Vehicle Description
Although Ford and Chevy built virtually the same number of cars in
1957, you rarely see beautifully restored 1957 Ford Fairlane Club
Victorias like this lovely Torch Red over Colonial White cruiser.
With trim proportions and that dramatic accent line that runs the
length of the body, including the anodized insert up front, this
Ford is an extremely stylish example of 1950s styling and
design.
You can see Ford's first flirtations with the jet-inspired styling
in this handsome Fairlane, including the round taillights that
would become a hallmark for the next decade. Paint quality is very
nice, and even though it's several years old now, the color
combination and dramatic trim makes a great statement and everyone
will want to know what this is when they see it. You could give it
a professional buff to really wake it up, but even as-is, this is a
very handsome car. Gaps are good all around and there's no place
for sloppy work to hide, because that trim needs to line up from
panel to panel. Chrome is bright and shiny, with much of it
appearing to have been re-plated, including the massive bumpers and
simple horizontal grille. Look a little closer and you'll notice
that the Fairlane script on the nose and flanks, as well as the
trunk emblem have been nicely restored and retain all their
detail.
The interior wears original style red and white upholstery, which
looks highly authentic even though it was a complete color change
from blue and white. With full-sized comfort for six, the Fairlane
was as stylish inside as it was outside, and the patterns are once
again the kind of thing that will make you think of our favorite
colorful decade. Showing only moderate wear, the interior is crisp,
bright, and nicely fitted, and you'll note that the front seat is
power-actuated, a nice bonus. The dashboard has been painted to
match the bodywork, and offers a cool rounded instrument pod that
is perfectly framed by the three-spoke steering wheel and its
unique horn ring. The radio has been upgraded to a modern AM/FM
stereo unit, but the dash was not cut to accommodate it and an
original radio could be easily retrofitted, and there's a
vintage-looking under-dash A/C unit that still blows ice cold and
was probably installed decades ago. In back, the massive trunk
features a full-sized spare and a full set of nicely bound carpets
for an upscale look.
Under the hood you'll find a very nicely detailed 292 cubic inch
Y-block V8 sporting a coat of corporate red paint, factory air
cleaner assembly, and a set of simple black valve covers. That
massive air cleaner hides the carburetor, but doesn't hinder the
lovely V8 burble from the tailpipes, augmented by a set of
glasspack-style mufflers. The A/C compressor dominates most of the
engine bay, but you'll see that it has been well-maintained and
nicely detailed, so no shame in opening the hood now and then at
shows. Underneath, the chassis is unrestored but the Ford-O-Matic
automatic transmission still shifts crisply and you have 3.10 gears
in back, making this a car you can drive at modern speeds with
confidence. It rolls on a set of newer 205/75/14 whitewall radials
on the original 15-inch steel wheels with full wheel covers.
I know Chevy fans probably won't be cross-shopping, but this
Fairlane is a wonderful car to drive and the Victoria is a rarely
seen body style. With maintenance records and a ton of potential,
this is a cool car for the Blue Oval faithful. Call today!
