Words: Tommy Parry
With the intention of building a fun track toy that would still work well on the street, Marquis started scouring the local listings for an affordable Mustang. After grabbing this ‘93 Fox Body for peanuts, he started swapping in a select list of components to make the car road course-worthy.
Power had already been improved somewhat in the hands of the previous owner. A 5.0-liter engine mated to a 5-speed gearbox was more than sufficient for Marquis’ needs, and the prior owner had also added a ‘98 rear end to handle the added thrust. With the powertrain needs dealt with, Marquis could dedicate himself to the footwork to give it the incisiveness and agility to excel on the autocross.
For a little more rubber and options in regards to wheels, he immediately upgraded to a five-lug setup and added SN95 brakes. Housing those beefier brakes are a set of American Muscle 18X10” wheels shod in 285-section tires for a square stance, plenty of grip and a tendency to oversteer slightly. Of course, the wider tires up front required some massaging – namely spacers and rolled fenders, but rub is so insignificant it’s virtually eliminated with his handiwork. With the improved roadholding, he had no choice but to take it along the Tail of the Dragon a dozen times.
After removing the unsightly scooped hood and replacing it with a stock item in flat black, the car looked understated, if not slightly more menacing. A little rough around the edges in the right way. Comfortable with the appearance and familiar with the handling traits of the car, Marquis took the car to the autocross. It opened his eyes to the character of the car at the limit, and what changes he needed to make.
He welded in some subframe connectors and sketched out plans for a panhard bar and a homebrewed 3-link rear, which has proven to be the most challenging aspect of this build thus far.
There’s a bright future ahead of this focused track car, as well as an LQ4 and a T56 gearbox sitting in the garage, and Marquis’ ingenuity is likely to carry him and his car far. His aims at the moment include better brakes, improved front suspension geometry and possibly coilovers all around. However, that might take him awhile, since he’s tying the knot this November.
When the bouquet has been thrown and the rice cleaned from the floor, Marquis will be back wrenching in the garage. Plus, with plenty of autocross venues and the great selection of roads in his vicinity, the thrills of a lightweight, V8-powered track toy can always whet his appetite for speed and modification. To follow Marquis’ build, you can see the thread here.
