While not a Woody, today's Nice Price or No Dice Fairlane wagon does have an impressive set of options and looks to be in great condition. Let's find out if its price makes buying it a mandatory proposition.
Whether you're a true contender or just a pretender, you need to do something to stand out from the crowd. In the case of the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT roadster we looked at yesterday, there wasn't a lot to recommend it against the slew of contemporary competitors like Porsche's 911, Aston Martin's
DB11, or even Mercedes' own SL63. With so many choices in the high five-figure price range, how do rich people choose which symbol of ostentation best fits their insatiable need to flaunt their wealth? At $87,995, most of you felt the AMG GT wasn't the car for the task. Based on the comments and the 63% No Dice vote, it would need to drop quite a few dollars off its price for people to begin to take notice.
Read more: These Cars Have The Best Wings Ever
The Henry Ford Estate
Speaking of taking notice, do you notice how much cooler station wagons were in the 1960s than tall-boy crossovers and SUVs are today? It seems that manufacturers and the market as a whole are realizing that, too, as the latest models coming out have been trending lower and longer than their predecessors. Well, except for GM's trio of big SUVs—the Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade— as the latest generation of those are freakishly tall and narrow.
There is, however, nothing quite like the looks and versatility of an old wagon, and this 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 stands as a happy reminder of what once was the standard of suburbia. The Fairlane name is taken from Henry and Clara Ford's estate in Dearborn, Michigan, where the couple lived from 1915 until their deaths. It was first used on Ford's full-sized car line in 1955, denoting the top-of-the-line trim level. In 1962, it was given full model status, with Ford applying it to a new mid-sized car that slotted, Mama Bear-like, in between the smaller Falcon and the larger Galaxie. In the U.S., Ford kept the Fairlane name around until the 1970 model year, at which point it, and the Falcon name, were retired in preference for, respectively, the Torino and Maverick. The Fairlane name was kept alive in other markets until the early 2000s.
A Bigger Falcon
This wagon is, in fact, based on the compact Falcon. A fresh-sheet redesign for the 1966 model year, the Fairlane stretched both in wheelbase and overall length, and offered bigger engines, both base and top trim, than the smaller Falcon.
This one has a 289 Cubic Inch Displacement Challenger V8 under the hood. That's the smallest V8 Ford offered this model year, and as noted in the ad, its 175 (gross) horsepower doesn't make the wagon a muscle car. Paired with that is Ford's solid citizen C4 three-speed automatic with column shift. The seller claims this California car runs and drives well, and boasts that the engine has received a fresh change of oil and filter. It comes with factory AirCon, a fairly rare option for a 1960s car, but according to the ad, the system's R12 has gone off the fight the Ozone and hence it is not working.
Power To The People
Everything else on the car is claimed to be working, including the power steering and power-assisted brakes (drums all around), and the electric glass in the two-way Magic Gate rear door. It looks pretty good, too. The copper paint is an older respray, but it seems to have held up well, aside from some bubbling on the tailgate. The chrome is clean, and the bumpers are straight so there's nothing major to ding it on aesthetically. The new Rallye wheels wrapped in a fresh set of Coopers come across as a nice touch, too.
Per the ad, the interior received revamped upholstery around the time of the paint job. That's patterned velour on the two benches. Carpeting, door cards, and the load area are all original, though. There's also a pair of ancient rubber floor mats, which are a nice throwback and must make satisfying squeaks from shoes on rainy days. The five-barrel odometer has rolled over, showing 817 miles, but that means it's 100,817 in total. A clean title and a set of original black California license plates complete this Fairlane's picture.
A Classic
Many of us may be too young to have lived through the heyday of the American station wagon, but we all pretty much appreciate them for what they are. The pressing question, however, is whether this particular wagon is worth the $14,950 asked for its sale as it sits. That's a lot of money, even in today's crazy market. But then, how many opportunities come up to buy a seemingly decent-looking and well-sorted (except for that A/C) example?
What do you say? Is $14,950 a reasonable asking price for this Ford? Or does that price mean this Fairlane will take a fair bit of time to find the right buyer?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T Don R. for the hookup!
Help me out with NPOND. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox...
Read the original article on Jalopnik.
