The last time we caught up with the eccentric and talented young restomodder Calvin Nelson, he'd just finished shoving an LS-based GM Vortec V8 under the hood of a 1962 Studebaker Lark that could run nine-second quarter mile times. That was nearly two and a half years ago now. Safe to say, the man's been hard at work since then with a project car you might not expect.
The Ford Fairmont was a car built for people who didn't care about being a car enthusiast. Its sole purpose was to get mom, dad, and the kids to work and school and back and only be driven on highways in a frantic dash to the maternity ward. In some cases, Fairmonts had difficulty getting up to highway speeds. But remember, the Fairmont sat on the same Fox Platform as the Mustang and Thunderbird.
What this meant for the Fairmont was long after its years of antiquity, the car found a second life as a tasteful restomod platform. But even then, we doubt you'll ever find a Ford Fairmont out there with as unique of a drivetrain under the hood. But from the factory, the Ford Fairmont Futura as depicted here left floor sporting a range of four, six, and eight-cylinder engines so choked by emissions restrictions and archaic catalytic converter technology that you might as well stomp your feet through the floor and pedal that way like it the Flinstones. In so many ways, Fairmont drivetrains represented everything that was foul about American cars in the late 1970s and early 80s.
Well, we're not sure if the 4.2-liter Cadillac LH2 Northstar V8 is as reliable as the Windsor dinosaur that used to come with old Fairmonts. But one thing's for sure, Calvin Nelson didn't want to settle for another gosh darn LS or Coyote swap for this build. With the previous anemic drivetrain in this Fairmont long since confined to a scrap yard, Calvin began the intricate process of retrofitting the engine bay for its new permanent tenant. Fabricating a set of custom motor mounts from scratch might be beyond the scope of what most DIY guys can do. But it was nothing short of a treat.
Using nothing but some AutoCAD software, Calvin set about designing all the custom motor mounts, transmission adapter plates, intake and exhaust manifolds, and turbocharger mounts before sending them to a metal shop for fabrication. What results is a fully custom engine swap kit that makes putting this one-of-a-kind driveline together one that's not only viable but relatively straightforward once all the mounting hardware is accounted for. As per Calvin's own estimates, he reckons he can crank 800 horsepower to the wheels once the twin-turbo setup is finished. Congrats to him on another amazing project, check his video down below.
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