The second-generation 1974-1978 Mustang II, while qualifying as a sales success by Ford's standards in the mid-1970s, still didn't sit right with a lot of Mustang purists who wanted the Mustang back where it was in the beginning. Even with V-8 models in sporty trim packages such as Mach 1 and Cobra II, and a little help from television programs like Charlie's Angels, many in the Mustang realm never fully embraced the generation that arguably kept the Mustang name alive. By the 1979 model year, the Mustang faithful were ready for a change. At the time of its introduction, the third-generation Fox Body Mustang was a radical departure from what the Mustang was in 1965-1978. Designed and built with sharp angular body lines and a futuristic appearance, traditional Mustang enthusiasts liked what Ford had to offer in the new Mustang--and the all-new platform surely delivered. During the 15 years the Fox Mustang was produced, it was offered in many trim levels, models, and performance variants to where there was a Fox Mustang for nearly every buyer. In the late 1980s into the early 1990s, the affordable 5.0L LX models were absolute performance bargains right off the showroom floor.

They sparked a new-found interest in modifying and racing late-model performance cars. Aftermarket performance companies committed to late-model performance cars appeared overnight making cylinder heads, intake manifolds, and electronic engine control parts for the small-block Ford, which was previously unheard of. Time marches on, of course, and the oldest Fox Mustangs are now amazingly 40 years old, with many of them appreciating in value. Most of them are in need of at least some kind of restoration work. In Fox Mustang Restoration: 1979-1993 , Ford historian and technical writer Jim Smart covers all of the techniques of restoration in areas such as body and paint, interior, climate control, brakes and suspension, subframe connectors, engine, driveline, electrical, and more. Smart sprinkles in plenty of performance information as well. This book is a valuable resource for any Fox Body Mustang enthusiast considering a full-scale restoration.