You know that old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, it applies to many things in life and cars are no exception. Sometimes, they appear as pretty much a wreck but have a lot going for them where it really counts and then other times the opposite is true. Here is an example that falls under that adage and it warrants further investigation. It is a 1969 Ford Fairlane, located in Cookeville, Tennessee and available here on eBay for a current bid of $4,051.00, 27 bids tendered so far.
First up, this Ford is being advertised as a Fairlane GT but Ford’s marketing documents from ’69 reference only “Torino GT” model availability and not a Fairlane or a Fairlane 500 “GT” model. Additionally, there is no GT trim adorning the exterior of this Fairlane so it’s safe to say that it is a Fairlane “Sportsroof” which is Ford-speak for a fastback body design.
This Ford has a very cool street-wise vibe about it. The flat finish, lowered suspension, slotted wheels (Ansen Sprints?), black rear valance, removed badges and even missing trim gives it a knowing look. It’s as if someone was trying to transfer a Bullit Mustang aura to a similar era Fairlane. The body is pretty straight and appears to be free of rot or crash damage. A peak underneath shows a lot of surface rust but no corrosion that looks invasive. The underside edges of the quarters and rocker panels may reveal a bit of body filler but the images are not conclusive. While the seller indicates that the body is in “exceptional” condition, he also claims that there is some rust present. That said, none is visible in the accompanying images but he invites visual inspection.
For power, this Fairlane’s VIN paints this as an “F” code which means a 302 CI V8, 220 gross HP engine and that is what’s under the hood. The engine room is grungy and there have been some appearance modifications installed but the 70 K mile engine appears to be in stock form. The seller adds, “Car runs, drives, and operates great without issue.” A Ford three-speed, automatic transmission facilitates gear changes.
Inside is where the, “What to h— happened in here?” discussion begins. The seller states that the front seat will need to be reupholstered; gee, you think? But it’s more, it’s the front seat, the dash, the hanging wires, the “walking carpet”, the steering wheel, the headliner, it’s a real mess! And at that, the front seat, if you can see around the duct tape applique, appears to have been beige, not black like the rest of the interior. Add to this, the plethora of detritus scattered throughout the interior and it just kills the forward momentum that was building after reviewing the “sleeper” exterior.
I really want to like this Fairlane, it seems that there are so few remaining compared to its arch-competitor, the ’69 Chevelle and they’re everywhere. The outward appearance of this Fairlane really drew me in. I lost a little enthusiasm under the hood; it’s OK, nothing special, but the interior killed it for me. So now that I have seen more than just the cover, and read the book, it’s easy to be more objective. This Fairlane has value, no doubt and 27 bids would agree but my attraction for it has simmered. How about you, am I being too tough on this old Ford? Would you still consider it after you’ve have had a chance to review its cover-to-cover story?
Hmm better look this over good, looks like some buggery in the trunk and wheelwells, reference the 2 pop rivets that are visible. The way the old carpets are stacked in the front, seems like its hiding something. Rust under the dash. Wiring disaster, well that’s common on a potential project but it sure doesn’t help him sell the car, along with the garbage in the car. Could have spent sometime underwater?? Good luck, caveat emptor.
Cheers
GPC
Buggery in the trunk and shell wells!
That trashed interior reminds me of a story I heard about a guy that accidentally shut the door on his combine with a raccoon hidden under the seat after warming it up one winter’s day. Long story short, that raccoon tried mightily to get out, chewed up everything, seat, dash, steering wheel shifter…before expiring. The interior cost 5 grand to fix and sanitize I heard.
Just because you can
Doesn’t mean you should
Can’t be the original front seat that looks so,….so awful! The back seat is black along with everything else, except the silver on tan front bench. Trash the front seat.
Neat street vibe on the outside is right, like the wheels and stance, color works well for a Ford, but that 302 needs steroids to really get it on.
The value in this car is what it could be, a cool driver that many people are unfamiliar with. Unlike the Chevelles, GTO’s, Chargers, etc, these never had a big following. I’ll blame it on the Mustang.
I always liked these Torino/Fairlane/Falcon bodies. This one is a bit rough for me.
Might not be available after Monday night storms, centered on Cookeville… Best wishes to all impacted…
Ugly front end, gorgeous rear, looking like it’s trying to be a Mustang Fastback. Overall, I love it
I once had a 69 Torino GT, this is not one of them. Few missing things like the missing hood scoop are a dead giveaway. This rats net will require a bunch of $$ to fix up, and not sure it’s economically viable in this case. You’ll be in over your head before this one is done IMO.
It could be a fun car, but at what cost?
It would have been better to take the seat out for the pics. And the carpet. At least it would afford a look at the floor. The duct tape is hideous LOL
Very well done, Jay. That’s exactly right. Barn Finders, read Jay’s wisdom above. I, too, like the body style but the interior is frightening. One would need a complete kit for it, done by a good shop, and the car has no A/C as far as I can tell, which means I’m out of the race even if i wanted to throw a substantial number at the interior, and whatever else it needs.
Maestro1,
The car does have factory A/C, and power steering and power disc brakes.
There’s alot of bondo on the rocker panels. The knocked out key hole is easily fixed. But does anyone else think the passenger door is off color
The Nugget Gold bench appears to be out of a 68, not a 69 (no headrests). The A/C option seems pretty rare for a relatively inexpensive Fairlane; a big plus! Ford Magnum 500 wheels (IMO) would add a lot to this cars appearance.
The original downflow radiator and fan shroud are missing. My 69 Fairlane Cobra 428CJ has a downflow radiator though my 69 full-size Mercury Marauder has a cross flow flow similar to the one in this Fairlane. Get rid of the flex hose…please.
My favorite Mustang of all time was the 69 fastback which was also called a sportsroof.
well i am the new owner of this fine ride been looking for this horse to ride for 34 years and she has good bones… and she will be my daily driver…