The Fairlane nameplate dates to the 1950s. But in 1962, Ford shifted the moniker from a full-size car to the new mid-size platform, which would eventually become the Torino. This 1967 Fairlane 500 may once have been a decent survivor, but a tree fell on it, leaving the car’s future in limbo. Located in Kingwood, Texas, this drop-top project or parts car is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,000. An attaboy goes to “Zappenduster” for the flattened tip.
Ford built just 5,428 Fairlane 500 convertibles in 1967 (excluding the XL and GT models). It was in the second year of a two-year redesign, as the cars would catch another makeover in 1968. The cars had stacked headlights just like their big brothers. An inline-6 was standard, and this one was optioned with the entry-level V8 displacing 289 cubic inches. There is no mention of this drop-top running before it was smashed by a falling tree.
Before its demise (premature or otherwise), this was a well-used Ford, pushing 120,000 miles. The body may have been okay, but the red paint was already starting to fade (probably). The interior matches the outside, but things are pretty dirty now. Whether the white convertible top had any issues before the ka-boom is moot now. If you choose to harvest parts, we assume the 289 and the automatic transmission could be used elsewhere.
The big question is whether this car would be worth fixing and restoring. Anything is possible with enough money and time, but there’s likely some hidden damage to its structure. It’s a shame this happened to the car, as there can’t be that many left, especially with a V8 (as the seller points out). What would you do with the automobile if you took it home?
A dirty one for the holidays from Dixon 🇺🇸
I’m the guy who would just cut off the windshield post and just drive it if you have DOT approved eye protection its legal. Washington State is weird because your car doesn’t have to have a windshield but it has to have working windshield wipers. Glad I moved across the border
I like fairlanes and A convertible at that but this not worth it just use for parts my opinion..
It is worth what the driveline is worth.
Leaving (leafing?) the car’s future in LIMB-o! Good one :^}
Well, let’s call a spade a spade, this car was cashed to begin with, the tree just sealed its fate, as a rebuilder, anyway. Shame, it was a nice car, don’t feel too bad, someone did a lot of cruising in this car.
Ok I’m sorry to the guy that’s selling this car. This is worth $750 to $1,000 bucks.
The top is shot, the front end, shot, if it took a hit that hard the frame is most likely bent. You can still pick up a 289 and it’s buddy trans for under a grand here (ohio) for under a grand.
When you look at the pics provided, it hadn’t been on the road for Y E A R S so it would have needed a full restoration and now wouldn’t be worth it.
IMHO which is like buttholes, the car we see isn’t worth near what he’s asking. He made his money (hopefully) from his insurance and is now trying to sell it for more than again, in just my humble opinion, for 3 times it’s worth.
Hope he gets it, it’ll bring up the prices for the guys that have them
Good luck.
Was probably worth the asking price before the tree gave way though even then it needed a lot of work. Certainly not worth it now.
Parts car. Which is unfortunate. Would love to have another of these mid 60’s fairlanes.
Just a rag. You can leave the top out of it.
A lot of good convertible only parts, plus running gear and other goodies.
Good luck finding a car like this in the local Pull-A-Part yard.
great ‘break thru car’ as it set a standard (mid sz w/big car goodies). The stacked hdlghts are such a fav of mine (as well as the 1 piece stamped grill) that I searched for others and think the S-22 merc (’60) had stacked 1st (in the whole industry?).
I’ve had several trees fall over the yrs and been v e r y lucky (once a 5 ft diameter oak fell BETWEEN 2 – a 50s 1200TV & 60s Fulvia in E.MA). What a shock AND immediate relief. There was fire wood for several seasons! Another fell & smashed all my spare bronk (in W. MA) parts.
I’d want to look close as my style of repair might leave ‘a tire shredder’ of a monocoque with this kinda damage. To have it even w/that would B a 2 thumbs up (3?) but tough to sell.
As far as I recall, neither the full-size 1960 Mercurys nor 1960 Comets (S-22 or lesser models) had stacked headlights. Some late Fiftties and early Sixties Mopars & Lincolns and the 1959-60 Buicks had slanted headlamps. As far as I remember, the 1963 full-size Pontiacs were the first domestic cars to offer stacked headlights.
Not the ’57 Nash? ’57 Lincoln?
Looks like cracking bondo on the hood in the picture maybe just the way it was taken
It doesn’t appear rusted, it would need an in person inspection before I would buy it. Pull the door and 3/4 nose it may not be to difficult to fix, provided it’s not rotted underneath. Still 3k is 2k too much but I would take a look at it if it were closer to me.
I concur with the general opinion that this is a parts car! Not in great shape before the tree re-sculpted the body, but a disaster now, likely with a bent frame, there’s just not enough left to save now. Parts would be very hard to find now, so it’s better that this one give up its parts so that another might live, LOL! Save the rare stuff (interior, dash, trunk lid, doors, rear clip) and crush the rest! At $3k, though, it’s priced at about three (3) times what it’s worth. $500 to a grand is closer to the mark!
Easy fix but we are going to need a doner pillar. Also possible that, this would then become the doner.
It’s not a doner, it’s a goner!
It’s a “doner” all right, but also a donor!
Call the crusher. This thing isn’t worth a plug nickel!
sad