Ford Durango

[jimlam56]

Any info is appreciated.
Might buy one.
Know what it is? (This is a test):D

[Hotrauder]

Any info is appreciated.
Might buy one.
Know what it is? (This is a test):D

A tousand busses in a row, some are cars and some are twucks. The Durango was a twuck.:D What did I win. A ride would be nice. Dennis:D

[jimlam56]

A tousand busses in a row, some are cars and some are twucks. The Durango was a twuck.:D What did I win. A ride would be nice. Dennis:D
One call, your ride is there in 4 to 5 hours...:D Might not be the Durango yet though. Will a Marauder do?

[Cobra25]

Jim the Durango is made by Dodge , not Ford. My Brother in law has one in Mexico for over a year now, and they love it, no problems that I've heard of & alot of room. I'll ask my wife to call he brother and see what he has to say if anything for you.

[FiveO]

Any info is appreciated.
Might buy one.
Know what it is? (This is a test):D


http://www.cruisenewsonline.com/Mustans&Mustangs2004/FordDurangoClone.jpg

[Hotrauder]

http://www.cruisenewsonline.com/Mustans&Mustangs2004/FordDurangoClone.jpg

Bingo! 890 Dennis

[Leadfoot281]

I knew it! Ya beat me to it! I'd get it. I have no idea what it's worth. Them things have got to be super rare!

I'm probably the only person in world that'll fess up to having owned four Fairmonts in a row. The turbo models get good money these days. Actually they all do. People have realized that Fairmonts and Mustangs are the same chassis and most parts interchange. That drove prices up.:mad:

I have a 351w out of an old cop car waiting for a Fairmont wagon (if I can find a clean cheap one).

[Breadfan]

Isn't that a fox chassis car too? Maybe some mustang bolt ons would work on it...

[jimlam56]

Isn't that a fox chassis car too? Maybe some mustang bolt ons would work on it...

Yes you are correct, it is a Fox chassis car. Everything from an 82 Mustang will bolt on. Has a 5.0 automatic. Found a black one for $7500 in Texas, waiting on some pictures. If it's in decent shape it will be my next project.

[Cobra25]

Jim I spoke to my Brother in Law and they bought it brand new, Fully loaded with 4 wheel drive . He said he and his wife love it and they never had any problems with theirs. He also said he will buy another one later this year for business use. My wife drove it on her last trip to Mexico and she said it drives nice and she liked it too. I hope this helps in some small way.

[jimlam56]

Jim I spoke to my Brother in Law and they bought it brand new, Fully loaded with 4 wheel drive . He said he and his wife love it and they never had any problems with theirs. He also said he will buy another one later this year for business use. My wife drove it on her last trip to Mexico and she said it drives nice and she liked it too. I hope this helps in some small way.
Z, thanks for the info but refer to post 6.
That's a Ford Durango.
Based on the Fairmount, Ford made about 400 of these in the early 80's.
They share the same platform as the Mustang of that era, therefore all the speed stuff will bolt right on.

[Cobra25]

Z, thanks for the info but refer to post 6.
That's a Ford Durango.
Based on the Fairmount, Ford made about 400 of these in the early 80's.
They share the same platform as the Mustang of that era, therefore all the speed stuff will bolt right on. Well I guess one can learn something new every day after all. I've never seen one before or knew they existed.

[Donny Carlson]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981-Ford-Fairmont-Durango-Ranchero_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcat egoryZ6231QQitemZ4640418116QQr dZ1

High bid was $2999.99, didn't meet reserve. Owner had a buy now price of $4,250, which seems high, even if it is rare.

http://i8.ebayimg.com/01/i/07/29/25/d5_1.JPG

http://i4.ebayimg.com/04/i/07/25/e0/56_1.JPG
http://i5.ebayimg.com/04/i/07/2b/df/0f_1.JPG

http://i10.ebayimg.com/01/i/07/28/2e/23_1.JPG

[jimlam56]

I saw this one too Donny. Just can't deal with Burgandy interior.:down:
I'm going to wait and see the pictures before I go forward.
The other thing is the notorious build quality of early 80's Fords.
It is, after all a Fairmount. It would definately be a project, but I think it would be kind of cool to do it right, with lots of gofast parts available...

[SergntMac]

I drove a 4 door V8 Fairmont for about a year at work, Special 5.0L build for the police market. In one word, fast. In other words, dangerous, and scary.

No stopping it from high speeds (too light), tap the brakes for some "english" in a curve and it would throw you into a azz-end first spin. Worse yet, no control in the rain for the same reason (too light), unbalanced nose heavy cars hydroplane in a blink of the eye, as did the V8 RWD Chevy II Novas of that era. Also, no room for prisoners and/or equipment (too small), but it was fast.

Wasn't there a Mercury Monarch, and a Lincoln built on this frame too? Something with a French name? Sounded like "Ver-sigh"?

[Leadfoot281]

There was the Ford Fairmont and the Mercury Zephyr and they ran from '78-'83. Other "fox" chassis cars were the '80-'82 Thunderbird and Cougar. Not sure of the Lincoln counterpart... or if there even was one.

Avoid the 3.3liter cars(200cid 6 cylinder). The engines are reliable as the sunrise but poochy with just 88hp. Factory 260 and 302 cars weren't much better with 132hp iirc. Also, to install a V-8, the strait 6 crossmember needs to come out.

"scary and dangerous" Lol! That's the fun part of owning these things! Also, you can carry enough tools to rebuild the entire car in an old ice cream bucket.

My '80 Fairmont 2 door sedan, with 2.3 four cylinder weighed 2490lbs. Install a strong 351 and it should be enough to scare a fighter pilot.

I believe all of these cars, even V-8 cars, had 4 lug wheels. I've seen Mustang dashes, seats, front suspensions, sway bars, and 8.8" rear ends installed in these cars. Up to '93, all basically bolt-in.

[jimlam56]

There was the Ford Fairmont and the Mercury Zephyr and they ran from '78-'83. Other "fox" chassis cars were the '80-'82 Thunderbird and Cougar. Not sure of the Lincoln counterpart... or if there even was one.

Avoid the 3.3liter cars(200cid 6 cylinder). The engines are reliable as the sunrise but poochy with just 88hp. Factory 260 and 302 cars weren't much better with 132hp iirc. Also, to install a V-8, the strait 6 crossmember needs to come out.

"scary and dangerous" Lol! That's the fun part of owning these things! Also, you can carry enough tools to rebuild the entire car in an old ice cream bucket.

My '80 Fairmont 2 door sedan, with 2.3 four cylinder weighed 2490lbs. Install a strong 351 and it should be enough to scare a fighter pilot.

I believe all of these cars, even V-8 cars, had 4 lug wheels. I've seen Mustang dashes, seats, front suspensions, sway bars, and 8.8" rear ends installed in these cars. Up to '93, all basically bolt-in.

Good info from all, thanks.

I know I can upgrade the motor, what about suspension?
I like the pickup truck aspect, I think I can clone a fair amount of Mustang parts into it, such as seats, interior, etc.
I look at it as a way to get a Mustang pickup truck.

If I can make it as pretty as the blue one, I might have something...:D
Hard to make a Fairmount pretty though...

[MM03MOK]

Wasn't there a Mercury Monarch, and a Lincoln built on this frame too? Something with a French name? Sounded like "Ver-sigh"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Versailles

http://www.lincolnversailles.com/

[Leadfoot281]

There was a Fairmont sedan featured in Hot Rod magazine a couple years ago. And there was a Fairmont Futura that won Car Crafts "real street eliminator" contest a few years before that. That car had a paxton blown 5.0. It beat a Grand National powered '70 vette (iirc).

I wish I had the actual issues. The rotors, spindles, calipers on both cars came from "5 lug" mustangs. The rears were replaced with 8.8's and five lug axels. The rear suspensions is a four link and coils. After market Mustang peices should fit. Strut tower braces, control arms, ect.

Fox chassis are unit bodys so look out for rust. If it's a f-mont I used to own, check for vension damage.

The Fairmont, Zephyr, '80-82 T-Cougars are awesome sleepers too. The Durango will get more looks!

Pretty? Fast is pretty!

[SergntMac]

Thanks, Bunny!

[GreekGod]

A Lincoln Versailles is derived from a Fairmont which is derived from a Mustang chassis. That makes it a double-polished turd!

[Donny Carlson]

It got as far as a prototype before they pulled the plug on the model. Pity. This was a pretty decent looking car, imo.

http://www.lincolnversailles.com/images/ca20022.jpg

http://www.lincolnversailles.com/images/ca20023.jpg

[Leadfoot281]

A Lincoln Versailles is derived from a Fairmont which is derived from a Mustang chassis. That makes it a double-polished turd!

And the '65 Shelby GT 350 was derived from the Falcon chassis....:rolleyes:

[chuckled]

The Fairmont was the best selling car in America when it was discontinued. Was touted as a modern Model T, easy to work on and utilitarian. I bought a new V8 Auto Wagon and did not experience any difficulty with drivability. Lots of fun at red lights. Never went back for warranty work. Wish I still had it.

[mrjones]

I don't think the Lincoln Versailles was built on the Fox platform. It was the Lincoln version of the Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch which came out way before the Fairmont, which was the first of the Foxes.

But then again, I didn't realize that Ford built any of those Fairmont Rancheros, I thought they were all done by an aftermarket company like ASC, or somebody else. Neat little cars though. I'm especially fond of the wagons.

[Vortex]

What about this Durango?

http://www.imps4ever.info/specials/centaur/durango.html

[jimlam56]

I don't think the Lincoln Versailles was built on the Fox platform. It was the Lincoln version of the Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch which came out way before the Fairmont, which was the first of the Foxes.

But then again, I didn't realize that Ford built any of those Fairmont Rancheros, I thought they were all done by an aftermarket company like ASC, or somebody else. Neat little cars though. I'm especially fond of the wagons.

It was built by an aftermarket company for Ford.
As I understand it the Durango was an option straight from the dealer.


Sarge, your comments about the handling of these cars kinda cools my enthusiasm. We all know pickups have a bad weight distribution problem, so your police sedans would have a better weight distribution than a Durango?

[GreekGod]

My dad's 302 powered Granada had un-nerving handling. Possibly the worst "feel" of any car I've ever driven.

[mrjones]

My dad's 302 powered Granada had un-nerving handling. Possibly the worst "feel" of any car I've ever driven.

That's funny, because I remember Lee on TV touting the Granada/Monarch as the new "precision size" car, and the handling was supposed to be great.

Today the Versailles is coveted in the hot rod circles because it has a Ford 9" rear end with factory disk brakes.

[Leadfoot281]

Nearlly every car built during the 70's had "over assisted" power steering. You could easily spin the steering wheel with your pinky finger at red lights. No road feel at all. No "on center feel" either. I don't get it. People must have liked it. Then again, they really liked rock hard, pencil thin steering wheels and disco too.

The Granda and Monarch had "mono leaf" rear suspensions. ONE leaf! It was pretty common to see these cars sagging badly after just a few years.

I also owned a low milage, black '78 Granada 2 door. 302, C-4 trans, and nine inch rear. Great parts/decent car for $500!

What ever was "wrong" with the fox chassis then, can be easily fixed today.

I say, if you want to Hot rod one of these, go for it! Modern tires, bigger brakes, sway bars, etc are available. Carrol Shelby did wonders with the Falcon! The '04 Mach1 is still considered a "fox" chassis.

BTW, how long has our chassis (panther) been around? '78?

[GreekGod]

As I understand it the Panther chassis started production in 1978 as the new slightly downsized 1979 model. I think I read they reduced weight by 500 pounds.

Anyone familiar with the 1965 to 1967 and the 1968 to 1978 full size car chassis might agree with me that they are all very closely related designs. At the very least, they are "cousin" chassis.