Progress Thread First Fox (Fairmont)

[Farmers SN95]

These are the cars that Ford named fox body, and that the Mustangs we all love was built off this platform. I got 81 boxtop it has 65,000 miles on it. it was a 3.3 auto car that runs great! but I am swaping in a roller 5.0, 95 mustang T-5, and a 8.8 with 4.10 gears.
As you will see, I started back when it was warm! lol
She not much to look at now, but one day. lol
thanks for looking
Zack

Tear down, had to swap out the 3.3 k-member out for a stock V-8 one

I use to do body and paint! so I had to do the bay.

I put togather a roller 5.0 and a 5-speed out 94/95

I got some more done to it, I need to take some more pics.
thanks for looking

 

[Bullitt347]

I have a 81' Fairmont as well, but it came from the factory with a 2.3L 4 cyl 4 speed. I almost turned it into the drag car instead of the Saleen. Keep up the good work

 

[GroverDill]

love it.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Someday I'd love to build up a 4 door version with a Coyote swap, air ride suspension, 6 speed trans and IRS...the works. It would make a badass pro touring family cruiser.

 

[Shakerhood]

Awesome project car, gonna be sweet when its done!!!

 

[TOOLOW91]

LOVE BOX TOP FAIRMONTS

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

I actually discovered this car when I was selling my stock Pony wheels. When I met the guy, he was driving this Fairmont. I asked if he wanted to sell it and he said yes - Zack bought it the next day. This car is going to be great finished product. The overall theme is going to be as if Ford produced a street-legal drag car Fairmont.

 

[Farmers SN95]

I got a few things for the car.
NOS wheel for the car!

Now I dont have to look at the P-R-N-D-L indicator. It just needs some paint.

Out of a fairmont police car.

I still got to paint the needles. And let me know what you think about the tach I put in?
I am not sure if I like it yet or not. But I got to cover up the red sunpro and super tach words, some how!

 

[NIKwoaC]

Very nice man!

 

[FordRacing302]

That will definately be the next car I build...I'm not a huge fan of the fairmont coupes but I love the boxtops

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Weird,.....I love me a Fairmont,...but I'd never do a 2 door post. Looks like I'm a minority......that's something new.

 

[Farmers SN95]

Weird,.....I love me a Fairmont,...but I'd never do a 2 door post. Looks like I'm a minority......that's something new.

That's good that they made these car in diffrent ways! B/c I would never build a 2 dr sports coupe, But thats just me.
Everyone like diffrent thing.

 

[Mintsick]

Love it, best looking fairmont body style hands down IMO.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

More current pics, please!!!!

BTW, does the front now have the 87-93 V8 brakes?

 

[Farmers SN95]

More current pics, please!!!!

BTW, does the front now have the 87-93 V8 brakes?

I try to get pics of how the car is this weekend! headers are on, trans/drive shaft in
And it runs now!!
Lol Yea it has your brakes/spindles off your 93, when you went SN95 setup!
BTW thanks for the brakes/spindles!

 

[Farmers SN95]

These are pics of how the car is now.
As you can see the suspension back under the car. I put new a-arm polyurethane bushings and ball joints. Stock springs from my 95 Gt. New struts, The spindles/brakes from a 93 mustang (out of ReefBlueHatch car) and order 5 lug rotors for them. and I got a new master cylinder to go in it.

Dont look to hard, I just put on some old plug wires, I had to get it running. And I need to get all the wiring run the way I want it to be, and put the wiring in black wire loom.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

Lookin' good! I like those valve covers a lot better. And the hood is even in Marhyde - making good progress.

 

[TOOLOW91]

I got a few things for the car.
NOS wheel for the car!

Now I dont have to look at the P-R-N-D-L indicator. It just needs some paint.

Out of a fairmont police car.

I still got to paint the needles. And let me know what you think about the tach I put in?
I am not sure if I like it yet or not. But I got to cover up the red sunpro and super tach words, some how!

paint the other needles orange !! looks cool

 

[ratio411]

Great project!
Good to see the Fairmonts gaining in acceptability.

My great uncle had an 81 very similar to that one, he passed, and his wife parked the car up for 15 years in her carport.
When my son turned 15, he cut her grass for an entire summer to get the pleasure of loading the car up on a trailer and bringing it home.
It was REALLY rough. Not so much rot or anything, but it had animal nests in the air cleaner and the tires were almost dry rotted off the rims. The paint was, and still is almost worn through. We aren't body work kind of gearheads...

My son is 21 now, and we have since changed the engine once to a 5.0 HO, and the transmission a few times before settling on a T5. The entire steering and suspension is from a 93 GT, the difference in turns lock to lock is crazy. The car handles like a go-kart now.

The rear is out of a 91 GT, and I rebuilt it with 4.10 gears.
The springs are all new, every bushing on the car is now poly, Monroe shocks, and tubular upper and lower control arms. The only thing the suspension lacks is the rear sway bar... oh and quads. We have them, but not installed them yet.

I wish I had caught your project sooner. I could have saved you some big time/money.
You don't need to swap the k-member. All you need is F150 engine mounts to use the 3.3 k-member.

 

[ratio411]

Funny how you are working on the guages too...
My son is coming over tomorrow with a full set of 84 GT gauges for me to help install in his car.
The tach is only 6k, but that's fine.
We found instructions online how to retrofit the full gauge package into the car, and it looks really easy.
I think we are only going to have to repin the one connector into 2, and add 2 wires total.
The only part I don't like about the old Fox gauge package is the Amp gauge... would much prefer a volt gauge.


Edit:
Word of warning:

While you have things taken apart, weld the sway bar mounts better to the front frame rails!
The front sway bar was originally very small diameter, and we put the 22# monster bar from the 93 Gt on ours, and it eventually ripped the mounts off the frame rails. We did some checking, and the mounts were MUCH better welded to Mustang frame rails than the Fairmont. You'll need to weld it to the rails better than just the 3 spot welds that it has stock.