Seeing the success of its compact Falcon in 1960, Ford felt there was a need for another line of automobile between that and the full-size Galaxie. So, in 1962, a mid-size or intermediate car was introduced, and the venerable Fairlane nameplate was applied to it. The car initially competed with the “senior compacts” at General Motors, but they soon had their own middle-tier autos. This 1964 Fairlane 500 looks quite nice and ready to rumble, but surprisingly only has an inline-6 under the hood. Located in Granite Falls, Washington, this cool (?) Ford is available here on craigslist for $14,950.
In 1964, those GM senior compacts took on size, and Chevrolet rolled out the Chevelle, so the boxing gloves were off in this market segment. The Fairlane stuck around in name through 1970, though the new Torino brand would begin to take over in 1968. The 1964 Fairlane shared the Ford family “look”, so it either looked like a smaller Galaxie or a larger Falcon, depending on your viewpoint. The Fairlane had FOMOCO company in the market space in 1962-63 in the form of the Mercury Meteor. Like the Falcon, these cars used unibody construction.
This 1964 Ford looks like an early muscle car with the American Racing wheels and black vinyl bucket seat interior. But it’s really a sheep in wolf’s clothing with a 200 cubic inch inline-6 and a 2-speed automatic transmission under the hood (the old Ford-O-Matic). The car has new brakes and also air conditioning, but that option needs work to get the job done. The wording of the listing suggests a dealer is involved, as a “documentary service fee” may be added to the price.
Everything here appears to be ship-shape, even if a 260 or 289 CI V8 isn’t part of the package. And the seller refers to the status of the title as “salvage” but neglects to offer any explanation as to why or what will be required to convert that status. The odometer is said to read nearly 88,000 miles, yet the paint and interior suggest at least a partial restoration. Overall, this looks like a solid ride that won’t break the bank when it comes time to top off the gas tank. Oh, and thanks for the mild-mannered tip, “Curvette”!
What a neat car, Ford sure had their ducks lined up in the 60s. I was sure this might have been a “Sports Coupe”, and not sure what that means, but this car was a few ticks away on the order form from being one. I think a theft recovery mandates a salvage title too, I’d be cautious with that. Regardless, this car has everything for the future, and a beautiful classic. Or, strip it out and make a Thunderbolt clone,, :0
I never understand why people take nice little cars like this and deck them out like hot rods when they’re not. Why not just enjoy it as a well maintained economy car from the past? Given what’s under the hood, it would certainly have more appeal that way.
Or, or take it all the way and drop in a V8. That 200 CI six isn’t worth building up. JMO.