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I got my car home Yesterday-80 Fairmont

3445 Views 22 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  VAMP_77
I typed up my long post and attempted to submit it. It logged me out and everything was deleted. I'll try again.

Yesterday we had a lull in the rain so I decided I would pick up my 80 Fairmont 2 door sedan from the previous owner. I had received a couple of quotes from towing companies but being as cheap as I am I decided to rent a U-Haul trailer. If I had to do it again I'd probably have it towed.

I had been to U-Haul's web site so I knew I would need a 2 inch ball on my hitch. I only had a 2 5/16 ball so I called a friend to see if he had one. He didn't. I remembered that I had a bumper off my old Dodge with a ball on it. It turned out to be a 2 inch with the correct load rating. I didn't have a wrench big enough to remove it so I took it to my friend's place and we got it removed. Unforunately, it didn't have enough threads on it so I had to go to the store and get another ball.

I went to U-Haul to pick up a trailer but they didn't have any so I had to drive to another location, which killed a lot of time. I got the trailer and thought the rest would be smooth sailing. I was wrong.

I got to the location of the car, aired up the tires, put it in neutral and proceded to push it. It wouldn't roll. I tried putting my floor jack under it but it was on soft rain soaked dirt and it wouldn't budge. I finally decided to unhook the trailer and use my truck and a chain to pull the car to the parking lot across the street. I then had to use a hand operated winch to pull the car onto the trailer. There isn't much to hook to on the front of these cars. The chain pulled through some of the metal but I finally got it on the trailer. I think the brakes were rusted but it seems they loosened up some.

I had to borrow the air tank, hose, chain and winch from a friend but I'm glad I had them with me otherwise I would have left with an empty trailer.
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What an adventure.....glad you made it home OK.
4 more posts then you can post some picts :)
Sounds like the start of a love/hate relationship. Don't worry, the love will come. Welcome to the site. Rich
Ahh, another dedicated F/Z fan. Welcome, looks like you got some fun times ahead....
what took you so long? we've been expecting you...
Adventure's !!! Well, if it went smooth..your story would have been boring. So you have a good story to go with a great car !!
oh, and i forgot to mention, this is your new home now...
wow

I typed up my long post and attempted to submit it. It logged me out and everything was deleted. I'll try again.

Yesterday we had a lull in the rain so I decided I would pick up my 80 Fairmont 2 door sedan from the previous owner. I had received a couple of quotes from towing companies but being as cheap as I am I decided to rent a U-Haul trailer. If I had to do it again I'd probably have it towed.

I had been to U-Haul's web site so I knew I would need a 2 inch ball on my hitch. I only had a 2 5/16 ball so I called a friend to see if he had one. He didn't. I remembered that I had a bumper off my old Dodge with a ball on it. It turned out to be a 2 inch with the correct load rating. I didn't have a wrench big enough to remove it so I took it to my friend's place and we got it removed. Unforunately, it didn't have enough threads on it so I had to go to the store and get another ball.

I went to U-Haul to pick up a trailer but they didn't have any so I had to drive to another location, which killed a lot of time. I got the trailer and thought the rest would be smooth sailing. I was wrong.

I got to the location of the car, aired up the tires, put it in neutral and proceded to push it. It wouldn't roll. I tried putting my floor jack under it but it was on soft rain soaked dirt and it wouldn't budge. I finally decided to unhook the trailer and use my truck and a chain to pull the car to the parking lot across the street. I then had to use a hand operated winch to pull the car onto the trailer. There isn't much to hook to on the front of these cars. The chain pulled through some of the metal but I finally got it on the trailer. I think the brakes were rusted but it seems they loosened up some.

I had to borrow the air tank, hose, chain and winch from a friend but I'm glad I had them with me otherwise I would have left with an empty trailer.
hey friend, i dont know you, but i think i would have just paid aaa to pick the car up. they would have delivered it to your doorstep for about seventy-five bucks. If you converted your time into dollars, I think you would have spent much more than that. Plus you would have been covered for a full year(three tows).
Great story!
I learned to TAKE SPARE WHEELS with.. 300miles on blown tires is SCARY. Wife wasnt happy when she had to bring down 2 from my galaxie at 3:15am (i was still 2 hours away from home)
I went to register it and found that the previous owner didn't keep the registration up to date. I had to pay all the fines. :mad5: It cost me about $160 to register the thing.
I went to register it and found that the previous owner didn't keep the registration up to date. I had to pay all the fines. :mad5: It cost me about $160 to register the thing.
that's a bunch of BS! sorry to hear that man.
I went to register it and found that the previous owner didn't keep the registration up to date. I had to pay all the fines. :mad5: It cost me about $160 to register the thing.
Strange, it cost me just about that much to register mine here in IL.
I went to register it and found that the previous owner didn't keep the registration up to date. I had to pay all the fines. :mad5: It cost me about $160 to register the thing.
mine was like that, but mine was so far from when it had expired, it disappeared from the DMV database altogether...
the guy thought it was odd, and just entered it in as a brand new vehicle...
Vamp you are correct In the "Land of Blago" I just paid $217.00 for title, tags and fees. What a rip
Vamp you are correct In the "Land of Blago" I just paid $217.00 for title, tags and fees. What a rip
Ah, but i've gone throu 3 cars in the past 11months :mad2: So i have a ugly/rare car problem.:crazy:
Vamp you are correct In the "Land of Blago" I just paid $217.00 for title, tags and fees. What a rip
Yeah I was going to mention in the Chicago area that is probably normal. My parents live in the NW suburbs.

Here my 2002 Ford f150 runs $65 a year and my 1970 Dodge d100 runs $35 a year.
hi Soopernaut. i joined like you recomended. glad to find another fairmont site.
yeah seem's like the fairmont get's alot more action over here at this site.
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