1963 Ford Fairlane 500

Description

With a smooth and torquey 260 under the hood, a 4-speed manual gearbox for fun, and a high-impact paint job, this 1963 Ford Fairlane 500 is an affordable way to get some Blue Oval power in your garage. The look screams performance and if you're a fan of Ford's mid-sized Fairlane, this is a great way to hang out at all the big car events without spending a ton of cash.

If you like the look of the purple paint, you'll be pleased with the workmanship that created it. Finish quality is pretty darned good, with smooth sheetmetal, good gaps, and decent surface prep before the paint went on. The Fairlane looks sleek with its sloping rear window, and there's a hint of 1950s cool with the small tail fins out back. You also get a taste of the Thunderbolt with a faux hood scoop up front and Ford's jet-inspired taillights are still the coolest of the era. You'll also find a few ghost flames around the body, all rendered in cool Mystic chromatic paint that changes color as you move around the car, a very neat touch that you don't see all that often. Most of the chrome and trim is original, yet it's in good shape, with only the front bumper needing a bit of elbow grease to polish it up. They also added hood pins, unique headlight covers that simulate the "cat's eye" lenses of the '30s, and a blacked-out grille that makes it look aggressive. This car definitely has a great look.

It's a little less radical inside, wearing black vinyl on a pair of bucket seats that are very nicely upholstered. There's also a full-sized rear seat for passengers, reminding us that Ford's mid-sized cars were big, comfortable cruisers as much as street brawlers. A center console houses a Hurst shifter for the 4-speed manual transmission and the original round gauges are big, bold, and clear. A modern steering wheel adds to the performance feel, but the rest is pure 1963 cool, including the chrome details surrounding the instrument panel, the sliding heater controls, and the nicely finished door panels. A Kenwood AM/FM/cassette stereo lives in the original AM radio's spot, feeding speakers stacked on top of the console. Embroidered floor mats protect the carpets and the trunk is fitted with correct mats, a full-sized spare, and a complete jack assembly.

Ford's 260 cubic inch V8 was a strong performer, even in the Fairlane, and this one has obviously had a lot of attention lavished upon it. The bright red engine is what Fords were wearing in the early '60s, but the blue Moroso valve covers and air cleaner give it a more traditional look, especially with the reproduction decal on the air cleaner lid. There's an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor underneath, plus a Weiand aluminum intake manifold, but that appears to be the extent of the modifications. A chrome alternator adds a bit of sparkle and it's nice to see power steering here, something you don't find on Fords of this vintage very often. The dual exhaust system uses glasspack-style mufflers for a great rumble that never gets annoying, and there's an oversized front sway bar to tighten up the handling. Air shocks on the 8-inch rear end allow you to fine-tune the ride height just the way you want it and Torque Thrust wheels and fat 205/60/15 BFG radials are an excellent choice.

An unusual heavy cruiser with decent firepower and an awesome interior. How can you go wrong with this cool Ford? Call now!