Tidy Driver: 1993 Ford Mustang GT
By the time the final example rolled off the production line in 1993, the Fox-Body Mustang had cemented its place in American automotive folklore. It had outlived its projected life by more than six years, and even in its final days, it was selling in respectable numbers. Our feature car is a 1993 Mustang GT that presents well for its age. It is in mechanically good health and has a genuine 75,000 miles on the clock. It needs a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The Mustang is located in Melbourne, Florida, and solid bidding has pushed the price beyond the reserve to $11,000. There is still time left in the auction if you would like to stake your claim on this classic.
This GT makes a positive first impression in its original Code UA Black. The paint holds a healthy shine, with no significant defects. The exception is the rear spoiler, where the paint has begun to fade. The buyer will undoubtedly choose to treat this to a refresh, but the rest of the car could remain untouched. Black paint is terrific for exposing any flaws or issues with the steel beneath, but these panels look remarkably straight. Rust is not an issue for potential buyers to concern themselves with because the car remains clean and rust-free. The plastic GT body additions are in good order, with no signs of cracks or physical damage. The alloy wheels haven’t developed any marks or stains, while the glass looks crisp and clean. The overall impression is that this car should present in a close to perfect state with the rear spoiler painted.
After the automotive misery that had been a hallmark of the 1970s and 1980s, cars like this Mustang GT demonstrated that manufacturers had come to grips with new technologies that allowed their cars to unleash respectable power while still producing low emissions. Our feature car comes equipped with a fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8 engine that should be punching out 205hp. Those ponies find their way to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission, while the Mustang also features power steering and power disc brakes. If the owner pointed this classic at a ¼ mile, it would cover the journey in 15.4 seconds. To place that in perspective, when the Fox-Body first hit the market, the best that a buyer could hope to find under the hood of a 1979 Mustang Cobra was a 302ci V8 that produced 140hp. That version would take 16.5 seconds to cover that same journey. Mechanically, this classic remains largely original. The owner has changed the cold air intake but has left the rest unchanged. He claims that it has 75,000 original miles on the clock, but he doesn’t indicate whether he has verifying evidence. For potential buyers, the news is excellent. The car is a turnkey proposition that runs and drives exceptionally well.
The interior of this GT continues a trend of presenting well. It isn’t perfect, but it is acceptable for a vehicle of this age. The seats are upholstered in grey leather, and this has a few flaws that the buyer may want to consider. The leather has developed the types of wrinkles and creases that are a part of the character of leather trim. There are also some surface cracks, and these may require the attention of a leather specialist to ensure that they don’t deteriorate into full-blown splits. The dash is in good order, as are the remaining upholstered surfaces. The door pockets have developed the usual sagging that is so common in Mustangs of this era, but some careful work with elastic should pull these back into shape. The carpet is in good order, and there’s no sign of deterioration in any of the plastic trim. The original radio has made way for a CD player, and speakers have been cut into the door trims. Otherwise, there have been no significant changes. Buyers can expect a car equipped with ice-cold air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, power lumbar support, and cruise control.
On a dollar-for-dollar basis, the last of the Fox-Body Mustangs are one of the strongest performers in today’s classic market. While some examples remain largely ignored, the value of vehicles like the 1993 Mustang GT have climbed by more than 70% in the past five years. This GT is a tidy classic that seems to need very little. It presents well, and if the mileage claim is correct, it should have many years of faithful service to offer its next owner. I would expect the bidding to climb beyond $20,000, but it could represent a pretty good buy if it doesn’t. If a Fox-Body is on your wish list, it might be worth watching this auction carefully.
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Comments
This Mustang is in “driver” condition but has had decent care and overall looks good. It could hit the sweet spot for someone who wants to have a 5.0 Fox Body Mustang, but not a trailer queen or one which has been thrashed. Will be interesting to see where the price on this one lands.
As Adam points out, the longevity of the Fox platform certainly is noteworthy.
Bought one in 1987, first new car I had ever owned, and it was so much fun. I will never forget my father saying, how much did you pay for this? I down shifted, and nailed it, his eyes got big when I hit about 100 mph plus. I laughed and so did he, but this was more than he paid for our house. The same thing happened when I tried to impress my future ex-wife, T-tops down doing 100 +. She was scared silly, and I loved it. Those were good times,and I will never forget them. Connie, you were a good woman, soft part in my life that I will never forget.
I love these Fox body cars as I currently have 3. (’84 SVO, ’87 5.0 LX and a ’81 Durango) Everything on this car looks as it should except the K&N style breather. If close by and the price was right, I would add it to the stable.
81 Durango….. wow….. been awhile since I heard of one!! Cool keeper!!