Well, there’s no question as to what a bare-metal repaint is with this one. Photographic evidence shows you—this car is stripped of its skin, exposing shiny steel before being rendered in primer and then color. No surprises are going to pop up from hidden accident damage, but even more, this 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 XL is going to gleam, its arrow-straight panels as flat as they could possibly be. If this is your thing, find the car here on eBay for a bid just short of $25K. But be quick—this car ends Wednesday afternoon, and there will be a rush of competition right near the end. If you win, you’ll collect the Fairlane in Waller, Texas. That’s not too far to drive home from no matter where you are!
Roaming the streets from the mid-1950s to 1970, the Ford Fairlane went through seven generations. The car in question is a fifth-gen vehicle, a mid-sized car in the marketing categorization of the day. Available Fairlane models for 1966 stretched from two-door hardtops and coupes to four-doors, convertibles, and even station wagons. The engine choices started at a 200 cubic-inch six-cylinder and topped out in NASCAR homologation specials with 427-CID engines breathing fire out the exhaust. Those allowed NASCAR Grand National (today’s Cup) cars to race similar equipment, albeit, obviously, modified for the single purpose of turning left and going in very, very fast circles. Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett was one driver who showed the way in a Fairlane.
So if you wanna be like Ned, you’re only a sticker package away, though his blue is not as powdery-colored as the car for sale here, which brings up an interesting point: this car looks very authentic, but no claims as to its being a replication of its original specs are made. You’ll just have to be content not to know all you could before you buy if the ad is all the information you have. Looking at the eBay posting, you’ve got the body information, as described above. And, in fact, there are photos of the interior, looking tight, and the 390-CID engine. But the latter is out of the car, so we don’t get to see it nestled between the shock towers, where it is said to make 325hp. That also means you can’t see the mechanical workmanship or how the under-hood systems are put together. For example, is the AC original, or a newly made aftermarket unit? Does the buyer have to take it on faith that the rest of the car will have been as carefully treated as the body appears to have been?
Making that drive home easier will be power steering and the aforementioned air conditioning, so assuming the car has been test-run and sorted, what’s stopping you from going paddle-up, winning the auction, and jumping on a one-way plane to the adventure that will make your summer one to talk about forever?
I believe that this is not an XL, due to the fact that no lights under the arm rest in the front door liners. Plus the e-bay described as an 1966 ford fairlane, not a 500,xl,gt or gta. But I have been wrong before, just ask my kids. Lol
They say a good picture is worth a thousand words. One look at several pictures showing a vehicle in bare metal prior to paint. It doesn’t get better than this. If I was in the market for a classic turn key this would be in my driveway. My Corvair is currently in bare metal. The only problem after media blasting and removing the layers of my onion is a bunch of tears! I wish mine were this nice. It will be after $$$.
My 66 Corvair convert is also in bare metal after removing 6 paint resprays, a few surprises were discovered as well.
Good call Rob. The seats are incorrect and no XL badge above the armrest on the door. My first car was a 66 XL Fairlane.
Of all of the colors in the world…WHY?
That paint looks like the Lavender shade AMC used in the mid 70s. On a Gremlin, ok, on a Fairlane ? nope !
To me it looks like Petty blue, which would be wrong for the year, but might be attractive if you can forgive the a-historicity of it.
Looked a lot better before they screwed it up with paint.