I believe this bright blue color is called, yes, “Bright Blue.” It’s a nice color, and the next owner of this 1980 Ford Fairmont Futura had better like it because it’s on both bumpers, too. I’m not sure why that is, but it was painted at the beginning of this summer, according to the seller’s description here on craigslist. It’s located in the Burlington, Washington area, and they’re asking $6,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Curvette for the tip!
You know, I don’t hate this car with painted bumpers. I originally thought, oh man, what a way to ruin a nice, cool, two-door Futura! But the more I look at it, most of our vehicles today have body-color bumpers, so why not a 45-year-old Fairmont Futura? I have to assume that the chrome wasn’t in perfect condition, but I could be wrong. And, how do you prep chrome bumpers to accept paint and not have it flake off or get scratched?
Update: the bumpers are aluminum, not chrome, thanks to Rustytech and angliagt! Page 12 of this brochure lists aluminum bumpers.
Ford made the Fairmont from 1977 for the 1978 model year until the end of 1983, and they came in a two-door notchback (my favorite), a two-door coupe as seen here in the Futura, a four-door sedan, and a four-door wagon. There were even a few Durangos, a half-car-half-pickup in the same realm as the Ranchero or El Camino. One body style that was never offered was a convertible, until now.
The interior looks as nice as the exterior does, and thankfully, they didn’t paint the faux wood trim the same Bright Blue color. The seats look perfect, both front and rear. Actually, they look better than nice; they look brand new. Maybe they are? The trunk compartment also looks nice.
The engine is Ford’s 200-cu.in. OHV inline-six with a mere 91 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque when new. The seller says they removed “all emissions including the cat, and had a Flowmaster put in with a new tail pipe to come out behind the tire.” The automatic transmission was rebuilt with a shift kit added, and it “works better than new.” Any thoughts on this blue, blue, and blue Fairmont Futura? I like it!
Good question Scotty. How DO they prep chrome for painting? The dash in my ’67 Newport has many chrome/black surfaces; the entire piece is chromed, then they somehow painted right over the chrome in places. Such intricate painting!
I like it too Scotty. The painted bumpers take the bulky look out of the looks of the front and rear of the car.
Have painted chrome parts and the surfaces need to be sanded with fine grit paper on an orbital sander. On chipped chrome you can “feather edge” the area into the metal and use a thin layer of body filler to smooth it out. After that it’s just prep and paint.
I’ll agree. I was ready to not like it with the painted bumpers, but it’s not bad. I’m a fan of the stock look with the whitewalls and finned wheel covers, but in this case it might look even better with some white letters and period-correct custom wheels. It will be dead-slow but many cars of its time were too. Overall it looks pretty good, and it’s not overly expensive.
One of many successful Fox variants.
Good job Scotty. I like the convertible.
Thanks, Bob. That unique Futura body style is almost more suited to the Durango, or even a Fairmont Futura Town Car. Hmm… I tried to make a cabriolet convertible with the back portion gone, but it looked like the Durango, so I found a notchback instead.
How about that convertible w dual exhaust, 4bbl 302, 3.08 Trac-Lok, and 4sp in 1980 👍🏁🙌
Loved seeing these with the V8 conversion. I read somewhere these cars were similar or based on the Fox body Mustangs so some parts interchange, including the engines?
If all you folks had a nickel for every time I said,” This has got to be one of the nicest……..”. So….. I’m going to say it again. Fairmonts used to be EVERYWHERE years ago. They had a nice roof line. It always kind of reminded me of a ’55 or ’56 Crown Vic. ( Maybe I’m in the minority here) I like the painted bumpers, they did a nice job on them. I love your drop top too Scotty, very classy. Really the whole car looks great. I enjoyed your write up Scotty, very nice one here.
We built a drag car with one of these years ago with painted bumpers. I’m not positive, but I think the bumpers were polished aluminum not chrome. This is a nice looking car but I’d hold out for a V8.
Thanks, Rustytech and angliagt!
Now that you mention that, I should have known that. Thanks for the info, that makes sense.
The bumpers on these were aluminum,not steel,
so they weren’t chromed.
Thanks for the conformation. My memory is intact!
Chromed steel or aluminum, it’s easier to paint a pitted bumper than it is to repair it. A sandblaster will give either material some bite. Speaking of paint, this is a lovely shade, but based on the lighter blue under the hood, it’s not original.
Well my opinion is you ruined it when you lowered it and put the shift kit in the transmission getting rid of the emissions is what needed to be done anyway so that’s a plus 5 digit odometer so its taking someone at their word the mileage is low.
I always liked the lines on these Futuras, and wondered how many were treated to a healthy small block and stout transmission. They’d have made great street sleepers.
Always liked this body variation of the FOX chassis. I actually prefer this to a Mustang. A reasonable price for what appears to be a good body. Alas, it’s 2/3 of a continent away. That being said, there has been a lot of cars for sale from the west coast lately, what’s going on out there?
My first new car was an ‘80 Futura with 200 and 4 speed manual w/OD. Loved that car. They are very lightweight, so it was actually fun to drive with the 4 speed. I don’t hate the painted bumpers as much as I thought I would, but I prefer them shiny. Nice car.
I really like this cara as I do own a Durango. These cars were available with virtually every engine and transmission that Ford had at the time. (At least the ’81s were) 2.3 4cyl. 2.3 turbo, 200 6cyl. 3.8 V6, and 302 8 cyl. Automatic, 3 on the tree, and 4 speed. According to my Ford brochure from 1981 . And to answer your question about Fox body Mustang parts swapping over. They all do with a couple of exceptions that don’t. First of all, all engines just drop in UNLESS the original engine is a 200 6 cylinder car like this one. This is the only one with a unique subframe. However, the subframes just bolt on. So swaping a subframe is not a big deal. The other item that doesn’t just. bolt on is sub-frame connectors. The wheelbase on these are 51/2″ longer. So a customized/extended connector is required. My Durango is getting all the Fox body goodies along with the 5.0 5 speed gearbox. Also,these came equipped with NO gauges other than fuel. So additional gauges would be recommended. If you have an early Fox body Mustang/Capri parts car. Then do an electrical harness and instrument swap. (Same dash as Mustang but differently cluster. )
I think this would be a super everyday driver, it’s different and in good shape. As for Troy IMO you are so wrong! The price seems a little high, just depends on what you plan to use it for.
Considering the similarity in styling between these Futuras and the 7th-gen Thunderbird, I suspect this design was originally intended to become the 8th-gen T-bird before execs decided late in development that it looked too similar to the 7th-gen, inviting comparisons that made it too obviously a step down in size and otherwise.
Wanting to recoup development costs however, they gave it a Fairmont front clip and dashboard to sell as the Futura (and Mercury Zephyr Z-7) — where the T-bird resemblance would lend them some “junior T-bird” cachet — and quickly worked up a simpler and more formal roofline to pair with the T-bird nose and tail they’d already designed, arriving at the 8th-gen T-bird we got as a short-lived stop-gap until the more radical 9th-gen Aerobird design could be developed.
Only thing I’d change would be that straight 6 in favor of a v8
I’d love this with a torquey 302/351 for scaring mustangs and Camaros.
We had one of these POS as out Driver’s Ed car. Almost the slowest POS’s I ever drove. The radio woul work until I punch the staion buttons all at once.
The ONLY great thing was the regular teacher Mr. Duffy, had a heart attack and was off the rest of the year
The substitute was a BEAUTIFUL woman who wore short skirts that would ride up, in the car. Imagine being a teenager trying to drive. Not kill everyone in the car, and trying not to get caught checking her out….
6 thing slower was my 66 Chevy 2 that had so much blow by, it wouldn’t climb a hill in 2nd gear..( until we replaced the 6 banger with a better on) The next was a Ford Tempo I rented. Absolutely zero power.
nearing the last of an era (when manufacturers offered EVERY option avail to tickle that last penny out of our pocket), Wages more closely matched product sales costs. I know mine, an ’83 ltd had 4 cyl, i6, v6’n 8 cyl (all same sub frame but i6 I* believe); 3 trannies, etc. Sedan, notch, coup, vert, s.wagon (& that rare durango). Granada thru ’92 stang long live the fox.
I dont think I’d remove ALL the emissions, some is engineered in, w/o changes to several other automotive systems
I dont think a straight 6 is going to sound good with that kind of muffler. A basic turbo muffler sounds good.