Neat as a pin, this 1960 Ford Fairlane is an excellent condition survivor, having covered very few miles in its lifetime. Originally a Tennessee car, this Ford is now in Michigan although it has spent the majority of its life in dry storage. Extremely original, this Ford still wears its original tires that it left the factory with. For $14,000 this you can own this beautiful survivor. Find it here on craigslist out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thanks to Ethan B. for the awesome submission!
Needless to say, the engine bay is absolutely stunning. Clean, with no paint chips, rust, or even any paint discoloration, it is easy to believe that this Ford has been driven very little. Although this Fairlane wears its original tires, hopefully the oil has been changed more frequently. This is a 6 cylinder 3 speed manual car, so it has rather basic features, but is likely an amazing drive in its like new condition.
With a lovely brown on bronze upholstery, the interior is very nice. The driver side of the bench has some minor wear, and some ripples in the vinyl. Also there appears to be either dust of minor discoloration on the top of the seat back. Beyond that, the interior appears extremely clean and well cared for, with a few model air planes hanging out in the rear foot well.
The paint appears original as it has a certain luster that insinuates its age. The styling on this generation of Fairlane is really very subtle, but very well executed with some neat elements. The slumped over tail fins are neat and stylish, but the rear window with its drop down section to the trunk level is an interesting and uniquely shaped piece of glass. Also the split taillights are a neat feature and really draw on “space age” styling ques. The front end is a bit simple, but really has a simplistic appeal with its quad headlights and grill. There is no apparent damage to this Ford, and dry storage has certainly been good for this Fairlane. This one certainly seems museum worthy, but for the asking price you can make this rare relic yours. Would you drive this low mileage survivor?
Wow! I have never seen an Air Cleaner mounted vertically like that before on an American Classic! Very unique body style! Dig those fins!
All 59 and 60 Edsels and Fords 223 sixes were like that.
Boy, when I open up the hood of something like this I really expect to see an FE or at least a Y-block. To see a 223 six-banger is somewhat of a surprise. I certainly don’t think you’re going to set off a lot of speed traps. Kind of like the cars and trucks in my collection. Cars in this shape confirm the fact that they’re still out there. Whoever gets this one should definitely drive it and preserve it. Do NOT make it an ornament….
Well, you could keep the stock manifolds (in case you wanted to sell later) and do this for a bit more power: http://www.shop.cliffordperformance.net/Ford-223_c15.htm
I know, the price is what you’d probably put into finding a V8 laying around but not many of us performance build the sixes, so there’s a cool factor here.
Hi 63. That looks like all right stuff! I didn’t know you could do that much with an earlier Ford six. A set of Webers would be neat. The 262 seems to have breezed right past me. I knew that Ford offered a 262 Industrial but I wasn’t aware that it was available in cars or trucks.
Whoa there, Anything with 7168 original miles on it ought to be kept purely original and preserved as a trailer queen. And 14 grand is a good price to pay for that, even if it is only a six banger with a three speed. How many other 57-year-old cars are there out there that have less than 8000 miles and have been stored indoors their entire lives? To make my point, “TurboThrust348” is a man from Michigan who has posted YouTube videos of himself restoring his 1960 Pontiac Catalina with only 25,000 miles on it. He intends to sell it for 20 grand. On his last video to date, he detailed exactly how much he spent buying it and fixing it up, just under $60,000 in parts and labor.
You’re absolutely right. I would never dream of modifying an original like this one. I just thought it was neat seeing what was available for this motor. Now if I was building a car with this motor I could be talked into installing a few goodies.
Great looking car. It sure looks like an original car. I would have been 17 years old then and certainly looking at the new car brochures. :)
I wouldn’t mind having it if it were an automatic.
Quite a few years ago I read an article about a Ford dealer that used to keep a new car from every year. Not usually a high end or rare one but a normal every day car. When the dealership closed they were all auctioned off. Some went to collectors that of course never drove them but others were said to have been driven, basically ruining their value but who could resist? I wonders if this was possibly one of those cars?
I would drive it, but not a lot.
The first car that I remember my parents owning was a 1960 Ford Galaxie. These cars always trigger memories in my mind.
We had a 1960 Ford Starliner coupe. White with red interior. Would love to have it today!
Was the top of the drivers’ seat repaired? It seems the texture of the material changes in an of place.
I don’t care for the car a lot, But I love the condition.
Isn’t this typical. A super low mileage example; but it’s a post sedan with three on the tree and a 6. Maybe the reason the miles are low is because it was no fun to drive it ? 😄
Or, maybe, the reason this “stripper” was not driven much is because it was the widest production car produced in the US, and actually received a one year variance in several states with stricter laws governing the width of cars on highways. I see this as Grandma’s or Grandpa’s new “Betsy.” [Lots of people called their simple Fords “Betsy.”] It may have been too much for them to drive without power steering or power brakes in traffic, and only drove it on special occasions until they could no longer do so.
Wider than a Cadillac or the huge Lincolns of that time?
To answer Paul’s question, yes, the 1960 Ford was wider than the 1960 Lincoln, Cadillac and Imperial.
Ford: 81.3″
Lincoln: 80.3″
Cadillac: 79.9″
Imperial: 80.1″
Despite it’s six banger I would love to have this particular car. To me it’s value is only in it’s originality as it is a six banger. The three speed manual is great as far as I am concerned. Now whether I would pay fourteen grand……………meh.
This is my all time favorite Ford in any model !!!! Sorry, I think i just wet myself a little. Star, Sun, Fair, you name it…I love the 1960.
What is the diff. In Fairlane and Starliner 1960?
Fairlane is a trim level. Starliner was the body style of their 2dr. hardtop.
The Starliner was a fastback
Just a hardtop, not a fastback. (And top of the line too. The Starliner was a Galaxie, not a Fairlane. Even though the name didn’t appear on it, it was often referred to as a Galaxie Starliner.)
the Starliner was a 2 door pillarless, aka bubble top. One of the prettiest Ford and Edsel designs. Only used on 60 and 61 Fords.
I think this is a very unusual and unique piece of vintage history. I also agree that it is a plain jane. The cool factor is how orig. it is. you don’t see this often.
I would drive it lightly and protect it. Very cool!!!
I love it, it reminds me of my ’60 Edsel, same car but with a few custom touches.
My dream
I’ve heard of dealers stashing away cars ( didn’t Lambrecht do that?) but with 7,000 miles, which certainly looks accurate, the car had some use. If the car sat that long, there will be plenty to do, but I doubt you’ll find a cleaner ’60 Ford 2 door. Not a lot of options on this car, so it was a “cheapie” for someone, again, I can’t help but think what the story was with this. Can you imagine trying to find that odd shaped back glass? Amazing condition aside, I don’t see this particular car bringing that kind of money. It’s cool, but not that cool, I don’t think.
Lambrecht never re-sold a lot of their trades and kept their unsold cars at model year change. Then, for the most part, let them rot away.
Question the originality with zip ties on the plug wires,,don’t think ford used them in the 60s
Beautiful car, but 14 grand is a bit steep. Hey, can’t blame the seller for trying, l would. The 3 speed stick is a plus over the 2 speed fordoma tic with the six imho. Would be sweeter with a 292 or 352.
Perhaps a Mayberry RFD police car tribute?
Just remember that Barney only gets one bullet. And it goes in his shirt pocket!
My Dad had a 60 Fairlane 4dr. It, also was a 6 with 3 sp stick. Gas mileage was decent and the car was durable.
My mom owned one almost just like this when I was a little kid (hers was green). She bought it secondhand from old Mr. Perry of Perry Farms in the Fremont area of the SF Bay. Talk about the end of an era. Farming… in Fremont? Still have the wool blanket that was in the back seat. It was given to my dad by his mom in Holland. Of course it ended up back there because the car didn’t have a heater. That blanket proved to be a lot more durable than the Fairlane. I remember me and my childhood best friend, Johanna would ride in the back – unbelted of course – and tear the dried up stuffing out of the seat from between the disintegrating fabric. These cars really didn’t last long in the California sun. The paint was gone by the time my parents gave it away to my cousin, Steve in 1974 to make way for their brand new 1974 Pinto station wagon from Elmhurst Ford in San Leandro. Harold Acree was the salesman and yea, nowadays they’d call me autistic. Can you believe as a 7 year old I would beg my dad to leave his Astro Blue 1970 Chevelle home when my mom volunteered to shuttle us kids around on school field trips? Even as a little kid I hated that Pinto. Neither of my parents liked that ’60 Ford, but I wish I could buy this one to park beside my survivor ’70 396 Chevelle. Problem is, it’s tax time and garage space in the Bay Area is more or less a fantasy. This car will need it. Montana, I’m coming to ya. Just give me a little more time…
The upholstery looks like J.C.Whitney seat covers to me and the photos make it look look like Earl Scheib paint. But what do I know, maybe it looks better in person.
Take it from someone who knows: that car is the real deal right down to the hubcaps
For five years I had an Oakville-built ’60 Fairlane 500 four door with a 223. That engine was an unbelievably smooth-running piece – just pull the choke out a little, start it and the running quality was beautiful. The interior leaked water like there was no tomorrow and could never find out where it leaked. Never did a dye test to see telltale colored water trails. These cars were wider than was allowed at the time, so provision had to be made to legalize them. When they had the optional lower half moon reflectors in the rear bumper, they looked so cool. My favorite ’60s were the Edsels – all of which were made in ’59. My mom’s girlfriend worked for Bob McNamara, who killed off the brand.
Re: Marshall – just because it’s a low mileage original car, why “should ” it be preserved as a trailer queen? That’s a lot of work and bother for a car few people will care about? If there’s someone out there that feels strongly enough to pay that price, perhaps they will choose to not drive it as every additional mile lowers the perceived value, yet 14 grand won’t buy a new car anymore either but this won’t make much of a driver as compared to just about anything else out there, it’s going to be a miserable experience. I learned to drive in a 1962 Ford Galaxy 500 – it was/is an awful car then as I imagine this is too. Just try parking it in a crowded lot designed for Toyota’s and Honda’s. And about the guy restoring his Pontiac and announced plan to sell for $20,000 – reminds me of a local guy I knew who spent ten years and $60,000 restoring what had to be the world’s most perfect 1980 Chevy El Camino. Yeah, go ahead and laugh, he found it impossible to sell and after five years finally took $8500 for it with virtually zero miles on it and this was a factory four-speed car, quite rare for 1980.
60 K to restore a 1980 Camino? And 10 years? I like the Caminos, but I am laughing. He should have hung on to it and enjoyed her.
Yes you’re right – it was absolute total insanity, a financial boondoggle and one of those things we all scratched our heads and thought ‘What could he possibly be thinking??’ Not just an answer to a question no one asked, but an answer virtually nobody even wanted! I eventually sold it, got $19,500 for it, but that was after hauling it down to Scottsdale and working with the crooks at Rustle & Steal (who tried to live up to their name by attempting to sell it no reserve to one of their ‘insiders’ but I put a stop to that!) Never ever deal with those crooks if you’re a seller or buyer!
Wow,Don’t Know How You Find These Car But This Is A Great One,What A Barn Find,Cool Car I Remember This One In The 60s !
Lovely car automobile!! My Dad a red/white one with a small V8 and I was all of 10 years old — in love with the car. Man, if I could unload a 1997 Cadillac Sedan de Ville de Elegance with 64,000 miles, I would buy this is a heartbeat.No kidding!!
I remember the ’60 full-size Fords being noted for their extra width, nominally 81.3 inches, versus Lincoln at 80.3 and Cadillac at 79.9 for the same year.
Are the model airplanes (on the back seat floor) included? ;-)