Nice, straight, clean southern car with beautiful original interior, one repaint, and a great-running V8. Attractive color combination, working period A/C, clean and well-maintained throughout. An affordable and unusual Ford that’s still eminently practical.

In 1962, the Fairlane was what you might consider Ford’s “intermediate” car. Not as big as the Galaxie, but larger than the Falcon. It’s a nice spot to be in today, because the proportions are exactly right. The car has a pure 1960s look that’s very appealing, and it’s still easy to manage in today’s world without being massive. It was discovered on a farm in Georgia where apparently it had been used to simply commute from the house to the outbuildings and there’s some evidence that the 17,376 miles showing on the odometer could be an accurate reading. It was repainted a few years ago in the original code E Viking Blue—a handsome medium metallic blue that looks right on the dashing Fairlane. There are still a few vestiges of the ‘50s in the form of modest tail fins and a lot of chrome brightwork, but the trim Fairlane wears it well and has a lot of presence. The paint has a nice shine and those original body panels fit together quite well, lending credence to the idea that this car has never really been used hard or neglected. Nice glass, bright lenses, and shiny stainless trim make it look crisply detailed and aside from some checking in the Ford emblems, it’s all in very good shape.

The spacious interior is upholstered in original fabric and vinyl with newer carpets to brighten things up. You’ll note that the paint job extended to the door jambs, so it wasn’t some cut-rate job, and there’s remarkably little wear for a vehicle approaching its 60th birthday. The big steering wheel makes the Fairlane easy to manage on the road and while there aren’t a lot of gauges, those this one does have (speed, fuel level, temperature) are all fully operational. The radio has been upgraded to an AM/FM/cassette head unit at some point in the past, and the ancient Allstate A/C unit under the dash was installed in-period and remains fully functional today. Matching blue seat belts were added to the front seat for safety and the headliner is in great shape. The rather large trunk offers correct plaid mats and a brand new full-sized spare tire with its own matching cover.

In the rather large roster of Ford V8s available in the 1960s, you rarely see the 221 cubic inch “Challenger” V8 found in this Fairlane. On paper, its specifications are modest, but on the road it’s energetic and torquey and makes the lightweight Fairlane feel quick around town. This one has been maintained but we don’t believe it has ever been apart, and it runs great—easy starts, a nice idle, and a great V8 purr from the twin tailpipes out back. It’s finished in traditional Ford Blue with a heavy-duty air cleaner up top, with the giant A/C compressor visible front-and-center. It’s still running its original generator, and there’s a sizeable radiator up front to keep things cool. It’s backed by a Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission and 3.25 gears in back make for a nice blend of peppy performance and easy cruising. You’ll note the floors and rockers are extremely clean and solid with nothing to hide, the torque boxes are excellent, and there’s just no evidence this car ever spent time in the snow and salt. There’s also a newer dual exhaust system that sounds great and 195/75/14 whitewall radials on styled steel wheels.

We like this clean Ford for all the right reasons—it’s entertaining to drive, it looks great, it can take the whole family to shows and tours, and it doesn’t cost much to start having fun. If you’ve been looking for a practical way to enjoy the hobby with a car that doesn’t cost much to buy or maintain, take a closer look at this Fairlane then give us a call!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.