You can do a couple quick videos pre-2014: Bumper sticker / dealer sticker removal, Clay bar paint cleaning, then glass and chrome polishing. Fortunately, you'll never have to polish these headlights! These drop in bulb/lens systems were so nice (and cheap).
Glad to have you in a happy place. I don't know much about the older cars because I'm 25 but I'm hoping to learn a lot when you do this project so I'll be tuning in every step of the way!
That was a touching video. The intangible feeling that certain cars give you that just feels like home. A place where you couldn't be happier or more proud. Reminds me of my first car. I wish there was a word for this.
I like your choice,I can't wait to see the evolution! Im glad you found this kind of car that make you feel so good! Congrats and thank you for sharing your joy with us Eric!
Great idea and it is the cleanest Fairmount I have seen. Not a speck of rust. I hope you keep the original wheel covers and skinny tires on it. A big Sun tachometer would be funny, though.
Dude! Hell yeah! The build we went with was an 80 fairmont. Short long arm suspension (from a super coupe like mine) dropped 3 inches. Need traction bars in the rear. Torque stall. 2 step. Heres the BEST part... 429SOHC with a 7.16 blower. All forged internals. KB pistons and H beam rods. Trick flow 225cc heads. Theres tons more. But, with the eaton blower, we tip 10 seconds with that car! When you mash the gas, any body in or around goes "hoooolllyyy fuuuuuuuuuck". Excellent project. Im excited to see what you do with it
Great choice. My first "new" car was a '79 Buick Regal and it was the best car I have ever owned. It was very fast and a sharp looker. It turned a lot of heads. Ahhh....the good ole days :)
Had a Motorcraft oil filter on it, that's a good sign (if the oil isn't pure sludge that is). Whoever had this thing was old and seriously used the factory parts to service this Fairmont.
Awesome Eric, you have to love that car you find and you just feel at home when you drive it, and the vision only you have for it and how happy you'll be when it's done.
A sleeper!! SWEEEEEEEEEEEET!! When I first saw it I thought, "OMG, he's joking!" But then you said that it was a Fox Body (which I didn't know) and I thought, "No way! He's gonna make that into a sleeper!" And I was right! Awesome!! Very much looking forward to the videos you'll make with this car! Super excited! And I know exactly what it's like to ride in a 1979 Ford Fairmont -- my Mom had one of those back in the day. Hers was a four-door and was green, but it was exactly the same drivetrain as yours. :-)
That brought back memories. When I was just starting out as a mechanic in my dad's shop after graduating high school, he had a "regular" whose daughter drove the exact same car. Same color and same engine. I worked on that thing many years and it never required to much repair, mostly service work. The Fairmont was nothing fancy, I am not a big fan of Fords, but it was a damn good basic transportation car. The daughter finally graduated college, and as soon as she started making money the car disappeared. If the new owner took care of it, I have no doubt the thing is still going.
Just watched this one again. Personally I like the color. My mom had a 1983 Toyota Tercel 2 door hatchback of a similar color in the mid 80's. I remember she bought it used when I was 4, so it was sometime in 1985. That color really takes me back. Before that she briefly had a yellow VW Beetle, which was a huge pile of junk. Before that she had some massive tank of a red station wagon. Don't remember the model, but as a 4 year old I called it "mom's fire engine car." :)
hey buddy, not sure if you watch my videos, but i have done a few LS turbo fairmont swaps, if you have any questions, or want to check out any of my videos on what i have done.
There's something about older cars that are so much more special than the new "applicances" on sale today. Most modern cars don't have that same spirit and personality as the old ones. Great choice Eric! I'm definitely looking forward to the videos.
Eric to try to save some cash why not keep a eye out at the damaged car auctions for a low mile Fox body mustang and get all the basic parts you need for hardly any outlay?
A friend of mine had a 79 sport Fairmont with a 302 /automatic and buckets console and plush interior I loved that car...I know the feeling. BTW Eric, as a retired bodyman, I suggest you paint the rockers just up to the body seam where the rocker joins the quarter. Ford was experimenting with galvanized steel and paint often fell off because you need a special primer for galvanized. Cheers from Canada!
To be honest, I laughed during the reveal... thought it was a prank... but after you explained your plans, I think it sounds really cool! Definitely looking forward to the progress. :-)
Back when I rode on four wheels, I owned a Fairmont. Loved it as much as you do yours. Never any problem and the thing was light. Didn't care that it wasn't fast. I had another car for that. Thanks for bringing it back to me.
looking forward to it! And congratulations, you seem really happy. I think new cars don't have what it takes to make a man smile anymore. Again, congratulations and many happy miles.
Throw a Coyote 5.0L Motor into it, Drop it a couple inches, throw some nice wider tires on it. Keep the exterior STOCK! Great purchase Eric, treat her well!
Tottaly get it! I had a '72 4 door Valiant with slant 6, vinyl bench seat, manual steering and brakes. Swapped out the "K" member and put in an early 70s 318. Most fun I had, what a sleeper!! Look forward to your build.
Drop a junkyard LS eninge and throw a turbo on it. I bought a 6.0 liter LS engine with trans that had less then 40,000 miles on it for $1,800 to drop in my fox. Great choice love the Fairmonts.
I definitely wasn't expecting a Fairmont. But I remember these cars when they came out and I kind of liked them back then, especially the ice cold a/c. I have a big soft spot for quirky cars.
I have a buddy who transformed a 87 S10 into a drag truck. he put a 454 in it. I've known him since I was about 9 years old. It was really cool being in his garage taking photos while he was building it. After he had it finish he gave me the privilege of first start!
First car I ever worked on! My brother has a 2 door zephyr which is what you have there but in the mercury badge. My mother had the four door ford version. She came home one day to find I had taken it apart to find out how it worked! LMAO, she just stopped looked, walked off and said loudly its friday have it back together by 7...LOL That lead to my entire automotive repair ability. To see you this happy with this pick makes me happy to stay tuned. JMA@TAO auto repair and more in Dallas,TX!
EricTheCarGuy I was looking on craigslist today and i found a 1986 foxbody mustang for only $1,300 I thought its a good buy for you. here is the guys cl ad tucson.craigslist.org/cto/4207578991.html
I had an old Outback for a long time, and one of my favorite things about it was that I never felt like I was in a hurry while driving it. It's freeing, in a way. Congrats on finding your happy place!
The perfect engine/trans combo is a junkyard 5.3l chevy truck engine with 4l80e... exhaust/tune/port/polish = 400hp... and 22mpg hwy in that light chassis... turnkey efi.. add 100hp with a turbo if u wanna get exotic... all for less than your longblock crate motor... if puttin a gm plant in a ford is too weird for ya... a 5.4 from an f150 would do.. cept they suck.. committed to old school?? the 460 will fit... no replacement for displacement... put a 460 in a 79 capri one time... it was a beast..
That is awesome! Gonna be really cool to see how this turns out. And I know that feeling, I bought a junk 85 G-wagon that I'm working to restore. And I know very well that it's rusty, slow, very noisy etc, yet I absolutely love it. Just a happy car to drive
Because it's a fairmont, a car that was probably beaten to shit in its day..if it was even 186k, it would probably look a lot worse. While I wouldn't really doubt that the odometer rolled over at least once, I imagine he's had it verified.
i was lost when the beginning of your video was all about fbodys and making it a sleeper, but when you started to admit how much you love it and comparing it to "oliver"...I'm right with you. That's the best reason to own a car
I love the idea of going with a vintage/classic/non computerized car. I know few people that have no clue how to fix a car that doesn't tell them what's wrong. I spent quite a few years driving and fixing old Mopars and Fords. That being said, here's my humble opinion on what should be the order of mods: 1. BRAKES: Gotta stop a stock Fairlane with a straight six? The brakes are fine. Gotta stop a Fairlane with a 200+ HP motor? You need bigger brakes AND you need to add a power brake booster. Also, if you convert to 5 lug you can also take advantage of some junkyard upgrades from Crown Vics and the like. You may have to lose the stock hubcaps though. 2. Subframe connectors: I have a friend that had an 89 5.0 Mustang with a Paxton 11 psi supercharger, 24 lb/hr injectors, a Motorsport clutch, and 3.73 rear gears, and he was wondering why his windshield was leaking. And his rear hatch. Oh, and his driver's seat ripped off the floor. Nice car, sounded great, went fast, just something lacking in structural integrity. 3. Rearend: 8.8 3.55 or 3.73 gears and Auburn Limited Slip 4. Tranny: Beefed up AOD (for highway fuel economy) or a beefed up C6 5. Engine: Before blowing over 3 grand on a crate motor, you could always do a simple engine swap video with a junkyard 302 and see what happens.
Dude, that's awesome! I know exactly what you're talking about too -- even that grin on your face! I felt the same way when I brought home my 280z over 8 years ago, and I still get that same dumb grin on my face every time I get in it to this day. Enjoy!
While I think you should do this project because it is a "facet" of the "automotive life," I share your love for this car based on how it is stock, and how it represents an era in automotive technology (as negative as it might have been). I predict that your love for this car will dissipate somewhat with the pains and prices of modifying a car away from its original intent. So, I will gladly watch these videos, but it will be in anticipation of your next project. Good luck, Eric!
At first I was like "..okay, he's messing with us, right?!" Then as soon as you said Foxbody, it clicked for me. Great purchase. Amazing condition and low miles. Very nice find.
This is just how ALL money pits start ! starts with excitement then ends in me getting a hell of a deal when your just sick of looking at an unfinished PROJECT...
Eric! Don't even know if you will even read this but, although have never seen this video, I have followed your "Fairmont Project"... Well, here it is Oct. 17, 2017 and I was watching one of Eric O's (SMA) videos and he took the time to send out great cudos to you on your effort and time with this project mentioning that you have it running/driving?... That is fantastic! I bet that is a great weight off your shoulders (not in a bad way) I checked your channel for an update but didn't see one. I just wanted to congratulate you on your accomplishment and hope to see it soon... I miss you and your videos and wanted to thank you again for sharing your knowledge with everyone and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks!
My brother had a Fairmont Futura from around the same era. Watching this video and listening to the noises the car makes bring back fond memories. Way cool, congrats, looking forward to watching the progress.
eric im so shocked at what your doing to this car in a good way. i cant WAIT to see everything that you do to it next year. i would love to do the same thing if i wasnt in an apartment.
Hi Erik, you look so happy and this is great feeling. It is like finding a 1959 or 1960s Cadillac DeVille or Eldorado in a Barn in good mint intact low mileage condition, hence all you need to do is minor refreshments to restore this gleaming jewel. Although this Ford is not popular or as beautiful as the 70s and 80s Chevrolet Caprice / Cadillac Fleetwoods / Buick Roadmaster or the old 70s Electra , Olds 98 Regency ... etc, i.e. the real American Icon Collectible cars that should be preserved, but if it makes you happy, it is a joyous feel. enjoy it.
Just discovered these videos. Being from the UK I don't know anything about Fairmonts. But I do know EVERYTHING about how you feel with this project. It's exactly how I felt when I planned my Anglia van project and dropped a crate 2.0 Zetec motor into it. Kept it all standard looking except for wider steel wheels and lowered. And it goes like stink! Lover sleeper projects. Even love the colour of this... what we call "hearing aid beige" here in the UK.
Did not see that coming,One of my friends moms had Fairmont wagon red w/woodgrain stick shift.Lasted a long time.We used to fit 5 in front and middle and 3 or 4 in way back.Seeing this brought back good memories.
Grats on the car man! I've been working on a 78 Ford Bronco 351 Modified, had to replace the timing chain, and from that I started watching your videos, and haven't stopped. Keep up the good work!
Eric you never cease to amaze me my friend. Saw one of these come up on craigslist not too long ago with nearly no miles on it. some old lady driving to church on sundays sort of a deal. Cool idea I look forward to seeing what you do with this one.
I love the idea of taking the old Fairmont and building it into a "Mustang in disguise". My next door neighbor in '84 was a Nebraska State Patrol-man... and he got one of the first fox-body mustangs that NE added to the state police force. He said that he really loved the speed and handling of his new car, but he really didn't like the fact that it was so lightweight. If he was ever on the thousands of miles of gravel roads in the back-country in Nebraska, he found it really difficult to keep up when pursuing older and heavier cars that were more 'planted' on the gravel. Other than that, he loved the thing... ;)
The Fairmont is what the driving school that I attended used. Remember wondering why the horn was activated by pressing the turn signal. Awesome sleeper!
I must say I am pretty stoked about this. I have an 81 mustang. So a lot of you vids will definitely be a plus. I know a crate engine is great, already assembled and warrantied, I would probably just go to the salvage yard and build up an explorer engine since I am broke. One project to get rolling imo would probably be a headlight relay kit, simple and important.
Eric is simply a charming and honest guy. It's totally charming watching this drive and future project. I'm interested because, hey, I work on my own cars and I actually like old cars. I have to admit that I chuckled when he revealed it, but... I get it and I like it too.
Eric: Keep up the good work with it! Also keep in mind that L6 engine? Maybe short on "Get Up & Go". But it's almost bullet proof. You can probably offset your expenses by selling the engine and transmission as a matched set.
Glad to see you going into the sleeper build journey!! But please don't forget the basic stuff like body work, interior, a little bit of electronics and of course engine stuff!!
Looks great! Very very excited to see what you do with it. A word to the wise though; fix some of the rust and paint issues ASAP. Im not talking a complete paint job but just make sure the body doesnt fall apart on you after your first winter with it :)
Awesome and sweet. I think I saw a kid in the toy store somewhere along the way. When you drove that in two things came to mind (1) lower and (2) 8J rims with 225/45 tyres in 16 or 17 inch. When you drove it down the road the wheel carps confirmed point (2). Can't wait to see it moving.
I had a '78 Fairmont and the only problem I had in three years of ownership was a blown head gasket. Easy fix on the inline six. Good car, but like Eric said not really a "dream car" unless you have plans on building a sleeper for stoplight to stoplight racing! There, it will shine.
My dad had a '79 Mustang Cobra. It was a great car. Red exterior, black leather interior, Blaupunkt stereo, and it was pretty fast for a kid who was 7-8 years old riding in it.
What an interesting choice. I'm not sure what I was expecting when you unveiled, but it wasn't a Fairmont. Now, I'm firmly a Ford guy, so I loved the reveal and I'm so glad you are so excited about it. There is lots of stuff you can do to this thing to make it kick ass. My grandpa had one in the 80's (After getting rid of his 1970 Maverick), and I found it to be gutless as all get out, but hell, Crate motor, Roll-cage, Mustang go-stuff. I can't wait to see that happen. 2014 is going to be awesome on ETCG! Thanks again for all the videos. One of my favourite channels on the Interwebs...
Sweet Fairmont, that is in great condition. I vote that you do a 5.3 LM7 swap into this with a 70mm turbo and a Microsquirt controller, it will be more in your budget to do this. Check out the Sloppy Mechanics site if you have not already!
We had one of those new in 1978, as the Mercury Zephyr Z7 - which were trimmed up a lot nicer even if it was a no option car. We had the 2.3L 4 cylinder, which lacked torque vs, the 6 cylinder but made up for it in better highway merging. Keep in mind that these could have had a 5.0 from the factory. Fit and finish were definitely 1970's grade, but a Fairmont was basically the replacement to the low cost leader Maverick. It was transportation - a basic new car for the price of a used car. Go to the Mercury badge, load it up and it could be a really nice car.
I think it's one of the best videos from ETCG!!! I just LOVE what you did with the cameras man!! That's awesome!!! Oooh and a very neat looking car you have there..
Good for you, awesome car. I know the feeling you're having when you get a real keeper. Something to look forward to when you go home. You'll find a lot of excuses and extra errands to run just so you can drive it. Congrats brother.
I like where you're going with this. I'm not a huge Ford fan, but Mustangs ( and trucks) are what they are known for. The availability of parts and what can be done is great. Gotta love American muscle regardless of what brand you like.
I knew what you were thinking as soon as you said fox body. I would recommend swapping the steering for the mustang as well, because if i remember the Fairmont had the recirc box and the Mustang is rack and pinion. It will drive so much better. Brakes, big ones, at least as big as you can make fit while making the sleeper thing work.
I'm not a ford guy, but I'm happy for you Eric because a clean Foxbody chassis sounds like a great starting point. Can't wait to see what you do with the old girl. About the exhaust note, I see an automatic exhaust bypass valve in our future!
I know what you mean! I drive a 2013 Honda Accord currently however I have a 2002 Chevy Malibu that doesn't start yet the unique smell of that car's interior makes me happy!
It's funny, after watching this video and hearing you say how you were going to keep it as stock as possible like keeping it an auto transmission and seeing it here and watching the slow transition into what it is now (manual transmission) etc... Pretty darn cool. I am excited all over again...
As a big fan of Ford I am really excited to see what you do with that car. I think you scored with it. it is really amazing to see it in such great shape. congratulations and I hope you have a blast getting it to where you want.
Yes I remember it in the showroom, it had the standard 4 cylinder At the time you could order or they had it in stock at the dealer the motor mounts for the 460 CID engine. There was one in the town running around and seen the setup. Wow I had the1978 fairmont futura and it came factory with the V8 and around a 271 rear end. Enjoyed it and put a lot of miles on it. Enjoyed your video!
Just found this series. I'm looking forward to this build. My first brand new car was the Mercury Zephyr in '78. Same body. Didn't like the rear windows on the Futura/Z7. It was a 302 auto. Gotta love that horn on the turn signal lever!
ETCG speaking to you from the future. It is January 2016 here and I have seen some but not all of the Fairmont videos. I'm looking forward to them. I think the Fairmont is an excellent choice for the reasons you have stated. I love the squareness of the Fairmont (I had a 67 Fairlane) and the fact that you are building a sleeper. Good luck from the future.
Eric, great videos! What some of the younger folks might not remember was how comfortable these interiors were. -They were actual upholstery and not molded, hard buckets! You're right about build quality though - the quality of the the early 70's was gone by this time. Quality and engine power didn't really come back until the 90's...
Good choice! My Mom had a 78 Fairmont 'Futura' same color as yours. With 20k miles[pristine condition] she gave it to my brother who never checked the oil and it blew up!
From Wiki: The Fairmont and Zephyr marked the introduction of the long-running Ford Fox platform, used for a wide variety of later models. Those most closely related to the Fairmont included the 1980-1982 Ford Thunderbird, the 1981-1982 Ford Granada, the 1979-1993 Ford Mustang (and 1979-1986 Mercury Capri), and the 1982-1987 Lincoln Continental. Ford Fox platform supported rear wheel drive.
I cannot wait to see you get inside that baby. The modifications is exacly what I would do on any car. Keep it low profile, but mount up a drag-racing Nitromethane-ready engine (just kidding!). Excellent choice.
Yes! What people don't know is that's a Foxbody . My dad bought in 1979 2 door Mercury Zephyr 2.3 with a 5spd. Great car today for a Coyote swap ! It Was listed at the local Ford dealer in Toronto new for $4999.00 wish cars where still that price ?
Eric, I had another thought on Project Fairmont; what if you got a good used 302 GT engine (90's vintage) from the salvage yard and converted it to carburetion? With just a cam swap, it should perform pretty well, since they had pretty decent flowing heads. If the trans is a C4, you could probably reuse it with just a shift kit. You can always upgrade these things later as funds permit.
You can do a couple quick videos pre-2014: Bumper sticker / dealer sticker removal, Clay bar paint cleaning, then glass and chrome polishing. Fortunately, you'll never have to polish these headlights! These drop in bulb/lens systems were so nice (and cheap).
Glad to have you in a happy place. I don't know much about the older cars because I'm 25 but I'm hoping to learn a lot when you do this project so I'll be tuning in every step of the way!
That was a touching video. The intangible feeling that certain cars give you that just feels like home. A place where you couldn't be happier or more proud. Reminds me of my first car. I wish there was a word for this.
I like your choice,I can't wait to see the evolution!
Im glad you found this kind of car that make you feel so good!
Congrats and thank you for sharing your joy with us Eric!
Great idea and it is the cleanest Fairmount I have seen. Not a speck of rust. I hope you keep the original wheel covers and skinny tires on it. A big Sun tachometer would be funny, though.
Dude! Hell yeah! The build we went with was an 80 fairmont. Short long arm suspension (from a super coupe like mine) dropped 3 inches. Need traction bars in the rear. Torque stall. 2 step. Heres the BEST part... 429SOHC with a 7.16 blower. All forged internals. KB pistons and H beam rods. Trick flow 225cc heads. Theres tons more. But, with the eaton blower, we tip 10 seconds with that car! When you mash the gas, any body in or around goes "hoooolllyyy fuuuuuuuuuck". Excellent project. Im excited to see what you do with it
Great choice. My first "new" car was a '79 Buick Regal and it was the best car I have ever owned. It was very fast and a sharp looker. It turned a lot of heads. Ahhh....the good ole days :)
Had a Motorcraft oil filter on it, that's a good sign (if the oil isn't pure sludge that is). Whoever had this thing was old and seriously used the factory parts to service this Fairmont.
2:34 When you take your car to the mod shop on GTA.
Awesome Eric, you have to love that car you find and you just feel at home when you drive it, and the vision only you have for it and how happy you'll be when it's done.
A sleeper!! SWEEEEEEEEEEEET!!
When I first saw it I thought, "OMG, he's joking!" But then you said that it was a Fox Body (which I didn't know) and I thought, "No way! He's gonna make that into a sleeper!" And I was right! Awesome!!
Very much looking forward to the videos you'll make with this car! Super excited!
And I know exactly what it's like to ride in a 1979 Ford Fairmont -- my Mom had one of those back in the day. Hers was a four-door and was green, but it was exactly the same drivetrain as yours. :-)
That brought back memories. When I was just starting out as a mechanic in my dad's shop after graduating high school, he had a "regular" whose daughter drove the exact same car. Same color and same engine. I worked on that thing many years and it never required to much repair, mostly service work. The Fairmont was nothing fancy, I am not a big fan of Fords, but it was a damn good basic transportation car. The daughter finally graduated college, and as soon as she started making money the car disappeared. If the new owner took care of it, I have no doubt the thing is still going.
Oliver the Fearmont, the ultimate sleeper.
+Stoney527 LMAO!
Just watched this one again. Personally I like the color. My mom had a 1983 Toyota Tercel 2 door hatchback of a similar color in the mid 80's. I remember she bought it used when I was 4, so it was sometime in 1985. That color really takes me back. Before that she briefly had a yellow VW Beetle, which was a huge pile of junk. Before that she had some massive tank of a red station wagon. Don't remember the model, but as a 4 year old I called it "mom's fire engine car." :)
hey buddy, not sure if you watch my videos, but i have done a few LS turbo fairmont swaps, if you have any questions, or want to check out any of my videos on what i have done.
Fairmont wizard right here.
There's something about older cars that are so much more special than the new "applicances" on sale today. Most modern cars don't have that same spirit and personality as the old ones. Great choice Eric! I'm definitely looking forward to the videos.
Eric to try to save some cash why not keep a eye out at the damaged car auctions for a low mile Fox body mustang and get all the basic parts you need for hardly any outlay?
A friend of mine had a 79 sport Fairmont with a 302 /automatic and buckets console and plush interior I loved that car...I know the feeling. BTW Eric, as a retired bodyman, I suggest you paint the rockers just up to the body seam where the rocker joins the quarter. Ford was experimenting with galvanized steel and paint often fell off because you need a special primer for galvanized. Cheers from Canada!
To be honest, I laughed during the reveal... thought it was a prank... but after you explained your plans, I think it sounds really cool! Definitely looking forward to the progress. :-)
Back when I rode on four wheels, I owned a Fairmont. Loved it as much as you do yours. Never any problem and the thing was light. Didn't care that it wasn't fast. I had another car for that. Thanks for bringing it back to me.
The car is going to go from Driving Miss Daisy to need for speed lol
I love seeing you so happy Eric. Awesome project, I love the plan.
I hope you get some money that would be awesome sleeper.
looking forward to it! And congratulations, you seem really happy. I think new cars don't have what it takes to make a man smile anymore. Again, congratulations and many happy miles.
You should keep the Hubcaps.
Throw a Coyote 5.0L Motor into it, Drop it a couple inches, throw some nice wider tires on it. Keep the exterior STOCK! Great purchase Eric, treat her well!
Eric, I don't mean to correct you but Foxbody Mustangs were 1979-1993
A fairmont is on the Foxbody chassis.
Tottaly get it! I had a '72 4 door Valiant with slant 6, vinyl bench seat, manual steering and brakes. Swapped out the "K" member and put in an early 70s 318. Most fun I had, what a sleeper!!
Look forward to your build.
Drop a junkyard LS eninge and throw a turbo on it. I bought a 6.0 liter LS engine with trans that had less then 40,000 miles on it for $1,800 to drop in my fox. Great choice love the Fairmonts.
NOS is definitely the way to go with a beefy engine like that. Holds plenty in stock form. And I think it'd be cheaper to run NOS than a turbo.
Freemananana
Running nitrous with stock internals is like masturbating with soap.
Jackie Gleason So, cheap effective and environmentally friendly then? :P
Freemananana Please stop calling it NOS, it isn't NOS. It is Nitrous Oxide. NOS is a company.
I definitely wasn't expecting a Fairmont. But I remember these cars when they came out and I kind of liked them back then, especially the ice cold a/c. I have a big soft spot for quirky cars.
wow 88hp from 3.3 L . a lot of room for mapping :)
I have a buddy who transformed a 87 S10 into a drag truck. he put a 454 in it. I've known him since I was about 9 years old. It was really cool being in his garage taking photos while he was building it. After he had it finish he gave me the privilege of first start!
im in the uk and soon as you said oliver i thought of hammonds oliver in the africa special lol,.
rodney trotter "Float! OLIVEEEER!"
First car I ever worked on! My brother has a 2 door zephyr which is what you have there but in the mercury badge. My mother had the four door ford version. She came home one day to find I had taken it apart to find out how it worked! LMAO, she just stopped looked, walked off and said loudly its friday have it back together by 7...LOL That lead to my entire automotive repair ability. To see you this happy with this pick makes me happy to stay tuned. JMA@TAO auto repair and more in Dallas,TX!
I have seen this exact car here in Tucson craigslist for $500 bucks. $3,200 wow that is alot for that type of car.
Not in this condition. The average price for a good one is $2500
yes in the same condition, with power everything, I flip cars for a hobby but ford is not my style
EricTheCarGuy I was looking on craigslist today and i found a 1986 foxbody mustang for only $1,300 I thought its a good buy for you. here is the guys cl ad
tucson.craigslist.org/cto/4207578991.html
I had an old Outback for a long time, and one of my favorite things about it was that I never felt like I was in a hurry while driving it. It's freeing, in a way.
Congrats on finding your happy place!
The perfect engine/trans combo is a junkyard 5.3l chevy truck engine with 4l80e... exhaust/tune/port/polish = 400hp... and 22mpg hwy in that light chassis... turnkey efi.. add 100hp with a turbo if u wanna get exotic... all for less than your longblock crate motor... if puttin a gm plant in a ford is too weird for ya... a 5.4 from an f150 would do.. cept they suck.. committed to old school?? the 460 will fit... no replacement for displacement... put a 460 in a 79 capri one time... it was a beast..
That is awesome! Gonna be really cool to see how this turns out. And I know that feeling, I bought a junk 85 G-wagon that I'm working to restore. And I know very well that it's rusty, slow, very noisy etc, yet I absolutely love it. Just a happy car to drive
How do you know it only has 86K miles? It's one of those old odometers that are missing a digit, it could be 286K
Because it's a fairmont, a car that was probably beaten to shit in its day..if it was even 186k, it would probably look a lot worse. While I wouldn't really doubt that the odometer rolled over at least once, I imagine he's had it verified.
Jon Warrell
There is no way to find out mileage without odometer except tearing everything apart and roughly guessing from parts condition
EvilJ069
lol, what an idiot, no way to find mileage.
*****
You can't POSSIBLY be this stupid... You gotta be fucking with me, nobody can be as stupid as you >_
EvilJ069
says the guy that can't read an odometer
i was lost when the beginning of your video was all about fbodys and making it a sleeper, but when you started to admit how much you love it and comparing it to "oliver"...I'm right with you. That's the best reason to own a car
did you get this because of Fast n Loud? lol
I love the idea of going with a vintage/classic/non computerized car. I know few people that have no clue how to fix a car that doesn't tell them what's wrong. I spent quite a few years driving and fixing old Mopars and Fords. That being said, here's my humble opinion on what should be the order of mods:
1. BRAKES: Gotta stop a stock Fairlane with a straight six? The brakes are fine. Gotta stop a Fairlane with a 200+ HP motor? You need bigger brakes AND you need to add a power brake booster. Also, if you convert to 5 lug you can also take advantage of some junkyard upgrades from Crown Vics and the like. You may have to lose the stock hubcaps though.
2. Subframe connectors: I have a friend that had an 89 5.0 Mustang with a Paxton 11 psi supercharger, 24 lb/hr injectors, a Motorsport clutch, and 3.73 rear gears, and he was wondering why his windshield was leaking. And his rear hatch. Oh, and his driver's seat ripped off the floor. Nice car, sounded great, went fast, just something lacking in structural integrity.
3. Rearend: 8.8 3.55 or 3.73 gears and Auburn Limited Slip
4. Tranny: Beefed up AOD (for highway fuel economy) or a beefed up C6
5. Engine: Before blowing over 3 grand on a crate motor, you could always do a simple engine swap video with a junkyard 302 and see what happens.
Should have got a Trans am.
to slow he nedds a trans am with a biger engine
Dude, that's awesome! I know exactly what you're talking about too -- even that grin on your face! I felt the same way when I brought home my 280z over 8 years ago, and I still get that same dumb grin on my face every time I get in it to this day. Enjoy!
While I think you should do this project because it is a "facet" of the "automotive life," I share your love for this car based on how it is stock, and how it represents an era in automotive technology (as negative as it might have been). I predict that your love for this car will dissipate somewhat with the pains and prices of modifying a car away from its original intent. So, I will gladly watch these videos, but it will be in anticipation of your next project. Good luck, Eric!
At first I was like "..okay, he's messing with us, right?!" Then as soon as you said Foxbody, it clicked for me. Great purchase. Amazing condition and low miles. Very nice find.
This is just how ALL money pits start !
starts with excitement then ends in me getting a hell of a deal when your just sick of looking at an unfinished PROJECT...
Eric! Don't even know if you will even read this but, although have never seen this video, I have followed your "Fairmont Project"... Well, here it is Oct. 17, 2017 and I was watching one of Eric O's (SMA) videos and he took the time to send out great cudos to you on your effort and time with this project mentioning that you have it running/driving?... That is fantastic! I bet that is a great weight off your shoulders (not in a bad way) I checked your channel for an update but didn't see one. I just wanted to congratulate you on your accomplishment and hope to see it soon... I miss you and your videos and wanted to thank you again for sharing your knowledge with everyone and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks!
My brother had a Fairmont Futura from around the same era. Watching this video and listening to the noises the car makes bring back fond memories. Way cool, congrats, looking forward to watching the progress.
eric im so shocked at what your doing to this car in a good way. i cant WAIT to see everything that you do to it next year. i would love to do the same thing if i wasnt in an apartment.
Started my mechanic career in 1973 and worked on many a Fairmont. Great car and easy to work on
Hi Erik, you look so happy and this is great feeling. It is like finding a 1959 or 1960s Cadillac DeVille or Eldorado in a Barn in good mint intact low mileage condition, hence all you need to do is minor refreshments to restore this gleaming jewel. Although this Ford is not popular or as beautiful as the 70s and 80s Chevrolet Caprice / Cadillac Fleetwoods / Buick Roadmaster or the old 70s Electra , Olds 98 Regency ... etc, i.e. the real American Icon Collectible cars that should be preserved, but if it makes you happy, it is a joyous feel. enjoy it.
Just discovered these videos. Being from the UK I don't know anything about Fairmonts. But I do know EVERYTHING about how you feel with this project. It's exactly how I felt when I planned my Anglia van project and dropped a crate 2.0 Zetec motor into it. Kept it all standard looking except for wider steel wheels and lowered. And it goes like stink! Lover sleeper projects. Even love the colour of this... what we call "hearing aid beige" here in the UK.
Did not see that coming,One of my friends moms had Fairmont wagon red w/woodgrain stick shift.Lasted a long time.We used to fit 5 in front and middle and 3 or 4 in way back.Seeing this brought back good memories.
Grats on the car man! I've been working on a 78 Ford Bronco 351 Modified, had to replace the timing chain, and from that I started watching your videos, and haven't stopped. Keep up the good work!
Eric you never cease to amaze me my friend. Saw one of these come up on craigslist not too long ago with nearly no miles on it. some old lady driving to church on sundays sort of a deal. Cool idea I look forward to seeing what you do with this one.
For being that old it looks really good. Can't wait to see your progress with it. Thanks for sharing.
I love the idea of taking the old Fairmont and building it into a "Mustang in disguise". My next door neighbor in '84 was a Nebraska State Patrol-man... and he got one of the first fox-body mustangs that NE added to the state police force. He said that he really loved the speed and handling of his new car, but he really didn't like the fact that it was so lightweight. If he was ever on the thousands of miles of gravel roads in the back-country in Nebraska, he found it really difficult to keep up when pursuing older and heavier cars that were more 'planted' on the gravel. Other than that, he loved the thing... ;)
The Fairmont is what the driving school that I attended used. Remember wondering why the horn was activated by pressing the turn signal. Awesome sleeper!
I must say I am pretty stoked about this. I have an 81 mustang. So a lot of you vids will definitely be a plus. I know a crate engine is great, already assembled and warrantied, I would probably just go to the salvage yard and build up an explorer engine since I am broke.
One project to get rolling imo would probably be a headlight relay kit, simple and important.
Eric is simply a charming and honest guy. It's totally charming watching this drive and future project. I'm interested because, hey, I work on my own cars and I actually like old cars. I have to admit that I chuckled when he revealed it, but... I get it and I like it too.
Eric: Keep up the good work with it! Also keep in mind that L6 engine? Maybe short on "Get Up & Go". But it's almost bullet proof. You can probably offset your expenses by selling the engine and transmission as a matched set.
Glad to see you going into the sleeper build journey!!
But please don't forget the basic stuff like body work, interior, a little bit of electronics and of course engine stuff!!
Looks great! Very very excited to see what you do with it. A word to the wise though; fix some of the rust and paint issues ASAP. Im not talking a complete paint job but just make sure the body doesnt fall apart on you after your first winter with it :)
Very exciting! Congratulations on your new car! Looking forward to a stack of videos!
Keep up the good work!
Awesome and sweet. I think I saw a kid in the toy store somewhere along the way. When you drove that in two things came to mind (1) lower and (2) 8J rims with 225/45 tyres in 16 or 17 inch. When you drove it down the road the wheel carps confirmed point (2). Can't wait to see it moving.
I had a '78 Fairmont and the only problem I had in three years of ownership was a blown head gasket. Easy fix on the inline six. Good car, but like Eric said not really a "dream car" unless you have plans on building a sleeper for stoplight to stoplight racing!
There, it will shine.
My dad had a '79 Mustang Cobra. It was a great car. Red exterior, black leather interior, Blaupunkt stereo, and it was pretty fast for a kid who was 7-8 years old riding in it.
What an interesting choice. I'm not sure what I was expecting when you unveiled, but it wasn't a Fairmont. Now, I'm firmly a Ford guy, so I loved the reveal and I'm so glad you are so excited about it. There is lots of stuff you can do to this thing to make it kick ass.
My grandpa had one in the 80's (After getting rid of his 1970 Maverick), and I found it to be gutless as all get out, but hell, Crate motor, Roll-cage, Mustang go-stuff. I can't wait to see that happen.
2014 is going to be awesome on ETCG!
Thanks again for all the videos. One of my favourite channels on the Interwebs...
Haha, I love how happy Eric was driving. I feel the same way when I get in my 1973 VW Beetle. That nostalgic feeling is something I also really enjoy.
Sweet Fairmont, that is in great condition. I vote that you do a 5.3 LM7 swap into this with a 70mm turbo and a Microsquirt controller, it will be more in your budget to do this. Check out the Sloppy Mechanics site if you have not already!
We had one of those new in 1978, as the Mercury Zephyr Z7 - which were trimmed up a lot nicer even if it was a no option car. We had the 2.3L 4 cylinder, which lacked torque vs, the 6 cylinder but made up for it in better highway merging. Keep in mind that these could have had a 5.0 from the factory. Fit and finish were definitely 1970's grade, but a Fairmont was basically the replacement to the low cost leader Maverick. It was transportation - a basic new car for the price of a used car. Go to the Mercury badge, load it up and it could be a really nice car.
I think it's one of the best videos from ETCG!!! I just LOVE what you did with the cameras man!! That's awesome!!! Oooh and a very neat looking car you have there..
Good for you, awesome car. I know the feeling you're having when you get a real keeper. Something to look forward to when you go home. You'll find a lot of excuses and extra errands to run just so you can drive it. Congrats brother.
I like where you're going with this. I'm not a huge Ford fan, but Mustangs ( and trucks) are what they are known for. The availability of parts and what can be done is great. Gotta love American muscle regardless of what brand you like.
I knew what you were thinking as soon as you said fox body. I would recommend swapping the steering for the mustang as well, because if i remember the Fairmont had the recirc box and the Mustang is rack and pinion. It will drive so much better. Brakes, big ones, at least as big as you can make fit while making the sleeper thing work.
I'm not a ford guy, but I'm happy for you Eric because a clean Foxbody chassis sounds like a great starting point. Can't wait to see what you do with the old girl. About the exhaust note, I see an automatic exhaust bypass valve in our future!
I know what you mean! I drive a 2013 Honda Accord currently however I have a 2002 Chevy Malibu that doesn't start yet the unique smell of that car's interior makes me happy!
It's funny, after watching this video and hearing you say how you were going to keep it as stock as possible like keeping it an auto transmission and seeing it here and watching the slow transition into what it is now (manual transmission) etc... Pretty darn cool. I am excited all over again...
I'm pleasantly surprised! I really like the direction you're going, this will make for some AMAZING videos.
I absolutely love Fairmonts! Great pick Eric! And that Thriftpower I6 will never let you down
As a big fan of Ford I am really excited to see what you do with that car. I think you scored with it. it is really amazing to see it in such great shape. congratulations and I hope you have a blast getting it to where you want.
She's a beauty, Eric. I'm looking forward to seeing your plans come to fruition.
Yes I remember it in the showroom, it had the standard 4 cylinder At the time you could order or they had it in stock at the dealer the motor mounts for the 460 CID engine. There was one in the town running around and seen the setup. Wow I had the1978 fairmont futura and it came factory with the V8 and around a 271 rear end. Enjoyed it and put a lot of miles on it. Enjoyed your video!
You are a smart guy. I think you made a good choice, and I'll be looking forward to see the changes. Good luck!
I love this video. It's that same feeling my square 69 Valiant used to give me.
The smell, the bench seat, the column shifter. All happy place items.
Just found this series. I'm looking forward to this build. My first brand new car was the Mercury Zephyr in '78. Same body. Didn't like the rear windows on the Futura/Z7. It was a 302 auto. Gotta love that horn on the turn signal lever!
I'm so stoked to watch this build happen. Congrats!
ETCG speaking to you from the future. It is January 2016 here and I have seen some but not all of the Fairmont videos. I'm looking forward to them. I think the Fairmont is an excellent choice for the reasons you have stated. I love the squareness of the Fairmont (I had a 67 Fairlane) and the fact that you are building a sleeper. Good luck from the future.
My mom had one of the station wagon models and it was a tank. Those in line sixes are bulletproof.
As a die hard fan of the windsor engines, I'm stoked to see how you build this thing. Good luck hope it's fun!
Eric, great videos!
What some of the younger folks might not remember was how comfortable these interiors were. -They were actual upholstery and not molded, hard buckets! You're right about build quality though - the quality of the the early 70's was gone by this time. Quality and engine power didn't really come back until the 90's...
I have to admit it wasn't what I expected. But then you named it after me. Thank you Eric!
Good choice! My Mom had a 78 Fairmont 'Futura' same color as yours. With 20k miles[pristine condition] she gave it to my brother who never checked the oil and it blew up!
From Wiki:
The Fairmont and Zephyr marked the introduction of the long-running Ford Fox platform, used for a wide variety of later models. Those most closely related to the Fairmont included the 1980-1982 Ford Thunderbird, the 1981-1982 Ford Granada, the 1979-1993 Ford Mustang (and 1979-1986 Mercury Capri), and the 1982-1987 Lincoln Continental.
Ford Fox platform supported rear wheel drive.
I cannot wait to see you get inside that baby. The modifications is exacly what I would do on any car. Keep it low profile, but mount up a drag-racing Nitromethane-ready engine (just kidding!). Excellent choice.
My dad had one, your car is in a phenomenal look ! Great choice Eric.
Yes! What people don't know is that's a Foxbody . My dad bought in 1979 2 door Mercury Zephyr 2.3 with a 5spd. Great car today for a Coyote swap ! It Was listed at the local Ford dealer in Toronto new for $4999.00 wish cars where still that price ?
Eric, I had another thought on Project Fairmont; what if you got a good used 302 GT engine (90's vintage) from the salvage yard and converted it to carburetion? With just a cam swap, it should perform pretty well, since they had pretty decent flowing heads. If the trans is a C4, you could probably reuse it with just a shift kit. You can always upgrade these things later as funds permit.
That looks awesome Eric. I cant wait to see what you do with her! Love those older cars, with those cream colors!