The *real* reason that the name Zephyr was dropped....

[Ovaltine]

NOTICE: LINKED IMAGES HAVE BEEN REVISED

 

Weren't the Late '70s and Early '80s just grand?!?!?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B)

 

The catalyst for this post, was my reading a book in my collection about the entire history of the Mustang. When it started referring to the Fox chassis 'Stangs, the Fairmont/Zephyr twins came up.

 

I had totally FORGOTTEN that Ford had tried using that name on the clone of the Fairmont!

 

And speaking of the Fairmont.... did you know (based on something I read online) that the Fairmont was the largest selling new car introduction ever? Wow......

 

Man, I also had forgotten how bad the '70s and early '80s sucked!

 

-Ovaltine

Edited December 13, 2006 by Ovaltine

[rsgnome]

that link doesn't work...

[RichardJensen]

Banya (reading): Why do they call it Ovaltine? The mug is round. The jar is

round. They should call it round tine. That's gold, Jerry! Gold!

 

http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheFatigues.html

[Drake]

Banya (reading): Why do they call it Ovaltine? The mug is round. The jar is

round. They should call it round tine. That's gold, Jerry! Gold!

 

http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheFatigues.html

 

That risk management stuff is great. :happy feet:

[RichardJensen]

That's my protegé!

[atomcat68]

I hate to say it, but the Brown sedan and the 2 door coupe on the bottom aren't that bad looking, although dated. Fairmonts and Zephyrs weren't bad cars and the auto press loved them when they were introduced and they were popular cars.

[JETSOLVER]

I don't think Ford has a handle on what they have in terms of core recognition. They keep manipulating the DNA until it is useless and then they have to pay and relaunch the same product all over again. This should not be a difficult reality, and yet every decade or so, they decide to reinvest in the ecomony by learning the same old lessons.

 

It makes it damn near impossible to cheer for this team, when the same thing happens again and again.

 

One eternal definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

This is another

stupidity

n 1: a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience

[ant: intelligence]

[FordManBrad]

You can laugh all you want about the Fairmont, but that plain simple chassis was the basis for some great Fords like the 5.0 Mustangs, the great looking 1983-88 Thunderbirds and even the Lincoln Mark VII LSC. Those cars brought people into Ford showrooms because of their unique style, good performance and reasonable prices. Along the way, millions of plain four door models were sold to mainstream America as Fairmont, Zephyr, Granada, LTD and Marquis. They were not the greatest cars, but compared to a piece of crap K car or Chevy Citation, they weren't all that bad. They kept alot of Ford plant workers employed along the way.

 

The chassis was so versatile that engines ranging from the 2.3 liter 4 (for grandmas car) all the way up to the 5.0 Liter H.O. V-8's could be fitted in the engine bay. My 1988 3.8L Thunderbird ran 205,000 miles before I sold it. The 3.8 engine and AOD transmission still original.

 

Ford can now only dream of those kinds of sales numbers and versatility of a single chassis.

 

If I were in the market for a nice sedan, my 30 years as a Ford owner would draw to a close and I would be driving a Chrysler 300 or Charger. I wouldn't even consider the 500 due to its Passat like body with no style combined with a lame engine and FWD. If I was in the market for a FWD sedan, the Impala has a sporty style and drives nicely too.

[Hemiman]

The P-51 is cool.

[hoss96racing]

hey I love my fairmont... if only I could find a trans on the cheap to get it back on the road.... just wish it was the futura instead of the coupe... the roof on the coupe just isn't sporty at all...

[marc-o]

Aren't the original UK Zephyrs (fifties) pretty darn nice? They were good rally cars too.

[Watchdevil]

I loved the Fairmont Futura and Mercury Zephyr Z-7 coupes when they were new. They looked like a smaller Tbird because they originally started out as a styling proposal for a smaller Tbird.

[grbeck]

Aren't the original UK Zephyrs (fifties) pretty darn nice? They were good rally cars too.

 

Didn't those cars pioneer the MacPherson strut front suspension design?

 

As for the American Fairmont and Zephyr - I remember those cars as being solid workhorses. The Futura and Z-7 coupes were quite attractive at the time, and brought a fair amount of style to a segment that needed it.

 

Remember, when they debuted, GM was still selling the old Chevy Nova and Chrysler was offering the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare, which had a terrible reputation even then.

 

GM's new-for-1978 downsized intermediates were about the same size as the Fairmont and Zephyr, but they lacked roll-down rear windows, and there were problems with GM's V-6 engines and transmissions at the time.

 

When GM's X-cars debuted in the spring of 1979, followed by the Chrysler K-cars in the fall of 1980, the Fox-chassis cars were considered "old fashioned" with their rear-wheel-drive layout. Given the reliability problems of the Ford and GM competition, buyers were probably better off with the Fords in the long run.

Edited December 15, 2006 by grbeck

[Watchdevil]

As for the American Fairmont and Zephyr - I remember those cars as being solid workhorses. The Futura and Z-7 coupes were quite attractive at the time, and brought a fair amount of style to a segment that needed it.

 

When GM's X-cars debuted in the spring of 1979, followed by the Chrysler K-cars in the fall of 1980, the Fox-chassis cars were considered "old fashioned" with their rear-wheel-drive layout. Given the reliability problems of the Ford and GM competition, buyers were probably better off with the Fords in the long run.

 

 

I do know this. The Fox platform served my sister and I very well. I ran an 85 Tbird up to 245,000 before I retired it and it was still running and had a solid body before I sold it to a buddy at work. My sister had a 86 LTD based on the Fairmont, 4-cyl. She drove from high school up until a year ago. It was a very solid reliable car that she sold just because she wanted something new.

[Edstock]

"Fairmonts and Zephyrs weren't bad cars and the auto press loved them"

 

IIRC, Car and Driver's review of the Fairmont exclaimed "Ford builds a Volvo — and it works!"

[PoorBob]

I drove a 1979 Fairmont station wagon in high school in Houston.

The previous owner was an engineer and had designed and installed a homemade air conditioning system on it.

I was the only Fairmont owner who had to turn a big wooden knob to get cold air.

Not exactly a chick magnet in the late 80s, it got me to school and work every day and never broke down.

Sure, it couldn't go faster than 60 m.p.h. unless I was flooring it going downhill, but it started up every morning... more than I could say for its predecessor, a 77 Olds Delta 88.

 

Bob

[timmm55]

The Fairmont/Zephyr were much more modern in design, aerodynamic (even though it was blocky), lighter and more structually solid than the Granada/Monarch they replaced.

 

The name goes back further to the Lincolns of the late 30s. Personally I think Z-named cars (Zagota for example) don't roll off the tongue well LOL. Z-numbered/lettered (Z28, 240Z) cars just sound better IMHO.

[Traveler]

Well, by today's standards the Fairmont isn't that visually appealing but hey, there were lots of flying bricks back then. Look at the enormous boat the Thunderbird was during the period with vinyl coach roofs no less. I see cars like these today and when they have been well cared for or restored, I find myself admiring an era gone by.

 

I was born in '72 so I spent quite a few years riding in cars like this. Consider this car and then consider how risky the Mark VII and T-Bird was in '83. They were jelly beans then...many, many people really wasn't into the aero-look to begin with but it was revolutionary.

[Watchdevil]

Well, by today's standards the Fairmont isn't that visually appealing but hey, there were lots of flying bricks back then. Look at the enormous boat the Thunderbird was during the period with vinyl coach roofs no less. I see cars like these today and when they have been well cared for or restored, I find myself admiring an era gone by.

 

I was born in '72 so I spent quite a few years riding in cars like this. Consider this car and then consider how risky the Mark VII and T-Bird was in '83. They were jelly beans then...many, many people really wasn't into the aero-look to begin with but it was revolutionary.

 

It took me a while to warm up to the 83 Aerobird but I knew it was a bold step in the right direction. I was disturbed at first wishing they would have just taken the Futura Coupe and put the 81 Granada Front end on it or one like the 83 LTD had. After so many years, the Aerobird still looks great. Once in a while I will see one in nice condition and I get a warm fuzzy. I loved the 85 model that I had. I miss it.

 

I am very into the style of the 1972 Tbird lately. I just love the horizontal bar grille, solid C-pillars and full width taillamps. It looks great before they had to ruin it with big bumpers in 1973. Then opera windows too over. When you view the car in pictures it's well proportioned but it looks like a beast in person. Scaled down it would be a perfect size for today. Which is why I like the 427 Concept as a coupe.

 

I also like the unusual style of the 1967-71 models. Maybe I am just bored looking at the usual classic models everyone else drools over.

[Ovaltine]

I am very into the style of the 1972 Tbird lately. I just love the horizontal bar grille, solid C-pillars and full width taillamps. It looks great before they had to ruin it with big bumpers in 1973. Then opera windows too over. When you view the car in pictures it's well proportioned but it looks like a beast in person. Scaled down it would be a perfect size for today. Which is why I like the 427 Concept as a coupe.

 

WD:

 

I LIKE your style! B)

 

On a thread about future T-Birds I posted some pics of various '72s that illustrate the points you make above.

 

My first car in high school was a maroon '72 with a white vinyl roof. It had a 429, 4bbl, dual exhaust, and man did it run good! It liked to drink gas too!

 

It was only 7 years old when I got it, but back in the 70's a seven year old car was getting "up there". It had about 83k on it when I got rid of it a year and a half later. The gas issue along with a combination of Michigan salty winters causing minor fender rot and a tired suspension PLUS some annoying interior trim issues got to me and I sold it.

 

I next picked up a 4 year old pure silver '76 LTD Landau coupe for $2k with 63k on it from a retired insurance agent. I put wire wheels and B.F. Goodrich Radial TAs (remember those?) and a set of dual exhaust on it. The LTD's 400 2bbl got a bit better mileage and ran okay... but it couldn't hold a candle to the feel and sound of the 'Bird's 429 kicking in! I've always remembered that car (the T-Bird) fondly. The LTD was a pretty decent ride too.

 

 

Here are some pics I found on the net awhile back that show a car almost EXACTLY as mine was equipped. The only difference is that mine had the original premium turbine-style hubcaps, and mine didn't have the white pinstripe shown in the pics. The hubcaps shown in the pic almost look like they're from the '77-79 series.

 

Ahhh..... the memories.

 

 

 

Here's a small photo of my actual T-Bird and LTD Landau:

 

Here's a link to a page showing the same photos, in case Freeservers.com doesn't allow you to see

them embedded above: http://startravel.htmlplanet.com/72tbird.html

 

-Ovaltine

Edited December 17, 2006 by Ovaltine

[Watchdevil]

WD:

 

I LIKE your style! B)

 

On a thread about future T-Birds I posted some pics of various '72s that illustrate the points you make above.

 

My first car in high school was a maroon '72 with a white vinyl roof. It had a 429, 4bbl, dual exhaust, and man did it run good! It liked to drink gas too!

 

It was only 7 years old when I got it, but back in the 70's a seven year old car was getting "up there". It had about 83k on it when I got rid of it a year and a half later. The gas issue along with a combination of Michigan salty winters causing minor fender rot and a tired suspension PLUS some annoying interior trim issues got to me and I sold it.

 

I next picked up a 4 year old pure silver '76 LTD Landau coupe for $2k with 63k on it from a retired insurance agent. I put wire wheels and B.F. Goodrich Radial TAs (remember those?) and a set of dual exhaust on it. The LTD's 400 2bbl got a bit better mileage and ran okay... but it couldn't hold a candle to the feel and sound of the 'Bird's 429 kicking in! I've always remembered that car (the T-Bird) fondly. The LTD was a pretty decent ride too.

Here are some pics I found on the net awhile back that show a car almost EXACTLY as mine was equipped. The only difference is that mine had the original premium turbine-style hubcaps, and mine didn't have the white pinstripe shown in the pics. The hubcaps shown in the pic almost look like they're from the '77-79 series.

 

Ahhh..... the memories.

 

 

 

 

-Ovaltine

 

Now that's a nice red on that Tbird too. I am convinced 1972 was the best year of that body style.

 

I remember exactly how I felt back in the early 70's as a kid seeing all these new Fords. They all fascinated me in one way or another. Early 70's Ford coupes were great because they had interesting quarter window profiles, whether they were fastback or more formal. I also have a soft spot for the long hoods with the peaked centers and the bladed fenders. I guess out of all the designs, I like the 1971-73 Cougar the most, then the Torino/Montego fastbacks. The Aussie Falcon coupe of that era gets a mention because it had the absolute best side/quarter window profile.

 

Another thing I should mention is the detail and look of the interiors back then. Sure Ford copied the weave pattern for the seats of the new Mustang, but I cannot get the same warm fuzzy looking at the rest of the interiors Ford makes now.

 

There is something about the bucket seat, console and shifter styles of the 70's Fords that I like. I was always fond of the swept back dashboard styling too, full of round gauges and some woodgrain trim.

 

Anyway, I had a 1978 Ford LTD II with the sports touring package in 1984. It was two tone jade green with green interior. Dura weave vinyl buckets, console with automatic shifter, full set of guages set in that engine tuned bright applique. It had 351 V8. I absolutely loved that car and I wish I had the good sense to have kept it after all these years.

 

Guess there is just a certain look and feel about Fords of that era that you just don't experience today. The Mustang comes close in some ways, but it would be nice if there were some other cars that did.

[Anna Piranha]

Aw, don't be dissing the Fairmont and Zephyr! I had a 79 Zephyr wagon in college and it was so great. Very reliable, plus you could get 8 people and a keg in it! Excellent for going back and forth to college with my stuff and my big clunky computer. Unfortunately, my dad and I are crappy shade tree mechanics and when we flushed the radiator we plugged it. I ended up cracking the head and hitching a ride home. Good times. . . .

 

We replaced it with an 81 Fairmont sedan. It used to start without the keys. Unfortunately, I got rear ended by a '72 Dodge Dart in it and the guy was going so fast that he actually totalled it.

[630land]

The Fox platform is one of Ford's best in history, next to the "Falcon" which begat the 65-73 Stangs.

 

Know it alls like to diss on the boxy looks, but then they forget that the still popular 87-93 302 FI powered Mustangs are based on it.