Note that a 2.3 turbo will bolt to a C4 with the appropriate bellhousing. (1974-76 Pinto/Mustang II)

Far more of Ford's 4cyl RWD used C4 behind the 2.3 than just Stang II... The trans currently installed in that Fairbox may well be a C4... Yeah I know many had C3(that '84-'86 Turbo Coupes also used), but C4 were widely used as well... Had '79 & '81 Stangs with 2.3/C4 and another junk yard 2.3 C4 that had Fairmont stenciled on it... Was in a '80/'81 Stang parts car when I got it...

BTW just checked a 1981 Hollander Interchange manual, both C4 & C3 are listed for 2.3 back to '74 for Stang and '78(first year) for Fairmont...

Of course the NA 4cyl(& 6cyl as well) trans were built with less clutches than their V8 counterparts, would guess the Turbo C4 may be built similar to V8 versions... Light duty C4 have a "PEB" ID while the versions with additional clutches are "PEE"...

After 1976, most got the C3. I almost bought a 1980 2.3 Mustang...it had a C3.

I recall seeing a powder blue 2 door Fairmont with a cammed 302 in it when I was a kid, thought it was so cool, reminded me of Bob Glidden.

I loved riding in that car when you got it -- glad you have it back!

A old girlfriend had a one that was identical but had a 6 cylinder motor,she ended up wrecking it to where it was not worth repairing.

Ah, memories. My mom's '82 Fairmont Futura was similarly gutless with its 2.3 and automatic. Beige on beige, too, with AM-only radio.

The car was actually fine while we lived in the flatlands of Nebraska, but moving to Colorado and its many elevation changes really began to tax the poor Fairmont - and my mother.

She traded it in on a Colt Vista 4WD wagon (anyone remember those?), though the Dodge dealer was rather reluctant to offer much in value.

In summation, the Fairmont with the Four: dead reliable, deadly slow.

Duncan

Around the time that the first turbo Mustangs and Capris were arriving, in 1980-1981 or so, the big rumor was that Ford would also be installing the turbo 2.3 in the Fairmont and Zephyr. There are indeed pre-production photos of a Fairmont Sport Coupe with a specific "turbo bulge" hood, but it's unclear as to whether Ford ever actually built any cars beyond prototypes (pre-production or otherwise) with the turbo motor.

I'll dig around and see if I can find the pic online.

Duncan

There were '81 and/or '82 Fairmonts built with the blow thru 2.3 turbo... Figures I've seen were around 1100...

Nice Fairmont. Reminds me of my 1st car, a 1980 white 4 door Fairmont with the inline 6 engine I got in 1988. Wish I had it now and could afford to restore it.

I miss my 81 Mustang 2.3. I still have an OFFY dualport 4bbl intake for it.

My first car was a '57 Ford Country Sedan Sta wgn... Never really wanted another(tho wagons are now in vogue) and definitely not the next two that were '62 & '58 Ford 4dr... The '58 did have one redeeming virtue, was equipped with 352 interceptor(and, BTW power windows)... Fourth car was a '64 Galaxie 500 Fastback, 289 & three-on-tree that I converted to 390 4-speed, that one I'd like to have back... Fifth was a identical '64 but automatic, despised that car(soon sold it and started driving the 4-speed Galaxie again)... Number six is my Cobra Jet that I still have... Wouldn't trade it for all the aforementioned or next 25 combined(maybe one exception)... Somewhere in that bunch was '68 GTE Cougar with factory 427, that's the one I should have kept, some of those have sold for six figures...

I have a fondness for Fairmonts. My parents had a couple.

neat.

my dad has a black 82 fairmont futura. He put a 351 crate motor in it with a AOD trans and a 9 in rear end. it has a functional shaker hood. we tried to bring it out of hibernation the other day only to find a fuel leak from the carbuerator. it has a mustang GT interior and phaser stripes. i enjoy driving it