1978 Mercury Cyclone: The car that Ford never built.

This car started as an all original 1978 Ford Fairmont Futura with a 3.3l I-6/C-4 auto. Purchased online from A “little old lady“ in Gila River Az. It arrived in August 2013 as a running bone stock starting point for the build I had been seeing in my head for a couple of years prior. The Az desert had kept it rust free, but the wind, sand, sun and heat had destroyed the interior, and pretty much anything that wasn’t made out of metal on the outside.

No matter…I didn’t intend to use any of it anyway.

The build ensued, Bumpers were cut and blended into the body. The entire tail light panel was modified to accept 1970 Mercury Comet Tail lights. Front suspension upgraded, Brakes replaced with 1995 Mustang Cobra pieces, and the same car donated it’s 8.8 rear end, which was narrowed 3.5” and fitted with a true-trac diff and Moser 31 spline axles. A DIY version of a late model Camaro torque arm rear suspension was made to fit. The car rolls on 17x8/17x11 American Racing AR-500 wheels and has 245x17f/315x17r Sumitomo tires.

The Engine is a JDM 2jz GTE vvti out of a Toyota Aristo, and has been fitted with aftermarket intake and exhaust manifolds, 1000cc injectors, BC 264 cams, A Boost Labs BL64r 64mm turbo. Ignition uses 6 DIY IGN1a coils, and engine management is controlled by a kit built MS3x. Never been on a dyno, but anticipated horsepower is 550-600 @23 psi. Detonation is kept in check with an A2W intercooler, and a Sno-Cooler water meth injection system.The A2W system pumps water from a 2.5 gallon reservoir through a SBC engine water pump, through the intercooler, then back through two small fan cooled radiators mounted under the trunk floor before returning to the reservoir.

The transmission is a JDM CD009 six speed manual sourced from a Nissan 370z. A Spec Stage3+ clutch is activated with a T-56 slave cylinder, and fed with a .075” bore Wilwood master cylinder. The Clutch pedal Assembly is hand fabricated, as well. The transmission is mated to the Toyota engine using a Collins Performance adapter.

The interior is made of all mandrel bent 1.250” Chromemoly tubing, 18 ga. steel, and leather All bent using whatever I coukd find in the garage to bend it over, ( including my leg) It is by far the best part of the car, but most overlooked whenever I show it. Gauges are New Vintage USA. Seats are from Corbeau.

Steering is Electric, and retrofitted using a 2009 Prius EPS unit.

Paint was done in my garage, and is PPG single stage Ford Competition Orange.