Score....update

[mswwot]

Went to visit with the Flake today....God bless him...In exchange for getting his one owner 4 banger/4 speed fordor up in shape (he's even paying for the parts!), I am getting two Fairmonts and one Z7.
#1: 1980 baby blue base model fordor.....mint, mint, mint.....great body, perfect interior.......going to leave my '78 V8 fordor as a beater and build Baby Blue.....really like it's minimalist looks.

#2: 1981 Z7.........trashed taco wagon; good for parts.

#3; 1983 fordor....trashed..trashed..trashed.....have to take it as part of the deal.......good hood, glass, interior trim.....lots of whisky dents; looks like a beanbag.

Obtaining Baby Blue will allow me to keep the '78 on the road without interrution of service.......this '80 looks like an old government agency car...super stealthy.

[mswwot]

Got two out of the three home today and am going after the other tomorrow morning.

Baby Blue, the keeper, blows me away........I finally got the keys and got inside of it....It smells like a new car inside.....the front seat inserts are heat rotted, but the rest of the interior is mint.....it looks like a one year old car.....the dash and pad are absolutely mint......the speedo shows 56K and I think it's for real........absolutely no wear on the pedals......carpet perfect....She fired right up and drove onto the trailer.....brake pedal was soft but that's it........makes me think this car was driven into the garage and forgotten for twenty years.........It's almost too nice to do a V8 conversion on; but it will happen.

[Marz]

Good job!

The blue one will indeed make a good V8 converison.

I miss my Fairmonts!

:(

Oh well... I have the LTD LX... It's close to a Fairmont.

BTW: We need pictures.

[mswwot]

I popped the hood on Baby Blue today and the engine compartment was showroom fresh.....even the crossmember....all stickers intact and mint....kinda spooky...

I going to feel guilty messing with this car........I'll probably fix the brakes and drive it for a while as I gather parts........in my rural county, half the roads aren't paved........a couple of months of use will ease the guilt.

[Chuck W]

Any of those cars have a center console ;)?

Sounds like you got some good parts and a nice base for a project.

[mswwot]

The Taco Wagon has a console but it's trashed big time.......the whole car looks like a Juarez refugee.

[mswwot]

It is my intentions to drive my Fairmonts for the rest of my life (I'm 56 yo). They're basically Mustang FORDors with a real trunk......because of the popularity of the Mustang, mechanical parts availability is not a question....as far as Fairmont-specific parts go, I've already parted out three Fairmonts and have two more partscars sitting in the yard........With Baby Blue now in the picture, the '78 will stick around as a beater.

[Dean_T]

If the engine is that clean, take a picture for posterity - and for us Fairmont owners.

Did the city car have a cop speedo? I found a 4dr 'Mont in the wrecking yard that was once a City of Chicago car and it had the 120 MPH Calibration Certified speedo and a six cyl engine.

Dean T

[Marz]

If the engine is that clean, take a picture for posterity - and for us Fairmont owners.

Did the city car have a cop speedo? I found a 4dr 'Mont in the wrecking yard that was once a City of Chicago car and it had the 120 MPH Calibration Certified speedo and a six cyl engine.

Dean T

Yup... same here... 120mph speedo in a I6 4dr. Corse... you already know about this.

[mswwot]

I got a dilema guys..........I'm no restorer, can not keep my hands off anything, but, Baby Blue is just too virginal to hack into.

I spent time yesterday assessing the partscars and tinkering with Baby Blue....Got Baby Blue out on the highway and she runs down the highway sweet as can be........the front end is as tight as it could be....the car has no thumps or rattles......it really feels like a two year old car.

Most of my driving is of the highway variety.......get it up to 65-70 and putt along.......It's 15 miles to the grocery store; 50 miles to the Barnes & Noble. I don't do all that much intown running around.......65 MPH is 65 MPH whether it's a six banger or a V8.

I am very hesitant to rape Baby Blue....plus I have three extra 200 in/C4 drivetrains.......makes more sense to me to revert back to the original plan of hot rodding the '78 factory V8 car (no crossmember change out) and keep Baby Blue for a highway car.

Baby Blue will stay pretty much stock....it will get a 7.5 posi rear out of a '85 GT that I have ratholed (Right now it's got one of those 6 & whatever rears in it); maybe some ten holes (I've already put on some detailed 14 in LTD steel wheels w/ventilating slots and better rubber).......but otherwise will remain pretty much stock and preserved.

The older I get...the more pragmatic I get......that's the plan for right now.

[mswwot]

let me tell you a little about West Texas.....most Saturday nights I go up to Littlefield, Tx from my home in Whiteface to enjoy some AA fellowship.....been sober 25+ years. (I would if I could...but I can't so I don't)
I go crosscountry over farm to market two lane blacktop roads and have NEVER seen a cop on them.......you can run as fast as you want to........anyways it's 38 miles door-to-door and on an average trip; I'm lucky to see 2 or 3 other vehicles during the run........PS: there's two stop signs in those 38 miles!

[Chuck W]

You realize this thread is worthless w/o pics? ;)

[mswwot]

I don't have a digital camera.......as soon as I can get over to a friend's house (40 miles), I'll get him to snap some shots and then get him to upload them......I'm pretty much a dinosaur and computer dummy.......that's why I drive these cast iron dinosaurs........my only concession to modern times is electronic ignition and I carry an extra ignition module in each of my vehicles.
I may borrow his camera so I can take pictures of the old homestead and all the "lawn furniture"..........And then have my buddy set up a webpage and explain to me how to operate it........He's head of IT for a major bank out here and has offered to do it for free.......since finding this webgroup, I have some incentive to take him up on the offer.
Currently there are financial constraints.....I'm self-unemployed and waiting for a job to come thru working with at-risk youths.

You know you're a redneck when you mow your lawn and find a car......you're too close to town if you can not pee off the front porch.

I'm a burnout....got more degrees than a thermometer (got three teaching certificates).....taught school.....did the corporate thing......worked construction and heavy equipment machinery....even cowboyed for a while...got tired of making other people's car and house payments...... now I just do what I want to do....when I want to do it...house paid for.....vehicles paid for...no credit cards....no debt....got some jingle in the jeans.....................

[fordguy]

i need to move to texas. i can't find any fairmonts/zephyrs around here. i had 2 a few years ago, a 79 futura(80k orig) and a 79 zeph 4 door, 4 speed,buckets, and no power anything. i'd kill to have them back :(

[fordguy]

i need to move to texas. i can't find any fairmonts/zephyrs around here. i had 2 a few years ago, a 79 futura(80k orig) and a 79 zeph 4 door, 4 speed,buckets, and no power anything. i'd kill to have them back :(

[r93lightning]

I recently bought a very clean 47,000 actual mile 79 2 door sedan that I'am putting a 302 GT40P explorer motor in with a vortech S-trim supercharger and 5-speed.This car is mint also.Interior like new underhood is all original and clean every part of this car is unbelievable.The paint has a few flaws but liveable.The whilte vinyl top is beautiful.I have been told by alot of people that it is too nice to hack up.But i look at it this way I'am not hacking it up I'am improving it.I'am not adding a rollcage and it will probably need one and I'am not changing any of the interior.And the only thing on exterior I'am adding is a new set of Bogart wheels.

Also if any of your parts cars were manual transmissions I'am looking for the cosole delete tray for the shifter when I put it on the floor because My car has a bench seat.

[r93lightning]

I recently bought a very clean 47,000 actual mile 79 2 door sedan that I'am putting a 302 GT40P explorer motor in with a vortech S-trim supercharger and 5-speed.This car is mint also.Interior like new underhood is all original and clean every part of this car is unbelievable.The paint has a few flaws but liveable.The whilte vinyl top is beautiful.I have been told by alot of people that it is too nice to hack up.But i look at it this way I'am not hacking it up I'am improving it.I'am not adding a rollcage and it will probably need one and I'am not changing any of the interior.And the only thing on exterior I'am adding is a new set of Bogart wheels.

Also if any of your parts cars were manual transmissions I'am looking for the cosole delete tray for the shifter when I put it on the floor because My car has a bench seat.

[mswwot]

have not run across a stick shift parts car yet........matter of fact have only run across one 4 banger parts car so far.....4 bangers weren't popular out here in the wide open spaces.

[mswwot]

have not run across a stick shift parts car yet........matter of fact have only run across one 4 banger parts car so far.....4 bangers weren't popular out here in the wide open spaces.

[79 Road Runner]

Hey, bench seats can be very cool! Especially when you're lugging around five of your favorite members of the opposite sex!

Which may be why I regret selling my old Zephyr... and the Fairmont... those wide bench seats were useful for lots of reasons!

And I know the Zephyr got hacked because it had the 2bbl carb/intake that was so popular with the 2.3L racing crowd :no:

mswwot, it's good to hear you're going to enjoy the car for what it is! Not that swapping a v-8 is a bad thing, but...

[79 Road Runner]

Hey, bench seats can be very cool! Especially when you're lugging around five of your favorite members of the opposite sex!

Which may be why I regret selling my old Zephyr... and the Fairmont... those wide bench seats were useful for lots of reasons!

And I know the Zephyr got hacked because it had the 2bbl carb/intake that was so popular with the 2.3L racing crowd :no:

mswwot, it's good to hear you're going to enjoy the car for what it is! Not that swapping a v-8 is a bad thing, but...

[LTDScott]

Hey, bench seats can be very cool! Especially when you're lugging around five of your favorite members of the opposite sex!

Cake, one of my favorite bands, apparently agrees with you because they wrote a song about it:

"Stickshifts and safetybelts,
Bucket seats have all got to go.
When we're driving in the car,
It makes my baby seem so far.
I need you here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
I need you to be here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
But when we're driving in my Malibu,
It's easy to get right next to you.
I say, "Baby, scoot over, please."
And then she's right there next to me.
I need you here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
I need you to be here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.

Well a lot of good cars are Japanese.
But when we're driving far,
I need my baby,
I need my baby next to me.

Well, stickshifts and safetybelts,
Bucket seats have all got to go.
When we're driving in the car,
It makes my baby seem so far.
I need you here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
I need you to be here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat."

[LTDScott]

Hey, bench seats can be very cool! Especially when you're lugging around five of your favorite members of the opposite sex!

Cake, one of my favorite bands, apparently agrees with you because they wrote a song about it:

"Stickshifts and safetybelts,
Bucket seats have all got to go.
When we're driving in the car,
It makes my baby seem so far.
I need you here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
I need you to be here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
But when we're driving in my Malibu,
It's easy to get right next to you.
I say, "Baby, scoot over, please."
And then she's right there next to me.
I need you here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
I need you to be here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.

Well a lot of good cars are Japanese.
But when we're driving far,
I need my baby,
I need my baby next to me.

Well, stickshifts and safetybelts,
Bucket seats have all got to go.
When we're driving in the car,
It makes my baby seem so far.
I need you here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat.
I need you to be here with me,
Not way over in a bucket seat."