Unmolested Fox-body Mustang GTs are getting scarce enough as it is, but when I saw the original wheels on this one, I was truly amazed. Especially this particular style of wheel.
We had a discussion about the origins of this Ford wheel style once or twice before here. It goes back to the latter 70s, and was found on both American Fords and European ones. Australia too? And I seem to remember Ford making a wheel cover of the same basic design, used on trucks and vans. This was an evergreen.
How’s that for bringing back memories of these everywhere, once upon a time? Ford sold a boatload of them, and rightfully so. As the car mags repeatedly said, one couldn’t buy more fun for the money. In the 80s, when the V8 was thought to be going the way of the Dodo bird, the Mustang was the biggest keeper of the flame.
Yes, we hashed out the Mustang GT – Camaro IROC battle the other day. Count me in, on the Mustang side of the ledger. It didn’t look as swoopy as the Camaro, but it it was just such a better package all-round. And a better screwed-together one; using better quality screws, at that.
I had a very brief internal debate before I bought my ’83 T-Bird Turbo Coupe. The Mustang was cheaper, and had that husky V8. But I was a sucker for the new aero-bird’s styling, and the idea of performance and efficiency that the turbo four promised was seductive. On the open road, the turbo four was just fine, but in town, with passengers on board and the A/C on, it was miserable. My thoughts went to a 5.0 HO engine swap quite a few times. If only Ford had offered that in a Super Coupe version.
No such luck. meanwhile, it’s nice to see someone still enjoying their bone-stock GT 5.0.
Good find in any guise, but amazing find because it’s stock. And a stick!
So very true. Mustangs, of all years, have a tendency to get butchered one way or the other once they pass to the second or third owner. I know when I went looking for a 68 Mustang in 1984. It was hard to find one that didn’t have some key pieces missing only to be replaced by the owner’s personal tastes. Of course the missing parts, like the commonly missing stock steering wheel, could be difficult to replace. Luckily I found an original coupe owned by a woman since day one with nothing missing. The 80’s Mustangs seem to be really bad as I haven’t found one that has been seriously tampered with.
Wonder if this is one of those cars that stayed in 1 family it’s whole “life”? You rarely see the trucks and vans that had the wheel cover “modeled” on those wheels. And even 4 cylinder Mustangs of this vintage rarely show up with a manual transmission…..so this is one very rare car.
Sorry about this generalization but car would seem to be owned/driven by a fairly careful, young woman driver.
I’m pretty sure that those particular wheels are NOT period GT wheels.
We had a lot of GT’s in the hood back in the 80’s and NONE of them had those wheels.
Those wheels were usually on the lower option non GT Mustangs if memory serves.
If anybody had had those wheels on his GT we would have ripped his heart out.
The 83 GT Turbo (essentially Mustang GT w/T-Bird Turbo Coupe powertrain) my dad had as a lease in the day had those rims.
At least they didn’t tie you to the odd TRX tire sizes like the up-level rims of the day.
…”Those wheels were usually on the lower option non GT Mustangs if memory serves”…
Funny is that in Europe these Ford Universal Rims were only used on high-end Fords from the late seventies onwards, more specifically the Ghia trim level. From Fiesta to Granada.
Put a set of those wheels on my 78 2.8 GL from a wrecked Ghia in 1982
had a set or similar on my 80 Cortina Ghia. leaked air like a sieve.
In Australia they were found on the Cortina Ghia.
Similarly styled rims were used on the Laser & Meteor Ghia (13″) and the LTD in TRX form, from memory
They are correct wheels as seen in this 1984 Mustang brochure. And, these are on a GT, seen in the bottom of the ad.
These same wheels can be found in the 1983 brochure, also.
http://oldcarbrochures.org/NA/Ford_-Mustang/1983-Ford-Mustang/1983-Ford-Mustang-Brochure/1983-Ford-Mustang-10-11
Looks like you had the choice of these or the TRXs. Someone either chose wisely back in the day or was able to find a set of the “right” standard-size alloys.
My first car, a 1979 Fairmont Futura, had the same wheels shown in this ad from the time. Thinking back, that was one of the things I liked most about it.
Looked good on the fox fairmont, not so good on the fox stang.
I had a ’79 Futura that looked almost exactly like that one from the brochure pictured, right down to the Midnight Blue color. Being my first new car, I could only afford the stock wheel covers (which were still pretty nice looking) but I always wanted THOSE wheels when I first saw them on a girlfriend’s ’78 Futura. Hers was silver, and with the black in the grille rectangles (the ’79 had the silver rectangles) and those rims, together that was a really nice look for that car.
I was wrong.
Those wheels were the stock GT wheels in 83′ if you didn’t step up for the TRX package.
Jason is correct. The wheels on the featured car are the 14″ wheels. The TRXs were 15.3″ (390 mm)(ask me how I know…) and a pain in the @ss to find non-Michelin replacements for. Luckily, Sears used to carry re-treads in the 390 mm size. I’m sure the 14″ tires are becoming a b!tch to locate now…
Ford called the TRX package wheels ” Forged Metric Aluminum Wheels “.
I loved the styling of the TRX wheels, which I think Ford cribbed from the Lancia Montecarlo. Too bad they weren’t 15 or 16 inches instead of part of a cynical attempt by Michelin to hold customers prisoner. They did it again with the PAX tire system a few years ago.
today, you can now get reproduction TRX wheels in a 16×7 size… I’ve always loved the TRX wheels, but never wanted to pay the prices for tires…. I promptly got a set and put them on my 1979 Mustang 5.0… great, period correct look and the wheels are beautiful!
Those were the last halfway decent looking model years, before the overwrought spoilers, dams and cheese-grater taillights. Lookswise, the Capris of that particular vintage were much nicer (in my opinion). Or the 82 GT (in black or burgundy, anyway).
After 84, the LX 5.0L most definitely became the way to go (notchback coupe the absolute best).
Paul,
That particular Mustang is a 1983. I just found out the year by running a preliminary Carfax report using the Oregon tag number.
Thanks. I’ll change the title.
Those are not the 83 Mustang GT wheels. A. Friend of mine had one. He had those stupid metric wheels that only had 1 brand and 1 style available. When he needed new tires to pass inspection he was told that there were none available in the US as all were going to production and that he couldn’t have worn them out already.. He ended up getting the axles re-drilled for 5 lugs and mounting centerline alum wheels. They looked great and withblower weight, the car rode better
The “stupid metric wheels” (Michelin TRX) were optional.
TRX may have been first ill-fated “special” wheels with Michelin tires. (I didn’t care for the 3 spoke wheel design either.) The “Pax” runflats on later Honda Odysseys were another example: so rare and expensive that owners replaced them with regular wheels and tires. Lots are available on Craigslist though…
TRX = Totally Regrettable Extravagance.
Not when he ordered his.
Look above, Ford literature shows them as optional and I know that back in the day not all GT’s had TRX wheels.
I bought a new 1983 GT with the exact wheels that this car has. Like others have said the TRX wheels were optional.
I love the 5.0L in my ’83 Ranger 4X4 pickup. It’s like having a pickup version of an early (66-77) Bronco with a nicer interior and better road manners.
While I’m not sure how definitive my reference book is, it shows a picture of a 82 Mustang GT with those wheels but says the TRX suspension package was standard on GTs in 1982…..OPTIONAL in 1983.
Anyone who redrills their Mustang’s hubs just so they can get tires other than the “oddball” Michelin tires the special metric wheels used….is foolish. Wheels from other Mustangs and if I remember correctly, the Datsun/Nissan Z cars used the same bolt pattern. I mean, I find it hard to believe the special TRX wheel required special hubs.
I don’t think the TRX wheels were ever standard equipment on the GT. They were always extra cost. I had a base ’82 GT and it most definitely did not have them. The best thing about the TRX wheels were they hid the 4-bolt pattern. You may be thinking of the earlier, Indy 500 pace car edition. It came with the TRX wheels standard, but they could be deleted for the standard wheels for credit. That may have been the case with the Fox-body Cobra, too.
In typical Ford (or maybe GM) fashion, it took them a while to get the GT right after its re-introduction in 1982. It wasn’t until 1985 they had all the goofy stuff worked out. The ’85 had a proper geared 5-speed, a ‘mostly’ dual exhaust (routed through a single catalytic converter), lug covers on the standard wheels to hide the 4-bolt pattern, well-bolstered standard seats similar to the earlier, extra-cost Recaros, and a horn button in the center of the steering wheel. It also got a proper 4-bbl, but was the final year for a carbureted engine.
The Mustang TRX wheels did not hide the 4 lug pattern, the center caps had holes in them that the lug nuts stuck part way through and it was possible to R&R the wheel w/o taking off the center cap.
It even has T-Tops! I wonder if it’s a T5 car or an SROD car. Didn’t the first ’83s have that 3-speed with an overdrive that the ’82 models had?
Yeah, that early GT 4-speed transmission was widely panned. It was effectively a 5-speed with third gear missing.
Then, I think when Ford did put a 5-speed in the cars, they bizarrely had fifth in a location where you had to get to it by shifting ‘down’ from fourth. It might not have been until ’85 when they finally got the T5 in there.
My ’83 GLX 5.0L notch I owned years ago had a T5… the bizarre 5 speed as you mentioned I had in my ’82 Capri RS turbo.
My 1980 Capri RS Turbo had the 4 speed, there was no five speed option available that year. I don’t think the five speed was released until 1983.
Nice find! If this was a ragtop, itd be a clone of the car that the preppie D-bag was rolling in The Goonies. That tomato red color was popular on Fords in the 80s. Its a really nice color that even made my sister’s plain jane ’87 Ranger supercab pop. Ive always liked the pre-aero ‘4 eye’ Fox mustangs better. I have a theory that most every car looks its best the first time around. Subsequent attempts to facelift the design always come off wonky and contrived.
I think there are exceptions… Even among the three 4 eye Mustang front ends I think the 85-86 was an improvement over the original 79 design, Other cars I’d say that about would be the 77 vs. 70 Firebirds, the 71 vs. 70 Barracuda, 69 Chevelle vs. 68, and many others.
Having said that I think the 83-84 nose was the least attractive the Fox Mustang had from 79-93
I would also add the 1991 Mercury Cougar to that list. I never felt the square grill floating into the hood on the 89-90 looked quite right. The 96-97 facelift on the other hand….
Totally agree, but I didn’t want to seem too biased, owning a 94 and all(which essentially carried over the 91 nose). The 96 definitely supports Mopar’s theory lol, it’s like an upside down Kaiser Darrin nose
That is called “Bright Red” and on my ’80 it looked orange under street lights.
Cortina wheels, fitted to some of the upscale models, thanks to the bolt pattern a set would also fit UK Escorts and Hillmans if desired.
The mid ’80s Mustang GT was the car that restored my respect for Fords.
Earlier experience with one brother’s mostly non-running ’66 Galaxie to my other brother ‘s ’69 Cougar that turned into a lump of iron dust within 6 years to my own ’71 Galaxie with detach-o-matic rear bumper are how that respect was lost.
Even when a friend’s parents bought a brand-new ’79 Mustang 4-cylinder, it was a buzzy, cheap feeling tin box on wheels.
Fast-forward to 1985 when a co-worker bought a new Mustang GT 5.0 stick. No more rattly tin box! It gave every indication of being properly screwed together and with higher quality interior materials than I remembered from 1979. Need I mention that it was fast? 😉
Just a couple years later, a friend bought a used ’85 GT with the same 5.0 and stick. It was still in great shape and held up to the abuse it received with no complaints. Unfortunately, it got wrapped around a tree, but my buddy walked away without a scratch.
Really nice to see an original non modded Mustang. Around here Fox bodies were starting to go up in value when I bought my ’96 four years ago. While there are a lot of improvements that followed with the ’94 SN95; five lugs wheels, four wheel discs, improved body structure and in my opinion the 4.6 motor. (first year 1996). I’ve always liked the last of he Fox bodied GTs with the spoilers and blunt front end. This ’83 would be the one to buy. The “four eyes” models are much valued on the forums.
I always thought those were hubcaps for some reason. Maybe I’m confusing them with the “opossum snout” hubcaps also found on early Foxes.
My 87′ F150 came with these hubcaps.
http://hubcapsonwheels.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_257_561_634&products_id=2361
That’s exactly what I was thinking of! That’s one of my biggest automotive styling pet peeves: when a manufacturer makes alloy wheels that look indistinguishable from hubcaps found elsewhere in their lineup – or worse, on the same model. Perhaps the worst offender is the 1996-1997 Honda Accord EX, with alloy wheels that would look like hubcaps even if the LX didn’t happen to have hubcaps that looked exactly the same. Other offenders are the 1993-ish Toyota Corolla and the current VW Beetle.
You are so right about the 96-97 Hondas. It seemed like they were trying to reverse the practice from hubcaps that looked like alloy wheels to alloy wheels that resembled hubcaps. I thought no one else noticed!
Never liked the caps OR the wheel with that styling at the time and it looks worse today.
Those caps on that 87′ lasted about a month then i put on some nice wheels.
Never liked the ’96 -’97 Accord EX alloy wheels. They looked just like the LX hubcaps! Horrible!
Similar 8-lugs were also available on F-250s.
Ironically I always thought THOSE were real alloys!
That style of hubcap was on Dad’s 79 Fairmont. Always thought that they were nice-looking for not being actual alloys.
The 84 Mustang GT convertible I have tucked away came with the TRX wheels and suspension option. There is little tread left on those tires so a few years back I found a set of four alloys like those in this feature. They will be correct for my Mustang I only wish I could replace the center caps on a couple of them. All four need a polishing but that’s down the to-do list for the convertible. I always liked the look of the alloys over the TRX wheels even on the lesser Fox Mustangs.
The T-top models were always a huge hit for me. Open air motoring with the convertible style doors but with the tighter body of the coupe. Not sure how many were produced but they seemed fairly exclusive even then.
No center vents in that Fairmont dash. No A/C.
My mom bought a 1988 Ford Club Wagon brand new and it had those wheels, er hubcaps rather. On the Mustang were those actually wheels or hubcaps too?
On the Mustang they were wheels.
I wanted to say that I was mostly impressed to see an early Fox still being daily driven. Great find.
One of the best things about these Mustangs was that if you had to move a chair or a washing machine, it would fit in the back with the hatch open. These were the most practicle Mustangs ever.
Goonies-tastic!
Ah the good old run flat tires. Aunt Cathy and Uncle Gene had these on their 66 Rambler
wagon that they bought new. Goodyear started this nonsense in 57 with mopar 3 seat
wagons. After the original babies wore out and you got the price on the new ones
you put on regular tires and put a spare on the roof rack!
Nice to see an unmolested original GT! I guess it’s been a while since I’ve been in one though–Holy Cow that’s a stark dashboard. No ornamentation whatsoever, just black plastic with black plastic insets and a lot of blank space.
The featured car’s cast aluminum wheels didn’t seem that popular back then, although Mustang GT’s were in their infancy back then.
Happy to see an original GT,
but its my least favorite looker of all the fox-bodies.
Ugliest rear lights, uglIest grille, ugly van-styled wheels, ugly faded red.
I like the all the stylings before and after from beginning to end.
But at least its a hatchback.
Having driven both body styles (and the convertible; floppy mess) hard I really do think the “sedan” is the tighter structure.
I put sedan in quotes because to me it is a coupe, though Ford called it a sedan and I guess in some way technically it is.
But the hatchback completes the awesome-angularity of the shape for me.
Plus it can carry tall things with the hatch open and the rear seats fold down.
So you can carry all your tools/Legos/girlfriends/bags of mulch/Beanie Babies or whatever you’re into.
So I will take it if its bought for me.
–
Don’t everyone volunteer at once now.
I’m the original owner of a ’83 GT with T-tops, which I put in local car shows. When I ordered the car in 1983, I opted not to upgrade to the TRX wheels. My car came with the wheels as pictured.
A couple of my 4 lug hub caps have broken, so I’m looking for some more of them…
For what’s it worth, they do make reproduction versions of the TRX wheels in 16″ now that will allow for normal size tires.
I had the TRX wheels on my 79 Pace Car and those plastic finned wheel covers, that someone pictured above, on my 85 LX 5.0 (sadly they were the standard option). When I purchased my 84 GT, it had 16″ Ponys on it, but the build sheet indicated it did have the TRX option. I ended up replacing the pony with 17″ cobra wheels. If those remanufactured TRX were available at the time, I would’ve gotten them. Always thought that was a sharp wheel.
I know everyone gravitates towards the 85-86 GT styling when discussing four eye cars, but having owned every styling variation, I really prefer the 84. The 85-86 cars are a little “cleaner” looking, but also plain looking to my eye with the muted gray decals, solid rubber molding, and boring 10 hole wheels. I like the racier look of the black painted hood and grill along with the striping that went with it on the 84. Plus as a late 84, I had the Marchal fog light air dam and rounded rear spoiler that became standard fare on all 85-86’s. I liked the earlier GT decals better too. But I will say, the 79 pace car/80-81 Cobra/82 GT front end is definitely the most aggressive.