SUMMARY

Authentic R-code Ford Fairlane 500 427 that's uncut and mostly unmodified
Correct 427 cubic inch Side Oiler V8
Toploader 4-speed manual transmission
Correct Ford 9-inch rear axle / Correct 3.89 gears
All-original body / Correct Wimbledon White paint
Mostly original Black all-vinyl interior
Correct R-code-exclusive front disc and rear drum brakes
Sale includes: An original window sticker / Two appraisals / A copy of the car's feature article
Featured in The Performance Ford Club of America's The Ford Enthusiast
Number 52 of 57 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 427s produced

We've all heard the Cinderella stories about fully documented survivor cars that one owner fastidiously preserves and another owner stumbles upon and turns into gold. The problem is, most of those fairy tales involve models that are very common in collector car folklore and, despite high five or even six digit price tags, almost always have equally impressive peers. Well, as you all know, the dedicated staff at RK Motors Charlotte specializes in both rare AND unique automobiles. And our latest one-of-a-kind offering, this fully documented Fairlane 500 427, is one of the coolest classics we've ever seen! Number 52 of 57 R-code Fairlanes produced for the 1966 model year, this clean hardtop wraps a correct 427/4-speed drivetrain in original sheetmetal, largely original vinyl and vintage Wimbledon White single-stage. In the muscle car realm, it doesn't get much more unique than that. And if 'unique' is the name of your game, this full-figure Ford is the ideal investment grade head turner to enhance your authentic collector car ownership experience!

HISTORY/BODY

Referred to as a 1966 by Dearborn execs, this fully documented Fairlane drove out of Ford's Atlanta assembly plant in July of 1966. Destined for the Cincinnati ordering district, the car was sold to Maple Heights, Ohio's Jim Plavney via Independence, Ohio's Independence Ford. Mr. Plavney had been tracking the 500 427's development and, after many attempts to order one of the rare cars, finally took delivery. Without logging any street miles, Jim promptly prepped his new Fairlane for the NHRA Super Stock B Class. And the car would spend the next 17 years and 138 miles focused on traversing 1,320 feet as fast as possible. At the end of that tenure, the Ford, still dressed in Jim's black and silver racing livery, was sold to Clayton and Jeff Baker for a tidy $1,700. The Bakers promptly installed a fresh 427 short block and fresh medium-riser heads, both sourced from Seelye Ford of Kalamazoo, Michigan. And the father/son duo eventually raced the car roughly a dozen times, easily breaching the 10 second bracket in many runs. Eventually, this Fairlane's requisite roll cage was deconstructed in preparation for an easygoing retirement. Incredibly, despite almost two decades of track time, the original sheetmetal encasing that cage was never cut, warped or altered in any way aside from rolled rear fenders. Of course, not all of that original metal is actually metal since the car's original fiberglass hood is present and accounted for. Sometime in the '80s, that metal and resin combo was sprayed in the correct Wimbledon White single-stage you see in our pictures. And today, this Ford rolls as an impressive piece of storied Dearborn history that's guaranteed to turn heads and start conversations!

ENGINE

Unpin the car's functional hood and you'll find a correct, 427 cubic inch Side Oiler V8 that's believed to be the service block installed by the Bakers. When Dearborn brass decided to shove what was essentially a de-tuned NASCAR engine in to their favorite mid-sizer, they probably had a hard time keeping a straight face. After all, what red-blooded car guy wouldn't smile at the thought of a killer combination like this? At full tilt, cool oxygen flows through a rare air cleaner to correct BJ and BK Holleys, which utilize an original throttle linkage. Below those carbs, solid lifter heads anchor correct penthouse valve covers next to a correct aluminum intake and correct transistorized ignition. The beastly mill breathes through correct exhaust manifolds, which roar in to aluminized, true-dual pipes. In front of those manifolds, a correct radiator utilizes pliable FoMoCo hoses and familiar tower clamps to cycle water around a correct clutch fan. And this Ford's tenure with its current owner included a thorough rebuild of the big powerplant and a cosmetic restoration of its clean engine bay.

DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION

Take a peek under this 500 and you'll find a solid chassis that, like the aforementioned engine bay, was thoroughly freshened by the car's current owner. At the center of those bones, a rugged Toploader 4-speed proves very effective at scorching Christmas Trees. That transmission channels power to a date-correct rear end that's stuffed with correct, 3.89 gears. Showing evidence of one-time aftermarket supplements, most likely common traction bars, the car's suspension is currently restored to stock form; including vintage Gabriel shocks that are believed to be original equipment. Stops are smooth thanks to correct, R-code-exclusive front disc and rear drum brakes. The aforementioned exhaust pipes, replaced during the aforementioned freshening, center an H-shape crossover in front of baritone turbo mufflers. And torque melts the pavement through capped and body-matched steelies, which spin correct 7.75-14 BF Goodrich Silvertown blackwalls in front of tough 10.00-15 Firestone Dragster cheaters.

INTERIOR

Between this Fairlane's sizeable doors, a mostly-original interior is pure, unadulterated muscle car. Big bench seats provide plenty of room to stretch out. The dash is stock, but a big Sun Super Tac makes it look hotter than most cars of the day. Wood-trimmed door panels add a little class and style. Fade-free carpet, which frames a curved chrome shifter, covers rock solid floors while an equally nice headliner lines a long roof. The driver spins an ornate factory steering wheel. And behind the passengers, a vast trunk features a correct mat, an original jack and a small spare tire.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

This Fairlane's original window sticker is still attached to its quarter glass. Here's a look at the car's standard and optional equipment:

FAIRLANE 500 2-DOOR HARDTOP

- Wimbledon White paint: $00
- Base 289-2V V8: $105.63
- 427-8V Race Car Package: $1,725.20
- Extra Cooling Package: $25.25
- 7.75x14 black sidewall tires: $21.70
- All vinyl trim: $24.47
- 4-speed transmission: $184.02

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $2,378.40

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT: $2,086.27

TRANSPORTATION CHARGES: $36.45

TOTAL VEHICLE PRICE: $4,501.12

The car's 2008 Boss Exchange appraisal includes the following VIN and Door Tag decode.
VIN: 6A43RXXXXXX

6: 1966 model year
A: Assembled in Atlanta, Georgia
43: Fairlane 500 2-door hardtop
R: 427-8V High Performance V8
XXXXXX: Production Sequence Number

DOOR TAG:

63B: Fairlane 500 2-door hardtop
M: Wimbledon White paint
11: Black trim
20H: Assembled on July 21, 1966
27: Domestic Special Order for Cincinnati, Ohio
H: 9-inch axle that's fitted with 3.89 gears and a locking differential
5: 4-speed manual transmission

OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND ACCESSORIES

Copies of internal Ford letters discussing the 1966 Fairlane 500 427 project
The aforementioned window sticker
A copy of the first owner's 1974 sales ad
Pictures of the car when it was delivered to its second owner
A typed history of ownership from that second owner
A 1988 appraisal conducted by Auto Art
A 2008 appraisal conducted by Boss Exchange
The car's feature article from The Performance Ford Club of America's The Ford Enthusiast
Photos documenting the car's engine and undercarriage before their mild restoration
A reproduction build sheet
Two steel wheels and two 7.75-14 BF Goodrich Silvertown tires

If you're a fan of '60s Detroit muscle that's as pure as the day it left the assembly line, it doesn't get much better than this highly authentic Ford! Unmodified, low-production metal is becoming increasingly hard to find, especially when it comes to cars, like this Fairlane, that lived life as purpose-built gladiators. If you're in the market for an incredible classic that'll be a blast on the road and a hit at the show, your search is officially over!