Lisa Handy’s Drag Radial “Fastmont” 1979 Ford Fairmont

The Ford Fairmont was introduced in August of 1977 (78′ model year) as an all-new compact family car at an affordable price. They were lightweight, roomy, and quite fuel efficient. If you take a closer look at the Fairmont, though, you will see that they utilize the same Fox body chassis later made famous by the 79′-93′ Ford Mustang, though a few hundred pounds lighter. These contributing factors can all add up to one of two things: a great daily driver or a really great start for a racecar. For Lisa Handy of Sophia, North Carolina, this 79′ Fairmont Futura was both.

Serving as Lisa’s first car in 1988, she drove it to high school with the factory inline six cylinder and manual four-speed “s-rod” transmission.

“After I graduated, my husband and I dated in the car and my dad switched it to a 302 five-speed car.” Lisa explained. Other than the WinterMint paint job done by her brother in 1993, the “Fastmont,” as Lisa calls it, would remain virtually the same until 2006.

“My husband built a mild 408-inch stroker motor that ran 5.80’s on a 275 drag radial. Then John Sears developed Ultra Street and we switched to a 427-inch stroker motor with Canfield heads that ran 5.20’s at 130 mph with a small-block Ford on nitrous,” said Lisa. She even held the record in her area in 2011 on an .82 jet. “I love to race,” Lisa continued. “My husband and I own Handy Racing Engines and have traveled the drag radial circuit since it began with John Sears back in 2009.”

Currently the fast Ford is powered by an Edelbrock SC1 headed, 438-inch nitrous small-block Ford, a Powerglide transmission with an Ultimate Converter, full MSD ignition, 8.8 rear with 35 spline gun drilled Moser axles, 15 x 12 Weld Racing Wheels with MacFab deadlocks, a Dr. Ford front air dam, and Heads Up Composites hood. Lisa hasn’t been able to make a clean pass with the new motor yet but expects to go 140-plus mph in the 1/8-mile with this new setup. Its safe to say this car definitely lives up to the name “Fastmont”.

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