Worlds Fastest Fairmont Wagon
10 second quarter mile times are the holy grail for a street driven car. Most "street" driven cars that can turn in a 10 second time slip are on the ragged edge of street usable. It is the rare case of a well sorted out drive train and suspension combo that produces a 10 second grocery getter. Throw a 10 second drive train under the skin of a pedestrian station wagon and you have the ultimate sleeper. This Fairmont wagon put together by John Dodson of Lewisville Texas is one such car and a perfect example of what can be achieved with Chevrolet’s LS1 engine when it is built and tuned correctly.
In order to get the car running this fast took considerable time on the dyno with a lot of careful tuning, but the efforts paid off. John drove this car all the way from Lewisville Texas to St. Louis Missouri to race and drove it home afterwards. A car this fast that can be driven that distance and maintain over 20 miles per gallon is near impossible without the use of fuel injection and careful tuning. The wagon is equipped with 3.55 rear gears and has a power glide transmission. Be looking for more information on tuning the LS1 motor in the future as seeing this car has made me decide to pull the engine in my 1964 Malibu and replace it with the LS1.
Feel free to send me e-mail. Geoff Chandler
May 9th, 2005 at 10:03 am
I ran across your story on the 10 second ford fairmont wagon.I thought it was truely an inspiring story.Thank-you for your dedication to bringing such info to our attention.
January 31st, 2006 at 4:57 pm
Why not a 4.6L Mod Ford Engine? You know you can trick them out to run much faster than any LS1..Don’t believe me, Look up a 4.6l Drag Cougar on google..No LS1 has ever became or will ever become faster.
April 28th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
I applaud the ingenuity of the owner.However it’s common knowledge that you can put together any fox body ford on a budget that will generate the same performance.Why choose a small block chevy motor? The C6/Lima BB combo is proven in this chassis and is certainly easier to engineer.You can achieve the same result with basically a junkyard drivetrain.Fastest Fairmount Wagon? I doubt it.Interesting sleeper? Without a doubt! Kudos to the owner for putting together a fine machine.Next time try and stick something under that hood that came from FoMoCo and see what you can accomplish, I think you might be in for a pleasant surprise.
May 18th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
why not use the LS1? you can get the motor and tranny for $1500, then througha bottle on it and wow, you got a 10 second car… you guys aren’t giving john enough credit on commen sense, of course he’s got the ingenuity!!
June 21st, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Where, praytell, can you get an LS1 AND trans for 1500? Nowhere that I’ve ever been, or heard of!!
August 9th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
The car had a 351 w/ nitrous previously and made 10 second passes.. he wanted an LS1 car and decided to shove it into the Fairmont.. just FYI..
December 7th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
thats a tight car but i happen to have a 78′ fairmont wagon 302 all forged, w/a grip of nitrous all up dated mustang interior and drive train, i think we should some how race? pinks??? that would be bad ass. mine has run a best of 10.50 not spraying first gear.
January 15th, 2007 at 1:47 am
Well for the record I got that engine trans combo for $600 from a freind that totaled it and was about to let the insurance pick up so he lat me pull it for that cheap. I also have sold this car and have started to build a new fairmont wagon that is white and also has a ls1 in it, I will keep this post updated
June 30th, 2008 at 2:35 am
first off just want to show some wagon love great vids too
i also wanted to say ill be gunning for the title of fastest fairmont wagon in the near future
sbf dragradials w/small plate system … 9’s? 8’s we will see
not quite as streetable though
happy hunting