The Ford Fairmont…so much of 1980’s Ford owes it’s existence to this sedan, the first Fox platform car. While the Fairmont and it’s Mercury Zephyr sibling was intended to replace the Ford Maverick/Mercury Comet, in reality the Fairmont was taking over a few roles, including the overstuffed and severely overweight LTD II. It was light, it was simple, and had a good entry price. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to keep the attention of the American public and soon Fairmonts were being tossed for front-wheel-drive Tauruses. Such is progress, I guess, but I’ve always liked the Fairmont. It wasn’t anything more than what it was meant to be, and a light Fox platform car that is in good condition is always a good score. So when I located this 1981 Fairmont sedan near Louisville, Kentucky, I knew it was worth a good, long look.
I know the color scheme isn’t for everyone, but why change things up when it’s that nice? This car is a one-owner deal with just about 58,000 miles on the clock. The interior is taxicab-sparse, there’s no real blemishes on the body, and when the listing says “garage kept”, I don’t doubt it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the stock air was still in the tires.
Underhood is…well, a mystery to me. I can’t tell through that mess of hoses and wires if it’s a four-cylinder or a six. Honestly, I’d be hoping for a 2.3L four cylinder. Yes, really…the 2.3 takes kindly to turbocharging and one nasty little hairdryer mill underneath that silver hood wouldn’t be a sleeper giveaway if you could keep the turbo quiet. See where I’m going with this? Sure, a nasty Ford V8 would do the trick and I’m sure the anti-LS crowd will chime in at some point, but why V8 the car when you could clean up the stock block, hide some solid tubing and claim original motor?
The seller has the car listed for a thousand dollars, or he will take a zero-turn mower in trade. I’m willing to bet cash talks and you could get the car cheaper than that. A set of Mustang LX 10-hole wheels on some drag radials, one nasty turbocharged four underneath the hood and the quietest exhaust note this side of a Lexus…nobody would know what hit ’em.
Craigslist Listing: 1981 Ford Fairmont
man that is clean! I’d be all over it if if were closer. Probably a 200 six. You could turbo it up and put LSR gears in it, then let the torque do the work.
I think he’s looking for a lot more than a grand though – Running ZTR’s can’t be had for that here.
Looks like a six, no spot for the cam pulley on the front of the motor.
Doesn’t mean you can’t follow the same formula of “original motor” plus a hair drier, but it’s a lot more fabrication.
I had one almost exactly like this. Inherited it from my grandmother who purchased it new through my dad’s sweet deal as a FoMoCo employee. I drove it daily for about three years then gave it to my younger brother who got another couple out of it. After an overhaul of the C-5 trans (the one with the centrifugal lock-up converter) the car suffered a small carburetor fire that melted everything on the top of the 200″ I-6 motor. I think that was 1997 +/- well before the coolness factor of using an off-model Fox was evident. Shoulda kept it…
Hmmmm… that would make a nice playmate for my original 302 powered ’78 Fairmont 2 door.
I got my driver’s license in a 200cid Zephyr Z7. If you get it, don’t race anyone for pink slips 😉
That’s a 200 6. 2.3 intake is on the drivers side, and the other guy is right about the cam pulley.
Made a speed run from Gloucester to Logan airport in an low miles 79 or 80? w/a 6 cyl on a Sunday morning in 1980 …w/a 85 mph speedo only knew
what the speed was twice ….. just gotta say the damn thing got the job done
Want…. my first car was an 81…. wish I never got rid of it… foolishness of youth.