While the subject is fresh;
I'm gonna do my annual promotion of the Fox body as car for younger drivers.
Environment: Household with 4 boys separated in years, 1.5, 1.5, 6.
Started out with mid 70's Delta 88 Olds as 'their car'. After tiring of working on various little things .. though basically reliable.. and MAINLY LOOKING at it; gave kids my Mustang 2.3 work beater. They received it with mixed feelings... they couldnt haul as many friends around but it was a lot easier on gas, not to mention better looking.
My wife had concerns until I went to the Library and copied a report showing that the 81 Mustang scored in top 5 as to crashworthiness.
This started a trend as I over the years bought 6 Fox 2.3's as Kids' cars with me usually using them for commute before I turned them over.
And all six ended up totalled. The two most spectacular:
- 81 HB pushed down a freeway sideways at 60 mph when a trucker changed lanes without noticing it pacing his right front; when trucker hit brakes, car hit concrete median barrier head on. Driver not hurt.
- Car was driven in lieu of an 86 Civic which probably would not have ended so happily as those have lower profile smaller wheels and IRS.
- 85 HB flipped end over end in country field after driver went off pavement on right side then overcorrected as the pavement had a two inch lip. Top or car flattened considerably.. driver and passenger crawled out through windshield and walked home.
Third most spectacular - son visiting GF and 81 HB parked in front of house; neighbor drives home smashed from party and rams her new Nissan
300 into Mustang head on. Both cars totalled.. but I grafted on new frame extension and A-member onto the 81, straightened out sheet metal and car was back on road.. drove fine.The rest were typical 'failure to pay attention' rear-endings or sideswiping poles, etc which I didnt bother to fix. But all-in-all I never regretted decision to put them in that car platform... they all learned to drive sticks well and all learned to drive in snow and wet conditions with a RWD. And despite all the metal bending and failure to wear belts, no serious injuries.
Note that I never put them in a GT... besides the initial and running cost difference, they are like me, and the temptation would be too great. And of course, never let them drive my SVO.. other than ONE time for Prom
I assume the SN95 would have the same basic safety characteristics.