While it’s true that station wagons are still around as slightly taller SUVs, nobody will stare at a RAV 4 or an Escape the way that they will stare at a 1960s station wagon. Regardless of brand, the wagon was a ubiquitous sight on American roads for decades, but these days, if you want a wagon, you’ll have to buy it used. That’s where this clean 1965 Ford Fairlane 500 might fill the bill. It’s small enough to handle traffic easily, large enough for people and cargo hauling, and with a 289 under the hood, it’s powerful enough to keep up on modern roads. Barn Finder Curvette spotted this example here on eBay in Portland, Oregon, and while we’re getting down to the wire on the auction, its high bid of $9,400 looks reasonable to me.
While the Fairlane wagon came standard with a 200-cubic-inch six, I don’t think anyone is upset that the original 289 is under the hood of this one, and the seller says that it “purrs like a kitten.” The engine has an aftermarket intake manifold and a new four-barrel carburetor (I can’t quite make out what brand is underneath the air cleaner), in addition to a new distributor, alternator, starter, and “full electrical system.” The 289 could have originally been a 200-horsepower two-barrel or a 225-horsepower four-barrel; the VIN is listed on the eBay ad, but I think there’s a typo or three. Either way, the engine code should be a “C” or an “A. The transmission is a C4, and while “the transmission could use service,” it “engages and shifts correctly.” I take it that a fluid and filter change might be what the seller is referring to (I hope). The front brakes have been converted to discs.
The interior is in excellent condition, with tear-free seats and headliner (and new carpet). The red vinyl is an excellent complement to the white exterior.
The load floor, which is so often scuffed and dented in an old station wagon, looks ready for another 61 years of service.
I was recently watching a YouTube video showing the cars from the Ford-sponsored sitcom Hazel, which ran for five seasons in the 1960s. There are worse fantasy worlds than those featuring nothing but 1960s Ford products, and I imagine that a 1965 Fairlane 500 Wagon would be right at home in the Baxters’ driveway, always available for Hazel to make a run to the store. Her car might not have a set of racy aluminum wheels like this one, but you get the idea. The auction’s almost up, so act fast if you want something that will stand out in a sea of sport-utility vehicles.
Talk about a “square body”. What a cool old car.