boxy foxy

Topic: boxy foxy (Read 1918 times) previous topic - next topic

boxy foxy

July 30, 2013, 10:32:17 PM

so I was browsing through the local.classified ads and I ran into an older 4 door mercury zephyr. guy says its a 76, but I'm pretty sure he means 78. 4 speed, 302 rebuilt motor cars been sitting a while. says it ran 10 years ago off a jump start.

I was doing some thinking after I called the guy. 78 is emissions exempt now, as well as a classic since mercury is now defunct. I'm thinking carbed 302, 3.73 gears, beat the miss out of the 4 speed till it lets go and get a 5 speed in it. pics on Friday. I think I've already made up my mind though.

boxy foxy

Reply #1 – July 30, 2013, 11:11:35 PM

What a coincidence. I just picked up a 79 Fairmont Futura (2-door) over the weekend. Mine is the ol' gutless carbed 2.3. But I needed a daily driver, and it fits the bill just fine.

boxy foxy

Reply #2 – July 31, 2013, 12:09:17 AM

Sweet!

boxy foxy

Reply #3 – July 31, 2013, 12:29:11 AM

Awesome! I like the Fairmont/Zephyr twins a lot. This has been tempting me. If only I had the space.
http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/cto/3951449063.html

boxy foxy

Reply #4 – July 31, 2013, 11:57:18 AM

Quote from: Haystack;419367

a classic since mercury is now defunct.

Right on...so my Mountaineer is a classic! :shakehead

The term classic should be used carefully....yeah, there's some 25+ year old yugos out there....most here would NOT refer to those in the sense of "classic" as we would, say a '70 Boss '9 Mustang.

Yeah, most entities would say a 25+ year old car is classic...not because the parent company is or isn't still in existence.

Try buying body and resto parts for an early 70's Jeep 1/2 ton truck (they ain't none, unless you are lucky enough to be able to buy a parts vehicle that isn't beat to hell)....then I'll share MY views of scarce aftermarket parts for...oh...Fox Tbirds..

boxy foxy

Reply #5 – July 31, 2013, 05:09:22 PM

Kinda like around here where a guy has a 1989 Beretta for sale in the "Classics" section, and is asking $4000 for it. Sorry, sunshine, but just because it's old doesn't make it a classic, and an '88 Beretta will never be worth more than $500

boxy foxy

Reply #6 – July 31, 2013, 06:12:59 PM

I didnt mean it is a classic, just that in the state of Utah, a 1967 mustang has to pass the same emissions as a 1995 mustang. the only way to get out of emissions is if a car is over 25 years old, and the manufacturer is no longer around. it also qualifies for classic plates (have a model t on the plates) and limited safety inspections.

boxy foxy

Reply #7 – August 01, 2013, 12:32:19 AM

And probably can't drive it more than 200-250 miles in a calendar year, too.

Like people that buy guns hoping to someday cash on and double their money...guns are meant to be shot and enjoyed. Shoot that shiznit.

Although to be fair, I've got an XDs .45 that's as yet unfired and will remain so. It's trading stock or to be sold off for when I find the right Walther P99c.
(For the reasoning...I've got another .45 XDs that's my part time EDC gun...so I'm not missing out on making that big ole bang whenever I want to step off out back and make some noise.)

For you gun guys...I'd highly recommend renting or borrowing one...they're nice, small little hand cannons. Not even all that bad with +p rounds. Probably about equal to a hot .40S&W load...of which I'm pretty familiar with too.

Oh yeah, cars...
carry on.

boxy foxy

Reply #8 – August 02, 2013, 07:58:19 PM

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well it was a two door and a 2.3 ...

honestly, id prefer the two door. no power steering, manual brakes, hand.crank windows. liked everything.about it but the 2.3 . would that be a srod trans? I'm thinking the cost of swapping the k-member and running everything needed for a 302 would offset what I could pick up as a tbird/cat. think I'm gonna walk away from it.

boxy foxy

Reply #9 – August 02, 2013, 08:01:53 PM

btw, no rust anywhere but the lug nuts. the paint was peeled off everywhere as you can see in the pics, but everything was solid. no rust around real window, k member or floorpan that I could see.

boxy foxy

Reply #10 – August 02, 2013, 10:43:54 PM

Make motormounts. Looks like a solid start

boxy foxy

Reply #11 – August 03, 2013, 10:41:00 AM

Why would you need to swap K-members or make motor mounts to put a 302 in there? That has the same engine mounting as EVERY Fox car EXCEPT for the I6 cars and the 86-88 TBirds/Cougars (and probably the similar year Lincolns). A 302 would slide right in on any 79-93 Mustang motor mounts.

Not an SROD trans, most likely. RAD or ET78 or something like that. Not going to work behind a 302.

Installing a drivetrain would be cake.

Seeing as it's been sitting so long, the brakes and fuel system would probably need a FULL going through. Probably a new gas tank included in that.

boxy foxy

Reply #12 – August 03, 2013, 12:54:16 PM

Quote from: Chuck W;419485

Why would you need to swap K-members or make motor mounts to put a 302 in there? That has the same engine mounting as EVERY Fox car EXCEPT for the I6 cars and the 86-88 TBirds/Cougars (and probably the similar year Lincolns). A 302 would slide right in on any 79-93 Mustang motor mounts.

Not an SROD trans, most likely. RAD or ET78 or something like that. Not going to work behind a 302.

Installing a drivetrain would be cake.

Seeing as it's been sitting so long, the brakes and fuel system would probably need a FULL going through. Probably a new gas tank included in that.

really? I figured it had a unique k member. I did a couple quick googles and only came up with i-6 to 302 swaps, so I assumed it would need done. it looks like its been sitting for quite some time. id guess more then 10 years. couldn't get.the engine to bump over with the starter, but we did manage to get the car to roll and the engine did turn over popping the clutch.

I would expect new brakes and all gas related parts. doing some more thinking now that I know it just needs motor mounts. id prefer to do an efi 3022 swap since it wasn't a carbed 302 to begin with. gonna start crunching numbers. needing a transmission in the biggest thing id have to deal with. biggest thing would really only be a t-5, finding one that could work.

boxy foxy

Reply #13 – August 03, 2013, 12:57:10 PM

I was planning on ditching my wagon if I picked it up... that would open up a 302 s.o., aod trans and posi 8.8 with 3.55's... I have the engine harness from my old 86 too... only thing id really need would be gas tank and fuel pump...