What model/year FOMOCO product...

...is the closest thing to a four door, manual transmission Mustang?

I think there was a limited edition Fairmont HO that's a Unicorn but I can think of anything obtainable.   I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with an automatic no matter what I do.

stroker said:

...is the closest thing to a four door, manual transmission Mustang?

I think there was a limited edition Fairmont HO that's a Unicorn but I can think of anything obtainable.   I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with an automatic no matter what I do.

73 Maverick four door with a 302 and a 3-speed?

Honestly, FoMoCo has never made this (in the US, don't look at Aussie Falcons, you'll cry) combo. Every time you got a four door with a V8 (Crown Vic, Marauder, Fairmont) it was automatic only. Every time you got a four door with a manual (Taurus SHO, Contour SVT) it was FWD.

I've never really been a "mustang guy" so this is just what I've overheard, but isn't this what you are looking for? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_LS

Isn't the 4th gen Mercury Marquis the 4 door Fox chassis car for this? Like so much so it isn't uncommon to install the mustang nose

I was going to be an ass and mention the Ford Falcon and other unobtanium vehicles from Australia, but then I thought I'd be a bit more helpful.  What about the Merkur Scorpio from the late 80's, basically the European Ford Granada / Scorpio.  I don't know if it was ever sold here with a manual, but the majority were manuals in the UK, although it was at the point where auto's were starting to catch on.  They were based on an extended Sierra, AKA XR4Ti here, which did come in manuals.  So even if you can't find a manual trans version, I"m sure the Sierra/XR4 pedal box will swap over for the third pedal.  The engine here was the 2.9L Cologne V6 which wasn't the greatest, but it was developed into the 4.0L sold in Explorer etc.  It was even developed into the later 4.0L SOHC engine that went in everything Ford made here in the late 90's early 00's.  Or for the ultimate cool you could find a Euro 2.9 Cosworth engine that used the 2.9L block with 4 valve DOHC heads which made 192hp and 275lb/ft stock, although those engines are popular for swapping in things in the UK so you'd be better off sourcing one from mainland Europe where it's much harder, although not impossible, to do engine swaps.

stroker said:

...is the closest thing to a four door, manual transmission Mustang?

I think there was a limited edition Fairmont HO that's a Unicorn but I can think of anything obtainable.   I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with an automatic no matter what I do.

I think you're thinking of the Ford LTD LX, but I don't think it was offered with a manual transmission. Looks like the Jaguar S Type - which is related to the 2005 Mustangs but not quite - also was not offered with both a V8 and a manual transmission. Your best bet would be a Falcon or Maverick, which were offered with four doors and a manual transmission.

I had a manual Scorpio for about a minute. It was a swapped car. Also had a Ranger 2.5L with forged pistons and a LOT of work done to it. 

Trent said:

Isn't the 4th gen Mercury Marquis the 4 door Fox chassis car for this? Like so much so it isn't uncommon to install the mustang nose

 

Yeah I was thinking Ford LTD.

MadScientistMatt said:

stroker said:

...is the closest thing to a four door, manual transmission Mustang?

I think there was a limited edition Fairmont HO that's a Unicorn but I can think of anything obtainable.   I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with an automatic no matter what I do.

I think you're thinking of the Ford LTD LX, but I don't think it was offered with a manual transmission.

They were with the 2.3 :)  (not LX, but still a Mustang)

I remember reading there were 200 manual Scorpios imported - don't remember if it was 200 each an 88/89 or 200 total.

Trent's right, the Marquis/LTD. Bondurant used to use them at the school. I used to have one of the Marquis,  and still miss it sometimes.

Dammit...

https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/d/kelso-1986-ford-ltd-foxbody/7302760386.html

Fortunately I think the color conspires with the lack of parking to keep me safe...

Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:

stroker said:

...is the closest thing to a four door, manual transmission Mustang?

I think there was a limited edition Fairmont HO that's a Unicorn but I can think of anything obtainable.   I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with an automatic no matter what I do.

73 Maverick four door with a 302 and a 3-speed?

Honestly, FoMoCo has never made this (in the US, don't look at Aussie Falcons, you'll cry) combo. Every time you got a four door with a V8 (Crown Vic, Marauder, Fairmont) it was automatic only. Every time you got a four door with a manual (Taurus SHO, Contour SVT) it was FWD.

Lincoln LS was a 4-door manual, but they didn't make many.

LS with a 4.6/manual swap makes sense but it would be a whole bunch easier to just get a P71 and swallow the slushbox...

stroker said:

LS with a 4.6/manual swap makes sense but it would be a whole bunch easier to just get a P71 and swallow the slushbox...

I think converting a Crown Vic to manual would actually be easier than putting a 4.6 in a Lincoln LS. 

What generation Mustang were you thinking of?

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) said:

stroker said:

LS with a 4.6/manual swap makes sense but it would be a whole bunch easier to just get a P71 and swallow the slushbox...

I think converting a Crown Vic to manual would actually be easier than putting a 4.6 in a Lincoln LS. 

But a Jaguar XJR engine in one... 

I had a 4 door, 4 speed, 4 cylinder Fairmont for a winter beater one year.  It was terrible.   We called it the 444.  I built a 302 for it but I ended up giving the car to my kid brother before I got around to the engine swap.

cyow5 said:

I've never really been a "mustang guy" so this is just what I've overheard, but isn't this what you are looking for? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_LS

Also pretty unicorn status these days, and also not really a Ford.  It's a Jag S-type with a Jag V6 and a Getrag 5 speed.

Granada ESS. 

Stroker... What generation or decade you were thinking, and also... how much Ford does it need to be?  I noticed some Merkur/Jaguar type suggestions.  Are we looking for something that IS a Ford, or something with a Ford-ish connection?

APEowner said:

I had a 4 door, 4 speed, 4 cylinder Fairmont for a winter beater one year.  It was terrible.   We called it the 444.  I built a 302 for it but I ended up giving the car to my kid brother before I got around to the engine swap.

 

 

In the early 80's. I helped my 70 year old grandmother pick a used one out... although it had a 6 cyl. it replace the ZERO optioned 64 Falcon she had bought brand new. Served her well for several years. Not a bad car at all, as long as ya didn't expect much! Honestly remember less about that car than anything else anyone in the family had along the way.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

cyow5 said:

I've never really been a "mustang guy" so this is just what I've overheard, but isn't this what you are looking for? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_LS

Also pretty unicorn status these days, and also not really a Ford.  It's a Jag S-type with a Jag V6 and a Getrag 5 speed.

IIRC both the S-type and the Lincoln LS were built off the Thunderbird, so I'd say that's a Ford. :)  Ford owned Jag at the time.

APEowner said:

I had a 4 door, 4 speed, 4 cylinder Fairmont for a winter beater one year.  It was terrible.   We called it the 444.  I built a 302 for it but I ended up giving the car to my kid brother before I got around to the engine swap.

 

 

I almost bought one, it was the slowest thing I'd driven. That includes bicycles.

I might have snagged it for a project but it had had a colony of mice living in it and the small was retched

Does it have to be a factory build that someone could have ordered or does rolling your own from parts swapped in answer the question?

Assuming the right donor could be found, I think I'd go with a Fairmont due to a styling preference and then the usual Explorer 5.0 / T5 / SN95 bits swapped in.