This fancy Ford Fairmont is actually a sister car, it’s a 1982 Mercury Zephyr Z-7, about as fancy as you could get with the Fairmont/Zephyr twins. This one is on Craigslist with an asking price of $4,900. This zesty Zephyr is in Fenton, Michigan.
This car has a few ticks over 34,000 miles on it which is about 1,000 miles a year on average; that’s low. But, you can see that the right side quarter panel is lighter? The RF fender and passenger door don’t look lighter in color so maybe there was a repair to the quarter panel, or there’s another reason why it looks lighter than the adjacent passenger door? Other than that, this car looks great, condition-wise.
A replacement for the Mercury Comet, the Zephyr was made from 1978 to 1983, at least in this Mercury version, not the breathtaking Lincoln version made from the late-30s to the early-40s. The Mercury Zephyr and Ford Fairmont were replaced by the front-drive Topaz and Tempo in 1984. Wow, that’s quite a change, some would say not for the better, design-wise. Then again, there are fans of those cars, too. The Mercury Zephyr “Z-7” model was a counterpart to Ford’s Fairmont Futura Coupe and they had wrap-around tail lights and that classic, sloping rear deck.
Now here it really looks like a 34,000-mile car, the interior appears to be in beautiful condition! There are no photos of the back seat, trunk, or engine compartment, but hopefully they’re in similar condition. This engine would have been a 3.3L, 200 cubic-inch inline-six with a whole 87 hp. It would be nice to see a photo of it since it’s free to add a couple of dozen photos on Craigslist so it’s always a head-scratcher for me when there aren’t enough photos in ads, especially when they’re free. This really does look like a nice example, have any of you owned a Zephyr Z-7? What do you think about the price of this example?
My friend drove his parents’ 1979 Ford Fairmont four-door in high school (V8 equipped) and it was a great and dependable car. Good platform – i had an 83 LTD wagon (same platform) and it was rock solid. Good find!
Strangely I like this Merc, for an 80’s domestic. Nice color, beautiful interior. I had a 1983 LTD Wagon with the 3.8 & Overdrive when the kids were in elementary. It was a great car, and got decent mileage. Funny how cars before you would never give a second look at are now coming into their own. Does this mean I am considered an “old guy”? :-D
Gunner, you’re old. But I’m older. Rock on brother.
I sold them new.
For a $10,000 total investment one could have an incredible ground pounding sleeper.
Bingos right A stout 302 pops right in.
Mine was a factory 3 spd with buckets
Totally regretting selling her… if this one was on the left coast I’d snatch it in a heartbeat!
I didn’t realize they were available in 78. Sales people probably had trouble moving them, next to fully loaded Thunderbirds. Yeah I’ll go with the tweed and 87 HP that’s for me!
No, they and their cousin the Futura didn’t sell as well as the Thunderbird, but they were probably $2,000-$3,000 cheaper. My 1978 Thunderbird listed for $8,222.
I owned an 81 Futura. In 4 years I put 100,000 miles and no major problems. The 6 cylinder had enough power and worked great.
Had a 78 , Red , gold int 3.3 6 AWESOME car!!!
I have always thought these are a classy looking car. Ment to be an inexpensive, daily commuter, but these coupes are gorgeous. I had a chance to buy one last summer for $1900, told the seller I’d think about it and call him, by the time I got home and called him it was sold. It was a blue 5.0L, I’m still kicking myself!
Cars like this are what keep me coming back everyday. Low mileage inexpensive cream puffs!
Keep up the great finds.
Rented one on my honeymoon drive to vegas, i raced a corvette once we passed into Nevada , i had the thing flat out , the corvette eventually gave up (overheated) and i kept on going, i actually thought Nevada had no speed limit !
I cannot imagine anyone being excited to buy this new and it doesn’t surprise me that it wasn’t driven. I had that same upholstery in my ’80 Capri though. Always thought it looked sharp.
I had this exact trim level car. Bought it at an auction for $50 and drove it home. The car was super ratty, but it ran and drove good. I took the interior out of it and ratraced around the farm, and learned a lot about cars and working on things from it. Eventually a friend in our car club needed a set of temporary wheels, so I traded it to him for a big bitchin’ stereo setup he had on the condition that I get the car back when he was done with it.
When he was done with it he drove it to the junkyard and they took the keys and put it right in the crusher. I was pretty annoyed.
It was a neat little car, not fast, not overly comfortable, but it seemed to be okay with it’s place in the world.
My parents had a 78 Z7 factory 302….damn thing was a rocket for its time….my folks gave it to me….beat it to hell….traded it in for a 84 cutlass…years later after kicking myself getting rid of it….so I bought a 81 Z7 completely tore it a part and put a built 302, built C4 and a Currie enterprises 9″ will 4:11 locker….This thing was insane!
Had fun again and then met my future wife….then came the kids…..had no time with it so I sold it…. I sure do miss my beast as my friends called it….
This was my first car… well, it was my parents, but the car I drove. We had the silver with blue vinyl interior. My dad loves armor all and sprayed the vinyl seats and the pedals (pretty much anything). I was out with my friends turned the corner and they all slid to the other side of the car, thanks to the bench seat, I was sliding that way too. I liked the design of the coupe – but didn’t like the hop from the rear on every minor bump or gap in the road.
I’d love to pop a Mustang 4 cyl ecoboost with a manual in this car!… and IRS. Um, and Recaro seats. Might as well resto-mod it!! Although, I do prefer all original cars and would hate to mess this one up.
Nice find! It’s really close to me…tempting.
Reminds me of the story my mom told me. She had bought a new 1978 Oldsmobile 98 Regency with leather seats. This was back before seat belt usage was required in North Carolina. A lady riding to work with her fell out of the seat when she rounded a corner, sliding on those new leather seats. Armor All wasn’t even needed. LOL
This is one well preserved car. I’m unable to see the difference in the quarter panel color so it must be subtle. My wife drove a Fairmont in high school (only thing her parents would spring for) and describes driving it as pure child abuse. Never drove a V-8 one but my parents Granada was the same platform (correct?) with a 302 and it would get up and go.
The 1981-82 Granada was the same platform as the Fairmont/Zephyr, the 1975-80 Granada was based of the 1960 Ford Falcon.. The Ford fox body platform was quite versatile and very lightweight, with a good set up, they can move! The 3.3 straight 6 isn’t anything fast, but with a manual it’s not too bad, my 1980 Mustang has the 6 cylinder with no a/c and manual transmission and it surprisingly can move fairly quick.. well about as quick as today’s 4 cylinder cars!
When I met my wife in 84 she was driving a yellow one with yellow interior. It was a perfect chicks car but was a total dog. I didn’t know they only had 87 hp till now, why is this important?
I made her get rid of it because I thought the cam was worn out. She then got a new for 85 Grand Am which was a TOTAL POS.
You learn something new everyday even though it’s 32 yrs later DOH!
It’s a nice looking car! I’ve always liked the Fairmont and Zephyr, though the 2-door sedan is my favorite… being a Mercury it’s less common than the Futura… it’s very tempting… it’s only an hour away from me!! And I must say I love the dark cordovan metallic color… totally period correct!
I’m not partial to brown cars but this one kind of grows on ya. More of a dark orange than brown, atleast in the interior. I Photos can be deceiving and I expect it’s just the way the light is hitting that quarter panel, probably not been repainted. car looks amazingly original. Was probably a little old lady’s car. I think a 5.0l fuel injected V-8 dropped in with a C-4 tranny (will bolt right in) and someone would have a real nice sleeper on their hands but actually something like this in this kind of condition and with the low, low miles should be kept all original.
Bought the ‘sergeants car’ from an auction, GF put white pin stripes on it but never liked the ‘console’ in the middle. Loved the lines. Also put some cool spinner covers on it that were from a 60’s car (see photo) they were sharp too. Another one I wish I had kept… but didn’t. I think it had less then 50K miles on it when I let it go…
Had a Futura in the late 1980’s. Great car better than that junk heap the Tempo which replaced it.
Worst company company I ever owned. Kept stalling at inopportune times. Stalled on RR tracks in N.J. Left it there and walked home. The Company was not happy……..
Very nice looking interior!
My first car was a ’78 Z7 in ’84. Have had several Fairmont/Zephrys and currently own an ’81 Durango (Ranchero-esque conversion made from Fairmont Futura coupes) so I have a stupid soft spot for these.
If that was in California – I’d be looking into what I can get for a kidney. I’m brain damaged like that.
I heard they quit making the Durango because when the tailgate was folded down the tail lights were completely hidden and that was illegal so they had to stop production or change the gate but I guess it was too hard to change the engineering on the tailgate. Those were cool looking. I love all Rancheros and any Ford variation of them as well.
Kenny/MrBlueOval57
The real reason they stopped making them is because National (the conversion company) couldn’t supply Ford with promised deliveries. That and with the conversion cost added in, they were more expensive than a comparable El Camino.
There is however a label in the drivers door jamb “DO NOT DRIVE WITH TAILGATE DOWN”
I have several period magazines with articles on them and one of them mentions that the prototype had auxiliary taillights but it was dropped for cost savings
yeah, I knew there was a problem with the tail lights in the tailgate. Cool cars though, pretty rare. I’ve never seen one in person but have seen a few over the years for sale, just never had the cash available cash at the time. I would love one with Z-7 trim, bucket seats and a small block V-8. You’d have to add wings cause I bet it would fly, especially with a built 351 Windsor small block in it or maybe a 347 Stroker.
The prototype was a Zephyr. Mine is rough enough that it’s not worth restoring to original (these are a prime example of rare not equating to valuable) so I am doing what I want to it.
I have a fuel-injected 5.0 and T5 sitting in the garage patiently waiting. I live in CA and this thing is still subject to smog inspection so I need to install all of the later model smog stuff to make it legal. ’93 was the pinnacle for the 5.0 so that’s how I will outfit it so to the smog guy it will be a 1993 Mustang Cobra and any aftermarket stuff that is legal for that ’93 Cobra will be legal for my ’81 Fairmont.
Yeah, I heard Calif. is rough to make aftermarket changes on cars. I’m in Chicago and in IL you can pretty much do what you want with any car that’s older than a ’96. My ’89 Crown Vic is exempt from emissions so the sky’s the limit. My 1969 Ford woody wagon is getting a 671 supercharger with dual quads and my ’79 F-250 4×4 has a balanced and blueprint 351-C in it with a big cam and a Holley 750 D.P., fenderwell headers, chrome exh. pipes, polished St.Steel Sonic Turbo mufflers and dual Zoomie 4-tube chrome exhaust collectors exiting up and out the side (super loud) and all are street legal here. The 69 woody and 79 4×4 both have antique vehicle license plates. I’m putting the 4-year antique plates on the ’89 Crown Vic this April too when the current regular plates expire.
nice motor (great low rev tq) – square design, lots of after mrkt goodies
I’m in California and if I had the room I’d buy it and drive it out here or transport it.
My first car was a 1979 Z7 black with all red vinyl interior purchased new by my granddad at Legg Ford sales Norton Va
Kept it from learning to drive 1984 to April 1987