Vehicle Description
This 1963 Ford Fairlane 500XL shows you the right way to build a
resto-mod. Outside, you have a clean, sharp, and very 1960s Ford
Fairlane hardtop. Inside, however, you have a fuel injected 5.0, an
overdrive transmission, and 4-wheel disc brakes. This is the car
that does everything well: resto-mod done right.
Code B Peacock Blue is this car's original color, and now that
you've seen it in person, why would you choose anything else? It's
the ideal color for an early '60s car with vestigial tailfins and
perfect for the guy who wants to keep a low profile. Well,
actually, it's quite striking, so you're going to get noticed, but
few will expect the modern powerplant living under the hood. It's
been restored to a very high standard, with great gaps and all the
original trim still in place, and there's simply no angle from
which this car doesn't look great. The simple grille doesn't need
any extra ornamentation and the hardtop roofline makes it look
aggressive without being too obvious about it. The 500XL was the
top-of-the-line, so luxury was the theme as much as performance,
but it does look racy doesn't it? The strip of contrasting white
inside the side trim makes the Fairlane look a mile long and the
jet-inspired taillights are a Ford tradition that works especially
well with the twin tailpipes underneath.
The handsome blue bucket seat interior further blurs the line
between original and modified, with comfortable buckets and a
custom center console. The shifter is from a late-model Ford, and
that's a neat touch, while the steering wheel is a Grant GT piece
that adds some heft to the steering. Original gauges and an
under-dash A/C unit keep it in tune with the 1960s, and thanks to
modern hardware working behind the scenes, the system blows ice
cold. It also offers a tilt steering column, a Kenwood AM/FM/CD
stereo system that sounds pretty darned good, and custom
embroidered floor mats protect the blue carpets. The back seat
looks almost completely unused and the large trunk is fully
upholstered in black carpet for easy maintenance.
You could get a Fairlane with a 260 cubic inch V8 in 1963, and as a
result, the late-model 5.0 liter V8 slides right in like it was
born there. This particular 5.0 comes from a 1998 Ford and as such
enjoys the benefits of years of development, not the least of which
are a full roller valvetrain, distributor-less ignition, and a set
of factory GT40P heads, which were standard equipment. The familiar
intake helps build torque and if you need more power, well, there's
a massive catalog of upgrade parts just a phone call away. A
massive aluminum radiator keeps things nice and cool and they tried
to keep everything look as OEM as possible, including the air
intake. Underneath there's an AOD 4-speed automatic transmission
with overdrive, so this is a fantastic highway car that actually
gets decent fuel economy and there's a wonderful soft burble from
the dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers; everyone is going to
recognize the sound this one makes, that's for sure! The front
suspension is upgraded with Mustang II rack-and-pinion steering and
disc brakes, while the 8.8-inch rear end offers its own discs as
well. It's clean and well-engineered underneath and sits exactly
right on staggered Torque Thrust wheels and 225/55/16 front and
245/45/17 rear performance radials.
This is a very cool car. Turn the key and the 5.0 starts instantly,
idles properly, and always delivers the goods. The Fairlane has
awesome good looks. It seems like a match made in heaven. Call
today!
