At this point every old car has been beefed up, I automatically assume them to be a sleeper. Especially Fairmonts, I havent seen mint beefed up ones at all, so might as well go the whole nine yards to be different at this point.
@@ToreDL87 I'm a big fan of 4 door manual trans cars. So t5 swap and suspension upgrade would be pretty fun. Low buck upgrades are pretty cool. So Many options with mustang parts
I had a 78 zephyr with the in-line 6. My first car, loved it! Had it for 8 years until a fender bender wrote it off. Total granny car but it helped me start my landscaping business and did everything about to it with ease. Great cars!
This episode will probably make sleeperdude cry!!! He is always on the hunt for fairmonts..But a 302 four door would probably be his holy grail car...Great video Kevin and Mook!!
Hi Kevin when your hoist is lower then your last safety lock, we use axle stands underneath the arm of the hoist on both sides of the car and then it can’t come down on you. Hope you and Mook are have a great day. We really enjoy your videos. Thanks guys. Doug. Cheers!
Back in 1980, my grandpa bought a wagon version of this car. From factory, it was dark gray with red interiors. V8 with manual transmission. Later on, my mom got it and we painted it white. I tell ya, that car was a tank and, keeping up with the maintenance services on time, never gave us a single issue. Great video.
Not much wrong with that car like it is. Maybe throw a VERY mild setup at it, so it keeps it's nice road manners, but could turn 14 inch tires into smoke with little effort. Nice rig to throw some friends in to go get ice cream.
"Y'all two jest keep on bein' a dang hoot, don't ya? Mook's quick-draw chucklin' and that there knee-slapper humor of his riles me up every dadgum 3 1/2 seconds, I tell ya what!"
My first self payed car with a straight 6 cylinder engine and a 3 speed automatic transmission. Slow, heavy, save, reliable and cheap on gas my Father knew what he was doing when he recommend it. I was single till I traded it in for a VW T3 camper (best time ever)
I can't believe this car was in such good shape, what a find! I had an '80 with the 4 cylinder when I was young, ran great, until the head got a crack in it, but to this day, the Fairmont holds a lot of nostalgia and great memories for me. My mother in law had an '83 with the 6 cylinder, that , because of a leaking oil sending unit, unfortunately died. When I found out soon after how easy the fix could have been, I vowed to never let any of my family's cars die like that because I didn't know how to fix it. So, quite literally, the Ford Fairmont was the reason I ended up going to school and becoming a mechanic. I have seen a few up for sale over the years since, but could not afford what they were asking for it, and none had the 8 cylinder, which I always coveted. These days, it's a pipe dream for me to ever have one again, as I have financial issues that have resulted in not even owning a car, which has prevented me from having transportation to be able to get to a job, further exacerbating my financial troubles ......so it was a real treat to see one revived on your channel. Thanks for all the great work you do, and all the great content.
Hold tight to your dreams, always keep your eyes open, and never hesitate to ask about the cars you find. I've discovered several 'dream cars' with this method and some turned out to be very affordable.
I literally grew up in the back seat of that same exact style of car. My second oldest sister got stung in the upper lip by a bee in the back. I fell outta the front door going down the highway in the same car. It's crazy the memories seeing this car on your channel brings back to me. Right on man.
Back in 1991 I changed the automatic trans in an '81 cutlass wagon in four feet of snow. Had to jack it up and put solid concrete blocks under the wheels from the rear and then tunnel under it to lift it more and add more blocks. I did the hella long extensions thig to get the top bolts! If I'da had me a Mook.... It would have gone a LOT easier.
The ford Fairmont, --- put some new bushes, springs , shocks, and a cammed 302 with long tube headers and twin glass packs on it...maybe 4 wheel disk brakes.... perfect long term daily driver..👍👍👍
Great video! Never thought that a Fairmont would be popular...again. My dad had a Ford dealership in the 70s and Fairmonts and Grenadas FLEW off the lot. I don't know if you know this but you could order a Grenada with a 302 and 4-speed-on-the-floor! We had one on the used car lot and I loved driving it! Anyway, the Fairmont was really popular with the Silver hairs...in fact, my Grandfather bought two brand-new Fairmonts. Good luck with it...muscle it up and keep it a sleeper...we who never thought young folks would like Fairmonts would love to see you romp around blowing doors off Corvettes. There's your challenge...
Always a great pleasure when a JD video pops up, especially when the Mookanic is taking part. There seems to be so many really crap stuff on You tube these days its great to know that there are still the old faithfulls on here. You and Mook get it just right, an excellent mix of entertainment, knowledge and fun.. Definitely my No 1 must watch channel. Keep it up guys and all the best from Yorkshire UK..
Well, I'll be! It's always a rootin'-tootin' good time when a JD video pops on up, 'specially when that Mookanic feller's in the mix! I tell ya, with all the hogwash floatin' 'round UA-cam these days, it's a breath of fresh air to see y'all old reliables still kickin'. You and Mook, y'all hit the nail on the head - a perfect stew of fun, smarts, and a heap of good times. Yer channel's my absolute go-to, number one watch! Keep on keepin' on, boys, and a big ol' howdy and best wishes from Yorkshire, UK! Yeehaw! 🤠
For the record, I am not a transmission specialist. I have rebuilt my own 4r70w in my 96 T-Bird, and it was the OverDrive successor to the C-4. Springs on accumulators, generally are for "smoother shifts". The 4r70w uses 4 pistons for bands and for accumulators to control shifting and they have springs inside before you put a shift kit in them, also. You also change some of the balls, springs and pistons in the valve body, and drill a couple of holes in the plate for fluid flow (quicker shifts). Automatics are really simpler than Manuals when it comes to rebuilds, and if you took it all the way down, you'll understand what all the clutch packs, sun gears and bands do, and it'll be burned in your mind like childhood trauma. Good luck.
I had an 81 that started out as a 2.3L 4cyl. And it ended its life with me being sold with a 750hp 7.5L 460 all under the stock hood. It was a street beast that had corvettes and camaro owners scratching their heads lol
I was a wrench at a Lincoln dealership in the late 70's. Loved road testing the Mercury Zephyr (upgraded Fairmont) with the 8 cyl. Damn near as fast as the Stang and a better ride! Keep that Ford and have fun.
Kevin I tell ya this honestly, out of all the youtubers I watch, (Cleetus McFarland, Grind Hard plumbing co, SXSBlog, Matts Off Road Recovery, How Ridiculous, Boosted Boiz, Demo Ranch... ect) I crave your videos the most. I am ALWAYS waiting for a new Junkyard Digs video to come out! You deserve this Million Subs and its coming quick boy! cant wait to see what youll have in stores for a million subs!
A word of advice when it comes to the Fairmonts, Venturas, and Mercury Zephyrs. The bolts marrying the driveshaft to the diff yoke have been known to back out. I bet you'll never guess how I know this.
@@Deucealive75 Yes. The ones on mine were. Is it possible somebody did some work on the car before I got it, and didn't torque them down right? Yeah that's a possibility, but it still taught me to pay more attention to those vehicles.
Kevin man I just wanna say I always look forward to your videos. I consider you a huge leader for this generation to keep these things around for many years. You’ll always have my support!!!
Fox bodies are the ideal entry level classic car, the chassis and steering are modern enough and are really easy to drive, they are light and nimble so good fuel usage and perfect in the city, parts are everywhere. The interior is roomy and comfortable enough with plenty of visibility. I’m french and I’ve been daily driving various Fox bodies for 8 years now.
I done a bad turn when a pipe fell off once. To make it worse it set my dad's truck up for a pole vault with the drive shaft. Some wet britches later all turned out good. Too the good ole' days.
Watching this with the color, the interior, the sound, was bringing back a lot memories of me and my dad building his 81 Futura a few years ago. Another thing to keep an eye out is wheelbase I remember the Futura was a little longer then a mustang but not sure on the four doors. Loving the content Kevin keep it up 👍.
Thank you for this revival. It reminds me of my dad's military surplus Fairmont. It had the 2.3l Lima motor and a 4 speed and wa OD green. It is only one of two Fords my dad had. I miss them and him very much.
I think this would make an excellent fun and comfy daily driver. Maybe put some more comfortable bucket seats in it with a center console, firm up the suspension, perhaps a better camshaft, some better wheels and tires, and get the A/C working!
Let me add : a litte bit of rust treatment to make sure this car can last a few more wnters, and a set of winter tires to get some grip at low temperatures (which I did for my car).
I had I believe it was an 83 LTD 2 station wagon basically the same platform as the Fairmont I think, I loved that car, it had a 3.8, unfortunately it spun a bearing, I put a used engine in it which blew up on me, it barely ran and the engine sounded like everything just exploded in it, a guy I was friends with came to my house and managed to drive it to his shop a couple of blocks away. One snowy miserable day I took my mom to our local supermarket, I dropped her off, she called to pick her up, when I got there she was talking to two guys, they had two shopping carts loaded with groceries, the store is near what used to be a Hess oil storage facility, the tankers would come and unload the oil and it was piped to the refinery, it turned out that these two guys were cooks on a tugboat and they needed a ride back to boat with the groceries, they couldn't get a cab because of the storm, since I had the wagon everything was able to fit, I drove them right up to the dock which was cool to see a tugboat up close, they gave me a couple of bucks, this was in Perth Amboy NJ, I'll never forget that day.
A great video especially with the banter between you and Mook. This has to be the most problem-free transmission video I've seen, evidently you're pretty happy. Keep up the great work and the awesome videos 👍✌️🇺🇲
37:40 It's amazing that no one replaced that AM radio in 44 years; this car is like a time capsule. These early FOX cars had fantastic air conditioners and heaters; they were not only good at heating and cooling, but they were great at dehumidifying (with the selector on MAX) on muggy days. The controls were also nice and simple. The installation of that shift kit would have given me nightmares; I'd be terrified of letting something fall in, or out, before putting it back together. But what you did seems to have worked. Good luck with it; it seems like a great example of a car that's more interesting now than it was back then.
I had an 81, 4 cylinder with absolutely no power, but I loved the car. It had some neat features for what it was. A few years after I traded it, I picked up a ‘79. It was a v6 and was the base model. Both were in excellent condition. I wouldn’t mind having another one.
I LOVED this episode. My family had an '80 Fairmont 4 door when I was in highschool. Straight 6. It put me in the hospital when I was delivering pizza one icy December and got totalled out. Now, about 3 months ago I decided to get back on the horse and bought an '82 Fairmont Futura straight 6 I am thinking about putting a spicy cam and pistons in. Great to see how easy the trans comes out, and to look out for the reinstallation.
Perfect couple relationship. She gets the greasy hands and clothing working on vehicles while he supervised. He gets to get the grease and oil from all of the cooking chores while she debates eating anything he cooked.
That car is in great shape! Back in the day I used to force feed 351C in them. Just fit, a bit wider than the 302/351W. The 351W fits with no effort if swapping an existing 302 power plant. Don't see these around up here anymore, well maybe from about halfway up the doors may still exist as on a quiet night you could hear them rust.
The 1980's, when car designers just gave up and every car looked like the box a real car came in. Square, boxy, sharp angles, no contours. This car body looks like it was designed on an Etch-A-Sketch.
@@hkmonaro8153 Ah interesting! I can believe the salt thing. I got caught in the salt with my MGB the other week and painted suspension bits went orange overnight
I just discovered this channel last week and have been binging videos. This channel and Mook’s channel are fabulous. My brother was into fixing up cars like this but never had the motivation to finish, or got sidetracked and moved on to an entire different project. You remind me a lot of my brother, although with a better temperament and more articulate.
They made some of these with a 2.3L 4-cylinder and an automatic transmission. On a good day you could actually pass a Yugo or Chevette given a mile of road to do it in. There were 4 different 4-speeds which came with the 2.3; one was a "Dagenham" from England. It was notorious for having the shift forks pop off the gears unless you were gentle with it. You could pop them back on pretty easily with a handful of tools from inside the car which I kept in the passenger floorboard and used frequently. Slowest car I ever owned and I was happy to see it go when I sold it.
My Mom had one of these, back in the day. 79 4-door Fairmont, but it was mint-green with a black interior and had a straight-six (a 260? I think? I was a kid, so I could be remembering that wrong). They're so simple and easy to fix. And they were so cheap that they were basically "disposable" transportation. You drove it until it the wheels fell off, then you scrapped it and bought a new car. So that means there are very few left in this kind of condition. Perfect for a "sleeper," because you don't have to do a ton of cosmetic work to it -- you can just do mechanical stuff. I do hope y'all will make some more videos with this car. I really like it!
My mother had one of these in 1998 I was 4 years old and still remember the vivid blue interior.. it had no AC and we spent a many hot South Carolina days doing the dash trying to cool off.. the exact same color and all
The 1979 Fairmont was my first car- i even wrote a song about it 😂. But mine had the straight 6. I wish i still had that car! But seeing this one up close in the video is a great consolation prize!
for camshaft and crankshaft seals I didn't have the right tools, I 3D printered me some from plastic. I used the original bolts to evenly press in new seals. it was my first time doing that kind of seal, later for transmission I just hammered it with a piece of wood in between. point is, you can always do good work with limited tools.
Had one in the 90s, old highway patrol sedan, super fast top end, but a tub on takeoff. Oil cooler power steering cooler, brake fluid cooler and all the associated brass to replace annually. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
My grandfather had a 2 door 2 tone baby blue and dark blue version of that car i was a teenager and always thought it was a nice looking ride.thanks john from arizona
The cushman pulling that car was majorly impressive. Never would’ve expected that. I’d say add a little bit more in the way of power adders and maybe clean it up a bit more but otherwise leave it close to stock
My first car was a 1961 Ford Fairmount. I paid $400 for it and drove it trouble free for several years until the transmission went out completely....except for reverse. I sold it for $400! Best purchase I ever made.
Enjoyed this one a lot. My family had an 80 Fairmont wagon with a 6 in it, and much later an 82 Fairmont sedan (also with a 6) that a grandma had only put 30k miles on in 18 years. It needed a lot of work over the years by my dad once we made it a daily driver, and he installed a DIY throttle control in the engine bay which didn't fly well with my mom who drove it, since she had to spray brake clean into the carb and regulate the throttle with the hood up when leaving work. But, one does what one must when $ is tight!
4wd hub socket works perfect for those seals btw 😬 also national makes seals/bearings for everyone not just O'Reilly.. ford 7.5 rear ends actually use national and timken bearings depending on the years
My Grandfather had an 81 or 83 Fairmont. He purchased it in the early nineties from an old woman, the car had only 32,000 miles. I remember it was butter yellow with a tan interior with vinyl seats and if im not mistaken an AM radio. I hated it. I can't remember the engine size but the car would haul ass and the AC would freeze you out.
We moved from Chicago to L.A. in 1979 when I was 10 years old. My dad got a job out there and we had just gone through the blizzard, so California called. He got a company car, a 1979 302 equipped Fairmont. I learned to drive in that and the family's 1974 Buick Electra. It took on many of the 'sporty' Japanese cars of the mid to late 80s, but I learned what a sleeper really was when I lined up at a red light next to what I thought was a V6 LTD, but was actually a LTD LX and it blew my door's off (well, it seemed that way, lol). It, and a subscription to Hot Rod magazine got me intrigued for real hp, and I ended up buying a '86 Capri GS with a 5 speed.
Man, this brings back a lot of memories. My first car was a 1980 4 door Fairmont. Yellow 2 tone with a straight 6. This was back in 1990. Thanks for the memories!
My wife had a 79 Fairmont, white with a red gut. The thing I remember most about that car was the horn, you had to push in the turn signal stalk! It also had working air conditioning but non tinted glass, so it would never really cool off on hot days.
As someone trying to become a mechanic, it makes me feel better knowing I’m not the only one having problems understanding automatic transmissions. I was the only one in my auto tech class who couldn’t complete the rebuild on a practice transmission. Granted, a lot of the examples were already missing pieces from previous classes.
Holy Cow, my grandfather had one identical to yours (except straight 6) he got new from the dealer (Jerry Hayes Ford, Independence MO), I learned to drive in that car. Amazed it is in so good of condition and astounding it looks so much like his, even the AM radio. Good times!
I first showed up for that Durango video, have since binge watched 65% of every JYD videos, and I’m loving this one too. You’d love my old 79 Fairmont with the 408W/Gforce 5spd combo plus factory bench seat. Then again, who wouldn’t. Anyway, hello from Texas.
What should we do with the Fairmont? Daily it? Budget sleeper build? Let us know!!
Daily it!
hell yeah
Definitely Daily, all day
daily. a sleeper would also be cool, ngl
Sleeper, Nos
Engine hoist - a device used to test the tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect or missed while preparing to remove the engine.
2 ton come-a-long, 6 foot section of tow chain, and big tree in front yard = Engine Hoist.
Been there, ahem done that $$$$
Some chains and an old beater 12,000 pound forklift usually auto deletes any miscellaneous wires hoses and stubborn bolts
@@fieraci8500 I did that but with the support beam of my garage
Yep, BTDT. Clutch cable got broken the last time I did it.
You turned the radio on at exactly the right time to catch the top-of-hour Legal ID. As a former broadcaster of 16 years, I can appreciate that!
This Fairmont doesn't look too bad for the year. Since it is a Foxbody it has a lot of potential. I say just beef it up and make it a sleeper
At this point every old car has been beefed up, I automatically assume them to be a sleeper.
Especially Fairmonts, I havent seen mint beefed up ones at all, so might as well go the whole nine yards to be different at this point.
@@ToreDL87 I'm a big fan of 4 door manual trans cars. So t5 swap and suspension upgrade would be pretty fun. Low buck upgrades are pretty cool. So Many options with mustang parts
@@nealpurdy1202also 303 cam and four barrel Edelbrock make it a down right great little cruiser
I say keep it stock like his foxbody mustang that he loves so much
Beefy mmmmm
This was an awesome video as always
👍👍
Nicr
nice
👍👍👍🙏🙏
Nice
I absolutely love it!! It deserves to be saved. One of those throwaway cars you just don’t see anymore.
ok
ok
I had a 78 zephyr with the in-line 6. My first car, loved it! Had it for 8 years until a fender bender wrote it off. Total granny car but it helped me start my landscaping business and did everything about to it with ease. Great cars!
You didn’t half primer grey is and tag it as “ alternative customs” did you
This episode will probably make sleeperdude cry!!! He is always on the hunt for fairmonts..But a 302 four door would probably be his holy grail car...Great video Kevin and Mook!!
Rocky would need to run his eyes over it first. 😘👌😂😂
sleeperdude colab in the works?????
@@brianlewis589 That would be good.
I was thinking same thing absolutely love sleeperdude
@@brianlewis589 he mentioned in one of his videos he had been talking to JD
Hi Kevin when your hoist is lower then your last safety lock, we use axle stands underneath the arm of the hoist on both sides of the car and then it can’t come down on you. Hope you and Mook are have a great day. We really enjoy your videos.
Thanks guys. Doug. Cheers!
Back in 1980, my grandpa bought a wagon version of this car. From factory, it was dark gray with red interiors. V8 with manual transmission.
Later on, my mom got it and we painted it white.
I tell ya, that car was a tank and, keeping up with the maintenance services on time, never gave us a single issue.
Great video.
How many times did it stall out? I rented a few of those in the early 80’s… they all stalled out if you didn’t warm it up for like 10 minutes
@@paulnadratowski3942Too low idle rev, I guess.
Not much wrong with that car like it is. Maybe throw a VERY mild setup at it, so it keeps it's nice road manners, but could turn 14 inch tires into smoke with little effort. Nice rig to throw some friends in to go get ice cream.
👍
I second that!
Needs a roller 351w, aluminum heads, single plane, 5 speed and an 8.8.
Mild sleeper, so you can party with friends... & then still get ice cream! Lol. Thanx !
Keep it as is. That's a great running daily driver. Awesome channel you have. 302 is one of Ford's best engines. Great score.
I definitely agree right up there with 300 and 4.6 2v
And it has a York, piston based AC compressor, the whole car is a keeper.
ok
@@RobertDickens2002 had a 200 f150 with the 2v. Only thing I had to do to it was fix the exhaust manifold
You two just get more and more entertaining. Mook's timing and on the fly sense of humor still gets me every 3 1/2 seconds
Her Mookisims are spot on👍🏻😆
🤦🏻♂️
Couldn't disagree more tbh. She's so unfunny it's painful to watch at times
@@EFFEZE massive L take
"Y'all two jest keep on bein' a dang hoot, don't ya? Mook's quick-draw chucklin' and that there knee-slapper humor of his riles me up every dadgum 3 1/2 seconds, I tell ya what!"
My first self payed car with a straight 6 cylinder engine and a 3 speed automatic transmission. Slow, heavy, save, reliable and cheap on gas my Father knew what he was doing when he recommend it. I was single till I traded it in for a VW T3 camper (best time ever)
It's always a joy to see you and Mook wrenching together! Looks like a blast.
@van truong thi yeppers
I can't believe this car was in such good shape, what a find! I had an '80 with the 4 cylinder when I was young, ran great, until the head got a crack in it, but to this day, the Fairmont holds a lot of nostalgia and great memories for me. My mother in law had an '83 with the 6 cylinder, that , because of a leaking oil sending unit, unfortunately died. When I found out soon after how easy the fix could have been, I vowed to never let any of my family's cars die like that because I didn't know how to fix it. So, quite literally, the Ford Fairmont was the reason I ended up going to school and becoming a mechanic. I have seen a few up for sale over the years since, but could not afford what they were asking for it, and none had the 8 cylinder, which I always coveted. These days, it's a pipe dream for me to ever have one again, as I have financial issues that have resulted in not even owning a car, which has prevented me from having transportation to be able to get to a job, further exacerbating my financial troubles ......so it was a real treat to see one revived on your channel. Thanks for all the great work you do, and all the great content.
Hold tight to your dreams, always keep your eyes open, and never hesitate to ask about the cars you find. I've discovered several 'dream cars' with this method and some turned out to be very affordable.
finances are a bitch. you got this guy!
I literally grew up in the back seat of that same exact style of car. My second oldest sister got stung in the upper lip by a bee in the back. I fell outta the front door going down the highway in the same car. It's crazy the memories seeing this car on your channel brings back to me. Right on man.
You should explain the highway story haha I wanna hear more!
Tell us more on the highway story man lol
Back in 1991 I changed the automatic trans in an '81 cutlass wagon in four feet of snow. Had to jack it up and put solid concrete blocks under the wheels from the rear and then tunnel under it to lift it more and add more blocks. I did the hella long extensions thig to get the top bolts! If I'da had me a Mook.... It would have gone a LOT easier.
The ford Fairmont, --- put some new bushes, springs , shocks, and a cammed 302 with long tube headers and twin glass packs on it...maybe 4 wheel disk brakes.... perfect long term daily driver..👍👍👍
Great video! Never thought that a Fairmont would be popular...again. My dad had a Ford dealership in the 70s and Fairmonts and Grenadas FLEW off the lot. I don't know if you know this but you could order a Grenada with a 302 and 4-speed-on-the-floor! We had one on the used car lot and I loved driving it! Anyway, the Fairmont was really popular with the Silver hairs...in fact, my Grandfather bought two brand-new Fairmonts. Good luck with it...muscle it up and keep it a sleeper...we who never thought young folks would like Fairmonts would love to see you romp around blowing doors off Corvettes. There's your challenge...
That exhaust turned out decent. Throaty but not raspy for being a Y pipe with a glass pack. Keep up the awesome videos!
ok
Always a great pleasure when a JD video pops up, especially when the Mookanic is taking part. There seems to be so many really crap stuff on You tube these days its great to know that there are still the old faithfulls on here. You and Mook get it just right, an excellent mix of entertainment, knowledge and fun.. Definitely my No 1 must watch channel. Keep it up guys and all the best from Yorkshire UK..
Well, I'll be! It's always a rootin'-tootin' good time when a JD video pops on up, 'specially when that Mookanic feller's in the mix! I tell ya, with all the hogwash floatin' 'round UA-cam these days, it's a breath of fresh air to see y'all old reliables still kickin'. You and Mook, y'all hit the nail on the head - a perfect stew of fun, smarts, and a heap of good times. Yer channel's my absolute go-to, number one watch! Keep on keepin' on, boys, and a big ol' howdy and best wishes from Yorkshire, UK! Yeehaw! 🤠
For the record, I am not a transmission specialist. I have rebuilt my own 4r70w in my 96 T-Bird, and it was the OverDrive successor to the C-4.
Springs on accumulators, generally are for "smoother shifts". The 4r70w uses 4 pistons for bands and for accumulators to control shifting and they have springs inside before you put a shift kit in them, also. You also change some of the balls, springs and pistons in the valve body, and drill a couple of holes in the plate for fluid flow (quicker shifts).
Automatics are really simpler than Manuals when it comes to rebuilds, and if you took it all the way down, you'll understand what all the clutch packs, sun gears and bands do, and it'll be burned in your mind like childhood trauma.
Good luck.
I had an 81 that started out as a 2.3L 4cyl. And it ended its life with me being sold with a 750hp 7.5L 460 all under the stock hood. It was a street beast that had corvettes and camaro owners scratching their heads lol
You know its going to be a good video when Mook and Kevin are working together!
The blunt honesty about the shift kit and running time killed me 😂
The older I get, and the more new crap gets produced, I find myself appreciating everything old even more than I did already. Old is gold.
I was a wrench at a Lincoln dealership in the late 70's. Loved road testing the Mercury Zephyr (upgraded Fairmont) with the 8 cyl. Damn near as fast as the Stang and a better ride! Keep that Ford and have fun.
I love how expressive Mook is lol
I had a 255 Zephyr. Not big on power but cruised 80mph, sounded great and got 25mpg
Kevin I tell ya this honestly, out of all the youtubers I watch, (Cleetus McFarland, Grind Hard plumbing co, SXSBlog, Matts Off Road Recovery, How Ridiculous, Boosted Boiz, Demo Ranch... ect) I crave your videos the most. I am ALWAYS waiting for a new Junkyard Digs video to come out! You deserve this Million Subs and its coming quick boy! cant wait to see what youll have in stores for a million subs!
Well thank ya!!
A word of advice when it comes to the Fairmonts, Venturas, and Mercury Zephyrs. The bolts marrying the driveshaft to the diff yoke have been known to back out. I bet you'll never guess how I know this.
Lemme guess, it happened to you
@@lightningboltz525 Yep. On a '78 Fairmont Futura that I owned, back in the early 90's.
Were those the bolts that needed a 12mm 12 point to remove? I haven't taken one out in at least 38 years.
@@Deucealive75 Yes. The ones on mine were. Is it possible somebody did some work on the car before I got it, and didn't torque them down right? Yeah that's a possibility, but it still taught me to pay more attention to those vehicles.
Kevin man I just wanna say I always look forward to your videos. I consider you a huge leader for this generation to keep these things around for many years. You’ll always have my support!!!
Fox bodies are the ideal entry level classic car, the chassis and steering are modern enough and are really easy to drive, they are light and nimble so good fuel usage and perfect in the city, parts are everywhere. The interior is roomy and comfortable enough with plenty of visibility. I’m french and I’ve been daily driving various Fox bodies for 8 years now.
I done a bad turn when a pipe fell off once. To make it worse it set my dad's truck up for a pole vault with the drive shaft. Some wet britches later all turned out good. Too the good ole' days.
Watching this with the color, the interior, the sound, was bringing back a lot memories of me and my dad building his 81 Futura a few years ago. Another thing to keep an eye out is wheelbase I remember the Futura was a little longer then a mustang but not sure on the four doors. Loving the content Kevin keep it up 👍.
New tires and dual exhaust, and it'll be ready for Power Tour. And if the AC works, even better.
We all wish we had an assistant mechanic as sassy as the Mookster! 👌👌
ok
Thank you for this revival. It reminds me of my dad's military surplus Fairmont. It had the 2.3l Lima motor and a 4 speed and wa OD green. It is only one of two Fords my dad had. I miss them and him very much.
You got all of the right guy because this guy loves Ford Fairmont Fairmount are good cars
I think this would make an excellent fun and comfy daily driver. Maybe put some more comfortable bucket seats in it with a center console, firm up the suspension, perhaps a better camshaft, some better wheels and tires, and get the A/C working!
Let me add : a litte bit of rust treatment to make sure this car can last a few more wnters, and a set of winter tires to get some grip at low temperatures (which I did for my car).
It's always a good day when a new JYD video is up! That's such a nice car and has survived so well that I would personally leave it as it is.
That would make an amazing sleeper. It definitely deserves to be restored on the outside as well. That blue looks amazing.
I had I believe it was an 83 LTD 2 station wagon basically the same platform as the Fairmont I think, I loved that car, it had a 3.8, unfortunately it spun a bearing, I put a used engine in it which blew up on me, it barely ran and the engine sounded like everything just exploded in it, a guy I was friends with came to my house and managed to drive it to his shop a couple of blocks away. One snowy miserable day I took my mom to our local supermarket, I dropped her off, she called to pick her up, when I got there she was talking to two guys, they had two shopping carts loaded with groceries, the store is near what used to be a Hess oil storage facility, the tankers would come and unload the oil and it was piped to the refinery, it turned out that these two guys were cooks on a tugboat and they needed a ride back to boat with the groceries, they couldn't get a cab because of the storm, since I had the wagon everything was able to fit, I drove them right up to the dock which was cool to see a tugboat up close, they gave me a couple of bucks, this was in Perth Amboy NJ, I'll never forget that day.
I'd totally get that car operating as smooth as possible since it is in such good condition and RUNS
A great video especially with the banter between you and Mook. This has to be the most problem-free transmission video I've seen, evidently you're pretty happy. Keep up the great work and the awesome videos 👍✌️🇺🇲
Please keep up the videos, they get better and better every time
Having owned a Fairmont 6 turned V8 for 9 years, I approve! A simple and robust car.
37:40 It's amazing that no one replaced that AM radio in 44 years; this car is like a time capsule. These early FOX cars had fantastic air conditioners and heaters; they were not only good at heating and cooling, but they were great at dehumidifying (with the selector on MAX) on muggy days. The controls were also nice and simple. The installation of that shift kit would have given me nightmares; I'd be terrified of letting something fall in, or out, before putting it back together. But what you did seems to have worked. Good luck with it; it seems like a great example of a car that's more interesting now than it was back then.
I would Enjoy it the way it is for now. I have not seen a Northern one this clean in a long time. Keep up the great content
Let sleeperdude know he loves those things! Could do a race!
I think just about every grandma had one of these in the 90s, I think a sleeper is in order though! and keep that mild patina too.
Me, personally, I like Station Wagons. The Beautiful low and long boxy shape of wagons is cool. But in the end, all Classic cars look cool.
I had an 81, 4 cylinder with absolutely no power, but I loved the car. It had some neat features for what it was. A few years after I traded it, I picked up a ‘79. It was a v6 and was the base model. Both were in excellent condition. I wouldn’t mind having another one.
I love those cars! Such a great platform for making a sleeper daily.
To the Fan who sold us this car.... "Thank you for hooking us up with this week's problem." LOL 🤣
You guys have been putting out some bangers. Been a longtime follower. Please never change your format!!
I LOVED this episode. My family had an '80 Fairmont 4 door when I was in highschool. Straight 6. It put me in the hospital when I was delivering pizza one icy December and got totalled out. Now, about 3 months ago I decided to get back on the horse and bought an '82 Fairmont Futura straight 6 I am thinking about putting a spicy cam and pistons in. Great to see how easy the trans comes out, and to look out for the reinstallation.
I'm glad you're doing more 'unloved'/''unknown' cars. Gives people like me some drive to work on my 1989 Celebrity EuroCL and 1989 Cavalier RS.
Perfect couple relationship. She gets the greasy hands and clothing working on vehicles while he supervised. He gets to get the grease and oil from all of the cooking chores while she debates eating anything he cooked.
Another outstanding video from the man the junk the junkyard dig appreciate the work you do!
Did sleeperdude call you asking to buy it yet 🤔 lol favorite granny car is it for sale
That car is in great shape! Back in the day I used to force feed 351C in them. Just fit, a bit wider than the 302/351W. The 351W fits with no effort if swapping an existing 302 power plant. Don't see these around up here anymore, well maybe from about halfway up the doors may still exist as on a quiet night you could hear them rust.
The 1980's, when car designers just gave up and every car looked like the box a real car came in. Square, boxy, sharp angles, no contours. This car body looks like it was designed on an Etch-A-Sketch.
This was an awesome video as always. Y'all should definitely daily this car. Love ya gus and keep up the great work.
The look this thing has is soo perfect for a sleeper, it'd be a crime to not hide mega power behind that 100% grandma facade
Epic video as always! Honestly I'd love that here in the UK. Gorgeous colour combo and not too big for our titchy roads. And for me I'd just daily it!
@@hkmonaro8153 Ah interesting! I can believe the salt thing. I got caught in the salt with my MGB the other week and painted suspension bits went orange overnight
In Australia we don't salt the roads so cars last ages even without good rustproofing. But our roads are rough as guts, so you need strong suspension.
I bought my '81 Fairmont in 2000, for $150.00. Same color as this one. I absolutely loved this car.
I just discovered this channel last week and have been binging videos. This channel and Mook’s channel are fabulous. My brother was into fixing up cars like this but never had the motivation to finish, or got sidetracked and moved on to an entire different project. You remind me a lot of my brother, although with a better temperament and more articulate.
This looks like a great candidate for a two stroke diesel like a 6V-71 👀
The 6V-71 probably weighs more than the body.
nice car. had a 302 Fairmont wagon when we were kids-back when we could work on stuff.
They made some of these with a 2.3L 4-cylinder and an automatic transmission. On a good day you could actually pass a Yugo or Chevette given a mile of road to do it in. There were 4 different 4-speeds which came with the 2.3; one was a "Dagenham" from England. It was notorious for having the shift forks pop off the gears unless you were gentle with it. You could pop them back on pretty easily with a handful of tools from inside the car which I kept in the passenger floorboard and used frequently. Slowest car I ever owned and I was happy to see it go when I sold it.
My Mom had one of these, back in the day. 79 4-door Fairmont, but it was mint-green with a black interior and had a straight-six (a 260? I think? I was a kid, so I could be remembering that wrong). They're so simple and easy to fix. And they were so cheap that they were basically "disposable" transportation. You drove it until it the wheels fell off, then you scrapped it and bought a new car. So that means there are very few left in this kind of condition. Perfect for a "sleeper," because you don't have to do a ton of cosmetic work to it -- you can just do mechanical stuff. I do hope y'all will make some more videos with this car. I really like it!
My mother had one of these in 1998 I was 4 years old and still remember the vivid blue interior.. it had no AC and we spent a many hot South Carolina days doing the dash trying to cool off.. the exact same color and all
The 1979 Fairmont was my first car- i even wrote a song about it 😂. But mine had the straight 6. I wish i still had that car! But seeing this one up close in the video is a great consolation prize!
for camshaft and crankshaft seals I didn't have the right tools, I 3D printered me some from plastic. I used the original bolts to evenly press in new seals. it was my first time doing that kind of seal, later for transmission I just hammered it with a piece of wood in between. point is, you can always do good work with limited tools.
Sweet old Granny car! She only drove it on Sunday! Sunday! SUNDAY! When she put on milage a 1/4 mile at a time!
@SandraWillson-kw1uz You ain't fooling anyone Scammer!
Before the 'Cybertruck' there was the Ford Futura. The car drawn by a kid in Grade 2.
Had one in the 90s, old highway patrol sedan, super fast top end, but a tub on takeoff. Oil cooler power steering cooler, brake fluid cooler and all the associated brass to replace annually. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
My grandfather had a 2 door 2 tone baby blue and dark blue version of that car i was a teenager and always thought it was a nice looking ride.thanks john from arizona
My dad had a brand new 1977 red two door , with a 6 cylinder with bucket seats. We had so much fun in that car! So simple to work on.
great job guys/gals, those were good cars in their day , thats why Ford sold a million of them... we had a wagon with the 302 in 83'
My first car was a 1980 Fairmont station wagon with the straight 6 engine. Lots of great memories with that car.
The cushman pulling that car was majorly impressive. Never would’ve expected that.
I’d say add a little bit more in the way of power adders and maybe clean it up a bit more but otherwise leave it close to stock
My first car was a 1961 Ford Fairmount. I paid $400 for it and drove it trouble free for several years until the transmission went out completely....except for reverse. I sold it for $400! Best purchase I ever made.
Enjoyed this one a lot. My family had an 80 Fairmont wagon with a 6 in it, and much later an 82 Fairmont sedan (also with a 6) that a grandma had only put 30k miles on in 18 years. It needed a lot of work over the years by my dad once we made it a daily driver, and he installed a DIY throttle control in the engine bay which didn't fly well with my mom who drove it, since she had to spray brake clean into the carb and regulate the throttle with the hood up when leaving work. But, one does what one must when $ is tight!
Great vid, My mom had a '78 wagon, inline 6. Got 230, 000 miles out of it. This, vid, though not a wagon brings back memories. Thanks✔️👍
It's great to see younger dudes out there still rocking the long hair! Ezra you the man!!!
I had a 1976 with a straight six..ran forever!!
4wd hub socket works perfect for those seals btw 😬 also national makes seals/bearings for everyone not just O'Reilly.. ford 7.5 rear ends actually use national and timken bearings depending on the years
I had one and it was one of the best cars that I have. When my kids were small... and it was blue!
Stroker 347 engine, 4 speed AOD. 5 lug conversion, A/C, upgrade suspension -good to go!!
My Grandfather had an 81 or 83 Fairmont. He purchased it in the early nineties from an old woman, the car had only 32,000 miles. I remember it was butter yellow with a tan interior with vinyl seats and if im not mistaken an AM radio. I hated it. I can't remember the engine size but the car would haul ass and the AC would freeze you out.
We moved from Chicago to L.A. in 1979 when I was 10 years old. My dad got a job out there and we had just gone through the blizzard, so California called. He got a company car, a 1979 302 equipped Fairmont. I learned to drive in that and the family's 1974 Buick Electra. It took on many of the 'sporty' Japanese cars of the mid to late 80s, but I learned what a sleeper really was when I lined up at a red light next to what I thought was a V6 LTD, but was actually a LTD LX and it blew my door's off (well, it seemed that way, lol). It, and a subscription to Hot Rod magazine got me intrigued for real hp, and I ended up buying a '86 Capri GS with a 5 speed.
This channel is a solid 60% semi-serious car things and 40% comedy and i love it. Keep it up, We are loving it!!
Man, this brings back a lot of memories. My first car was a 1980 4 door Fairmont. Yellow 2 tone with a straight 6. This was back in 1990. Thanks for the memories!
My wife had a 79 Fairmont, white with a red gut. The thing I remember most about that car was the horn, you had to push in the turn signal stalk! It also had working air conditioning but non tinted glass, so it would never really cool off on hot days.
As someone trying to become a mechanic, it makes me feel better knowing I’m not the only one having problems understanding automatic transmissions. I was the only one in my auto tech class who couldn’t complete the rebuild on a practice transmission. Granted, a lot of the examples were already missing pieces from previous classes.
Holy Cow, my grandfather had one identical to yours (except straight 6) he got new from the dealer (Jerry Hayes Ford, Independence MO), I learned to drive in that car. Amazed it is in so good of condition and astounding it looks so much like his, even the AM radio. Good times!
I first showed up for that Durango video, have since binge watched 65% of every JYD videos, and I’m loving this one too.
You’d love my old 79 Fairmont with the 408W/Gforce 5spd combo plus factory bench seat. Then again, who wouldn’t. Anyway, hello from Texas.