A dime or a big dollar rocket?

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by ALMACK

I am looking into the '78 Fairmont 302 2 bbl (139hp) combo for U/SA.
Looks promising.


I had a '79 Fairmont 2 door with the original 200 six but it had the V-8 /2.3 k-member, so I think the oddball 200 six x-members came out in 1980-1981 or so. Not sure tho.

Cool cars and they be gotten down light because they came from the factory with thin glass and sheet metal as well as aluminum bumpers.

Although the Fairmonts with 302 and 255 V8s used the same K Member, all the 3.3L 200 cube inline 6 cylinder cars used a K Member unique to the 6 cylinder. The brackets for the motor mounts on the 6 cyl. K member were much longer, and located further foreward. Not a big deal, as swapping K members is only 8 bolts worth of work. Years ago, I wanted to build a Fairmont for Stock with a 302 and 4 speed, mainly because I had several of the cars, but at that time NHRA had the 302 2 barrel engine rated at 200 HP, which at the time was only 5 HP less than the hyd. roller cammed, 4 barrel 302 engine used in the 85 Mustangs, so I built my Mustang for M/S. My 78 Fairmont sedan bracket car was bought as a 4 cyl 4 speed used car trade in, that I bought in 1986. It was a bare bones no option plain janer, and when I first bought it, it weighed 2680 lbs, with 1/4 tank of gas and the spare tire in place. The Fairmont was Fords first model that was designed around gas mileage and lightweight , and was the base the popular 79-93 Mustang was based on.Over the years, the Fairmont was offered with NA and Turbo versions of the 2.3L 4 cyl, 200 cube 6cyl, and 302 and 255 ci V8s.The V8s were all 2 barrels, but the FOX platform works pretty good, has huge aftermarket support, and are cheap to buy, although nice Fairmont 2 doors and even Mustangs are getting harder to find these days.