Michael Riley's Blog: The aspiration and the original

An unrestored Fairlane 500 and a rotisserie-restored Fairlane GTA represent a perfect pair from Ford's 1966 intermediate line. Photos by Richard Lentinello.

Ford was on a hot streak in 1966. Mustangs were flying out of showrooms, and the Ferrari-killing GT40 won its first victory at Le Mans. The company's mid-size Fairlane sported crisp new bodies and, in its 13 variants, a wide range of trims and engines that appealed to a broad audience. For one enthusiast, the appeal was so strong that he bought one brand new and meticulously kept it for more than 45 years, and would later locate another beautifully restored example that represented the pinnacle of this model and year.

The runaway success of Pontiac's GTO showed Ford that there was something to be gained from wedging a big-block V-8 under an intermediate's hood. Dearborn countered in 1966 with the top-of-the-line Fairlane GT and GTA, cars that differed only by their transmission: GTs used a manual three-speed or Toploader four-speed, while GTAs used the console-shift C-6 "A"utomatic. The Fairlane GTA, with its powerful, exclusive 390-cu.in. V-8, bucket seats and racing stripes, caught the eye and heart of Elgin, Illinois, resident Dennis Roxworthy, and it drew him into the showroom of Conlon-Collins Ford in May 1966.

The Fairlane GT and GTA rode on a 116-inch wheelbase, and its crisp and taut new body, featuring Galaxie-style stacked quad headlamps and slender roof pillars, was available in two-door hardtop and convertible styles. Both variants shared Ford's 600-CFM Holley-carbureted S-code FE V-8, which came to its 390-cu.in. displacement by its 4.05 x 3.78-inch bore and stroke, and used 11.0-compression to make an impressive 335hp at 4,800 RPM and 427-lbs.ft. of torque at 3,200 RPM. This big-block V-8, exhaling through dual exhausts, could push the 3,493-pound GTA convertible to 60 MPH in a quick 6.9 seconds, and on to 123 MPH.

That performance potential — and the bucket seat interior — appealed to Dennis in 1966, but the hefty price of $3,046 before options and the need for practicality pushed him toward the mid-level Fairlane 500 hardtop. "My first wife and I were expecting our first child in 1966, when we had a 1962 Ford Galaxie Sunliner convertible and the 1959 Volkswagen that I drove to work. We felt that a convertible wasn't practical for a baby, so we'd replace it with a hardtop with an automatic transmission and a bench seat," Dennis recalls.

"I loved that new body style, and the size of the car was perfect. I originally wanted an all-black car, but she chose Ivy Green with a black interior, and we special-ordered it," Dennis remembers. The Roxworthys specified that their new Fairlane 500 be built with the two-barrel 289-cu.in. Challenger V-8 engine; Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic; Stereo-Sonic Tape System 8-track; pushbutton AM radio and antenna; tinted windshield; two-speed wipers; deluxe all-vinyl interior; factory pinstriping, and a passenger-door mirror. They didn't order power assists for the steering or all-drum brakes — "When we were younger, we didn't need them, but now we do," he laughs — and requested "poverty" hubcaps, as Dennis planned to fit the 14-inch wire wheelcovers he'd gotten from a 1964 Galaxie. The total price, with options, came to $2,960.88.

The engine that they specified for the green hardtop was the Fairlane's base V-8; even in this form, the engine had plenty of pep. Ford's small-block 289 featured a 4.00 x 2.87-inch bore and stroke and 9.3-compression, and with its two-barrel Autolite C7DF-9510-Z carburetor, it made 200hp at 4,400 RPM and 282-lbs.ft. of torque at 2,400 RPM. Mated to the column-shifted C4 Cruise-O-Matic, it moved the 3,025-pound car to 60 MPH in a very respectable sub-10.0-second time, with a 110 MPH top speed.

"We almost didn't get the car," he recalls. "I didn't want a 1967 because I didn't like the safety-influenced changes Ford had made. They had a hard time getting the order through, and this was one of the last 1966 models built. The car finally arrived on July 19, and the dealer called to tell me it was in. I went over right away, and it was still on the carrier — it hadn't been unloaded yet, and the antenna and poverty caps were still in the trunk. I asked them to leave the hubcaps in the trunk, and to save all of the tags and paperwork that came on the car. We picked it up the next day, after it had been prepped and washed. It was a thrill."

The new Fairlane 500 hardtop became a grocery-getter for Dennis's wife, who became a stay-at-home mother when their son was born that November; it was rigorously maintained and garaged, and wasn't driven in bad weather. Still, the family made some long trips in it, taking Route 66 from Illinois to San Francisco in 1968, and driving it to the new Walt Disney World in Florida in 1971.

The car saw little use after the early 1980s, which explains the mere 47,600 miles on its odometer today. It hasn't asked much of its owner, either: "We actually had the hood repainted by the dealer when it was new, because the primer was visible in spots," Dennis says. "And the dealer replaced the water pump under warranty when the car was a few months old. Mechanically, it's had one change of hoses, one change of brake shoes and one rear-wheel cylinder rebuild. I replaced the exhaust system in 1982 — it was full of pinholes — and the heater core two years ago. While the spark plugs, rotor and points have been replaced, the plug wires and distributor cap are original."

The fine condition of this beloved Ivy Green hardtop, coupled with Dennis's precise record-keeping, has meant that it was a prime candidate for the SURVIVOR Collector Car event, famous for its fanatical focus on finely preserved, unrestored vehicles. Indeed, Dennis exhibited the green Fairlane 500 in 2009, and it was awarded SURVIVOR Limited and Original Owner certifications.

But, as HCC editor and SURVIVOR event judge Richard Lentinello discovered, the 500 hardtop isn't Dennis's only beautiful 1966 Fairlane; let's get back to the Springtime Yellow GTA convertible on these pages. "I bought this car from Duffy's Collectible Cars in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They knew that I was looking for a mint 1966 GT or GTA convertible, and they called me as soon as they got this one," he recalls.

"I've always wanted one of these cars. This one was given a rotisserie restoration by the son of the original owner, and they did it factory-correct, with the proper red oxide primer overspray on the floor pan and duplicated factory crayon marks. It was always an Iowa car and had never been driven in winter, so it was a great base from which to work. It was so nice that I made a deal on the spot."

Dennis knew of the 1966 Fairlane GTA convertible's rarity — just 4,327 were built — because he'd been looking for a matching-numbers, date-coded example in excellent condition for some time. "I've been attending shows and classic car auctions for years, and you just don't see these cars. If I wanted a 1967 GTO, I could have my pick; they're easy to find, but GTs and GTAs are few and far between."

In addition to the bucket seats that he'd long wanted, his GTA sported an impressive list of optional equipment: power steering and power drum brakes; power convertible top; limited-slip differential; chrome styled steel wheels and red-line tires; a pushbutton AM radio with antenna; deluxe steering wheel; a tinted windshield and more. This GTA had everything save for air conditioning, and its $3,782 1966 sticker price would have made an uncomfortable monthly payment for a newly married couple with a family on the way.

His two sons fully grown, Dennis can now enjoy having his cake (500) and eating it too (GTA), experiencing a wide spectrum of the Fairlane's performance envelope. "Both cars have a lot of low-end punch," he says. "The 500 will squat back on ya, and take off, but the GTA is scary fast, and it pushes you back into the seat. The 500's 7.35-14 tires, which I ordered in place of the stock 6.95-14s, look like donuts compared to the F70-14 Wide Ovals on the GTA. The cars also have different suspension setups; the convertible has larger A-arms and the heavy-duty 9-inch rear end, and its C6 automatic can be shifted manually. The 500 rides really smoothly, without a rattle, and leans a bit in the corners, while the convertible has a bit of cowl shake, and around a corner, it stays flat."

One common aspect of these Fairlanes is their brakes: "You can tell that the yellow car is heavier, with the big-block engine, and while they ride and drive really well, you have to give both room to stop. The 500's manual drums fade less than the GTA's because it doesn't have the heavy big-block V-8; the GTA's power drums will continue to roll on you, unlike some cars with power brakes that come to a screeching halt when you stomp on it. It feels like a muscle car — the convertible's stiffer, faster and handles better around corners."

Dennis maintains both Fairlanes' show-ready condition by following a careful regimen. "I change both cars' oil and oil filters every year. The antifreeze is changed every two years. I add Marvel Mystery Oil to the 500's 10W-30, and to its gas, because it keeps the valves free. I wax their paint and chrome with Mothers paste wax. I like Lexol vinyl treatment for the interior and rubber seals, and I use Mothers Instant Detailer in the engine bay."

The performance variants of this generation of Ford's mid-sizer have their own dedicated bunch of fans, but don't enjoy the widespread popularity of period GM or Chrysler intermediates, and accordingly, their values aren't as high. West Hills, California, resident Mark VanCleve is the Fairlane Club of America's 1966-'67 specialist, being an unrestored-class judge at FCA concours events as well as moderating the 1966-'67 section of the FCA message board. The owner of five Fairlanes of this vintage, he pays close attention to their values and place in the old-car hobby: "Fairlanes are in their infancy as true collectibles, and they lag behind due to the tremendous popularity of the Mustang.

"Although these cars share common mechanical and suspension components, the Mustang remains sportier and more valuable, while the Fairlane was always Ford's bread and butter family car. Fairlanes didn't get a lot of fanfare, outside of the GT and GTA series. In the decades after they were new, a lot of them were cannibalized for Mustang projects. Now, Blue Oval guys who don't want or can't afford a Mustang, are turning to Fairlanes as economical alternatives.

"Fairlanes, Cyclones and Comets can still be picked up for reasonable prices, and aside from fully restored 427 cars, you'll generally find their high values around $35,000, with restorable cars going for as little as $1,000," Mark says. "Reproduction parts availability, an issue in the past, is starting to improve, and some vendors now carry parts that you used to have to scour wrecking yards for."

The book values of Fords don't mean much to Dennis, because he considers them heirlooms; "These cars will be passed on to my two boys; I'm never going to sell them. The green one, in particular, is a part of me. I've told them that I'll give them the cars when I can't do anything with them anymore. I'm hoping that my grandkids will drive them someday."

This article originally appeared in the March, 2012 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.