Another 1981 Ford Fairmont Durango Is Up For Auction

It isn’t often that we come across any sort of Ford Fairmont Durango at auction or anywhere else – and for good reason, as only around 200-300 or fewer of these car-based pickups were built in total. Following the discontinuation of the Ranchero, Ford designer Dick Nesbitt drew up a pickup version of the Fairmont, which The Blue Oval opted not to make a production model. However, National Coach – a custom-car builder based in Gardena, California – wound up making it a reality. The result was the Ford Fairmont Durango, and now – just days after we saw a nice example of the car/pickup surface for sale – another one has popped up at auction, too.

Just last week, we saw a 1981 Ford Fairmont Durango surface for sale that was in very nice condition, and now, this one is up for grabs at Bring a Trailer, too. It’s finished in Dark Blue Metallic paint that was resprayed around 15 years ago, accented by chrome trim and white pinstriping. To create the Ford Fairmont Durango pickup, National Coach took a Futura coupe body and cut the roof behind the B-pillars, removed the rear seat and trunk areas, and installed a fiberglass bed. This example rolls on a set of steel 14-inch wheels with wire covers, too.

Inside, one will find a bench seat upholstered in Medium Wedgewood Blue vinyl with patterned cloth inserts, along with woodgrain accents and amenities including air conditioning, cruise control, and a push-button AM/FM stereo. Power comes from the naturally-aspirated 3.3L inline-six cylinder engine, which is mated to a three-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.

This Ford Fairmont Durango has been treated to its fair share of maintenance as of late, including replacing the carburetor, alternator, voltage regulator, water pump, thermostat, valve stem seals, valve cover gasket, tires, and various fuel system components. Now, it’s looking for a new home, and given how few of these things still exist, we don’t doubt that someone will be interested in giving it precisely that.