FOX YEAR I.D. HELP PLEASE

[ROBERT COWAN]

WHAT years did fox bodys come with carbs. I,am planning out a sbf fox build and would prefer a non FI car. I already have a 1997 explorer 5.0 in build converting over to carb also along with built c4 trans . lastly what 8.8 rear do I need to search for
thanks
bob

 

[Kelly J Barr]

79-85 V8 are carb'd.
Someone else probably knows more than me on rear ends,
but 86-93 8.8 rears will work. Spec out the gear ratio of whatever
rear you may plan to purchase.
stock gearing is 2.73 unless ordered the car from the factory with the rear gear option, that would make it 3.08

 

[ROBERT COWAN]

I assume all those years are 4 lug and, drum brakes right. seeings I want to run a c4 most likely 3.08 or next ratio up. I want a posi, are they ratio specific.

 

[broncojunkie]

I assume all those years are 4 lug and, drum brakes right. seeings I want to run a c4 most likely 3.08 or next ratio up. I want a posi, are they ratio specific.

All 79-93 fox bodies are 4-lug except for the svo and 93 cobra R. I would suggest finding an 8.8 from an 86-93 v8 fox, if you're in the market for one. If you're making decent power and plan on beating on it, consider some aftermarket forged axles. Factory is 28 spline. Or you can even upgrade to 31 spline axles and get an aftermarket center section (or just steal one from an explorer...just make sure it's not an open diff).

If you're looking to do a 5-lug swap for better wheel and brake selection, you can simply buy aftermarket 5-lug axles for the fox rear. You can also swap over a rear end from a 94-98 gt. They are 5-lug and rear disc setup, but you'll need to buy or make some e-brake cables to work. The rear end from these cars are wider than the fox by around 1.5". It often creates issues with wheel/tire fitment. Your wheel backspacing is what determines whether or not it will work. The 99-04 mustangs have even wider rear ends, so not a good candidates for swapping those over.
Ford's 8.8 "Trac Lock" (their version of posi) is a good unit and will take some abuse in stock form. They are a little tough to properly set up and it's highly advisable to have someone who is familiar with them do the work. It's doable if you have the tools, time, and don't mind reading up on them. Gear changes and rebuilds require skill. If you're just needing to replace the clutch packs, that's easy enough for the average backyard mechanic.

Hope this helps!

 

[broncojunkie]

Oh... one more thing I forgot. The smaller, weaker 7.5 rear end found in all 79-85 fox mustangs and 87-93 4 cyl foxes are also 28 spline and use the same axles as the 8.8. So if you go to scrap one of them, yank out the axles in case you need them later down the road.

 

[ROBERT COWAN]

THANKS so much for all the tips everybody