Fantastic Ford Fairlane

It was a quiet afternoon, sometime in mid-2010 – an ordinary day at home, but then suddenly I heard a thunderous roar coming from our front yard.

Rushing out to see what was going on, I stumbled upon a beautiful, classic beast idling in front of our house, and my uncle standing beside it. The sky blue 1967 Ford Fairlane was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

For many years, my uncle had spoken of his dream car, and finally he had it, and the two fit so perfectly together.

I could see why he had such an affinity for the Fairlane. The car literally takes you back in time with its stunning vintage features. The body is big and bulky, but well put together – something you would imagine Frank Sinatra would drive. I must say, I too fell in love with this car.

The Fairlane first came into existence in 1955 in North America. The name was derived from Henry Ford’s estate, Fair Lane in Michigan. The design of the Fairlane took many different forms throughout its production years, but still remained true to its elegant aesthetic.

The first generation Fairlane, produced in 1955/1956 offered six different body styles including the Crown Victoria Skyliner with a tinted, transparent plastic roof, the regular Crown Victoria coupe with lots of stainless steel trim, a convertible Sunliner, the Victoria hardtop coupe, and traditional sedans.

The designs that really have my eye are the later ones in the series. From the fifth generation onwards, the shape takes on a more boxy design rather than the eloquent frame from the earlier years.

Minor trim changes were introduced in 1967 as the Fairlane underwent a minor facelift. The 289 CID small-block became the base V8, with a 200 CID six standard, with the 390 CID optional, with either two- or four-barrel carburetor, 240 kW.

The notable addition in the 1967 model year was a Ranchero pick-up as part of the Fairlane range.

The 1967 Fairlane included a variety of federal government-mandated safety features, including a new energy-absorbing steering column with a large padded steering wheel hub, soft interior trim, four-way hazard flashers, a dual-chamber braking system and shoulder belt anchors. The convertible had a tempered safety glass rear window.

When the Fairlane takes, its large V8 engine’s roar can be heard from miles away, announcing its presence before it arrives. While driving in a city where classics are a rare sight, Windhoek citizens heads’ would turn as the Fairlane rolled by.

Despite it being a historically stunning vehicle, the Fairlane is a perfect car for memories. My uncle’s sky blue Fairlane is now a deep purple, equally as breathtaking. When he passed, his prized possession stood in our yard for a while, and every Sunday we would take drives to the cemetery – a wonderful memory in the Fairlane.