My GFs Father in HS had a 1978 Fairmont Station-wagon, i always thought it was awesome because it was the First Fairmont Wagon i had ever seen. My GF and Her Sis always seemed embarrassed and frazzled about getting out of it when their Dad dropped them off. They would actually hide themselves until they got halfway to the door. One day i told My GF i loved her Fairmont Wagon and She said what who where ohh no we didn't get out of that car we don't know him... My GF today is on to greater richer ideas and situations still trying to.escape and hide from that Fairmont Wagon which I still think is Cool... When You Love someone you Love them it doesn't matter what kind of car they drive, where they work or even where they live, You still love them....💜💜💜
We had a ‘79 Fairmont 4-cylinder coupe with 4-on-the-floor. I learned to drive on that, our ‘73 Ford LTD station wagon, and my grandfather’s 1963 Ford F-series pickup
I was an auto mechanic when the Fairmont was released. As soon as I popped the hood I could tell this was not your typical Detroit iron. The engineering was obviously done with European automobiles in mind. I felt a tinge of pride that Detroit was finally coming around to sensible engineering, but also some trepidation as European cars were more delicately built. I never came to any definitive conclusions about their longevity, I was too busy trying to keep up with the sudden changes in Detroit's engineering focus over the next decade or so (though it was easy to spot when they really didn't "get it").
I worked at a group that did a lot of testing on full up vehicles for airbags and seat belts. We ran barrier crashes mostly at 30 mph. The ncap thing was just getting started. One day one of the guys put his car into a snow bank and biffed the grill of his Zephyr. When, let’s call him Jimmy, was out of town, we stole his car, took it to our vehicle build area and removed parts from a Fairmont that was being prepared for sled testing. When Mr Jimmy gets back, he looking out the window at his car and asks “what looks different about my car?” He didn’t notice we put a Fairmont grille and bumper on his Zephyr, nobody noticed. So much for the millions spent on unique design differentiation. It took weeks before we told him. This story may have grown legs since inception but it’s better now!
A friend from high school had a Zephyr that his parents bought for him. It was in immaculate shape, but he hated it because he didn’t get a mustang. He trashed that poor little car. Do dumb things like hit poles and barriers on purpose just to dent it. He figured his mom and dad would get him something “nice” if he messed it up. They never did. Probably figured he’d just trash whatever car they’d spend good money on.
My father bought a 1979 Mercury Zephyr coupe with a 200 engine in 1983. Looked brand new and the vent gills were a nice touch. He eventually traded it in for a 1988 Plymouth Reliant in 1989.
I was 16 years old when my co-worker bought his brand new 1978 Mercury Zephyr 2dr in Silver exterior w/ Red Vinyl interior and was a 4 speed. Am Radio was the only major option with full sized wheel covers and white wall tires. I remember thinking how Tinny and cheap looking the car appeared to me. Me with my ‘72 Olds Royale 88 hardtop thinking how much more car I had. (Soon to be a ‘73 Fleetwood Brougham). I still always had a soft spot in my heart for this platform.
They had a problem with the back windshield needing resealed. Had one back in the day I got it from my parents was a good running car. Then the wrist pin went out
My uncle and cousin worked for Ford in Mahwah NJ at this time. I remember when he they got the 78 Futura in green with mustard top. it looked futuristic at the time.
My first boss (besides my dad) owned an auto parts store. He drove a white Fairmont stationwagon which he loved because it was very practical. He would sometimes need drive to El Paso (150 miles each way) to the distribution center to pick up special orders. Apparently his wife sold the car without his approval, and he found it and bought it again.
I liked these from the beginning, but especially the Futura and Z-7 sport coupe, which look to me like smaller versions of the 1977-79 Thunderbird. I always felt the Fox platform was superior to most. I was not (and am not) a fan of front wheel drive. I've had positive experiences with the Fox platform My mother bought a 1985 Mustang GT convertible (I have to rescue that one) and I bought a 1980 Thunderbird Silver Anniversary edition, which I loved from day 1. It had the 302 V-8. The dynamics of the rear wheel drive platform made that the best handling Thunderbird since the original. You are correct about the interest rates, which very much affected sales of the T-Bird. My interest rate was 20%!
The Ford 200 c.i. straight six was a wonderful engine. I owned a 1968 Falcon Futura (automatic) that had one, and surprisingly it moved the car almost efforlessly. It had tall gears too (apparently), because I could take it to sixty, before banging 2nd. I beat on that thing all day, evey day, and on ice without exception. I wasn't trying to kill it (as a machinist I like to test things) and never considered it abuse, as such, as that would be anathema, that we speak not of.
As a collision repair tech of 40 years,, the Fairmont and the zephyr are the easiest cars to work on,, quick repairs, and replacement parts make turn around in the body shop quick.. it's like Honda used to say, We make it Simple...
My parents had a 1980 Mercury Zephyr in brown. It was a former driver's ed car. They had it for 9 years. Rust was what finally finished it off. My grandparents had a Fairmont in red with red interior. I loved the Futura when I had the Hot Wheels version.
Great video. I worked at a car rental agency in 1978 and remember how distinct the Fairmont was from other Ford products. Much lighter and more precise feeling - not that I was overly enthused by it at the time. The 1979 Mustang was when I really bought into the Fox platform, that fantastic car reviving my enthusiasm for the nameplate that its predecessor had pretty much killed off.
I never thought of these cars being aerodynamic. But man they were great cars fantastic gas mileage. That little 200 straight 6 just keep going and going. And they had good style because they still look like the bigger older cars. I'm talking about when these cars at 5 or 6 years old. Also drove a little four-door halfway across the country with 302 in it. That thing rocked. Of course the engine had a ticking noise after that to work
@@TonysFordsandMustangs I forgot to thank you for doing the work on this episode concerning the Ford Fairmont. I've always liked these cars. Especially the futura
I was today years old when I realized how closely the styling was between the K cars (especially the Dodge 600) and the Fairmont. Both designed/led by Iacocca.
Before my family immigrated to United States, my dad drove a 1973 Ford Cortina in Taiwan. When we came to the states 1982 we bought 2 cars, a new Toyota Tercel and a used 1978 Mercury Zephyr. Both cars I still adore even today. They were more about functions than style then. Back then even trip to grocery stores were fight with my siblings for shot gun and also windows down to wave and smile at people. Now my daughter only cares about her instagram account and TikTok videos in the back seat of my G wagon. No appreciation of what cars are.
Thanks for sharing and there are a few in the upcoming generation that still admire cars. Not nearly as many as back in the day. Early generations saw a car as freedom, a space of you own, the ability to get away from your parents and chart your own path.
Oh my, I wish I owned one today. What a shame they can’t build cars any more. Seems like they are the leading recall company. Can’t imagine buying anything from them in 2024. So sad. Great content.
It is amazing how technology improved so much by the differences of the these 70s designed cars and the mid to late 80s Merkur lineup. The XR4Ti was gem in the mid 80s
My grandpa had a Fire engine red '78 Fairmont that I remember riding in as a child. I really like the design of the Fairmont. It was also called the "American Volvo" by some.
I had a 1981 Fairmont Futura with a 255 cubic inch V8 engine. I wasn't happy with the engine, so I swapped it out with a 5.0 with roller cam. What a huge difference it made. Sorry I sold it. An Iowa car with no rust.
Ahhh Yes!The old Squaremont.Couldn't go a mile without seeing one back in the 80's.Then they all disappeared by the mid 90's.My Dad had the hots for a Zephyr Z7 but waited until 1982 to go with the 1 year only Cougar Station wagon.A bit more practical for us back then.
We bought a like-new 79 Fairmont 4 door with every possible option, EXCEPT a big enough engine to pull it down the highway comfortably. Three things I wasn't a fan of. 1st, its lack of power came with a side benefit going up hills: when the car dropped 5 mph below the cruise control setting, the cruise would automatically disengage. The upside to that was you could just click the resume one the cruise control and the throttle would go wide open and stay there. 2nd, the "flight bench seat" was not divided. Super comfortable, but my wife is 9" shorter than me and I couldn't fit in the front seat if she was driving. 3rd, the trunk was so shallow that the average grocery bag would have to be laid on its side if it was over half full. It was a good looking car and rode well and I wish we had bought one with a larger engine, we'd have kept it longer.
The 1978 Fairmont with the 302 was an interesting car, my brothers Fairmont Futura was very hot, a real fast car. I have always thought the factory had picked a car from the line and had real fun with it.
Those Fairmount/Zephyrs were plain, boring, but Bulletproof. They just kept going. My favorite engine choice was the 200 cid 6 cylinder. You couldn’t kill them. And they had decent power (for that day). The 4 cyl was tough too.But it couldn’t get out of its own way. But that was common for that era. The 302 was a lot more powerful. But it ruined the simplicity and lowered the fuel economy significantly.
I bought a 1981 Fairmont sedan in 1991, when I wrecked my new Chevy S-10 EL. Funny thing was I was eyeing the car for a couple of months. It was a base car with the 200-6 Automatic. Power steering and brakes. And no AC. Drove the car from southern New Jersey to Vancouver B.C. and back. Coming home the alternator decided to act up, But it kept going and got me home. And lasted almost a week. I replaced it with one from a friends 78. That car had been T-boned. I replaced it with a 1984 Fairmont based LTD wagon. That had the fuel injected 3.8 V-6. Sadly That car got totaled by a Trans Am that ran a red light in Philadelphia.
My first company car, in '84, was a hand me down '79 Fairmont wagon. The hood folded crisply where the prop rod slotted into it... easily straightened each time. Fun driver, though.
My first car I purchased used was an 81' Ford Fairmont Futura coupe, it was black with tan bucket seats, a console with floor shifter and had the digital readout sensor in the console, unfortunately it had the 4cyl engine in it, which had no power.
My parents bought a new Fairmont wagon in 1980. It was fairly simple with a 200 six and an automatic. It was a fairly durable car. Easy to drive and handled decently for what it was, especially in snow. We’ve gone a long way from cars like that. My local police department was overjoyed when the Fairmont got selected over the Reliant K to replace the six cylinder Aspen and Volaries (air conditioner belts removed to further save gas) they’d been suffering with. I don’t know if they were 302s or 255s, but they were faster than what they replaced.
I had a 1978 zephyr. It had a 302 with a 4bbl. Great car till a a hole hit me from behind. Said my brake lights didn't work but when the cops got there they had me hit the brake pedal then one of them said they are working now.
I remember these cars had a lot of plastic parts outside. The sumps on the hood below the wipers had a plastic cover that quickly crumpled with the heat, and the urethane between the bumpers and the body became brittle with heat and sunlight and disintegrated in pieces. This was a very, very cheap car. These were the first cars I ever saw with mirrors integrated with the front window frames.
Yes, 1978 was a record breaking sales for cars ... even big cars sold very well. 79 was good too for smaller and mid size cars. Oldsmobile sold over 500,000 Cutlass models... and Chevette/Citations were selling like crazy.
I have an '80 Fairmont Futura coupe (basket handle roofline) with the 4 cylinder and four speed manual trans. Manual brakes, (those were standard) power steering, no air. Base Futura trim, no passenger mirror, and no bright trim around the door frames. Under powered for sure, but oddly fun to drive.
The Fairmont was my first intro to what I'd later learn were fox-body cars; designed and built using (gee whiz!) real computers! We still thought computers were the stuff of scientific entities and the government. The owner of the Ford dealership in my hometown was a friend of my Dad, so I got a look at the first Fairmont in the showroom. Compared to cars of the 1960s, I thought they were cheaply made. Interiors structured of molded plastic panels; puffy fat seats covered in vinyl. They were all boxy outside, lots of rectangles. I sort of liked the Futura coupe's designed-in targa band. But I guessed riders in the back wouldn't appreciate the swept side windows that seemed only to look out at what had already passed by. Toward the front, the angular side-pillars blocked everything coming. The build-quality seemed on par with the early Japanese cars coming into our US markets at the time.
I was prob 12 when my grandmother bought her Mercury Zephyer...am radio, crank windows, no a/c 4 cylynders......was a good car for her..the trunk leaked....her next car was a Fairmont and that came with everything n 6 cylinders.., a/c and am/fm radio...crank windows..same as the zephyer...was a great car also..
The Fairmont was a highy regardable car that platformed a wide array of cars from Mustang to MK VII. Lee Iacocca left Ford with that and the Panther long running full size series which lasted til 2011!
@TonysFordsandMustangs you taught me the genesis of the Fox name being named from the Audi Fox they bench marked. Never knew and quite interesting. Is there a known tie-in for the Panther as well? I mean maybe not, but somehow it got named that. If you know please mention it on Friday
I never knew the Fairmont was that successful during its first year of production. Ford seemed to have been having a lot of success in the mid to late 70s before things began to take a fall at a fast pace. 1978 was also one of the best sales years ever for the Thunderbird.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs A history video you should do is a timeline about how FoMoCo entered financial difficulties in the early to mid 80s after a number of successful vehicles in the mid to late 70s.
Yes there was another change of note in '81 .... the hood ornament was deleted. I was very glad I ordered my Futura in '80. The trim changes in '81 made the car look cheap. I still have the car, but I no longer drive it. It has 202K miles on it, and I think I could put a new battery in it and still drive it. The engine is the 200 I-6, with 4-speed manual .... and averaged 30 MPG over my 10 years of use.
The Fox under body continued in the Mustang until just a few years ago. It was simple, strong and it was relatively easy to tune out nvh problems. Every once in a while they get it right, sometimes by accident, sometimes when the management team was on vacation.
The last Fox body Mustang was 1993. From 1993-2004, Ford used the Fox plus 4. Beginning in 2005, Ford switched to D2C platform which was loosely based on the DEW platform used in the Lincoln LS, Jaguar S-Type and the T-bird.
In the ad at 5:57, is that actress Morgan Brittany? She was best known for portraying Pam Ewing's villainous half-sister Katherine Wentworth on Dallas. Her character famously ran over and supposedly killed Bobby Ewing at the end of season 8.
@TonysFordsandMustangs I've always been a big fan of Dallas, and that's how I recognized her. Morgan always had pretty eyes. Thanks for another great video. Can't wait for the next one.
My grandpa had a 78 two door Fairmont. Burnt Orange color including the interior and was stripped down. Probably as stripped as it could've come. 200-6 cyl and as slow as a snail.
It's been 40 years now since I entered my freshman year of high school and I went to one of those schools that had a mix of preppy and townie kids. I was one of the townie kids and townies drove big Detroit iron from the 70s or very early 80s. Preppies drove BMWs or Audis. One of my friends drove a 1978 (I think) Mercury Zephyr Z7 with the 200 straight six. That was an easy engine to work on and they could last a very long time but it really lacked power big time. Ford maybe should have kept and put the 250 straight six in them.
The Tempo and Topaz might have been slotted into the Fairmont and Zephyr position but the 1983 Ford LTD (Not LTD Crown Victoria) looks like the natural evolution of the Fairmont. I have not done the research but I would bet money it was on a Fox body platform. The dimensions look to be identicle.
The 83 LTD was indeed a Foxbody. It was not offered as a coupe. I have a video on those cars on the channel you can find it here: th-cam.com/video/RSxIbxEFfdI/w-d-xo.html
Parents had a '78 Zephyr wagon. Option wise it was essentially a military vehicle. Tinny metal, rock hard vinyl bench seats. Rear seat did not fold flat (sticking up about 15-20 degrees). Sounded like it had zero insulation if you ever drove it in heavy rain. Front end needed work every 20k or so (a common experience in every Fox body I ever owned or drove). 200 cube 6 had a very specific starting procedure or it'd stall 6-8 times before it'd stay running. With the engine off, you had to floor the pedal and let off it slowly counting to 5, then turn the key without touching the gas pedal. Top speed: 82 mph with two people and no luggage. Loaded was maybe 72. Only real positive I could say about it was it was better than most rear drive cars in the snow. My buddy's parents had a Malibu sedan that felt and drove like a Caddy next to the Merc. At least it was better than a K Car, though.
I am not 100% sure but in Canada the turbo may have been offered for 2 models years. We had different offerings here. For example ... When i bought my 82 Capri RS 5.0 i was surprised to see the 2.3 turbo carburator still in the cdn brochure as an option.
@@scottbrown7415 not that i know of during the Fox years, i can double check my brochures but never heard or seen. They did have 2 door trunk capri during the European run capri until 78, that i saw but they were never popular due to cost
This was after his time aboard the Enterprise NCC-1701 at least the filming of the TV series. IF you talking about an actual timeline it's WAY before his time at the academy
When these first came out, they looked great in their ads, but in person, inside and out, they looked very cheaply made to me. However, there was something about them that I liked. And, they were everywhere. So many on the roads. Still one of my favorite cares, especially for the simplicity of them. I alsoloved the Futura when it came out. I Loved the Fox body Granada too. I hated the replacements Temp and Topaz. Awful looking cars. Thanks for the video!
These cars were MANY TIMES more reliable than the competition from GM and Chrysler. The X Body was a quality nightmare. The k cars were ok. But they had a cheap feel and didn’t really hold up that well.
A friend of mine, his mom had a four door with the 2.3 and 4 speed. Poor thing couldn’t get out of its own way if it was going downhill with a tailwind, but it did get descent gas mileage in town.
I don't buy the most successful new nameplate ever introduced by a domestic manufacturer. The Mustang in its introductory year outsold the Fairmont as did the Citation in its introductory year. They were a totally new platform with little in common with other Fords of the day except for engines and transmissions. The new platform also ended up underpinning a huge chunk of the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury lineups for the next few years.
There are a lot of qualifiers in that statement from Ford. However I think it's accurate. The Mustang sales were higher however they cover a year and a half for the 1965 model year. The Chevy Citation was released as a 1980 model so it may have sold more but I know little about Chevy cars so I couldn't tell you.
Northerners were quickly gravitating to FWD cars for winter driving at this time, but I don't understand why warm states didn't stick with easier to maintain, more reliable, roomier, better value RWD cars like these Fords. The venerable Ford straight 6 was a dog but it would get you to work till 300,000 miles if you changed fluids and maintained it.
The population of the southern states in comparison to the north at the time was much lower than it is today and the cost of R&D on a car was pretty expensive so building a model just the southern region would have been difficult and risky. Thank you for your comment.
Maybe I side with the Judge Goode? Lima was founded in 1831 as a county seat which was mandated by the Ohio legislature. Lima Ohio It got its name from Patrick G. Goode, who was a judge. He insisted on the Spanish pronunciation "Lee-mah" after the capital city of Peru, but the pronunciation - "Lye-mah" - won
I remember these cars had a lot of plastic parts outside. The sumps on the hood below the wipers had a plastic cover that quickly crumpled with the heat, and the urethane bridging the bumpers and the main body became brittle with heat and sunlight and disintegrated in pieces. This was a very, very cheap car
Well we can tell your not from western side of ohio like I was. The town in ohio were the engine is from is pronounced LYE-MA not lee-ma like you called the the lima 2.3 4cylinder engine. Your not the only one to make this mistake.
Maybe I side with the Judge Goode? Lima was founded in 1831 as a county seat which was mandated by the Ohio legislature. Lima Ohio It got its name from Patrick G. Goode, who was a judge. He insisted on the Spanish pronunciation "Lee-mah" after the capital city of Peru, but the pronunciation - "Lye-mah" - won.
![1972 Mercury: Land Barge with a couch inside - [Dealer Film]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bT3HBdpESpo/mqdefault.jpg)
My GFs Father in HS had a 1978 Fairmont Station-wagon, i always thought it was awesome because it was the First Fairmont Wagon i had ever seen. My GF and Her Sis always seemed embarrassed and frazzled about getting out of it when their Dad dropped them off. They would actually hide themselves until they got halfway to the door. One day i told My GF i loved her Fairmont Wagon and She said what who where ohh no we didn't get out of that car we don't know him... My GF today is on to greater richer ideas and situations still trying to.escape and hide from that Fairmont Wagon which I still think is Cool... When You Love someone you Love them it doesn't matter what kind of car they drive, where they work or even where they live, You still love them....💜💜💜
My dad loved that car. It was trouble free and easy to own
We had a ‘79 Fairmont 4-cylinder coupe with 4-on-the-floor. I learned to drive on that, our ‘73 Ford LTD station wagon, and my grandfather’s 1963 Ford F-series pickup
My mother in law had a 78 Fairmont. Simple and well built car.
I was an auto mechanic when the Fairmont was released. As soon as I popped the hood I could tell this was not your typical Detroit iron. The engineering was obviously done with European automobiles in mind. I felt a tinge of pride that Detroit was finally coming around to sensible engineering, but also some trepidation as European cars were more delicately built. I never came to any definitive conclusions about their longevity, I was too busy trying to keep up with the sudden changes in Detroit's engineering focus over the next decade or so (though it was easy to spot when they really didn't "get it").
What did you think of the Dodge Mirada? I thought they were so cool back then with the slant-six and positraction! Made sense for the era...
@@TheSpritz0 I was always a sucker for Chrysler styling, until, you know, they didn't do styling anymore.
I worked at a group that did a lot of testing on full up vehicles for airbags and seat belts. We ran barrier crashes mostly at 30 mph. The ncap thing was just getting started. One day one of the guys put his car into a snow bank and biffed the grill of his Zephyr. When, let’s call him Jimmy, was out of town, we stole his car, took it to our vehicle build area and removed parts from a Fairmont that was being prepared for sled testing. When Mr Jimmy gets back, he looking out the window at his car and asks “what looks different about my car?” He didn’t notice we put a Fairmont grille and bumper on his Zephyr, nobody noticed. So much for the millions spent on unique design differentiation.
It took weeks before we told him. This story may have grown legs since inception but it’s better now!
That's pretty awesome!
A friend from high school had a Zephyr that his parents bought for him. It was in immaculate shape, but he hated it because he didn’t get a mustang. He trashed that poor little car. Do dumb things like hit poles and barriers on purpose just to dent it. He figured his mom and dad would get him something “nice” if he messed it up. They never did. Probably figured he’d just trash whatever car they’d spend good money on.
My father bought a 1979 Mercury Zephyr coupe with a 200 engine in 1983. Looked brand new and the vent gills were a nice touch. He eventually traded it in for a 1988 Plymouth Reliant in 1989.
I was 16 years old when my co-worker bought his brand new 1978 Mercury Zephyr 2dr in Silver exterior w/ Red Vinyl interior and was a 4 speed. Am Radio was the only major option with full sized wheel covers and white wall tires. I remember thinking how Tinny and cheap looking the car appeared to me. Me with my ‘72 Olds Royale 88 hardtop thinking how much more car I had. (Soon to be a ‘73 Fleetwood Brougham). I still always had a soft spot in my heart for this platform.
They had a problem with the back windshield needing resealed. Had one back in the day I got it from my parents was a good running car. Then the wrist pin went out
Me first fox......(of four) was a 1979 Ghia Mustang coupe, 5.0 4 speed with TRX package. Loved that car!
My uncle and cousin worked for Ford in Mahwah NJ at this time. I remember when he they got the 78 Futura in green with mustard top. it looked futuristic at the time.
It looks even better today compared to all of the SUV jelly beans. I honestly can't tell a Nissan or Hyundai from a MB unless I can see the logo.
My first boss (besides my dad) owned an auto parts store. He drove a white Fairmont stationwagon which he loved because it was very practical. He would sometimes need drive to El Paso (150 miles each way) to the distribution center to pick up special orders. Apparently his wife sold the car without his approval, and he found it and bought it again.
@@gilabear11 thanks for sharing!
This was the car I learned how to drive! My high school had Fairmonts for Driver's Ed in 1979.
I liked these from the beginning, but especially the Futura and Z-7 sport coupe, which look to me like smaller versions of the 1977-79 Thunderbird. I always felt the Fox platform was superior to most. I was not (and am not) a fan of front wheel drive. I've had positive experiences with the Fox platform My mother bought a 1985 Mustang GT convertible (I have to rescue that one) and I bought a 1980 Thunderbird Silver Anniversary edition, which I loved from day 1. It had the 302 V-8. The dynamics of the rear wheel drive platform made that the best handling Thunderbird since the original. You are correct about the interest rates, which very much affected sales of the T-Bird. My interest rate was 20%!
The Ford 200 c.i. straight six was a wonderful engine.
I owned a 1968 Falcon Futura (automatic) that had one, and surprisingly it moved the car almost efforlessly.
It had tall gears too (apparently), because I could take it to sixty, before banging 2nd.
I beat on that thing all day, evey day, and on ice without exception.
I wasn't trying to kill it (as a machinist I like to test things) and never considered it abuse, as such, as that would be anathema, that we speak not of.
As a collision repair tech of 40 years,, the Fairmont and the zephyr are the easiest cars to work on,, quick repairs, and replacement parts make turn around in the body shop quick.. it's like Honda used to say, We make it Simple...
My parents had a 1980 Mercury Zephyr in brown. It was a former driver's ed car. They had it for 9 years. Rust was what finally finished it off. My grandparents had a Fairmont in red with red interior. I loved the Futura when I had the Hot Wheels version.
Great video. I worked at a car rental agency in 1978 and remember how distinct the Fairmont was from other Ford products. Much lighter and more precise feeling - not that I was overly enthused by it at the time. The 1979 Mustang was when I really bought into the Fox platform, that fantastic car reviving my enthusiasm for the nameplate that its predecessor had pretty much killed off.
@@desertmodern7638 Thanks for sharing, the kind words and for watching.
A pleasant surprise to see actress Morgan Brittany, who once played Vivien Leigh, in that '79 Futura "Now" commercial.
I never thought of these cars being aerodynamic. But man they were great cars fantastic gas mileage. That little 200 straight 6 just keep going and going. And they had good style because they still look like the bigger older cars. I'm talking about when these cars at 5 or 6 years old. Also drove a little four-door halfway across the country with 302 in it. That thing rocked. Of course the engine had a ticking noise after that to work
Thanks for sharing your experience!
@@TonysFordsandMustangs I forgot to thank you for doing the work on this episode concerning the Ford Fairmont. I've always liked these cars. Especially the futura
@@CAROLDDISCOVER-2025 Thank you as I appreciate you watching!
Great video! In the early 80’s, we had a Fairmont and a Zephyr as Drivers Ed cars.
Thank you for watching!
I was today years old when I realized how closely the styling was between the K cars (especially the Dodge 600) and the Fairmont. Both designed/led by Iacocca.
4:47 Ride Engineered!!! I remember seeing those!! Love seeing little stuff like that...old emblems
Awesome Tony!!
Before my family immigrated to United States, my dad drove a 1973 Ford Cortina in Taiwan. When we came to the states 1982 we bought 2 cars, a new Toyota Tercel and a used 1978 Mercury Zephyr. Both cars I still adore even today. They were more about functions than style then. Back then even trip to grocery stores were fight with my siblings for shot gun and also windows down to wave and smile at people. Now my daughter only cares about her instagram account and TikTok videos in the back seat of my G wagon. No appreciation of what cars are.
Thanks for sharing and there are a few in the upcoming generation that still admire cars. Not nearly as many as back in the day. Early generations saw a car as freedom, a space of you own, the ability to get away from your parents and chart your own path.
Oh my, I wish I owned one today. What a shame they can’t build cars any more. Seems like they are the leading recall company. Can’t imagine buying anything from them in 2024. So sad. Great content.
@@georgeburns7251 thanks for watching
It is amazing how technology improved so much by the differences of the these 70s designed cars and the mid to late 80s Merkur lineup.
The XR4Ti was gem in the mid 80s
Another great video Tony!
Thank you!
My grandpa had a Fire engine red '78 Fairmont that I remember riding in as a child. I really like the design of the Fairmont. It was also called the "American Volvo" by some.
Squeezed a 351C into one of these fairmonts, just because I had one and could. Sure woke up that car.
That would do it!
I had a 1981 Fairmont Futura with a 255 cubic inch V8 engine. I wasn't happy with the engine, so I swapped it out with a 5.0 with roller cam. What a huge difference it made. Sorry I sold it. An Iowa car with no rust.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience!
Ahhh Yes!The old Squaremont.Couldn't go a mile without seeing one back in the 80's.Then they all disappeared by the mid 90's.My Dad had the hots for a Zephyr Z7 but waited until 1982 to go with the 1 year only Cougar Station wagon.A bit more practical for us back then.
We bought a like-new 79 Fairmont 4 door with every possible option, EXCEPT a big enough engine to pull it down the highway comfortably. Three things I wasn't a fan of. 1st, its lack of power came with a side benefit going up hills: when the car dropped 5 mph below the cruise control setting, the cruise would automatically disengage. The upside to that was you could just click the resume one the cruise control and the throttle would go wide open and stay there. 2nd, the "flight bench seat" was not divided. Super comfortable, but my wife is 9" shorter than me and I couldn't fit in the front seat if she was driving. 3rd, the trunk was so shallow that the average grocery bag would have to be laid on its side if it was over half full. It was a good looking car and rode well and I wish we had bought one with a larger engine, we'd have kept it longer.
@@markchapmon8670 thanks for sharing your experience
Right On Tony...these cars were cool...buddy had one. He called it the Mini LTD😅. 6 cyl
Awesome episode thanks Tony!!
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for watching!
The 1978 Fairmont with the 302 was an interesting car, my brothers Fairmont Futura was very hot, a real fast car. I have always thought the factory had picked a car from the line and had real fun with it.
Tony, I love your content great video as always. Keep it up my friend.
@@ramrodson5461 Thank you very much!
got drove a 1978 futura 302 good car for burn outs 4:21 no a/c radio delete 5:17 cool looking car
My Fairmont was a great car. Kind of miss it.
Those Fairmount/Zephyrs were plain, boring, but Bulletproof. They just kept going. My favorite engine choice was the 200 cid 6 cylinder. You couldn’t kill them. And they had decent power (for that day). The 4 cyl was tough too.But it couldn’t get out of its own way. But that was common for that era. The 302 was a lot more powerful. But it ruined the simplicity and lowered the fuel economy significantly.
I bought a 1981 Fairmont sedan in 1991, when I wrecked my new Chevy S-10 EL. Funny thing was I was eyeing the car for a couple of months. It was a base car with the 200-6 Automatic. Power steering and brakes. And no AC. Drove the car from southern New Jersey to Vancouver B.C. and back. Coming home the alternator decided to act up, But it kept going and got me home. And lasted almost a week. I replaced it with one from a friends 78. That car had been T-boned. I replaced it with a 1984 Fairmont based LTD wagon. That had the fuel injected 3.8 V-6. Sadly That car got totaled by a Trans Am that ran a red light in Philadelphia.
That's rough run of bad luck.
My first company car, in '84, was a hand me down '79 Fairmont wagon. The hood folded crisply where the prop rod slotted into it... easily straightened each time. Fun driver, though.
My first car I purchased used was an 81' Ford Fairmont Futura coupe, it was black with tan bucket seats, a console with floor shifter and had the digital readout sensor in the console, unfortunately it had the 4cyl engine in it, which had no power.
I like the Fairmot, but with a Coyote and driveline, for an everyday driver, with AM/FM radio, of course.
My parents bought a new Fairmont wagon in 1980. It was fairly simple with a 200 six and an automatic. It was a fairly durable car. Easy to drive and handled decently for what it was, especially in snow. We’ve gone a long way from cars like that. My local police department was overjoyed when the Fairmont got selected over the Reliant K to replace the six cylinder Aspen and Volaries (air conditioner belts removed to further save gas) they’d been suffering with. I don’t know if they were 302s or 255s, but they were faster than what they replaced.
I had a 1978 zephyr. It had a 302 with a 4bbl. Great car till a a hole hit me from behind. Said my brake lights didn't work but when the cops got there they had me hit the brake pedal then one of them said they are working now.
I remember these cars had a lot of plastic parts outside. The sumps on the hood below the wipers had a plastic cover that quickly crumpled with the heat, and the urethane between the bumpers and the body became brittle with heat and sunlight and disintegrated in pieces. This was a very, very cheap car.
These were the first cars I ever saw with mirrors integrated with the front window frames.
Thanks great video
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for watching!
1978 model year was actually a good one sales wise. The '79 gas crisis was just around the corner.
Yes, 1978 was a record breaking sales for cars ... even big cars sold very well. 79 was good too for smaller and mid size cars. Oldsmobile sold over 500,000 Cutlass models... and Chevette/Citations were selling like crazy.
I had a 1978 Fairmont with a 2.3 liter turbo engine
The first commercial spot is narrated by Mr. Spock. His actual name Leonard Nimoy.
Had a 79 Zep.. 2 door and not a bad ride but was a rustbucket up north
@7:59 Happy to see RONNIE SCHELL!!! "America's Slowest Rising Young Comedian," 92 in '24
I have an '80 Fairmont Futura coupe (basket handle roofline) with the 4 cylinder and four speed manual trans. Manual brakes, (those were standard) power steering, no air. Base Futura trim, no passenger mirror, and no bright trim around the door frames. Under powered for sure, but oddly fun to drive.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Loved my loaded '78 Fairmont Squire with 302, but piston slap that developed after the warranty expired forced me to trade it fast.
The Fairmont was my first intro to what I'd later learn were fox-body cars; designed and built using (gee whiz!) real computers! We still thought computers were the stuff of scientific entities and the government. The owner of the Ford dealership in my hometown was a friend of my Dad, so I got a look at the first Fairmont in the showroom. Compared to cars of the 1960s, I thought they were cheaply made. Interiors structured of molded plastic panels; puffy fat seats covered in vinyl. They were all boxy outside, lots of rectangles. I sort of liked the Futura coupe's designed-in targa band. But I guessed riders in the back wouldn't appreciate the swept side windows that seemed only to look out at what had already passed by. Toward the front, the angular side-pillars blocked everything coming. The build-quality seemed on par with the early Japanese cars coming into our US markets at the time.
I was prob 12 when my grandmother bought her Mercury Zephyer...am radio, crank windows, no a/c 4 cylynders......was a good car for her..the trunk leaked....her next car was a Fairmont and that came with everything n 6 cylinders.., a/c and am/fm radio...crank windows..same as the zephyer...was a great car also..
@@JeffreyCoffey-j2y Thanks for sharing
Sweet Mach 1!!
@@RoadRunnergarage8570 Thanks!
The Fairmont was a highy regardable car that platformed a wide array of cars from Mustang to MK VII. Lee Iacocca left Ford with that and the Panther long running full size series which lasted til 2011!
The first Panther Platform video drops on Saturday 😉
@TonysFordsandMustangs you taught me the genesis of the Fox name being named from the Audi Fox they bench marked. Never knew and quite interesting. Is there a known tie-in for the Panther as well? I mean maybe not, but somehow it got named that. If you know please mention it on Friday
I never knew the Fairmont was that successful during its first year of production. Ford seemed to have been having a lot of success in the mid to late 70s before things began to take a fall at a fast pace. 1978 was also one of the best sales years ever for the Thunderbird.
I still have a few Thunderbird generations to dig into 1978 being one of them. Thanks for watching!
@@TonysFordsandMustangs A history video you should do is a timeline about how FoMoCo entered financial difficulties in the early to mid 80s after a number of successful vehicles in the mid to late 70s.
Yes there was another change of note in '81 .... the hood ornament was deleted.
I was very glad I ordered my Futura in '80. The trim changes in '81 made the car look cheap. I still have the car, but I no longer drive it. It has 202K miles on it, and I think I could put a new battery in it and still drive it. The engine is the 200 I-6, with 4-speed manual .... and averaged 30 MPG over my 10 years of use.
Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching! I do have to draw the line on changes somewhere or the video will be long.
Great video yet again
Thank you!
I miss my Z Top!
The Fox under body continued in the Mustang until just a few years ago. It was simple, strong and it was relatively easy to tune out nvh problems. Every once in a while they get it right, sometimes by accident, sometimes when the management team was on vacation.
Lee Iacocca.
The last Fox body Mustang was 1993. From 1993-2004, Ford used the Fox plus 4. Beginning in 2005, Ford switched to D2C platform which was loosely based on the DEW platform used in the Lincoln LS, Jaguar S-Type and the T-bird.
In the ad at 5:57, is that actress Morgan Brittany? She was best known for portraying Pam Ewing's villainous half-sister Katherine Wentworth on Dallas. Her character famously ran over and supposedly killed Bobby Ewing at the end of season 8.
Yes that is Morgan Brittany! I was wondering if anyone would catch that! Thanks for watching!
@TonysFordsandMustangs I've always been a big fan of Dallas, and that's how I recognized her. Morgan always had pretty eyes. Thanks for another great video. Can't wait for the next one.
@@donaldwilson2620 thanks for the support and for watching!
My mom had a 79 Futura. I remember the horn was on the blinker stalk. Strange place for a horn button.
That was popular at the time especially in Europe. Thanks for watching!
my mom drove a fairmont futura back in the day
My grandpa had a 78 two door Fairmont. Burnt Orange color including the interior and was stripped down. Probably as stripped as it could've come. 200-6 cyl and as slow as a snail.
I had a '81 Zephyr wagon, 4 cyl., and a 429 engine for it. Then, I had to move, and get rid of everything. Too bad.
It's been 40 years now since I entered my freshman year of high school and I went to one of those schools that had a mix of preppy and townie kids. I was one of the townie kids and townies drove big Detroit iron from the 70s or very early 80s. Preppies drove BMWs or Audis. One of my friends drove a 1978 (I think) Mercury Zephyr Z7 with the 200 straight six. That was an easy engine to work on and they could last a very long time but it really lacked power big time. Ford maybe should have kept and put the 250 straight six in them.
Same type of High Schools were all over the country. I was driving a 71 LTD. ;)
We had a 81’ wagon with 302 V8. Excellent car but motorcraft carb always seemed to run rich.
As the carbs got more complicated they seemed to be less reliable. Weird right? Thanks for watching!
It was a Falcon 20 years later and made sense just like a Falcon.
Those were beautiful cars when optioned up.
The Tempo and Topaz might have been slotted into the Fairmont and Zephyr position but the 1983 Ford LTD (Not LTD Crown Victoria) looks like the natural evolution of the Fairmont. I have not done the research but I would bet money it was on a Fox body platform. The dimensions look to be identicle.
The 83 LTD was indeed a Foxbody. It was not offered as a coupe. I have a video on those cars on the channel you can find it here: th-cam.com/video/RSxIbxEFfdI/w-d-xo.html
Was that the sped up voice of Leonard Nimoy doing the voiceover for the first Fairmont commercial shown? Sure sounded like him!
That was him and it wasn’t sped up.
We had a 79 Futura with the 6 cly. Auto
Our Zepher was slow, and the dash moved with every bump in the road but I think dad paid 3800 dollars for it so he was happy
I was partial to the Fairmont Futura version. It wasnt as stodgy as the sedan and wagon.
Parents had a '78 Zephyr wagon. Option wise it was essentially a military vehicle. Tinny metal, rock hard vinyl bench seats. Rear seat did not fold flat (sticking up about 15-20 degrees). Sounded like it had zero insulation if you ever drove it in heavy rain. Front end needed work every 20k or so (a common experience in every Fox body I ever owned or drove). 200 cube 6 had a very specific starting procedure or it'd stall 6-8 times before it'd stay running. With the engine off, you had to floor the pedal and let off it slowly counting to 5, then turn the key without touching the gas pedal. Top speed: 82 mph with two people and no luggage. Loaded was maybe 72. Only real positive I could say about it was it was better than most rear drive cars in the snow. My buddy's parents had a Malibu sedan that felt and drove like a Caddy next to the Merc. At least it was better than a K Car, though.
Some love for the fox capri pls😮
th-cam.com/video/K6vpmCSpoug/w-d-xo.html
I am not 100% sure but in Canada the turbo may have been offered for 2 models years. We had different offerings here. For example ... When i bought my 82 Capri RS 5.0 i was surprised to see the 2.3 turbo carburator still in the cdn brochure as an option.
That is possible. It's not easy to track down the differences for other markets. Thanks for watching!
I think the Canadian market also had a notchback coupe version of the Capri but it was just one year.
@@scottbrown7415 not that i know of during the Fox years, i can double check my brochures but never heard or seen. They did have 2 door trunk capri during the European run capri until 78, that i saw but they were never popular due to cost
@00:49 Spock pushing Ford Fairmonts before joining StarFleet.
This was after his time aboard the Enterprise NCC-1701 at least the filming of the TV series. IF you talking about an actual timeline it's WAY before his time at the academy
When these first came out, they looked great in their ads, but in person, inside and out, they looked very cheaply made to me. However, there was something about them that I liked. And, they were everywhere. So many on the roads. Still one of my favorite cares, especially for the simplicity of them. I alsoloved the Futura when it came out. I Loved the Fox body Granada too. I hated the replacements Temp and Topaz. Awful looking cars. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for your comment and for watching it appreciated.
Did the Ford 7.5 inch axle come out on Fairmont? I know the Granada didn't have the 7.5.
That sounds correct to me without looking it up.
How about that commercial with Dallas actress Morgan Brittany she's a beauty and then the one with Rich Little.... I am showing my age 😂
Nice Catch! Thanks for watching!
@TonysFordsandMustangs always great content. I just recommended your channel to a guy I met at a cars and coffee in Fort Washington PA today. 👍
@@jimlafreeda43 That's awesome thank you!
@@jimlafreeda43 I've always thought Morgan Brittany had gorgeous eyes.
These cars were MANY TIMES more reliable than the competition from GM and Chrysler. The X Body was a quality nightmare. The k cars were ok. But they had a cheap feel and didn’t really hold up that well.
Was that Brittney Morgan or Morgan Brittney in the '79 commercials?
Ford put that camel colored vinyl on everything BITD.
Yes it was. ;)
Farimont's were Fox-bodied, so they would take all the Mustang parts and modifications.
The dashboards and interiors were identical
A friend of mine, his mom had a four door with the 2.3 and 4 speed. Poor thing couldn’t get out of its own way if it was going downhill with a tailwind, but it did get descent gas mileage in town.
I don't buy the most successful new nameplate ever introduced by a domestic manufacturer. The Mustang in its introductory year outsold the Fairmont as did the Citation in its introductory year. They were a totally new platform with little in common with other Fords of the day except for engines and transmissions. The new platform also ended up underpinning a huge chunk of the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury lineups for the next few years.
There are a lot of qualifiers in that statement from Ford. However I think it's accurate. The Mustang sales were higher however they cover a year and a half for the 1965 model year. The Chevy Citation was released as a 1980 model so it may have sold more but I know little about Chevy cars so I couldn't tell you.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs Citation was released in spring of 1979 as an 80 model so they had a long run that year.
That woman is driving along at 6:10, talking about great fuel economy, while the EPA estimate at the bottom of the screen says: "20". Ouch!
@@jergervasi3331 that was good back in the day.
I highly doubt you'd be getting out of your Learjet to jump into your Ford Futura. I guess that's what marketing is all about.
Northerners were quickly gravitating to FWD cars for winter driving at this time, but I don't understand why warm states didn't stick with easier to maintain, more reliable, roomier, better value RWD cars like these Fords. The venerable Ford straight 6 was a dog but it would get you to work till 300,000 miles if you changed fluids and maintained it.
The population of the southern states in comparison to the north at the time was much lower than it is today and the cost of R&D on a car was pretty expensive so building a model just the southern region would have been difficult and risky. Thank you for your comment.
@@TonysFordsandMustangs That's true, but I was referring to retail customers, not makers. Warm state drivers don't need FWD.
definitely not what I think when I hear "fox body"
That where it all started. :) Thanks for watching.
Carter sunk the market
Lima engine - (Lie - ma)
Lima, Oh; pronounced like the bean , not the city in Peru.
Maybe I side with the Judge Goode? Lima was founded in 1831 as a county seat which was mandated by the Ohio legislature. Lima Ohio It got its name from Patrick G. Goode, who was a judge. He insisted on the Spanish pronunciation "Lee-mah" after the capital city of Peru, but the pronunciation - "Lye-mah" - won
I remember these cars had a lot of plastic parts outside. The sumps on the hood below the wipers had a plastic cover that quickly crumpled with the heat, and the urethane bridging the bumpers and the main body became brittle with heat and sunlight and disintegrated in pieces. This was a very, very cheap car
Awdi?
If that's in the subtitles I must have missed it. TH-cam auto subtitles require an hour of editing and I don't always catch everything.
Most people say “OW-dee” instead of “AWE-dee”
@@keelay1977 thanks for the clarification. Noted
@@keelay1977 How would those people pronounce daughter? DOW-ter Perhaps that's how the vowels AU are used in German? Oh well.
Well we can tell your not from western side of ohio like I was. The town in ohio were the engine is from is pronounced LYE-MA not lee-ma like you called the the lima 2.3 4cylinder engine. Your not the only one to make this mistake.
Maybe I side with the Judge Goode? Lima was founded in 1831 as a county seat which was mandated by the Ohio legislature. Lima Ohio It got its name from Patrick G. Goode, who was a judge. He insisted on the Spanish pronunciation "Lee-mah" after the capital city of Peru, but the pronunciation - "Lye-mah" - won.
That background music has got to go.
Thank for watching and I try to mix it up a bit with what is available for free on TH-cam. Let's say the choices are limited.
I had a 2 dr Futura.It was terrible
In a word, it was extremely cheaply made and the Fairmont was just simply unattractive