Sometimes a person just wants an old car to own, drive, and tinker with on weekends. Nothing fancy, nothing that would interest the recently-retired millionaires who just sold their huge construction companies and are now buying every restored muscle in sight on TV auctions. Just a car. “One with four doors?!” Yes, even one with four doors, like this 1961 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan.
Some of you may picture this car as a law enforcement vehicle, such as the one that Andy and Barney drove on The Andy Griffith Show. The first season used a 1960 Fairlane but season two had a 1961 Fairlane Town Sedan such as this example. Whether it’s Highway Patrol, The Andy Griffith Show, Adam-12, CHiPs, The Fast and the Furious, or anything in-between, car fanatics live for car spotting in any TV show or movie, old or new. It’s just what we do, we can’t help it, it’s in our DNA. And not just law enforcement shows, but they seem to be more car-heavy.
Four doors or not, this is a great-looking car, just a regular car like millions of people used to drive. Not many people drove a Hemi Cuda to the store or to pick their kids up at school. A car like this should dredge up more memories than a million Mach I Mustangs or ’63 Corvettes. This is what your parents, grandparents, or your favorite neighbor drove. You were one lucky kid if your grandpa drove a ’71 Chevelle SS with a 454. My WWII Navy vet grandpa drove cars like this Fairlane, and memories are more powerful than any monster V8.
Ford made the third-generation Fairlane for just two years, 1960 and 1961, and they were restyled for each of those two years. The 1960 was especially modern compared to the 1959 Fairlane, which still looked like a 1950s car (because it was), and the 1961 carried the modern theme even further. They came in two body styles in 1961: a two-door Club Sedan and the four-door Town Sedan as seen here. You can see a third pedal there, this one has a three-speed manual on the column. And you can also see that the steering wheel has seen better days. The seat fabric is also worn and torn in some areas on the front bench seat, but who cares? That’s part of the weekend tinkering that the next owner will be doing on this car.
The sellers have done a lot of maintenance to keep this Town Sedan working well. It’s been a great car for their family and it has never let them down, but they’re ready for another old car experience. I really like this family, I can picture them piling in and driving around on weekends in this car. They do acknowledge that there’s a bit of rust popping up here and there and the headliner is torn at the left C-pillar area but, otherwise, the back seat looks like new. Hagerty is at $4,600 for a #4 fair-condition car and $9,600 for a #3 good car, this one is right on the money.
The paint is faded a bit on the top portions of the body, but they are on my body, too. This is a 63-year-old car, it’s not in perfect condition but in my opinion, it’s a perfect car for a beginning car hobbyist or even one who is fed up with the current million-dollar muscle car overload. A car like this is the equivalent of a body cleanse, it’s a soul cleanse. It’s cheap enough for a young person to jump into the vintage car world. It’s easy to work on and maintain yourself, it’s cool with a mid-century vibe, and it’s fun to drive with a V8 and three-speed manual. It’s an unusual shifter for some people but one that won’t take long to master and once you do, this car is virtually theft-proof.
As expected from a family that seemed to care about this car, the engine and engine compartment look perfect. It doesn’t look new, but it looks appropriate for the year and the care that this Fairlane has had over the decades. That’s Ford’s 292-cu.in. OHV V8 with 175 horsepower and 279 lb-ft of torque when new. They say that this car starts, drives, and brakes very well, and it has new brake lines and brakes 10,000 miles ago, a rebuilt steering gear, freshly-tuned valves, the generator was recently rebuilt, and it has a new voltage regulator. It’s posted here on craigslist in Rogers, Minnesota and they’re asking $5,900. Here is the original listing. I’m a bit older than a lot of Barn Finds readers so we don’t have the same memories from the same era, but what are the cars that draw out the good memories of growing up for you? As always, there are no wrong answers!
It’s not perfect, but doesn’t need to be based on the asking price. Good candidate for someone that wants an inexpensive classic to take to cars and coffee. Unfortunately, after 25 days, the market says it isn’t interested. Good deals don’t last, the market is softening, cars without a strong following are leading the way down.
Steve R
All auto markets seem to be softening. They won’t bottom out but I suspect others are watching to see where the landing point is before going after stuff again. Another factor, and one that needs to be seriously considered, is ANYTHING that seems to need any basic work at all has less interest and absolutely I have seen a definite drop in interest for anything needing work to get back on the road. Sure, there are high end exceptions, but I watch stuff regularly and consistently and I’m seeing vehicles that would’ve sold ten years ago just sit. I honestly do not think there are as many people who want to revive old vehicles anymore. Combine that with some sellers still thinking they have a Mecum special and it makes for a much tougher market. This is a nice car. I’ve been watching it most of those 25 days :-D I just don’t have the spare $ right now, or I’d make an offer myself. Love those early 60s Fords–the transition from the 50s to the late 60s was beautiful, imo.
I’d wager this particular Ford was bought by a farmer. Being practical as most farmers are, he wanted a good basic transportation vehicle with no frills.
Efram Zimblist JR A fever In The Blood that came out in 1961. Zimblist played an honest judge trying to beat an evil political machine. The bad guys were driving
a black one like this in the film. It’s
been about 50 years since I saw it on
TV somewhere but this car is really
nice for what you get. If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. If the design is
good, you don’t need a lot of tinsel on
it to doll it up! It looks great just the
way it is, a basic beauty that’s very
refreshing to see her. For me, all it needs is a really good stereo (one that I can put myself) and some vintage air for these brutally hot Florida summers. Yeah, I’m gonna
have to teach the girls how to drive a
3-on-the-tree, but that’s just small stuff. I can see it now, Sis and I using
it for Door Dash on nice days. Oops,
almost forgot adding electric wipers
with that on-off feature that my K-5 has a long with a 2-pot master cylinder with disc brakes up front for
better stopping. Sure wished I had
the cash to buy it and drive it back to
Florida for my family to enjoy.
The ’61 Starliner was, IMHO, one of the best looking cars of the ’60’s. From the back and the front? This more door has that same great look. Definitely worth the money.
I had a friend in the late 70s who owned a red ’61 Starliner. It was in immaculate condition. It had the 390 V8.
Nice !
I like the fact that it has a 3 speed. Most modest powered Fords during this time had the 2 speed Fordomatic. Lots of speed parts out there to beef up that 292 also. It would make a nice sleeper.
What’s not to love? A 292, 3-speed on the tree, no power assist for the brakes and it even has Armstrong steering! This car takes you back to when driving was an “involving” experience! I’d just install glass packs and let that Y-Block sing to me while we drove.
The author is as predictable as 6:00 o’ clock at 5:30. I knew he was going to mention Andy Griffith. Fact is, while only a few early episodes featured a 1960 Ford, the ’61 Ford patrol car was probably the most used. I beg to differ on Terrry saying it was a farmer, this car was the staple of lower-middle class America. I read, in 1961, the Town Sedan was Fords most popular seller. At about $2350, over 254,000 were sold. Most had the 6, and the V8 added about $115 bucks. So, why did most of these cars have a stick? It came down to cost. Generally bought by frugal buyers, the automatic was still a hefty option, almost $300 bucks in some cases, the most expensive option, besides A/C. Stick shift, no P/S or P/B, going to hold back sales. A shame as this would be a really nice daily driver.
I’d prefer the stick. Automatics have a habit of suddenly “going out” or leaking, especially the front seal with such an older car. Also depends where you live, the big city, then maybe an automatic is better.
I had 62 with a 352 and automatic transmission. PRNDL. Does this seem right? Of course, I bought it used in 70. Brand new married then.. My new wife made me leave the ‘Just Married’ paint on the trunk deck for 3 weeks in the lovely June sun. It never did buff out.
Had one of these for a little while, but fancier trim and a 6 cyl. Gawd, what a turd! I would have kept it if it at least had the 292.
I would love to own this one. If I wasn’t already car poor, I’d be all over it. My first car was almost identical except it had a 390 with the 3 speed. Maybe I missed it in the listing, but this one is not just a 3 speed but also has overdrive. So nice to see that someone has preserved it. Hopefully the buyer will not destroy it with an LS swap and aftermarket wheels.
Looks like it has an automatic to me. Looking close you can see the wide brake pedal that cars with an automatic have. The third pedal way to the left is not a clutch pedal. It’s the parking brake. Also the shift indicator for an automatic can be seen on the top of the steering column.
Cool car. I wouldn’t touch it. Make a good movie prop in some period film. I’m out of room or I’d grab it.
Whoops. I’m looking at the pic even closer. I’m wrong. What I thought was the brake pedal is a clutch pedal. The brake pedal is hidden behind the steering wheel in the pic. It does, indeed, have a 3 speed, not an automatic.
Hopefully I won’t be flogged too many times for my error.
Hi pdc, nah, we don’t do that here, your opinion is as valid as the next. I see you realized it is a stick, but got me wonderin’, that clutch pedal does look like a brake pedal, and images of other 3 speed Fords show, they did use a bigger clutch pedal. I never saw that before, and thought only IH did that.
Granddad was tickled pink when he bought his 1962 Town Sedan with the 292. His was white with a blue interior, but with an automatic tranny.
According to my grandmother, it looked like every other 4-door white sedan in town. To make it easier for her to know which car to get into when shopping downtown, Grandpa put a big silver horse hood ornament on the front. Grandma complained that she didn’t always see that hood ornament, especially when she was approaching the car from the rear, as when it would’ve been parallel parked. So, Grandpa put two of those bobble-headed plaster dogs in the back window shelf. She knew it was their car!
His Ford had “armstrong steering” as well, but he fixed that by adding a steering wheel knob, which had the picture of a pretty, young lady wearing a bathing suit (which happened to fall off as you turned the knob!). Maybe not so politically correct these days, but it was a great car.
The door panels are quite stylish. Almost seem out of place on such a pedestrian automobile.
This reminds me of something my grandfather drove in the day. Too bad it’s a four door. But I suppose it doesn’t matter on such a basic automobile.
My grandfather had Fords like this, too, plain, bottom of the line, but two-door sedans and six cylinders, stick shift on the column. Basic transportation for thrifty people who had lived through the Great Depression and didn’t need expensive status symbols.
He had a ’54, then a ’59, then a ’63 and finally a ’68. Always a Ford, always a two-door sedan, always a six-cylinder standard shift.
Tooooo Many doors!!!!!
sold
Mom had a ’61. Bartered by Dad for work. Mom thought it was a great car. Exactly as stated above by many, it was a good car for frugal people.
Scotty nailed this write-up. The car is a great example of a regular car of its day, maybe even a lower-than-regular car given the three-speed manual. And, the polar opposite of the high-dollar collector car world which seems to get all the publicity.
I’ve mentioned this before: any car with a three-on-the-tree is fine with me.
My first car was a 57 Ford Custom. A six with three on the tree. Bare bones car. One sun-visor, one armrest on drivers side only. No heater, no radio. Wish I never had let it go. The Customs are pretty scarce now. Sold it in ’71 to buy a 65 Comet Cyclone which I, fortunately, still have.
Also have another three on the tree car, a 58 Ranchero, also with overdrive and the Interceptor 352 which I bought it in ’73. Love that OD unit. Fun car.
I go to a fairly prominent east coast auction about 4 times a year. As someone alluded, it’s full of Camaros, Chevelles, Mustangs, etc. almost to the point of cliche. But every now and then a base no frills model sneaks in and I oddly enjoy them the most. Although great sellers when new, these plain janes are rare birds now as most of them were sold down several times in their lives as basic transportation until nothing was left in them but to finish their days in a scrapyard. My mill worker grand-dad drove a 53 Mercury, 60 Falcon, and 62 Comet with no more frills than this Fairlane has. They were all he needed. He had the odd habit of often skipping 2nd gear on the three speed and maintained his Depression era trait of “coasting” on hills to save gas. At least this Fairlane has a radio. I wish such basic transportation was available today, but that’s another subject matter.
My brother had a 61 2 dr hardtop. 390 with the chrome air cleaner and valve covers, a 3-speed overdrive, and 4.11 gears. Black with a red interior. Power steering and brakes. It seems like it would go about 150 mph with the overdrive, well maybe 110. My brother only had to replace one rear end. It was ordered as a Dealer Demo at a local Ford dealer, probably for his kid.
Someone mentioned a ’61 Starliner as the most beautiful car. This story is for them. Many years ago, whilst wandering through a junkyard in SC Wis., a worker was loading scrap cars on a flatbed, the top car crushing the one below it. Stacked about 5 high. He would take the forks and skewer the car in the doors, and lifting it. His next “victim” was a white ’61 2 door Starliner, with no drivetrain, but the body was in perfect shape. He was just about to stab it, I said “WAIT”,,,”What”, he said, I said, that’s a ’61 Starliner, don’t scrap it. He said, do you want it or don’t you? I said, well. I don’t, but someone might. He said, no time, and with that skewered the car. I couldn’t watch.
Oh, one more. I had a friend many years ago, he inherited his grandfathers car, and while he mentioned it was a ’61 Ford, not much else. When I went to see it, at his grandfathers abandoned farm, I was amazed it was a ’61 Starliner, sunk up to the hub caps in mud. I wonder what ever happened to that car?
I’m sure as a kid I would have said this was a really dull design, but now, I think it’s charming.
My mother had a 61 Sunliner convertible with the 352 and the auto trans. Dark metallic blue with a blue interior and a white top. Gorgeous car then and would be now. Her next car was a 63 Galaxy 500 XL. It only had the 289 2bbl but with Burgundy paint a a black top and interior it was also gorgeous. Two of the best looking cars in the early 60’s.