fairmont ?

im going to look at a 1978 fairmont this weekend. it is a drag car project. it has a sbf in it that the guy says runs mid 12's. is there any thing i should look for? the frame is not tied and has no rollbar. im looking for something to stick a 460 in. it does have 5 lugs front and rear. thanks in advance jim

being the same foxbody platform ... look in the typical areas strut towers were the seam meets the frame rails ...water sits there and cause them to rot there .

make sure the tourque boxes are not rotted out or damaged


i live in the northeast and ive seen some pretty bad ones due to our winters , maybe were you are at they are better

also , i think they are 4 lug , i may be in correct but i think they are and prob didnt need much to go 12s , the fairmonts are very light ........wish i had one instead of my mustang

the pics that he sent me show it was converted to 5 lug front and rear. thanks for the info!

5pointslow wrote:being the same foxbody platform ... look in the typical areas strut towers were the seam meets the frame rails ...water sits there and cause them to rot there .

make sure the tourque boxes are not rotted out or damaged


i live in the northeast and ive seen some pretty bad ones due to our winters , maybe were you are at they are better

X2 on the strut tower attaching points. Also check the rockers out good, they get soft at the bottom and check the rear 1/4 outer wheel houses at the bottom front and rear, and the front fenders where the plastic splash shield screws on.

i have a 78 zeph. did all the cut and hack myself. beware the rear fenderwells do not have the same room in them that my early fox stang did and no where close to my 97 sn95. stock gas tank doesnt leave a lot of room on the pass side for three inch pipes.
.... seat position was a bugger too.
also the trans member mounting ears had to be relocated too. minor crap to some but hey i though i share....bobn

If you can get it cheap, BUY IT

They are a real sleeper when it comes to being a drag platform. My ex-girlfreing had one. Which I rebuilt the 302 in it. It was a rocket, for a driver. Stock 302 with flat-tops and a 4-bll carb, with a stock iron intake. The cam was a early stock model. It would fly.

I have a wagon lined up, but my Son wasnt interested for $400. bucks.

Check out the floor at the driver's rear seat mount right next to the trans tunnel for signs of tearing. My 78 Futura was religously for 7 or so years and the floor showed signs of abuse. It wasn't caged or connected either. There are actually some lines on the roof over the b-pillars where the sheetmetal is tweaked from stress too. Other than that they are the first Fox chassis so most of the 79-93 Fox stuff goes on without any problems.

definite sleeper when done right...