Farewell Fairlanes

[LoBelly]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...390469764.html


I remember my first ride in a Fairlane, I was probably about 16, the fanbelt on the family sedan had carked it on an empty stretch of highway on the way back from a country tennis tournament. Dad sent me back to the town with a passer by who dropped me off at the local dealer I purchased the new fan belt according to instructions and then walked to the caravan park where the others from the club were packing up.

One of the chaps, Alan, had a new Fairlane and drove me back out to the stranded family. It was big and FAST - I looked over at the speedo and we're doing 140, Alan gives me a wink and says 'do you want the sunroof open' and with a flick of the switch the electric sunroof winds back. I'm totally floored at the opulance, power, features - you name it.

Roll forward about 24 year and I was still looking forward to rides in Fairlanes, its early Monday dark and cold - the driver is waiting at the end of the drive and the only sound is the creak of the front door closing behind me and the low purr of the Fairlane engine. Driver takes the bags and gets the door and we head for the airport. I'm totally relaxed in the big armchair as sleep deprived disk jockeys or the BBC world service are talking and the first pre-dawn light turns the dark blue sky a shade lighter.

As we travel we encounter other leviathans migrating in the same direction and take our turns disembarking to spend another week away.

Best of all was Fridays return. Everyone has tried to elbow their way past on the way to the carosel, I maintain an even pace - stop at the chocolate shop to pick up a little treat for herself - arriving at the carosel the driver is waiting - takes the bags (despite feeble protests) and wheels out the waiting row of Fairlanes mostly white, some black - some going, others arriving.

If its John then I'm in the back seat, if its Mustafa (or practically anyone else) its the front seat. As we leave the airport I survey the taxi rank - if they only knew...

Going to have to nab a Fairlane while I can

LoBelly

[troll]

they stopped making fairlanes in 69 or 70 in the states.Maverick was its replacement.I have a 56 Fairlane victoria and a 63 fairlane 500.Day and night there.Its a name they play with back and forth.That photo isnt anything Ive ever seen.Looks a little like a 64 chebby chabelle.a little!
Are there any 56 or 63 right hand steering fairlane's,that would be interesting to see.

[Aussie Mike]

Here's a link that shows the shapes of the Aussie Fairlanes from about 1967 onwards. Aussie Fairlanes

Australia built Fairlanes have always been based on the Falcon Platform. I believe prior to 1967 they were the same as the US Fairlanes. The Aussie Fairlane is in most cases just a streched Falcon with a larger boot. Most of the running gear is interchangable between the two.

Holden (GM) did the same with it's Brougham and later the Statesman. These were based on the Kingswood or the later Commodore platform. By stretching the wheel base 4" to give the car more room in the rear seats and equipping it with better trim package they had a luxury car.

I've always been a fan of the ZD Fairlane from 1971.

Cheers

[Jac Mac]

Pretty sure the Fairlane was built on the same platform or floorpan as the Wagon or Ute Mike, only real difference was in the rear guards which continue right over and past the rear wheel arch by approx 4". Doors were the same as the Falcon Sedan.

Just like the XA/B/C Coupes, If you can find a good rear 1/2 of a coupe that has had a frontal all you need to repair it is a ute of the same year to make a good car. Screen /doors etc of coupe/ute are apparently the same. Door glass is specific to coupe but doors are same.

cheers
Jac Mac

[BMK]

Yes and Ford have stated that there will be no jobs lost...

Luckily we still have the ute....or should I say I have the utility..

[LoBelly]

Australia built Fairlanes have always been based on the Falcon Platform...

I dont think so. The Fairlane was always built on a longer wheelbase, this gave it the extra space and a fantastic ride.

Seeing the popularity of the Fairlane Holden created the Brougham by extending the boot on the Kingswood before coming up with the Statesman. I think they were caught out by the front sections on the falcon/fairlane being the same - or perhaps they thought that if they just made it longer no-one would notice

This is my favorite:

looks like a ready-made pimp mobile

LoBelly

[Aussie Mike]

The suspension, doors etc is all interchangable is what I meant. I think Jac is correct thay are based on the Falcon waggon floor plan.

Cheers

[troll]

They sure did things different down under.
Ive seen and had alot of these cars .65 falcon and 63 fairlane are not at all the same.At a glance maybe.Falcon and mustang maybe and even they are different.The fairlane was an interemediate from 62.Look what ford did to the fairlane later on ,a torino t bird and linclon were getting to be the same car.It just a word to ford they have no loyalty to that name thing.The most popular T bird was the 76 I believe.And that was as far from a t bird as one can get.It was a torio with T bird badges.

[boxhead]

I like the Landau models, big fat coupe.
A mate had one when we where all 20 years younger, it was dark blue and had the headlights behind the little grilles (just like in LoBelly's pic) It also had bucket seats in the back.

[troll]

Hey Bernie is that ute for real? I like that! do they have 4x4 as an option?
That would fit well in Utah as the state was named after Ute Indians. Love the plates.

[Aussie Mike]

I reckon Utes are basically the Aussie sports car. We have quite a few hot versions from GM and Ford. Bernies runs An Aussie version of the 5.4 modular motor but they are equipped with the 4 valve heads from the 4.6 Cobra motor. It makes about 350HP in standard form and theres a 390HP version.

I had one a couple of years older than Bernies that ran a 347 Windsor motor and made 335HP factory stock.

We even have a race series for these vehicles down here that's pretty spectacular to watch.

Cheers

[dbn04]

try this link for one with a little bit more hp than bernies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxSUSHPa5tc

[troll]

Damn I dont do youtube.It takes an hour with what I have.
Ford doesnt offer anything like that,That I have seen.So ute means utility right.I have a 66 bronco and it is a ute for sure.The windows in the doors are not even in it.What were Bronco's like down under????.
I went to Sydney in july of 1970.spend 5 days there.Rand R from Veitnam.Got a tatoo there,(kings cross is that right) I always show it to people and say $2.00 Sydney Australia..Five days is not enough time for a place like that.You would need a few months to see more.

[dbn04]

troll,
check in my gallery for the gm version, and you would be right you do need a few months to "check out this place"

[troll]

where do you set the points.
That is nothing one can get here for sure,My son knows of them.Maybe I shoud read the other book we have here,I like them.Ute is just a nickname them.Right!.Its a Rancho or Elcamino.In 65 ford had something like that it was on a falcon,and it also was ruined by Ford by making it into a big car.When Ford started turning them into luxury cars I stopped looking.ie 65/66 mustang to 67 mustang.Same thing they did to the T BIRD.
Good hell that Cobra has such bright paint I could see a couple pink things reflecting so bright I couldnt see the car.LOL!

[Aussie Mike]

Ute is short for Utility. We don't have many special name for each model they normally just call them after the sedan they are based on i.e. Falcon Utility or Commodore Utility.

The enly ones that seem to get their own name are the super hot versions. HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) call their version of the Commodore Ute the "Maloo". The FPV version (Ford Performance Vehicles) is called the "Pursuit".

FPV

HSV

Cheers

[troll]

eddie bauer We get the EDDIE BAUER on cars.What a deal.He invented the down filled coat and made tennis rackets.These guys (most folks)go clear crazy over it.Ive been globalized by you guys.Those are some nice cars.Are they real popular,I can imagine they are.Im going to study that stuff.Are you guys sure you are desendants of convicts.LOL Im truly impressed.

[troll]

So tell me what are your standard models IE mustang ,500 ,focus along those lines.What do most people drive to work?Our choices are less.

[Aussie Mike]

As far as domestic cars go the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are probably the most popular choices. Both Toyota and Mitsubishi have manufacturing plants here producing Australian models as well. Toyota have the Aurion whilst Mitsubishi have the Magna and their new 380. Both are pitched directly against the Falcon and Commodore but they haven't really attacked the high performance models yet.

There's plenty of other stuff from Europe and Japan to choose from as well.

Cheers

[sambo]

...and far too many SUVs blocking my vision these days!