For anyone wondering why we use sand on the roads in Saskatchewan instead of salt; it's because for most of the winter it's literally too cold for salt to work.
Prairie cars (Alberta / Saskatchewan / Manitoba) can often be found as solid as from AZ, TX, NV and CA, and without the sun fade to the paint and interior... although the dashboards and steering wheels are often cracked to oblivion from the minus 30 temperatures!!
These cars proved how strong they were in our Canadian cold.....God brings back memories too, I rode in the 4 door sedan model, got hit from behind....damage....? NONE!
I’d really like to try them someday, I’ve heard good things. The only Timmy’s I can get here in Arizona are the K-Cups (which I suspect they mostly keep around for the snowbirds). There used to be one inside of the Coyotes’ arena, but I never made it out to Phoenix before it closed.
My buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8 4 speed manual !
I remember when these came out. From a styling standpoint we were all like, “wow Ford that’s boring” and then we all sat in one and were gobsmacked by the incredible room and fantastic visibility. Until then midsize cars were enormous outside and dark/cramped inside. Fairmonts sold like mad, at least in the Midwest where I’m from.
My local pull-a-part yard had a plethora of these things around 2010. Most of them were complete and in good shape. If I ever needed a part for my foxbody Mustang I could almost guarantee that the same part from a Fairmont would fit.
@@iHaveTheDocuments Live in East PA, and they are RARE out here. But every time I drive out towards Kutz or Harrisburg or Reading, I find 'em at damn near every convenience store and gas stop.
I can still remember the ground trembling from a block away as the car pulled into the classic car show 15 years ago... All the attention being paid to Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers was suddenly averted to the *deafening* noise being produced by the dull silver *2 door* Fairmont which pulled into the lot sporting a naturally-aspirated 514 stroker V8 with a high rise intake manifold topped with FOUR carburetors which the owner capped with tennis balls after shutting the engine down. The crowd was ten people deep to gawk at what otherwise would be a sleeper, except for the LOUD exhaust.
@@bansheemania1692 you should get yourself a 351 Cleveland then, in the 70's, 80's & 90's it was Australias legendary V8 for Ford Fans, if you can de-restrict them they will walk an LS (and they sound like a cocaine fueled orgy at the playboy mansion!)
Australia has rwd v8 sedans and half car half truck elcamino type things and the Barra straight 6 and weird lookin deer things that kick people in the crotch. USA has rwd v8 sedans too, big yee yee trucks, Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers and Vipers, and our deer just stand in the middle of the road and stare at headlights. Sorry, but 🇺🇸 > 🇦🇺
I made a living in this exact car as a rural delivery postman in Ohio. I paid $500 for it in 1988, and replaced the steering system myself. In 50+ miles on my route, I had 436 stops. I would floor the car, slam on the brakes, stuff the mail in the box and repeat 436 times a day. It lasted many years. If I can find a photo of it, with it's pop-up POST AL roof-mount sign and flashers, I will post it here. Lovely memories.
Where I live they have one for 3500 brand new condition lol I was thinking of buying it then ended up with a shitty junk car that within days left me stuck 3 times fucking Fairmont would have took me home
Watching this video (and being an amateur car enthusiast), I couldn't help but see the modification possibilities with every single angle of the Fairmont shot. Not cosmetically... but mechanically, because I am an avid sleeper car fan.
Because the UA-cam algo is dumb, I didn't find you guys until recently (the AMC history popped up as a recommendation). I said, nah, they didn't do one for the incredibly forgettable Fairmont--HOLY CRAP THEY DID. And it is glorious. The 1982 Ford Fairmont Futura I6 was the first car I owned, and it's the only one I have had subsequent dreams about. Just seeing that red interior brings back so many memories.
My grandmother's '82 Fairmont Wagon was silver with red interior. I remember it being much more pleasant than how the Fairmont, in general, is described in this video.
@@jriley1992 I always saw Uncle Pull tab as an IROC Camaro or fully kitted out 80's Mustang GT type of guy. Or maybe he's still rocking that old Chevy van he bought used in 1982 with orange paint, stripes, shag carpeting and no rear windows except those little portholes.
The Ford Fairmont is the epitome of regular. It's as regular as me on a nice regiment of Metamucil...and especially in BROWN (both the car, and the end result of the Metamucil).
Four-door. Dog-dish hub caps. Black wall tires. Patina/Sky-Blue. Bland as Ramen when you've misplaced the flavor pack. 302 4bbl w/Hooker & Flowmaster. Posi and a 4-on-the-floor. SLEEPER BEAST!🏎️🚥⚡💖🤘🏁
These things are the very definition of the disposable American 80's car, along with the ford Granada. At least the Pinto was interesting as an artifact of bad corporate choices. The fact that they were both compatible with old Mustang parts helped them even become more rare to find as a random daily driver survivor on the street.
My first car was, as we called it Carolina Blue since it was the same as UNC colors, 1980 Ford Fairmont. My father bought it for me mid-1983 as my 1st car before I had my learner’s permit (just out of 9th grade). It had a dark blue vinyl top & 4 speed transmission & that’s what I learned to drive on. It was a 2 door with approximately 30K miles & genuinely a nice car he paid $3K. While it wasn’t cute or fast or particularly exciting, it was good in gas & endured a lot of abuse. After numerous accidents caused by me, I got into one not my fault. This resulted in being able to paint it all over so it the other areas previously repaired would match again. In a hastily chosen color in a dark setting, what emerged a week later was the Smufmobile as a friend dubbed since that was the color similarity. The Fairmont Smurfmobile provided very reliable transportation for 3 years of high school & 4 years of college. The only maintenance I did was an occasional oil change when reminded by my dad. After 7 years & then 92K miles, I traded it in for a new car after getting my first post college job. The Fairmont was 10 years old, rode hard yet still kept going. I had a timing belt go once driving back to college. Other than that it was the only time it broke down. Say what you will about Ford, Fairmont or Fox platform, no one could have been as hard on a car as I was (and still am). It was in the shop far less than my BMW 323Ci or my current VW GTI.
And yet Ford sold millions of them, to people who overwhelmingly had no troubles with them, drove them to work and built their lives. The car did its job.
I understand. Your Dad was right in that it wasn't a great time overall for cars, but I remember a lot of Fairmonts & Zephyrs on the road, and they carried families around just fine. I'm sure your Dad will tell you the economy made it hard for people to buy a lot of car back then- interest rates near 10%
@@ty2010 Maybe, but I think in 1978 Ford wanted to update their image, so bringing back the 'Falcon' name might have made them worry it would be perceived as cheap and basic - whereas Ford wanted to impress customers with long option lists so customers could personalize their cars.
I have a 1982 Mercury Zephyr, I love it to death, I’m about to drop a mild built 302 with a t5 transmission, a aluminum driveshaft, and a 8.8, I’m runnin on 80s scr mclaren Rims also🤘🏻
Well my buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8 4 speed manual !
I had this exact same car...same straight 6, color and same red dashboard cover cause the plastic cracks to hell. I got it for free cause it needed a fuel pump and burned a quart of oil a day. I drove it for 6 months then gave it to my dad who replaced the valve seals and drove it around for a few years. I should have kept it
Sounds like your taking good notes from Eric the car guy. I own a 81 zephyr and did the 302 with T5 and 8.8 rear. One of the most fun cars I’ve driven. Drove a 5.0L mustang and it doesn’t even compare to the feel of the zephyr with a 302.
At one point I had 5 of them in my driveway. One was my first car, which I pulled the 6 out of and swapped in a 351w in 2006. The rest were varied with the 4 cylinder, turbo 4, the inline 6, and a 255 v8. All get phenomenal mileage. I'm down to 2 because I needed the room. Still have my original 79
That car looks like it was rendered on a PS2. I love it and I want one. I'm in the market for a used car right now, and if I get one that's interesting, I'll drive her up to Pennsylvania for you, RCR team. I wanted one that was reliable so I had to take a pass on the 1987 RX-7 that I desperately want, but can't afford to keep on the road.
If you dont have Rotary Money then a RX7 isnt for you. People make the mistake of buying a Rotary car and never/dont know how to maintain it. Then I see them in the junk yard or beat up to shit. Save the trouble
I can almost hear Walk of Life song while this car passes through 80s suburbs on Sunday morning where sprinklers are on, kids are out playing and dads are mowing grass in slippers waving at neighbors.
My Folks bought a Red Fairmount wagon in 1978. It was mom's car. It was our first family car with Air conditioning. They had some problems with the disc brakes on this car. Deep scoring on the rotors. We had to replace the rotors the first year. Aside from that it was a really nice car.
I enjoy your reviews. Your narrative is brilliant!. FYI at 6:35, "...computer IDE ribbon cables.." were actually factory installed. A first for a domestic and perhaps any mass-produced automobile. A quintessential example of one of FORD's "better ideas".
Owned a 79 with the 200 six. Loved the damn thing. Probably still have it but the rust finally got the best of it. I gotta call BS on the top speed claim. Had 2.73 rear as well and would cruise 75 all day no sweat. No barn stormer for sure but the smooth high speed cruise was one of the things I remember most about that car.
My dad worked for a ford dealer when I was growing up. We always had Fairmounts, and I always complained: There's no power windows, but my dad's response: LESS THINGS TO BRAKE!
I agree! My dad bought a new F-650 dump truck for work and it has power windows and locks and I see them both breaking in a few years from dust. If anything I wish it had power mirrors.
True dat. I knew a guy in high school from a drag racing family. He wanted a fox body, but Dad got him a Fairmont instead. He dropped in a 351 & w/a heavy dose of squeeze, he was running 11s. 11s were fast back then.
Yes, my buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking eye catching candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8, 4 speed manual ! And I'm a GM guy...
When I was back in high school we had about a year where we are all building grocery getter station wagons because they were cheap as dirt and easy to upgrade. Biggest plus is, when you took some high school skank out to the end of the Pittsburgh International Airport runway you had plenty of room to party in there
I had one also and would love to get another but they are very hard to find. Very dependable engine with good torque. It handled Minnesota snowy roads very well.
@@1598hi A modified car(regardless of what it is) is worth more than a modified car. Edit: A meant to say that a modified car is worth less than a stock one, lol.
@@SI0AX not true. Not all mods are good mods. Stock in a lot of cases is far more valuable. And matching numbers antiques is a whole new level of insane prices costing more than middle class houses in some cases. In this case no, stock would not be worth more. But I appreciate this thing for what it is and frankly if I wanted to make it fast I would want something better made than an ls engine. So if I was in the market, id pay more to get one stock than one with an ls in it. Plus a lot if gear heads hack things and I like to do it the right way. I dont want to go back and fix someone elses mistakes.
You see my buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking eye catching candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8, 4 speed manual !
My grandmother had the same car but 81 4-door 4cyl no a/c AM radio, cream beige. I think it held up quite well and resisted the Cleveland rust better than their other cars.
We use a mixture of Potash and Sand on our roads here in Saskatchewan. It slows rust but doesn't eliminate it entirely, this one looks like a exceptionally well taken care of example. And yes the wiring did look like ribbon cables in the trunk area...
I'm not sure there was ever a pristine Ford Fairmont Wagon. My parents bought one new. It had multiple defects, and the clear coat started going after one or two summers.
FORDS CLEARCOAT WASN'T WHAT IT WAS BUILT UP TO BE.........THEY CONTINUED WITH ITS PROB- LEMS UNTIL THEY OBTAINED A NEWER FORMULA FROM THE MANUFACTURER....if you've noticed THE mid-to LATE 80's Taurus's had the same problem.......IM SURPISED THE " FULL-SIZED" MID TO LATE 80'S FORDS DIDN'T DO THE SAME THING.....
@@shwt121 my mom drove a '98 Windstar for, well, until they couldn't afford to keep putting motors in it(so about 5 years), and I'm pretty sure that thing left the car lot missing clear coat...
I bought a new 1980 2 door baby blue one 6cyl manual trans. I loved it. It had aluminum bumpers on it from the factory drove it for 3 years no problems
To avoid ethanol in Canada you have to use premium... but not all premiums are ethanol free. It'll say it on the pump. There is 94 available (by husky), but it has ethanol in it.
YEEES we had a red Fairmont station wagon when I was a kid! I remember going on trips to grandmas and falling asleep in the back. The plastic red carpet would make you sweat and wake up with a waffle/carpet pattern all over your puffy red face.
The 81 Fairmont was my first car. 4 door and a 4 cylinder engine. Bought off an old man. Drank gas like an alcoholic. Man I miss that car. I had alot if fun with that ol girl
My first car when I was 19 was a 79 Fairmont with a fire breathing 2.3L 4 cylinder. It went from 0 to 60 in about 13 minutes if you were going down hill. I had it for 4 or 5 years and it always ran. It sat for about a year at one point but started right up and was ready to go the day I drove it to the junk yard. The undrecarriage was rotted out and its license plate was on its last day before expiring.
It needs to be uninstalled ASAP, because it's basically a crash-activated fuel tank lance. Really stupid for towing, lethal in a rear end collision....
My Nana, from Saskatchewan, owned the mercury version of this car.... the “Futura”. The thing never died, just got replaced in 2001 because it was embarrassing. This brought back amazing memories, thanks guys! P.s. We do salt the roads in Saskatchewan, just not very much, and we mix it in with dirt. It’s too cold in Saskatchewan for the ice to stay anything near melted, so the dirt soaks it up and your left with a little more grip.
My first car was a 1980 Mercury Zephyr. The Fairmount equivalent. Had the straight 6. You are right about the carb not being able to run that engine correctly. Bought it for $300. Put another $1200 to get it to pass inspection. Lasted me 3 weeks. Tranny went out and spewed oil all over the road. Then limping it home it caught fire and rest is history.
It was a trim level. This car being the spiritual successor to the Falcon, they used the name. Also there was a trim level called Futura. This car actually kept going past 1983. It became the LTD . The front and rear designed changed with an updated dash but that's about it.
Ford seems to do this a lot, especially on their trucks (heck, maybe GM does it, too, I've never really paid attention). We think of the Ford Ranger being a mid-sized pickup, which it is now and which it was from the 80's to the 2000's...but when I was a kid, "Ranger" was a trim level within the F-series pickups. Likewise with the Ford Explorer--an SUV today, but my Dad had a 1976 F-150 with the "Explorer" trim package. Seems like if a trim level gets popular...they try to make a new vehicle out of it.
@@americasevilgenius I had a 2007 Ford five hundred that name was a "tribute" to the Galaxy and Falcon or whatever they were five hundreds of the 60s... It was a Ford taurus given some fertilizer and that's it. It was a rolling suicide note for the Taurus before it magically bounced back.
Yeah, car buyers are often too stupid to understand the difference between a car and a name. People lamented the demise of the Taurus and wouldn't buy the Five Hundred, until Ford renamed it Taurus again.
My first car was a '79 Futura 2 door with the straight six. Called it the Incinerator because the heater was so fucking hot it would almost burn you! But damn, that car was indestructible. Plowed over a few road signs and jumped snowbanks with it. Never missed a beat. Was pretty quick once you got it up to highway speed. A bunch of kids in HS drove late '80's Cavalier Z24's and always wanted to race on the way home. Never had any problem leaving them in the dust.
We bought an 80 model from a gov surplus auction in 1984. Compared to the gas guzzling poorly assembled 1970s cars we had suffered thru this car was great. It was a really simple well built car that drove great
I had a 1980 Fairmont just like that one except mine was beige with a brown top. It had the same 200 strait 6 and c4 transmission. Mine was even from Saskatchewan because I am from Saskatchewan. I bought the car for $100 from my friend Tony who drove the car to highschool. When I bought the car it had a broken reverse band in the transmission and no oil in the front struts. I fixed up the car and drove it for a few years and loved it. I tuned the engine up with new plugs and wires and a carb job and replaced the transmission twice. The car got good milage and ran smoothly and reliably. My car had a top speed of 163kph or just past 100mph. It took a while to get there and the carb would run out of fuel after a few minutes probably due to a partially plugged fuel filter. Unfortunatly my Fairmont was written off after I was rearended by a Chevy S10 Blazer. Since then I have owned 3 other fox bodies, all 4 cyl Mustangs 2 lx's and my current 84 SVO.
My dad had a white 1978 Ford Fairmont with the 200 I6. Slow but reliable economy car. I think he bought it for like $600 in the early 90s. He drove it for a year or two and sold it when he found a decent pickup truck; let it go for $400 running, needing a steering rack. My brother in law bought it and I helped him fix it, and it was the first car I ever actually got to drive. I loved it because it had a manual tuning push button radio, like old cars on TV. I haven't seen one anywhere but UA-cam in ages. Very nostalgic. Wow.
Ford Fairmont. The official car of Susan from Welcome Wagon, who always wears sensible shoes and greets the new neighbors with a pan of Duncan Hines brownies. Ford Fairmont: Jim always takes his wife Carol to Kentucky Fried chicken on payday Friday evenings.
For anyone wondering why we use sand on the roads in Saskatchewan instead of salt; it's because for most of the winter it's literally too cold for salt to work.
Prairie cars (Alberta / Saskatchewan / Manitoba) can often be found as solid as from AZ, TX, NV and CA, and without the sun fade to the paint and interior... although the dashboards and steering wheels are often cracked to oblivion from the minus 30 temperatures!!
True. Bought a 1984 S-10 Blazer out of North Dakota in 91 with no rust. By 97 with all the Iowa salt brine it was getting cancer fast.
And....many rusty cars from our good ole Canadian salt! Lol
These cars proved how strong they were in our Canadian cold.....God brings back memories too, I rode in the 4 door sedan model, got hit from behind....damage....? NONE!
Can confirm. It is to cold in Saskatchewan for salt to work.
This looks like every cheap car that got blown up in every B-movie
ABC movie of the week circa 1981, starring Lee Majors.
Half the time, it probably WAS.
Spot on
That's because it IS every cheap car that blown up in every B-movie
It's a 1980 car, but looks like it's from the 60s. There's such a thing as 'too retro' imo.
I'm not going to lie I watching your panicked shadow run after cars doing like 5mph always is my favourite part of the video
I'm sad when some reviews don't have it
Its pretty great
This right here. It always makes me happy.
When you find you're not alone
He looks like a poorly animated shadow in a game
"We had to go to Canada-" and as soon as that line was spoken, a Tim Horton's appeared on-screen. You know what you're doing.
If it ain’t an iced capp it ain’t sh*t
@@capturedsociety773 facts, everything else is just meh or bad
I’d really like to try them someday, I’ve heard good things. The only Timmy’s I can get here in Arizona are the K-Cups (which I suspect they mostly keep around for the snowbirds). There used to be one inside of the Coyotes’ arena, but I never made it out to Phoenix before it closed.
This was THE CAR that appeared in my mind as a child whenever I hear the term "car".
It looks very much like a car
Today lots of cars dont look like a car
I thought about the lada vaz 2101
yea lol, still kinda is
this or those expensive ass sport cars
Or the square car image on every DMV sign for several decades that warned a slippery road ahead
that's the MOST regular car I've seen here in a long time.
true
My buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8 4 speed manual !
I remember when these came out. From a styling standpoint we were all like, “wow Ford that’s boring” and then we all sat in one and were gobsmacked by the incredible room and fantastic visibility. Until then midsize cars were enormous outside and dark/cramped inside. Fairmonts sold like mad, at least in the Midwest where I’m from.
Yep, what you said. Until they suddenly vanished from the highways about 2002.
Cash for clunkers ate all the average daily models but the survivors and customs are out there, and they are beautiful..but mostly boring
My local pull-a-part yard had a plethora of these things around 2010. Most of them were complete and in good shape. If I ever needed a part for my foxbody Mustang I could almost guarantee that the same part from a Fairmont would fit.
I remember them well.
Now, don' be bad-mouthing the Chevy Nova like that.....
"He takes communion from a bag of Middlswarth potato chips" thats the Patron Saint of Pennsylvania right there.
BAR - B - Q
anointing of the shitty car driving indeed
I live in northern Pennsylvania and never heard of such things.
ring baloney once, ring baloney twice
@@iHaveTheDocuments Live in East PA, and they are RARE out here. But every time I drive out towards Kutz or Harrisburg or Reading, I find 'em at damn near every convenience store and gas stop.
I can still remember the ground trembling from a block away as the car pulled into the classic car show 15 years ago...
All the attention being paid to Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers was suddenly averted to the *deafening* noise being produced by the dull silver *2 door* Fairmont which pulled into the lot sporting a naturally-aspirated 514 stroker V8 with a high rise intake manifold topped with FOUR carburetors which the owner capped with tennis balls after shutting the engine down. The crowd was ten people deep to gawk at what otherwise would be a sleeper, except for the LOUD exhaust.
Can we please take a moment to appreciate that LIMO-DONK at 7:49.
Holy Shit! Well spotted!
Damn! We need an RCR on that thing!
Can we not appreciate it? Please!!
Mos def inetly
That....is an entirely new level of stupidity.
In Australia, we have a modern fairmont, just like the falcon.
BF MkII Fairmont Ghia is one of the best looking Falcon's ever made imo
if you can get an Australian 70's or even 80's V8 Fairmont, keep it because they are worth bigg money!
Love me some V8s From Down UNDER....
@@bansheemania1692 you should get yourself a 351 Cleveland then, in the 70's, 80's & 90's it was Australias legendary V8 for Ford Fans, if you can de-restrict them they will walk an LS (and they sound like a cocaine fueled orgy at the playboy mansion!)
Australia has rwd v8 sedans and half car half truck elcamino type things and the Barra straight 6 and weird lookin deer things that kick people in the crotch. USA has rwd v8 sedans too, big yee yee trucks, Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers and Vipers, and our deer just stand in the middle of the road and stare at headlights. Sorry, but 🇺🇸 > 🇦🇺
Is no one going to mention the fact that the license plate literally says “THE MEME”?
Yeah what the hell is that about
I had too come down a lot for this comment but I knew I’d find it
JUST LOOK AT IT
"Why did you buy this car" "did it for the meme"
Nobody gets the happel joke
Who watches a car review at 5 in the morning?!
Patrick star: *OH BOY 5AM*
ye
A cockatiel named Liam, that's who.
Us Brits, that's who.
That's when I get off of work so it works perfectly for me
I made a living in this exact car as a rural delivery postman in Ohio. I paid $500 for it in 1988, and replaced the steering system myself. In 50+ miles on my route, I had 436 stops. I would floor the car, slam on the brakes, stuff the mail in the box and repeat 436 times a day. It lasted many years. If I can find a photo of it, with it's pop-up POST AL roof-mount sign and flashers, I will post it here. Lovely memories.
I just looked at listings for Fairmonts online and holy shit they’re around 20k for a decent example
Damn!
I paid 3400 for mine, it’s not super nice though
Damn! I had a Zephyr as my first car (same car as the Fairmont, but Mercury branded). It cost $200 USD in 1995
I remember for years in Mt vernon ohio ' seeing one parked along with a 70s dodge truck. The truck.moved on occasion. Then suddenly both vanished.
Where I live they have one for 3500 brand new condition lol I was thinking of buying it then ended up with a shitty junk car that within days left me stuck 3 times fucking Fairmont would have took me home
This man is exactly what you picture when someone says someone has a license plate that says "the meme"
Was thinking Dodge Diplomat, but yeah this fits too.
You mean Ricky from Sunnyvale? Lost his hair and got fatter.
Hey wait, this isn't EricTheCarGuy's million mile Ford Fairmont
I was waiting for a shout-out to ETCG1.
@@AngryCatMan1982 Same here.
Watching this video (and being an amateur car enthusiast), I couldn't help but see the modification possibilities with every single angle of the Fairmont shot. Not cosmetically... but mechanically, because I am an avid sleeper car fan.
Well, he actually put a turbocharged Ford engine in his
A 79 Fairmont with a V8 and Handling pack was one of the best sleepers of the era.
Had one. the Z7 version. Fun!
Exactly, same wheels and dashboard as Mustang of the era.
@Pierre Lahaie The Z7 was a Mercury version of the Fairmont, the Zephyr.
Because the UA-cam algo is dumb, I didn't find you guys until recently (the AMC history popped up as a recommendation). I said, nah, they didn't do one for the incredibly forgettable Fairmont--HOLY CRAP THEY DID.
And it is glorious.
The 1982 Ford Fairmont Futura I6 was the first car I owned, and it's the only one I have had subsequent dreams about. Just seeing that red interior brings back so many memories.
My grandmother's '82 Fairmont Wagon was silver with red interior. I remember it being much more pleasant than how the Fairmont, in general, is described in this video.
"Softer than a bear daddy... Named William"
*sweats profusely*
Bear daddy?
Daddy
Lmao. Its ok dude chill :p
7:49 Jesus Christ, that Caprice!
That's a Cadillac.
I thought only us Yanks were trashy enough to do such thing, apparently I was wrong.
Holy crap, how did I not see that xD
@@EinachserLS You weren't supposed to see it, NO ONE wanted to see that damn Caprice!
@@michelinman8592 It's not high enough.
Finally, a car for DAAAAAD
200 cubic inches of *hot brown*
No this is an Uncle Pulltab car
@@jriley1992 Uncle Pull tab only buys V8
@@jriley1992 I always saw Uncle Pull tab as an IROC Camaro or fully kitted out 80's Mustang GT type of guy. Or maybe he's still rocking that old Chevy van he bought used in 1982 with orange paint, stripes, shag carpeting and no rear windows except those little portholes.
The Ford Fairmont is the epitome of regular. It's as regular as me on a nice regiment of Metamucil...and especially in BROWN (both the car, and the end result of the Metamucil).
Four-door. Dog-dish hub caps. Black wall tires. Patina/Sky-Blue. Bland as Ramen when you've misplaced the flavor pack. 302 4bbl w/Hooker & Flowmaster. Posi and a 4-on-the-floor. SLEEPER BEAST!🏎️🚥⚡💖🤘🏁
"This one man drove up the price of (insert car).." - But Mr. Regular, you do that all the time.
We'll never know what Roman was unsure about.
Lol true story.
I just saw one of these yesterday and didn't know any actually worked on the road anymore
I thought they all got crashed on drag strips or rusted out.
I saw two at the same time a few months ago, modded but the bodies were in real nice shape
Michigan cars too
Thomas Wright I daily drive a '78 Fairmont lmao
These things are the very definition of the disposable American 80's car, along with the ford Granada. At least the Pinto was interesting as an artifact of bad corporate choices. The fact that they were both compatible with old Mustang parts helped them even become more rare to find as a random daily driver survivor on the street.
My uncle had a Granada. The clock on the glove box only worked when the car was driving.
Not long ago seemed like every other car I saw was a Chrysler 300, now they disappearing.
My first car was, as we called it Carolina Blue since it was the same as UNC colors, 1980 Ford Fairmont. My father bought it for me mid-1983 as my 1st car before I had my learner’s permit (just out of 9th grade). It had a dark blue vinyl top & 4 speed transmission & that’s what I learned to drive on. It was a 2 door with approximately 30K miles & genuinely a nice car he paid $3K. While it wasn’t cute or fast or particularly exciting, it was good in gas & endured a lot of abuse. After numerous accidents caused by me, I got into one not my fault. This resulted in being able to paint it all over so it the other areas previously repaired would match again. In a hastily chosen color in a dark setting, what emerged a week later was the Smufmobile as a friend dubbed since that was the color similarity. The Fairmont Smurfmobile provided very reliable transportation for 3 years of high school & 4 years of college. The only maintenance I did was an occasional oil change when reminded by my dad. After 7 years & then 92K miles, I traded it in for a new car after getting my first post college job. The Fairmont was 10 years old, rode hard yet still kept going. I had a timing belt go once driving back to college. Other than that it was the only time it broke down. Say what you will about Ford, Fairmont or Fox platform, no one could have been as hard on a car as I was (and still am). It was in the shop far less than my BMW 323Ci or my current VW GTI.
My dad just came in and saw this.
"Oh my god. That was a terrible time for cars."
And yet Ford sold millions of them, to people who overwhelmingly had no troubles with them, drove them to work and built their lives. The car did its job.
@@67marlins81 I wouldn't know. I was born in 2001 :)
I understand. Your Dad was right in that it wasn't a great time overall for cars, but I remember a lot of Fairmonts & Zephyrs on the road, and they carried families around just fine. I'm sure your Dad will tell you the economy made it hard for people to buy a lot of car back then- interest rates near 10%
@@67marlins81 They missed the nostalgia points for not calling them Falcons, which were the platform for the first Mustang.
@@ty2010 Maybe, but I think in 1978 Ford wanted to update their image, so bringing back the 'Falcon' name might have made them worry it would be perceived as cheap and basic - whereas Ford wanted to impress customers with long option lists so customers could personalize their cars.
I have a 1982 Mercury Zephyr, I love it to death, I’m about to drop a mild built 302 with a t5 transmission, a aluminum driveshaft, and a 8.8, I’m runnin on 80s scr mclaren Rims also🤘🏻
I had a 78
Well my buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8 4 speed manual !
I had this exact same car...same straight 6, color and same red dashboard cover cause the plastic cracks to hell. I got it for free cause it needed a fuel pump and burned a quart of oil a day. I drove it for 6 months then gave it to my dad who replaced the valve seals and drove it around for a few years. I should have kept it
Sounds like your taking good notes from Eric the car guy. I own a 81 zephyr and did the 302 with T5 and 8.8 rear. One of the most fun cars I’ve driven. Drove a 5.0L mustang and it doesn’t even compare to the feel of the zephyr with a 302.
7:48 OMG LOOK AT THAT *DONK*
Probably the second or third tallest donk I've come across.
It’s a limousine donk!!!!
Was going to say same thing! Looked tight!
lmao was looking for this comment
O. Dean
In true ghetto fashion it’s probably broke down with a bad transmission or engine. Possibly both.
I actually threw up in my mouth when he said "Like a condom filled with buttermilk". That's some powerful writing right there
Not as bad as a condom filled with gutter oil, eh Prozzie?
I read this roughly 10 seconds before he said it and I'm glad you prepared me
At one point I had 5 of them in my driveway. One was my first car, which I pulled the 6 out of and swapped in a 351w in 2006. The rest were varied with the 4 cylinder, turbo 4, the inline 6, and a 255 v8. All get phenomenal mileage. I'm down to 2 because I needed the room. Still have my original 79
That car looks like it was rendered on a PS2. I love it and I want one.
I'm in the market for a used car right now, and if I get one that's interesting, I'll drive her up to Pennsylvania for you, RCR team. I wanted one that was reliable so I had to take a pass on the 1987 RX-7 that I desperately want, but can't afford to keep on the road.
If you dont have Rotary Money then a RX7 isnt for you. People make the mistake of buying a Rotary car and never/dont know how to maintain it. Then I see them in the junk yard or beat up to shit. Save the trouble
Hey McLeod. You really want a Fairmont. I have one.
I have a Ford Fairmont (1978)for sale incase anyone's intrested
It's a great car that moves and take many hits without much damage.
I can almost hear Walk of Life song while this car passes through 80s suburbs on Sunday morning where sprinklers are on, kids are out playing and dads are mowing grass in slippers waving at neighbors.
That legit brings a tear to my eye, and I wasn't even born until '86.
Not to mention I'm Romanian... But I just love the US in the 80s.
@@vtr0104 So did we who lived through it...especially those of us who had our childhood during that time.
"Pick up truck, they says, goes a little slowly. Now Papa Louie, tell me what I say."
This car looks like every car from the 70’s, and no car from the 70’s.
It's like a GTA3 sedan made real.
@@andrewstewart1464 Or Vice City.... THE HARRINGTON
Ford must have had the idea, "Let's make another Granada but do away with all styling"
@@billolsen4360 the narrater is a fucking idiot facts only what a waste of material geez
My Folks bought a Red Fairmount wagon in 1978. It was mom's car. It was our first family car with Air conditioning. They had some problems with the disc brakes on this car. Deep scoring on the rotors. We had to replace the rotors the first year. Aside from that it was a really nice car.
The slowest car I ever owned, and the most reliable. The thing would go anywhere and was easily repaired in my driveway
7:48 go review that lifted monstrosity. It's so ugly I don't even think the owner likes it.
I enjoy your reviews. Your narrative is brilliant!. FYI at 6:35, "...computer IDE ribbon cables.." were actually factory installed. A first for a domestic and perhaps any mass-produced automobile. A quintessential example of one of FORD's "better ideas".
I miss red interiors so much 😍
WELDED TO THE GAS TANK A DANKA DANK.
It looks almost exactly the same shape and styling as the 79 Chevy Malibu Classic we had when I was a kid
Owned a 79 with the 200 six. Loved the damn thing. Probably still have it but the rust finally got the best of it. I gotta call BS on the top speed claim. Had 2.73 rear as well and would cruise 75 all day no sweat. No barn stormer for sure but the smooth high speed cruise was one of the things I remember most about that car.
My dad worked for a ford dealer when I was growing up. We always had Fairmounts, and I always complained: There's no power windows, but my dad's response: LESS THINGS TO BRAKE!
Yeah, manual windows mecanism is lighter than electrical motors, so it saves on brake pads!
I'm sure he meant, "Fewer things to break." I never witnessed a power window slowing down a car.
@@BadKruser I know, I was just trolling the misspelling error
This is one of my biggest pet peeves of modern cars!
I agree! My dad bought a new F-650 dump truck for work and it has power windows and locks and I see them both breaking in a few years from dust. If anything I wish it had power mirrors.
True dat. I knew a guy in high school from a drag racing family. He wanted a fox body, but Dad got him a Fairmont instead. He dropped in a 351 & w/a heavy dose of squeeze, he was running 11s. 11s were fast back then.
Fairmont is a fox body. I've owned probably 18 fox body's and not one was a mustang.
11s are still nothing to laugh at today wtf
that thing is absolutely lovely in a weird way.
Yes, my buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking eye catching candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8, 4 speed manual ! And I'm a GM guy...
I always thought the Ford Flex looked like a modern day Ford Fairmont wagon.
The FLEX looks like the shoebox in your closet after someone has stepped on one corner of it.
@@NVRAMboi gotta say, I like the Flex AND the Fairmont Wagons. Boxy cargo space people haulers all day please
When I was back in high school we had about a year where we are all building grocery getter station wagons because they were cheap as dirt and easy to upgrade. Biggest plus is, when you took some high school skank out to the end of the Pittsburgh International Airport runway you had plenty of room to party in there
@@jimeagle1155 Pittsburgh for the win! Grew up in Bethel Park.
Everything about this car, the license, and the owner are amazing.
Oh the 80’s ..... I remember piling as many would fit into the old Zephyr
I love the accidental irony of the final scene when a white Tesla S pulls our behind it.
3
I was gonna make that comment. It's wild to think only ~35 years separate those two. I'd park next to one just for the wild comparison.
Yea he almost rammed into the back of the Fairmont, or drove like he was going to. The guy even looked in his mirror like "wtf dude".
How is that irony?
@@ChrisDragotta 1978 Fairmont uses a drivetrain from the 60's sharing the street with a Tesla that may ad well arrived from the future
I remember my mom driving me to school in one of these.
My grandparents had a yellow one back in the 80s.
Love your name and pfp my dude
My first car was a '80 Fairmont 4 door sedan with 200 straight 6 and C4. Wish l still had it.
Why? It was a shitty car when it was new.
I had one also and would love to get another but they are very hard to find. Very dependable engine with good torque. It handled Minnesota snowy roads very well.
@@mkshffr4936 I'd rather have a chugger than something that buries itself to the axle the moment traction breaks.
@@ty2010 I like your screen name. Kind of the inverse of Rebel Without a Cause. :D
@@mkshffr4936 Good engine. Terrible car.
I remember my dad having one as a rental car in 1980 [when I was just 15] and I thought it was so cool.
Oh how times have changed!
"I thought they only has LSs!!!" I'm ded
"I'm from Canada and they think I'm slow, eh." - this Ford Fairmont.
@@TheSubatomicCheese "I start fires" - Ford Pinto
I would pay more for one that someone didnt ls swap honestly
@@1598hi A modified car(regardless of what it is) is worth more than a modified car.
Edit: A meant to say that a modified car is worth less than a stock one, lol.
@@SI0AX not true. Not all mods are good mods. Stock in a lot of cases is far more valuable. And matching numbers antiques is a whole new level of insane prices costing more than middle class houses in some cases. In this case no, stock would not be worth more. But I appreciate this thing for what it is and frankly if I wanted to make it fast I would want something better made than an ls engine. So if I was in the market, id pay more to get one stock than one with an ls in it. Plus a lot if gear heads hack things and I like to do it the right way. I dont want to go back and fix someone elses mistakes.
Mr Regular’s shadow frantically mowing across the floor is hilarious and seemingly appropriate
A fast Fairmont? To those of us who remember the 80s when these things were a dime a dozen it sounds like the oxymoron of the month. 😂😂
You see my buddy was a Ford salesman and his demonstrator was a sharp looking eye catching candy apple metallic red 2 door Fairmont with white interior, 302" V8, 4 speed manual !
The way he mentioned the sanding of the roads in the West over salt is the most Ontario thing I've seen on UA-cam.
I always love that guy with the steady cam trying to keep up running alongside the cars in these videos.
"swinging around like a condom filled with buttermilk" yes just yes.
A simile to make Shakespeare proud.
“Jitter Bug & Pill Organizer”
Lol
MAXIMUM *B R O W N*
Lukewarm brown.
Your shadow running along with the dolly never fails to crack me up
My grandmother had the same car but 81 4-door 4cyl no a/c AM radio, cream beige. I think it held up quite well and resisted the Cleveland rust better than their other cars.
*Squeals with Delight* I love these things. For no reason other than SQUARE!!
(Now review my 1980 Mazda Capella... plz)
Have you sent them an email?
@@klasmedak556 I have. I should probably send another.
Trouble is, I'm in the west and he's rarely out here... I think he came out once.
If the Ford Fairmont is like the Pottsville Diner, then the Ford Pinto is like the Manheim Diner.
6:35 Real fart lol
Omg truth!
My father had one for many years. The car served him enough to get around.
A girl I went to elementary school with said her Mom's Fairmont wagon was extremely reliable.
We use a mixture of Potash and Sand on our roads here in Saskatchewan.
It slows rust but doesn't eliminate it entirely, this one looks like a exceptionally well taken care of example.
And yes the wiring did look like ribbon cables in the trunk area...
It's 12:32, I'm on sick leave and this is exactly what I needed to survive the day. Thank you.
1:06 ohhhh imagine having a pristine Fairmont wagon these days. Even any wagon from the 80s or 90s would be amazing
I'm not sure there was ever a pristine Ford Fairmont Wagon. My parents bought one new. It had multiple defects, and the clear coat started going after one or two summers.
I'd love that, too......an HONEST TO God station wagon....small or large....
FORDS CLEARCOAT WASN'T WHAT IT WAS BUILT UP TO BE.........THEY CONTINUED WITH ITS PROB- LEMS UNTIL THEY OBTAINED A NEWER FORMULA FROM THE MANUFACTURER....if you've noticed THE mid-to LATE 80's Taurus's had the same problem.......IM SURPISED THE " FULL-SIZED" MID TO LATE 80'S FORDS DIDN'T DO THE SAME THING.....
@@shwt121 my mom drove a '98 Windstar for, well, until they couldn't afford to keep putting motors in it(so about 5 years), and I'm pretty sure that thing left the car lot missing clear coat...
@@shwt121 The trick is, there is no clearcoat haha
6:18 In most places in Canada Shell 91 has no ethanol, but just about everything else is 10% +, Shell is the safe bet.
I bought a new 1980 2 door baby blue one 6cyl manual trans. I loved it. It had aluminum bumpers on it from the factory drove it for 3 years no problems
To avoid ethanol in Canada you have to use premium... but not all premiums are ethanol free. It'll say it on the pump. There is 94 available (by husky), but it has ethanol in it.
I know a guy that drove one of these daily until last year. Like every single day. In snowstorms and everything.
Chris why’d he stop driving it?
Thank you for all the Pennsylvania references, they make me laugh every time
YEEES we had a red Fairmont station wagon when I was a kid! I remember going on trips to grandmas and falling asleep in the back. The plastic red carpet would make you sweat and wake up with a waffle/carpet pattern all over your puffy red face.
The 81 Fairmont was my first car. 4 door and a 4 cylinder engine. Bought off an old man. Drank gas like an alcoholic. Man I miss that car. I had alot if fun with that ol girl
I had one in 83 as a rental. It was a great car. I didn't think much of the looks but it was smooth riding and had enuf power to do what you needed.
Damn, my grandma bought one of those new to replace her 63 Impala. That was a horrible mistake.
A beautiful survivor!
(don't like ford's, but I can certainly appreciate a well maintained vehicles!)
I love how every RCR's vehicle owner is who you always see driving that car.
I was gonna say Prelude girl and then I remembered she basically painted it with glitter so I guess I stand corrected.
This was the first Regular Car Review and I've been hooked since.
My first car when I was 19 was a 79 Fairmont with a fire breathing 2.3L 4 cylinder. It went from 0 to 60 in about 13 minutes if you were going down hill. I had it for 4 or 5 years and it always ran. It sat for about a year at one point but started right up and was ready to go the day I drove it to the junk yard. The undrecarriage was rotted out and its license plate was on its last day before expiring.
"The meme" licence plate
that rrailer hitch was installed by absolute mad lads
It needs to be uninstalled ASAP, because it's basically a crash-activated fuel tank lance. Really stupid for towing, lethal in a rear end collision....
Fellas, this has to be your coolest episode ever
My Nana, from Saskatchewan, owned the mercury version of this car.... the “Futura”. The thing never died, just got replaced in 2001 because it was embarrassing. This brought back amazing memories, thanks guys!
P.s. We do salt the roads in Saskatchewan, just not very much, and we mix it in with dirt. It’s too cold in Saskatchewan for the ice to stay anything near melted, so the dirt soaks it up and your left with a little more grip.
The Ford was the Futura, the Mercury version was the Zephyr.
@@CallMeMrStopmotion To be most precise, the Futura was the upscale Fairmont, and the Z-7 was the upscale Zephyr.
My first car was a 1980 Mercury Zephyr. The Fairmount equivalent. Had the straight 6. You are right about the carb not being able to run that engine correctly. Bought it for $300. Put another $1200 to get it to pass inspection. Lasted me 3 weeks. Tranny went out and spewed oil all over the road. Then limping it home it caught fire and rest is history.
7:50 D O N K L I M O
L I T
They must be 30' or bigger
Count Donkula over here.
@@alidaraie It should be lit.... On fire!
The kind of car that inspired the Crocodile Alligator song.
Fairmont down here in OZ, is a top of the range with most options available.
Huh, didn't realise the Fairmont was its own car, thought it was just a trim level for the falcon
Yeah, kind of like how the LTD was a model in its own right in the US.
It was a trim level. This car being the spiritual successor to the Falcon, they used the name. Also there was a trim level called Futura. This car actually kept going past 1983. It became the LTD . The front and rear designed changed with an updated dash but that's about it.
Ford seems to do this a lot, especially on their trucks (heck, maybe GM does it, too, I've never really paid attention). We think of the Ford Ranger being a mid-sized pickup, which it is now and which it was from the 80's to the 2000's...but when I was a kid, "Ranger" was a trim level within the F-series pickups. Likewise with the Ford Explorer--an SUV today, but my Dad had a 1976 F-150 with the "Explorer" trim package. Seems like if a trim level gets popular...they try to make a new vehicle out of it.
@@americasevilgenius I had a 2007 Ford five hundred that name was a "tribute" to the Galaxy and Falcon or whatever they were five hundreds of the 60s... It was a Ford taurus given some fertilizer and that's it. It was a rolling suicide note for the Taurus before it magically bounced back.
Yeah, car buyers are often too stupid to understand the difference between a car and a name. People lamented the demise of the Taurus and wouldn't buy the Five Hundred, until Ford renamed it Taurus again.
My first car was a '79 Futura 2 door with the straight six. Called it the Incinerator because the heater was so fucking hot it would almost burn you! But damn, that car was indestructible. Plowed over a few road signs and jumped snowbanks with it. Never missed a beat. Was pretty quick once you got it up to highway speed. A bunch of kids in HS drove late '80's Cavalier Z24's and always wanted to race on the way home. Never had any problem leaving them in the dust.
Lucky lol the heater on this one was not that good
We bought an 80 model from a gov surplus auction in 1984. Compared to the gas guzzling poorly assembled 1970s cars we had suffered thru this car was great. It was a really simple well built car that drove great
This man got the plate "The Meme" he wins.
Thank you thank you
THE MAN
THE MYTH
THE MEME
....trailer hitch welded to the gas tank OMG-LOL
Yeah, it's welded to the spare tire well, which is right above the gas tank.
I had a 1980 Fairmont just like that one except mine was beige with a brown top. It had the same 200 strait 6 and c4 transmission. Mine was even from Saskatchewan because I am from Saskatchewan. I bought the car for $100 from my friend Tony who drove the car to highschool. When I bought the car it had a broken reverse band in the transmission and no oil in the front struts. I fixed up the car and drove it for a few years and loved it. I tuned the engine up with new plugs and wires and a carb job and replaced the transmission twice. The car got good milage and ran smoothly and reliably. My car had a top speed of 163kph or just past 100mph. It took a while to get there and the carb would run out of fuel after a few minutes probably due to a partially plugged fuel filter. Unfortunatly my Fairmont was written off after I was rearended by a Chevy S10 Blazer. Since then I have owned 3 other fox bodies, all 4 cyl Mustangs 2 lx's and my current 84 SVO.
My dad had a white 1978 Ford Fairmont with the 200 I6. Slow but reliable economy car. I think he bought it for like $600 in the early 90s. He drove it for a year or two and sold it when he found a decent pickup truck; let it go for $400 running, needing a steering rack. My brother in law bought it and I helped him fix it, and it was the first car I ever actually got to drive. I loved it because it had a manual tuning push button radio, like old cars on TV. I haven't seen one anywhere but UA-cam in ages.
Very nostalgic.
Wow.
Ford Fairmont. The official car of Susan from Welcome Wagon, who always wears sensible shoes and greets the new neighbors with a pan of Duncan Hines brownies. Ford Fairmont: Jim always takes his wife Carol to Kentucky Fried chicken on payday Friday evenings.