Looking back at the earlier years of the Ford Fairlane takes you back to when car manufacturers made design and mechanical changes to cars year by year. We then realized that it’s better to do it in generations because it is more cost effective, and people have time to see what they like or dislike about cars. But if they hadn’t done so we wouldn’t have so many makes and models to remember.
The Ford Fairlane came with what was eventually known as the Fairlane stripe. This stripe that ran from front to back and made cars look more dramatic and dashing. It made it easy to create two-tone models, which made the Ford Fairline stand above the rest. When it debuted, it became Ford’s top full-size car.
When we talk about the Ford Fairline, it’s all about the stripe for those early Fairlane models like the 1955 Fairlane. The Fairlane stripes started on the top of the front fender and headed toward the windshield. It then dropped down the front door and made a V-line, halfway up to the taillights.
In its debut year in 1955, there were six Fairlane versions with both two-door and four-door sedans and hardtops, two-door convertibles, and a station wagon. The engine options were a 3.7L straight 6-cylinder and a 4.5L V8. Eventually, there would also be an optional 4.8L Y-block, known as the Thunderbird V8.
Then, it was time for the second generation to hit the street. The chrome Fairlane stripes in 1957 started from the headlights, brushing into a wider line going straight, eventually taking a tilt upward and finishing along into the rear quarter panels.
A retractable hardtop was included on the Fairlane 500 Skyliner, which was what the convertible was known as. Another Fairline in the 1957 lineup was the Town Sedan; it featured a Thunderbird V8 that put out 245 horsepower.
It was also an awesome fact to note that in 1957, it was the first time in 20 years that Ford outsold Chevrolet; solely because of the Ford Fairline.
The second generation of Fairlanes introduced a new model when the Ford Fairlane Galaxie was rolled out. It featured Fairlane and Galaxie badging. Eventually, the Galaxie would become its own model and separate from the Fairline.
The third and fourth generation Fairlanes, taking place from 1960 to 1965, took a step back with design. Because the Ford Galaxie series became its own thing, it was the newest and hottest car in the Ford line up.
The Fairlane lasted from 1955 to 1970, covering over seven generations. It helped name a number of Ford car staples, including the Crown Victoria, the Ford Five Hundred, and the Galaxie.
And even though it changed its look perhaps more than any other Ford model, the Fairlane created and kept fans along the road and along the way.