Sleepers are cool, and Fox-body sleepers are especially cool, because they’re also cheap, easy to build and surprisingly competent.
The popularity of the Mustang has resulted in an utter cornucopia of aftermarket speed and suspension parts for Ford’s Fox body. The vast majority of these can be just as easily installed in the numerous less sporty models based on the Fox platform. The result? A fairly lightweight, V8 RWD “family sedan” (or wagon!) with taut suspension, precise rack-and-pinion steering, and a 4- or 5-speed gearbox if you desire. The 302 V8 is just a few bolt-on components away from nearly any imaginable performance profile.
The swoopy(-ish) Fairmont Futura coupe has traditionally played the leading role in my Fox-body sleeper fantasies, but lately the boxier Fairmont 2-door sedan has been capturing my imagination more and more. It looks like the sort of severely generic design that might appear in illustrations for a teenage chapter book. That nondescript, plain-jane exterior is perfect for hiding some of the sexy underthings that aftermarket speed shops have to offer, without anybody suspecting a thing.
This nicely-preserved Farimont 2-door has gained some nice ‘Stang wheels, but I was unable to determine what engine it had, or what other mods (if any) might have been done to it. The stock slushbox remains, but perhaps the owner’s plans for this boxy beauty are not yet complete.