79 Ford Fairmont Wagon

[Frank ZX]

I've owned this car for about 2 years. It has a 5.0, 5 speed and a 8.8 rear end. Mild motor has a Motorsports B cam, Weiand Stealth intake and a modified Holley 600 vaccum secondary.
The trans is a T5 from a 4 cyl mustang and rear has 3:27 gears.
Best 1/4 mile time was a 13.37@103 with a 60ft time of 2.0.
I gave this car to my 17 year old son who is a senior in high school. He has maintained a A-B average his whole life and wants a Mustang so I'm going to buy him a 87-95 Mustang GT and I'm getting my Fairmont wagon back.
I have a fresh 347 with Trick Flow 205 heads, Comp Cams w/574 lift, Vic Jr intake and a 650dp Holley.
It has been converted to 5 lugs with tiny Ranger front brake rotors and Ranger axles.
I want to create a true sleeper. I'm thinking of getting widened steel wheels to replace the Mustang wheels that are currently on the car. My goal is a 11 sec car that handles and stops well.
A Pro Touring wagon also appeals to me. I would like to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Here is a pic.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/11/Picture4743-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/11/Picture4700-1.jpg

[Bryce]

That would be a sweet project! Good luck.

[MonzaRacer]

Go for it, its basically a Fox platform so most parts will work. Take a look at www.ridetech.com. The CoolRide will drop in for coil springs, double or triple adjustable shocks/struts and be added later on if on budget. If you want to track it look at Nitto tires, good traction ,reasonable prices.
As for reasonably priced wheels try here: http://www.finishlinewheels.com/specials/7,FORD+MUSTANG/

Fays2 has a watts link kit for Mustang and could probably be done for your wagon.
Also since your already a stick,,,, Shafi Keisler has a great shift w/o the clutch trans,, it would be great for road work and track times nad have a bazzilion time more torque capabilities than a non world class 4 cyl T5 has .
Brakes ,well there are dozens of companies, any of the Mustang people can swap you to big ol Cobra brakes once you get 17/18 in wheels.
Good Luck

[Zanie]

i like it!

[nacnac]

very cool car.

[Frank ZX]

Thanks for the links MonzaRacer.
Currently the wagon has 1 5/8 shorty headers and 2 1/2 duals with Magnaflow mufflers with Race ready cutouts. Too bad I want 1 3/4 long tube headers and 3" exhaust.
It also has Mustang tubular LCA but stock uppers.
I have a small nitrous system and 2 good fuel pumps(Holley and Edelbrock). I guess I will weld a small sump in the stock tank for 2 outlets.
I want a car I can Autocross, Drag race and drive to work once in a while.
BTW, The last pic it has 17X8 front and 18X10 rear wheels but I sold the 18X10's. Time for new wheels soon.

[Frank ZX]

Here is the current engine:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/11/Picture4742-1.jpg
And the shot interior.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/11/Picture4746-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/11/Picture4745-1.jpg

[wellis77]

I want to build a wagon SOO bad. Cool platform.

[bret]

I built 3 of these in the late 80's/early 90's...including one with a 357cu.in. small block with an 8-71 blower and EFI. Mine were 2 door sedans, not wagons. FUN...especially when you tromp on Corvette guys. Its one thing to get thumped by a Mustang...quite another to get beat by some no-name ugly Ford thing that they can't identify. My blown car would run 155mph on the top end before the frontend got light and I ran out of sack. It also ran 11.80 @ 118 with a 2:73 gear and a 275mm street tire. It was my only transportation for about 3 years while I was working for Blower Drve Service and prowling around Clearwater Forida on the Gandy bridge on Friday nights.
You go dude...bitchin car!

[BulldawgMusclecars]

I like it...better than a Mustang IMHO! I remember years ago Tom Dugan of Dugan Racing in Lawrenceville, GA had one of these wagons, with a Mustang front clip on it. If you're looking for good, inexpensive upgrades for the brakes I'd check out Mustang Parts Specialties, also in GA. They have a Mustang salvage yard, and can put together complete retrofit packages for you. Their service is excellent, and their prices are pretty good too.

[PT Sportwagon]

Great platform to start. I had a 79 Merc Zepher wagon that I wanted to build but never did. Great little wagon even with the 200 6 in it.

Tim

[CruizinKev]

cool car!!

[The Stickman]

I always thought these wagons would make a great handling car. They are light and due to being a Fox bodied car there are plenty of mods for them. I understand some inteior and exterior parts can even be swapped over.

[SRD art]

Great start, any updates last coupla weeks?

[Scott Parkhurst]

If I was a Ford guy, I'd be piloting one of these instead of the Chevelle. The potential is huge and you can't imagine how much fun wagons are on the track.

[novaderrik]

derp.. double post.

[novaderrik]

that thing needs some steel wheels with hub caps.. i believe the newer Crown Vics have steel 17" wheels on them that would bolt right up, but i think you'd have to run the dog dish hub caps- or a set of cheesy Wal Mart plastic caps would be just about right...
also, get some of those cheesy stick on fender vents just to take the "i'm a POS so totally ignore me" theme one step further..

[bret]

You would have to convert to the Mustang GT 5 lug hubs...or get an aftermarket braket system with the 5 lugs hubs...to install the 5 lug Crown Vic wheels. Not a bad look, though. If you are doing an aftermarket brake hub you can then choose your bolt pattern and won't be limited to Ford offerings. The car won't know the difference...trust me!

[thunderzy]

That's sweet dude!! I want a manual trans wagon so bad. Can't really find any at the moment.

[novaderrik]

You would have to convert to the Mustang GT 5 lug hubs...or get an aftermarket braket system with the 5 lugs hubs...to install the 5 lug Crown Vic wheels. Not a bad look, though. If you are doing an aftermarket brake hub you can then choose your bolt pattern and won't be limited to Ford offerings. The car won't know the difference...trust me!

look at the pic- 5 lugs..

and it's easy to make them into 5 plugs using junkyard or parts store parts- front rotors from a 2wd Ranger and rear axles and brake drums from the same truck- but i think you need 2 of either the driver or passenger side axles. we did this on a friend's 89 Mustang..

[JayR]

I love that thing! As far "wanting to create a true sleeper", I think you already have! Despite the cool wheels and stance, I highly doubt anyone would expect that little wagon to run low 13s and the sound coming from a 3" exhaust would be a way bigger tip-off than nice wheels. I do dig a super sneaky street sleeper but if you aren't gambling at the track, they're kind of pointless after your first 11 second blast when the word gets out and street racing is way too dangerous, especially at that kind of speed so I would just make it fast and safe and have fun with it. I'm sure the 13 second timeslips are already surprising the crap out of most people and if you added in some aftermarket cornering equipment and took it to auto-crosses and put down respectable times, you would have a whole new demographic of people with their mouths hanging open watching you rip that thing around. I would just keep upgrading with Fox-Body bolt-ons and definitely upgrade the brakes if you plan to auto-cross it.

A few small upgrades and a second set of drag-only wheels could easily get you in the 12s, then spend the remaining dollars dialing in the cornering prowess. Based on the nature of this site and our lust for turning left and right and the ridiculous amount of fun had auto-crossing, time spent on the track at an auto-cross vs drag race and I suspect you'll get a lot of the same advice here. Go on YellowBulet.com and they'll be telling you to get bigs and littles, another nitrous kit and a cage. Different strokes for different folks. What appeals most to you is what you should do and dual purpose is totally cool but there are a lot of compromises and sacrifices at a certain point that will limit you in one thing or the other. Not saying cars can't do both but you can't get 15x3.5s over the big brakes we prefer here and things like sway bars that help us turn corners hinder hooking up a hard launching car.

Regardless of what you do, keep us posted!

[Jetfixr320]

How is the 4 cyl T5 behind the V8? I put one behind a mild 302 in my sons Merkur XR4TI, it's not on the road yet. Plans are to have it on the road by spring. Just curious if the 1st gear is going to be worthless like it was behind the Turbo 4cyl?

I love the wagon BTW.

Thanks,
Steve