The Ford Fairlane was born in model-year 1955, and shared some design similarities with the more-famous Tri-Five Chevys as well as their Buick counterparts.
The Fairlane was named after Henry Ford’s estate in Dearborn, MI, called Fair Lane.
As will be obvious as you preuse the generations, the Fairlane underwent several changes throughout its lifespan, but given our affinity for American muscle around here, it’s only fitting that we focus our attention mostly on 1964.
That is the one year where the Ford Fairlane was outfitted with Ford’s then-new 427 cubic-inch 7.0L V8, which spit out more than 650 horsepower and a bunch of competitors on the racetrack. This magical version of the Fairlane was dubbed the Thunderbolt, and you can still find them making sub-10-second passes on dragstrips today.
From its birth to its eventual metamorphosis into the Torino, the Ford Fairlane serves as a noteworthy piece of American automotive history and is beloved by Ford and classic car enthusiasts today.
Learn more about the seven-generation life of the Fairlane from our latest Ride Guide:
The 61 shown is a Galaxie. The Fairlane and Fairlane 500 used the same roof as the 60 Fairlane seen above. And the 61 Fairlane never had the aluminum “washboards” behind the rear wheels.
Very nice I use to have 65 with 289/271hp 4speed 3.50 in the rear end