly with the fitting combination of parts. Higher yet, the 5.0 was inexpensive when recent and got even cheaper because the years the went on. The identical goes for the hundreds of aftermarket parts available for them.
But for all of its bonafide credentials as an enthusiast automobile, the Fox Body Mustang currently exists in a rather strange place. Last inbuilt ’93 it’s not recent enough to be considered ‘modern’ yet it’s not sufficiently old to generate the identical nostalgic appeal as, say, a ’69 Mustang fastback. Take a walk across the SEMA Show and also you’ll see countless brand recent Mustangs and countless Nineteen Sixties Mustangs, but Fox Bodies are nowhere to be found.
That’s why I used to be blown away eventually yr’s SEMA Show after I saw the ‘Top Notch’ Mustang from SoCal’s Creations ‘n Chrome. Not only was it cool simply to see a Fox Body Stang on the show floor, but this one was at a wholly recent level – a construct truly worthy of being a SEMA show-stopper.
Bringing back a few of that relevance and sex appeal was a giant goal when Creations ‘n Chrome got down to construct Top Notch. Beneath the skin the automobile doesn’t share a complete lot with the ’86 Mustang it’s based on, but they wanted it to be immediately recognizable as a Fox. Greater than that, they wanted to construct one just like the world had never seen. This automobile was to interrupt what they saw because the ‘cookie cutter’ mold of one-dimensional drag cars, road racers and heavy street cruisers. Top Notch would do all of it, and do all of it in style.
After all this could be removed from the primary Mustang construct Creations ‘n Chrome had done. Let’s not forget this is identical team behind the Boy Racer Mustang that Sean featured last yr. So with loads of Mustang experience and 4 and a half months to go before SEMA, they set to work on Top Notch.
Seeing as its architecture that dates back 1979, the chassis would wish a variety of work and custom fabrication to get the automobile as much as the ass-kicking level that C&C wanted. For starters, every part on the chassis was seam-welded and reinforced throughout. The unique floors were removed and replaced with full length frame rails and recent aluminum floors. When all of the work was done the wheelbase was prolonged by 1.5-inch and the track widened by 3-inch.
With the thought to make the Mustang handle in addition to any modern performance machine, the automobile was equipped with an SLE double-wishbone, inboard cantilever front suspension from JME Enterprises. Within the rear, the C&C team constructed a custom three-link setup that uses adjustable Hotchkis control arms from an S197 Mustang.
With the chassis and suspension as much as spec, it was time to tackle the powerplant. While an original pushrod 5.0 small block could have easily been built to make some wild horsepower numbers, C&C decided to go along with a rather more modern approach on this department.
While it has the identical displacement because the proven Ford 5.0L small block, the Ford Racing Aluminator DOHC 32-valve crate motor is a pure exercise in modern V8 muscle. With its lighter weight and placement far back into the chassis, this engine selection also keeps Top Notch as athletically balanced as possible.
On this view you’ll be able to really see just how far back the engine sits. In reality, six of the eight cylinders sit behind where the firewall originally was. Additions to the crate motor include a Canton Racing Accusump, K&N air and oil filters and a full Borla exhaust with long tube headers, x-pipe, and XR-1 mufflers.
While 4 or five hundred horses of naturally aspirated DOHC V8 power would have been plenty for top people, the motor swap was just the start. Dominating the engine bay is an unlimited Vortech JT-Trim centrifugal blower with a V-mount type air-to-air intercooler. After all the engine comes fully prepped for boost, with 9.5:1 Mahle forged pistons and Manley H-beam rods with ARP bolts.
There’s also a Nitrous Express N-tercooler system – just to maintain things cool you recognize.
To handle the facility, the thumping powerplant is mated to a G Force GF-5R 5-speed transmission and RPS Performance BC3 Clutch with triple-plate carbon disc.
Trimming fat was one other crucial goal of the construct, with a goal weight of two,500lbs for the finished automobile. Plenty of carbon fiber has been used to get there, with composite doors, front end, hood and deck lid sourced from Motor City Solutions.
The aggressive Maier Racing flared fenders within the front and rear are also made out of carbon fiber. With all of that carbon, the entire weight of all of the automobile’s body panels is just 98.7lbs combined.
Having a mean but functional stance was one other one in every of the goals for the project. When seeking to fill those widened fenders, C&C contacted the parents at HRE who built a custom set of C100 wheels: 18×11-inch for the front and 18×13-inch for the rear.
For street driving, grip comes from a set of Falken Azenis RT615-Ks, 265/35R18 front and 315/30R18 rear.
Behind the spokes of the HREs, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the Wilwood Superlite brakes (6-pot front, 4-pot rear). The pedal setup and distant master cylinders also come from Wilwood.
What sort of automobile is that this again? There actually isn’t much Mustang left inside. As a substitute, we now have a very a stripped down, race-ready cockpit. Like the remaining of the chassis work, the roll cage was fabricated in-house at Creations ‘n Chrome.
Sparco buckets are there to maintain the motive force and lucky passenger firmly planted when it comes time to unleash the automobile.
When strapped in, the motive force shall be greeted by this advanced AiM MXL dash unit. The Evo 4 data logger also comes from AiM.
It could even be inconceivable not to say the automobile’s wild paint job. The Spectra Chrome spray on chrome paint and Ballistic Blue Candy topcoat were applied just two days before SEMA began.
While the automobile looks complete in its current state, C&C actually has a number of work to do before Top Notch is totally ready for motion. A flat bottom underbody is within the works, together with a rear diffuser and a Racelogic traction control system. Once that is completed, the automobile shall be registered for street use.
Besides getting used for fun on the road, the plan is to take Top Notch to as many track events as possible. Every little thing from autocross and track days to pull strips and standing mile meets. This all goes back to the thought of ‘breaking the mold’ and pushing the Fox Body Mustang to recent levels.
There’s all the time something to be said for getting an incredibly popular platform and taking it to recent, groundbreaking levels. With Top Notch, it seems Creation’s ‘n Chrome has taken the long-lasting Fox Body and done just that. As someone who has owned a pair Fox Mustangs myself, I’m quite excited to see this thing in motion.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
Photography by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
