My new ride: 1963 Fairlane 500 Sedan

Just got this last week. It'll be my driver. 260 V8 with 2 speed auto. I live in AZ, so I'm glad it's got a/c (not working right now but will!)

I have the owners manual from 1963, the guy bought it in Tucson 6/4/63 and I bought it almost 45 years later exactly! Talk about dry, this car has absolutely no rust at all.

I do need a few parts so if you've got a similar finned fairlane sickness, get in touch with me.

 

Sweet! That thing looks solid in the photos. Be aware that alot of parts only fit 62-65 Fairlanes and can be difficult to track down sometimes. What are your plans? Gonna keep it mostly stock for now? I say it needs some 5 spoke wheels and call it a day.

 

I think I saw that thing on Ebay. Looks like a solid deal for the cash. Just drop it and cruise. Good ish...

 

Here's a thread with lots of 60-64 Ford/Lincoln/Mercs.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155936


Looks like a good solid starting point ya got there, whatever you decide to do with it.

 

FYI, the Galaxies of that era shared some interior pieces, the console for one. Also, don't mess up the trunk lock, they are made out of unobtanium.
The 63 and 64 are pretty much identical, execept for the baby fins.

Enjoy!

 

craig,

that's a clean car! i drove a '65 thru college and loved it.

like some of the other guys have said, some of the parts can be a real pain to find... like try finding a gas tank or any trim pieces. most of the mechanical parts are real easy though.

 

Clean to say the least, nice, nice car. Had a mo' door in high school this yr and style. But not as mint-o body. Mild custom, pehap's?

 

Looks nice & clean, love the color! What's the plan?

 

looks sweet! should be an awesome driver. here's a bigger pic of my 64 from my avatar <---



if you need any parts let me know i have a gazillion parts left over from my build. the guy i bought the car from had 3 sets of trim, hubcaps, door parts interior parts and all kinds of crap for a 64 and some stuff from a 63 (i have a couple 63 grilles and trim and stuff) that came with the car that i didn't really use, so just get in touch with me if you need anything and i'll be glad to help out if i got it.

frank

 

Shoulda bolught mine, it's already done! Not really as good as an Arizona car though. The east coast is worthless for buyin cars.

 

Man, that's a straight lookin' car!
Nice find.
Maybe I'll see it out somewhere so's
I can drool on it.

 

Nice score, that thing looks arrow straight.

 

Yeah, looks like a really clean, sharp car- perfect for a driver in Arizona. Nice car man!

 

i like the color goin to swap the 260 4 a 289 or 302?

 

Man! I love that! I love the spokes too. I might have to put the sport coupe wire caps on mine... I'll be in touch for parts. I posted in the wanted section. I need a few things.

 

Thanks for all the nice words. My plans are to drop it front and back, but just a little cause I don't want to spend the time bagging it. I've got my 61 Rambler wagon and my 27 Modified that both need stuff too. This is suppose to be my driver!

I like the black wheels with the caps, but you never know. The interior is pretty cool, but the seat needs to be repaired on the driver's side. It's got that gangster lean going, but the covers are nice. Not stock, but nice. The brakes need some work and it's got a leak coming from the engine somewhere, that's as far as I've gone. Oh, and I want to get the factory air working. Anyone know of a good swap kit or what parts I should change cause of age?

Thanks for all the good info!
Pikesan

 

I had one of those - except it was a white with red stripe hardtop, with a 289, 271hp with four speed. It was my first new car out of college.

 

I love 63's, wanna trade? I've been thinking about selling my sports coupe bucket seats out of my 64 if you want them.

 

Man, you were lucky!

Have you seen this:
http://www.supermotors.net/vehicles/articles/lfm-issue03-a1-1.php

Its a 63 K car...

It's funny, there's a K in my vin, but it's in the wrong place! DAMN!

 

I learned to drive on a "62 more door, got my license and demolished it the third time out road racing a riveria in the rain. I had a chance to buy one exactly like it recently for $1700, same cream color and everything, and passed it up. Just have too many cars right now, and just couldn't bring myself to buy a 4 door.

 

I have to disagree! The 64 posted by lowriding 'Lane is a 4 door. Did you even notice? I've seen several 4 doors with shaved handles and they look sweet! You can get them cheap and they can look just as nice. My 61 Rambler American wagon is a 4 door cause I thought it looked BETTER than the 2 door wagon. The 2 door's B pillar slanted forward (Nomad-like) too much and looked silly.

Open your mind to the more-doors!

 

I had a gold 63 Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe. 260, auto, buckets, and console. Great car, but not too fast. I had cut the y-pipe off and put Thrush mufflers and 5 feet of straight pipe to the rear axle finished off with chrome tips. Sounded BAD but it's bark was much worse than it's bite. Fooled alot of high school kids. LOL

 

I have a '62 post, basically same thing with different trim. What do you need yet?

 

that thing is really cool. I think it looks great as is. maybe add some trim rings and or dog dish caps and drive the tires off it. nice score man I am jealous.

 

Oh its "done" alright...all it needs is a big magnet to pick it up by the roof and put it in the....

 

Looks like a good find. Hope to see some follow-up pic's. Isn't that the same car as the Thunderbolts?

 

congratulations, it looks like a sweet ride...and it should be a good one for daily driving...

 

Nice car. My dad has a 65 w/289 3spd auto that used to be his mom's (my grandma). He's restored it to bone stock, and it's damn near perfect (especially for a Minnesota car). It's got my name on it now (at least, I've got dibs) but I think he's alot of years away from giving it up.

The only bummer (if you could call it that) is that he just hires the work out to someone else when it needs work. It's such a simple car that I'd love the opportunity to fiddle with the little bits

 

I'm not putting down 4 doors, I just don't want one. You're probably a younger guy, younger guys have grown up with everything being 4 doors even performance cars so they see nothing wrong with them. 4 doors are nice in a lot of ways, especially on a wagon, very practical, but to us older guys, they still look like our parents car----or maybe our kids car now.
At any rate, yes I did notice that the car pictured was a 4 door with shaved handles, that tricks been around for a long time, and it doesn't fool anyone (at least not anyone who knows anything about cars) it's a nice car, but it doesn't have the same clean lines of a 2 door.
Again, I'm not putting down anyones choice, I know what's cool to ME, that's why I don't buy 4 doors, but I wouldn't put anyone down who did.
PS
If The Big 3 had offered a 4 door option on it's muscle cars back in the 60's, they wouldn't have sold one of them. That's just my generation.

 

Nice ,welcome to the club beware of those front springs if ya gonna pull em out to drop it. Unlucky for us all we got were more doors.