Though the Ford Fairlane had a new platform in 1970, that model year would be the nameplate’s swan song. The Fairlane debuted in the mid-1950s, but by 1968 had taken a backseat to the Torino moniker. The seller has a 1970 Fairlane 500 2-door hardtop, which looks to have been tucked away for years. He/she has been working on it but has decided to direct attention elsewhere. Located in Kilbourne, Illinois, this Ford will need more work to be viable again and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,000.
The Fairlane, Torino, and Falcon (mid-year) had a slippery shape in 1970, and just as the Torino in 1971. The Fairlane would be a step down from the Torin,o yet found more than 110,000 buyers as a 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, and a station wagon. Two-thirds of the takers went for the sporty coupe, which used a more formal roofline than the SportsRoof that Torino and Cobra buyers ordered.
We don’t know the history of this car (happens with too many of these barn finds) or how it ended up in the barn/garage where it resides today. The mileage is listed as 321,489, which is probably the seller taking a shortcut by not reviewing the odometer. It has a 302 cubic inch V8 and a 2-barrel carburetor, which the seller is “pretty sure someone has it out of time” (does that mean the timing is off?). The motor cranks, so it’s not locked up from sitting, and a new fuel pump and carb were added. The gas tank is ne,w too, but that was done before the seller got involved.
The interior is gold in color, and that looks right, but the paint job is said to be yellow (or white). One of the floor pans has a soft spot, but otherwise, the undercarriage may be okay. The seller has lost interest in this project, so the next owner gets the task of continuing. But I’d want to bit more information than the photos point to before pulling the trigger. Thanks for the heads up on this one, “Zappenduster”.
Not a serious ad, seller doesn’t have time to throw more junk in it? It doesn’t look like anyone has worked on it in quite a while.
Way overpriced based on the description and what you can see, if interested I’d want to make sure the car is in the sellers name.
Steve R
Decent looking car for the money. The body style never clicked for me, unless it was a Torino, with a Cobra Jet motor…
Grandpa told his grandbaby to snap some pics of the old “hot rod” out in the garage. It’s happening more and more, these days. And is this the 3rd 1970 Ford Fairlane featured this week?
Even though they bought a steering wheel pulled. They still couldn’t get the steering wheel off??? Soft floor means bad rust on a unibody car in the heart of the rust belt. I do like the body style on these along with the Maverick/Comet of the same vintage. But I don’t like it enough to drive 2,000 miles with a trailer to bring in back home to fight Illinois rust. And Big C, I’m betting you are correct. (was trying to scarf up the steering wheel!)
Ok, I have to tell a steering wheel story. When in high-school I worked at a NAPA parts store. We also had a machine shop where we pressed on new axle bearings, re-machined drums and rotors and rebuilt engines and performed all the head and block work. Our machinist was an old codger who if you have ever see Tim Conway’s old man, you get the picture but stick a half chewed cigar in his mouth. He was very good and never had an issue with any of his work. One Friday in the summer this guy comes in. He is about 28 years old and is huge. Like all his life he has been a bodybuilder. His muscles had muscles! He came in to rent a steering wheel puller. George the old used up machinist happened to be behind the counter with me. He looks man mountain in the eye and says, your not strong enough to pull the steering wheel off? Is that the truck out there? Did you loosen the center nut. He nodded. George shuffled out to the guy’s truck and pulled off the steering wheel. (George had shown me the trick and of all the steering wheels I have ever had to pull off, and there has been many. I have only needed a puller once. Anyway, George comes shuffling back in with the guy’s steering wheel in his hand. He hands the guy the steering wheel as he is going back to the shop and says, weakling! The guy never said a word as left and got back in his truck.
I love that story! Got that Tim Conway visual in my head!
I wonder if the seller’s Dad is a television repairman. That looks like an ultimate set of tools to me.
poor pics and a lot of parts thrown everywhere in the car.700.00 tops
It has potential
“Seller lost interest”. I guess so! He left all the tools on the front fenders and just walked away! LOL!
A true car guy do not lose interest in fixing it. the guy/ gal found out just how much parts cost and realised that the car wasn’t worth fixing because he will end up losing money on it.take what you can get for it before it ends up in the crusher.all the old guys that like these cars are all dying and the younger generation don’t want nor can afford them. they are all going to end up there eventually.