Estates remain one of the best sources of classics that represent excellent project candidates. Such is the case with this 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 Sedan. It is an original and unmolested survivor but requires work to return to its former glory. However, it has plenty of positive attributes that increase its appeal. The seller claims that this one-owner gem has a genuine 29,717 miles on the clock, and its engine bay houses a V8. Their decision to list it with No Reserve could make it an affordable candidate that is irresistible to the right person.
Ford launched its Fourth Generation Fairlane range for the 1962 model year, with the final cars rolling off showroom floors in 1965. The original owner ordered this classic in 1964, choosing the popular 500 Sedan derivative. Total Fairlane sales for that year were an impressive 379,012 vehicles, with the 500 Sedan’s tally of 86,919 making it the most common version. Many years have passed since the deceased owner took delivery, and these show in the tired state of the Skylight Blue and Wimbledon White paint. The car is begging for restoration, but there are positive attributes worth considering. The panels are remarkably straight, and visible rust seems quite limited. The seller supplies no information on the floors or trunk pan, but its garage-kept history means it may have been protected from the types of conditions that can wreak havoc on steel. The glass looks clear, and the trim is in good order.
I’m not going to sugar-coat it, because this Fairlane’s interior requires a big helping of TLC. The Blue cloth and vinyl seatcovers are well beyond their best, while the dashpad is badly cracked and the carpet looks tired. However, the door trims and headliner are in good order, removing a complete retrim from the “to-do” list. I performed a brief online search, locating a complete set of seatcovers in the correct material for around $850. A carpet set adds $225 to the tally, and reproduction dashpads retail for around $400. Throw in a few dollars for items like hog rings, and this interior could sparkle for under $1,500.
Powering this Fairlane is the C-Code 289ci V8 that sends 195hp and 282 ft/lbs of torque to the road via a three-speed automatic transmission. Power steering lightens the driver’s load, providing an effortless motoring experience. This is a one-owner, numbers-matching classic that has a claimed 29,717 genuine miles on its odometer. The seller doesn’t mention verifying evidence but indicates that his grandfather was meticulous about its maintenance from Day One. Therefore, if there are service records, they could be all the evidence required to document the odometer reading. The car runs and drives, but has seen very little recent active service. The seller recommends a tune-up and some carburetor work, but I would probably treat the Fairlane to a complete service and a thorough inspection before venturing onto the open road.
Enthusiasts searching for a potentially dirt-cheap project candidate might strike gold with this 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 Sedan. The seller listed it here on eBay in Cincinnati, Ohio. Bidding sits at a mere $510, although there is time remaining for that figure to climb. It is unlikely to become a mega-bucks classic, but with values climbing, it could be an excellent and practical investment if the new owner secures it for the right price. Do those thoughts tempt you?
This brings back memories. One of our family cars was a 1964 Fairlane 500 four-door, much like this. As I recall it served the family well for several years. Yellow with the same white painted roof. It was a ‘demo,’ having served as the local high school’s driver’s education car for a year. Was that how driver’s ed was done in your area back in the day?
You are right Adam, the interior could be improved for only $1500…. if you are good at upholstery and can do it yourself.
Our drivers ed cars were Chevy Malibu’s. The Malaise era ones. But they still had 350’s in them. And the school kept them for around 2 years.
As far as that interior? That’s what they make Mexican blankets for!
I learned in a 53 Belair 4 door with 3 on the tree and two steering columns and pedal assemblies. All came with a 75 year old driving instructor. Great times were had by almost all.
good one!
All those pictures and none of the undercarriage. Neat car, though.
1967 Ford Falcon for my Driver Ed experience. One instructor in the passenger seat who was a really big man and four students; three in the back and the fourth behind the wheel of course. Middle of summer and no A/C. Six cylinder and automatic. Did the course because it was required. But where I really learned to drive was in the family 1966 Chevy Belair sedan with a 283 and three on the tree. Power nothing. The old man taking me to the nearest hill to accomplish ten starts without slipping the clutch or stalling. I still remember my left leg shaking. He was the one who taught me how to parallel park that boat too. But I passed my driving test and I can still parallel park in the tightest place.
Never liked these when they were new, I confess — half-way between a full-size Ford and a Falcon. But it’s appealing now — and I lived in Cincinnati 10 years before this car was made, where our particular neighbourhood happened to have several 1950 Buicks. I’d love to have this car, but I am not prepared to give it what it needs. At my age, it would suit me more, in some ways, than my 379,000-mile 1988 Grand Marquis. Cincinnati gets more rain than snow in January, so rust might not be a serious problem; sometimes February there is spring-like. And in November and Decrmber it rains incessantly. Summers are ungodly hot and humid: you cross the Ohio River to Covington, to cool-off. Locals vacation in Michigan! In fact, when Cincinnati gets a rare summer cool-down, they CALL it “Michigan weather” — or at least they did 70 years ago when I lived there.
Listing ended
@Harrison Reed
I have to agree with you, Harrison, I hate these also, but for very different reasons.
In September of 1963 my father ordered a new 1964 Ford Fairlane 2-door. My father was a very cheap man. It was the most basic car he could buy. Absolutely no frills. The options were an am radio and a heater. He even had a Falcon 6 cyl put in it with 3 on the tree. Mom liked teal so that was the color but was disappointed they put a light brown interior in it. She wanted a teal interior also.
Got the car about 3 months later, late November early December.
Within 3 weeks it got hit. A car in front of us rear-ended the car in front of him, he then panicked and backed up hitting our car. He then took off. Hit & run. Dented the front bumper which my father never fixed.
In the 5 years we had that car it was in 7 accidents. It got rear-ended 3 times, all while parked at my mothers job, she had to park on a busy street, t-boned twice, and front twice. Only one was my mother’s fault. The next winter she ran into a snow bank hitting a cement bridge with steel cables. Crumpled the passenger front fender, broke the outer headlight. He never fixed that either. He did replace the headlight and chrome ring but that was the extent of it. The only time that car got body damage repaired was when the other insurance paid for it.
We took that car on two trips to Arizona with a small teardrop travel trailer. My parents and three kids. Three trips down south, all from N.J.
I damaged the wood frame of the garage door while backing the car out of the garage because when the front bumper got hit and Dad never fixed it, the side of the bumper got pushed out and that caught the wood frame. He never fixed that either.
All in all, I hated that car. It was basic, cheap, small, even smaller with a whole family in it. At least it was replaced with a 1967 Checker Marathon, a big car! Huge!
To Angel Cadillac Diva: YIKES ! — what a string of bad luck! I never had THOSE sorts of problems with the mid-size Fairlane: I think my problem was, ever since the Fairlane replaced the Crestline in 1955, as Ford’s top-line model, something within me resisted its being demoted to a slightly overgrown compact car. Mid-size cars always “bugged” me, somehow. And robert gressard, I agree with you, too: how does the front seat get THAT BAD, after only 29K miles? Yes, the cloth probably is rotting, which would hasten its falling apart with use — but this does not impress me as an exceptionally low mileage survivor, somehow. I’d love to have a close-up look at the rim of the steering-wheel, the gear-shift lever, the original set of keys and other things a driver has to HANDLE: then I’d know. I got my Grand Marquis w h en it had 29,000 miles, and thevtexture moulded into the rim of the steering-wheel still was defined as though new. The keys looked only tenderly used also, and not much. Now, years and years later, the keys are worn, the texture on the steering wheel rim is nearly smooth, the factory pin-striping is wearing off the paint, you can see the angle of wear from my feet on the pedals — and it has 379,000 original miles! But the seats still are in nice shape. Electronic door-locks no longer work, and the cruise-control has taken leave… but the AIR CONDITIONING still works on this ’88!
good grief, thats an *extremely* rough 29k… i know older cars just didnt last as long but damn! i find it hard to believe especially with no evidence.
To Angel Cadillac Diva: YIKES ! — what a string of bad luck! I never had THOSE sorts of problems with the mid-size Fairlane: I think my difficulty was, ever since the Fairlane replaced the Crestline in 1955, as Ford’s top-line model, something within me resisted its being demoted to a slightly overgrown compact car. Mid-size cars always “bugged” me, somehow. And robert gressard, I agree with you, too: how does the front seat get THAT BAD, after only 29K miles? Yes, the cloth probably is rotting, which would hasten its falling apart with use — but this car does not impress me as an exceptionally low mileage survivor, somehow. I’d love to have a close-up look at the rim of the steering-wheel, the gear-shift lever, the original set of keys and other things a driver has to HANDLE: then I’d know. I got my Grand Marquis when it had but 29,000 miles, and the texture moulded into the rim of the steering-wheel still was defined as though new. The keys looked only tenderly used also, and not much. Now, years and years later, the keys are worn through to their brass base metal, the texture on the steering wheel rim is nearly smooth, the factory pin-striping is fading off the paint, you can see the angle of wear from my feet on the pedals — and it has 379,000 original miles! But the seats still are in nice shape. Electronic door-locks no longer work, and the cruise-control has taken leave… but the AIR CONDITIONING still works on this ’88!