firemanbill

25 or so years ago my Grandmother offered to sell me my Grandpa's 1963 Fairlane after he had passed away. Our Kids were small, we had no money, nor anyway of storing it so we did not get it and went back to Florida... regrettably we had not seen the car since.

Last Monday night my mom tells me to call my uncle, that he had something for me and the rest is history. I now have a 63 Ford Fairlane with the 260 V8. And not just any Fairlane,.. The one I remember riding from Newport to Knoxville in, going to the lake in, going to my Granddad's transmission shop in...Yes THE Fairlane.

I cannot begin to express the joy that this brings me. words like memories, happy times, fun can't scratch the surface. This car is his Legacy... And now it is mine. Oh yeah it will need lots of work, but it runs... and call me crazy, but it still smells like him.

Panther

Wow! Lucky you... :-)

Turbojoe

SWEET!!! Love the fender skirts! I've never been much of a Ford guy but I've had several '69 and older Falcons and Comets. Loved 'em for some reason. Doesn't look like yours needs a lot of work from the pictures. It'll be worth it for every penny that you put into it. Looking forward to restoration pictures.

Joe

Panther

I wasn't aware that there were glued on internal rear view mirrors back then. They were a late '70s - '80s thing.

firemanbill

Thanks guys, I'm still cleaning it at the moment but know for sure it will need some brake work before anything. The body is pretty solid with a few minor rust bubbles. It was stored for 25 years in a carport with a dirt floor. Quite a lot of rust underneath. Will need new floor pans and some new heavy steel around the rear leaf spring brackets. Other than that it is all minor stuff like a window regulator for the drivers door, turn signals (could be bulbs or flasher, haven't gotten that far yet), and a horn. Two big 'ol massive trumpets on the inner fender so can't wait too get them working!

And I wasn't sure on that mirror as to originality either until I started researching. All of the images I can find online show the same type.

Don Sims

Sweet looking ride Bill! Congrats for keeping it in the family and back home!

hayofstacks

Nice man.

I know you are probably fond of the 260, but a fulie 302 with a od would make that car so much more enjoyable if you actually want to drive it.

I have an 86 tbird with a fuel injected 302, I get 28-30mpg highway at 65mph a mile above sea level.

firemanbill

I haven't gotten that far yet but someday I might. As long as I can put whatever I do back to original it is on the table. I will not cut it up to modify anything. The car has never been wrecked and only 77k miles.

I just ordered up a full 4 wheel disc brake kit for it that is complete bolt on using the original spindles, it comes with a power boosted master cylinder and all. I figured out my brake issue is the left front is locked up due to the star adjuster being jammed up and out of position. Going to be a bugger to get that drum of as I can't loosen up those shoes. That and the old single circuit master cylinder has to go!

hayofstacks

Bolt on carb to efi kits are getting better and cheaper. I think most of those were auto 3 sod c4's? Any chance of a toploader or three on the tree? I'm not up on cars built 20+ years before I was born.

firemanbill

This one has the Fordomatic 2 speed auto.

I would love to put an efi kit on it for reliability.

firemanbill

Picked up some cool stuff for the Fairlane off ebay this week. An original owners manual and sales brochure. The car is a dealer demo model, has selling points imprinted on the bottom of it.

Panther

Wouldn't be too many of them around. That was a lucky find.

weathervane

WOW, lucky you. I love the Fairlane. Looks like you will have another car for the rod run next year.

-Andrew