call me crazy, but I kinda like it. I could do without the 200 six, but at least it's pretty bulletproof.
1n 1981 did for offer the LTD (smaller one) in a coupe as well as this? when did Fairmont Futura stop being made? update: smaller LTD came out in 1983. in 81 they did offer a futura as well as granada coupe, and for that matter the squared off Thunderbird. wonder what size difference were in those 3?
From what I understand, by someone who's owned all three of the above, they are all basically the same, and you could take the front clip and mix and match, etc.
The T-Bird was slightly wider than the other Fox chassis sedans/coupes, but one thing is for sure: any of them will take a Mustang GT or Cobra drivetrain upgrade...suspension, drivetrain are all bolt-ins; only the fuel and EEC would need to be adapted into these cars.
Stick a cam in 'er. She'll go! Ask and ye shall receive. ... 1981 Fairmont Futura specs: https://www.automobile-catalog.com/...rmont_futura_sports_coupe_3_3l_automatic.html 1981 Grenada specs: https://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1981/855170/ford_granada_gl_2-door_3_3l_automatic.html 1981 Thunderbird specs: https://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1981/864545/ford_thunderbrd_3_3l_selectshift.html
There are die-hard Ford six racers, and go-fast parts are made for that series of six. Although, I'd like to know what racers do about the integral intake head castings?
Yeah, there's Mopar slant six speed freaks too. Good ol' "buzzin' half dozen"! Some straight six fans lay down some pretty respectable times with them at the track. That old iron will never beat a straight six Supra, but they're still a lot of fun. Honestly, if I was interested in a car that had its original straight six in it, I would keep it and either drive it the way it is or cam it to give it better performance (if I felt it desperately needed it). I just love original cars and I have a soft spot for straight six cars too. Not only that, but it's always cool to see someone at a show who kept their car's straight six in it, or who hopped up the original engine. I arguably get more excited to see those kind of cars than any other. I love and prefer V8s, but seeing a car with a straight six in it sure is a breath of fresh air when every other car has a V8. As for the integral castings, was it cast right into the head? Do you have an example you could share?
Okay, so my actual first car was Dad's '78 Fairmont, 200 CID six, 3-on-the-floor. The idiots holding the bags of beans at Ford thought it'd be a great cost cutter to cast the 200/250 six heads to include the intake manifold. Doing so made it near impossible to do any real mods, especially since the head was cast iron. The Australians have have an EFI DOHC six (the 'Barra,' usually turboed), and it makes scads of power, because it can be modified. That, is what Ford should've worked toward here in the U.S.
I could be wrong, but didn't GM eventually do that with one of their straight sixes too? I know it's a little more common today though. For instance, the current Chrysler 3.6L V6 has a cast-in combined exhaust manifold of sorts with a flange that is a part of the head as well. However, that's interesting you mention how the Australians got a higher performance EFI DOHC Ford six. In the early 70s, Australia also got a larger 265ci, 302HP version of the Mopar slant six that was a six pack Hemi engine! Although, the combustion chambers were closer to a polyspherical-style chamber, but it came with a trio of Webers on it. Man, the Aussies get all the cool stuff... Man, I know how to derail a thread like a champ, huh?
No, not derailed, that happens often enough. No, all you did was switch tracks after I got it off the mainline. But yeah, all the stuff Down Under, if it had been able to be brought here, combined with Americans not demanding more and more huge cars, it's likely we all could've gone through the Seventies without such severe smog restrictions.
Yeah, that Aussie Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T is a good example of what we could have had here. With 302HP and 320 lb./ft. in a lightweight body similar to that of a U.S. Duster/Dart/Demon, it was a sweet little package. In stock form, that car with the 265 six pack Hemi did 0-60 in 6.1 seconds(!) and 14.4 in the 1/4 mile, and likely was much better on gas than most V8s of similar performance. I sure would have taken that instead of the wheezing, bloated "muscle cars" of the mid to late 70s!
