I don’t typically think of the Ford Fairlane as being a performance machine, but when they were properly optioned, they can be quite the speed demons. This one wasn’t optioned with the most powerful engine available, but it did leave the factory with the high performance K code 289 V8 and a 4-speed manual! It’s been in this barn for the past 30 years and is quite dusty. Sadly, it’s missing it’s original K code 289 and the 4 speed. It now has a different 289 installed with the 4-speed bell housing still attached to it. Finding the right 4 speed shouldn’t be all that difficult and the 289 is a simple engine to work on and upgrade. You can find this Ford here on eBay in Springfield, Missouri with a current bid of $2,100.
Ford actually offered some powerful engines in the Fairlane, the 425 horsepower 427 being the mightiest engine offered. This car’s original 289 was rated at 271 horsepower, which is plenty of power to make this a fun car to drive. And if you want to make things even more interesting, there are lots of upgrade options. The current 289 is said to have a 4 barrel carb installed, so hopefully that means it’s also a K code engine.
The seller’s photos aren’t the best, but from what we can see of the interior, it is clearly missing a lot of parts. They admit that the bucket seats and center console are missing. I’m not sure how difficult it will be to find replacements, but in the worst case scenario you could also install a bench seat. Thankfully, it looks like all the trim pieces are still here and hopefully in decent shape.
This could be a really cool car once it’s put back together. The 289 has a decent amount of performance potential with bolt on upgrades, so you could turn this into a very fun car. Restoring it won’t necessarily be cheap, unless you have access to a complete interior and a 4-speed already.
I believe this is a Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe. ( the badge on the C pillar) The badge on the front fender says “High Performance 289” also, indicating the Sport Coupe. Very rare indeed. I wonder if the seller knows what they have here?
They will if they read this!
Rare doesn’t necessarily mean valuable. Even with the K Code engine Hagerty #1 condition value for this car is $28,000.
With a non-matching engine a car in this condition could not be restored to any level without exceeding its value.
Based on their description in the ad, they know exactly what they have. Would be fun to build this one into a nice resto-mod since the original drivetrain is long gone.
It does say rare in the description so I’d say that know what they have
Without the original K code and trans he has a bucket
Theses look pretty cool out and about – fixed up…..good price for a starter – rare little car – heck every where is a Mustang.
The 289 hipo was in fact the most powerful Fairlane engine option for ’63. Ford didn’t offer the 427 in the Fairlane until ’67 with the exception of the ’64 Thunderbolt, which was a limited-production drag race car of which only 100 were produced.
“K” code (271 hp) 289 was the largest and most powerful engine available in the 1963 Ford Fairlane. In ’64, the 427 Thunderbolt was built; but is a race car only.
1966 was the first year for a 390 big block in the mid size chassis.
That 271 hp 289 was no slouch….and to my knowledge wasn’t offered with any trans but a 4 speed.
I owned a Fairlane Sports Coupe and it was from the factory with a Borg Warner T10 4 speed and a 3:50 gear It was unbelieveably fast. Even in the 60’s 12 ,5 in the quarter mile was respectable for a street car.
Love these cars, gen 2 coyote fits nice.
I sure like seeing 1963 Ford style in a reasonably sized package!
You’ve got a 5.0 under that hood? I need to be your tire dealer.
Yes it smokes the rubber but it sure is fun! Only live once
heh, 40 years ago I met this guy restoring s 64 thunderbolt. Red /black interior wonder where it is now?
My future SIL is from Morris Ill. He said, a friend of his dad has a ’64 Fairlane and he said it has a teardrop hood scoop and the high beam lights are missing. I said, A THUNDERBOLT? He said, yeah, that’s it. :0
Since Ford didn’t stamp serial numbers on engine or trans, as long as you have casting dates on both replacements prior to the car’s manufacture date, you’d be good to go. Another 57 ’66 Fairlanes had the 427.
Ford DID stamp VIN# on high performance eng. and trans. in Mustangs and Fairlanes and their Mercury brothers, maybe other models as well.
The sellers definitely know what they’re offering. Their breakdown of the VIN tag says it clearly, i.e., code 8 differential… 3.89. A performance ratio indeed. And that rearend is the highly regarded nine inch. Nice that two posters quickly clarified the fact that the K code 289HP was the top regular production engine for the Fairlane from mid ’63 through ’65. These 289HP Fairlanes were very competitive. A well tuned, decently driven K code could beat a stock 390GT.
There were a couple highly modified ’63 Fairlanes fitted with the 427. I think it was Tasca Ford that built these prototypes. Ford liked Tasca’s ’63 Fairlane(s?) 427 enough they agreed to allow Dearborn Steel Tubing to modify a 100 or so Fairlane 500 2 door sedan K codes into the legendary Thunderbolts. Obviously the T-bolts were not available to the regular consumer.
My son and I own a ’64 K code Sports Coupe. We have it insured with Hagerty. We don’t agree with their “agreed upon value” of $28K. But we obviously needed dependable insurance and Hagerty is highly regarded.
That is a very sore subject with me. My orphan cars have “agreed value” barely above parts value. If I were Warren Buffet and owned GenRe, I’d blow Hagerty out of the business with a 10% bump in base valuation. This may be the apple of someone’s eye, but it needs so much that unless it were in a tank of gas range, I’d pass…..and probably will before this is licensed and road driven.
Not sure what year the transition was but didn’t the 63 have a 5 bolt bellhousing? The 66 289 was a 6 bolt bellhousing.
Rare car but just not worth the countless days finding correct high dollar pieces unless you are in love and don’t care about returns on investment. Would be cool to see it put back right.
Rob S,
I agree with you. The 5-bolt bell housing was used with the 221ci-289ci through the middle of ’64. The 6-bolt started around Aug. ’64(for ’65 production) when Ford started using the alternator instead of the generator.
This is the second car I’ve been interested in that has come up for auction. The first was too far away, and like you and others have said, this one is overpriced for what you get. The last bid of $4501.00 would be the max in my book, maybe not that much. All the bids are private, so that raises a red flag(for shilling) also.
It’s a shame, for me, ’cause I have a 5-bolt hi-po eng, bell, & 4-speed trans, that will bolt right in. I don’t have the generator.
I even submitted questions on the e-bay site about more pics in different areas, but no response so far.
Unless you can do a good part of the restoration, or just get it roadworthy the return money is not there AT THE MOMENT!!!
I have had at least 6 -63 and 64 sport coupes, including one that was a 260 special/4spd and they where a blast to have. Liked them better than a mustang of the same vintage.
Down the road, like other more out of the box collectables this will be worth more than you think in the coming years. Drivetrain is still out there if you look, but I seem to recall that that 4spd console was very rare though.
I have a 1963 Fairlane 289K code sports coupe. Don’t know how, but it was a 3 on the tree, Found a Borg Warner T-10 4speed with a 5 bolt bell housing from a 63 Mercury S22.
SN60 Supercharger, Roller Rockers, Windage Tray, Crank scraper and a 411 9″ rear.
Car Screams. Incredible small block. Have shifted into 2nd gear at 7,500 RPM on occasion. Still wanted more.
What a fun little ‘63 Fairlane you’ve got George! It’s always fun to show up with something different than a Mustang. The 3 on the tree was the standard tranny for all engines in the Fairlane line for ‘63. Even the Hi-Po 289 K Code! By ‘64 only the T-10 you’ve got now was available for the Hi-Po.