Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

[DavidA]

There is a '55 Tbird with the Fairlane side chrome gong to be auctioned at B-J this week. It seems to be sitting too high at the rear, but otherwise a nice car.

[AZTB]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Beautiful car, but don't like the way they've flipped the spring shackles on the rear...that's what causing it to have what we used to call the California rake.

[JohnA]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

That is a pretty little car, and I think you're right about the back end... somebody didn't like the stock rake and lifted it up a little (I suspect).

Did Ford actually sell T-Birds with that Fairlane trim? i think I've seen drawings and/or show cars with it, but I thought it didn't go to production that way. 'Course I like 'em a little different, so I like this one.

[DavidA]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

John: The early ads for the 55 featured the Fairlane trim, but just before the car was actually released, Henry Ford II had them axed from the car. I'm sure Dot or Steve Legal can fully explain the reason.

[Sierra977]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Car is an Amos Minter restoration which means it's a nice car. Yes the side trim is like early Thunderbird prototypes.

[BigSkyBlue]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

The trim really shortened the profile look

[Rondor]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Seems like I recall several thunderbirds back then being built by modifying a Fairlane. The 55 bird didn't exactly have great suspension so maybe somebody improved it here.
Miniture Fairlane is what many called the '55.

[5bird7]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Seems like I recall several thunderbirds back then being built by modifying a Fairlane. The 55 bird didn't exactly have great suspension so maybe somebody improved it here.
Miniture Fairlane is what many called the '55.

Never heard of anyone doing that in all my years around the 55-57s. Spouse did however have someone accuse us of customing our 57 from a larger model 57 Ford Custom to make it a 2-seater. Said Ford never made a 2-seater. Figured he led a very sheltered life.

Fairlane stripes however have been modified to make them fit the bird, several times in the past, including this black one. Much easier to do than to try to shrink a full size 55 or 56 into a 2-seater.

[PITTBIRDS]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

For the restorers who have added this chrome strip, this is a difficult job to get this aligned and fitted properly. The reason that the horizontal chrome strip looks a little high; the chrome strip had to clear the rear wheel well.

The flopped shackles are a cheap and easy way to level or raise the rear of the car. A lot of the early Thunderbirds sag as the springs become weak.

[AZTB]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Miniture Fairlane is what many called the '55.

...Much easier to do than to try to shrink a full size 55 or 56 into a 2-seater.

Honey, I shrunk the Fairlane!

[dasbayer]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

The Fairlane Tbird reminds me of my 1st car ... a 56 Fairlane with 312 (Tbird), 4barrell and duals. During the summer of 1964, while I was working in a body shop with my older brothers, I removed all the chrome, repainted it Metallic Blue, rebuilt the 312 and redid the interior. I named it "Old Blue" and it was a "cool" machine until a drunk front-ended me in Fall 1965 ...a lot of great high school memories with "Old Blue"!!!

[11TH GEN]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Car sold for $32,000

[jerrym3]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

The Fairlane Tbird reminds me of my 1st car ... a 56 Fairlane with 312 (Tbird), 4barrell and duals. During the summer of 1964, while I was working in a body shop with my older brothers, I removed all the chrome, repainted it Metallic Blue, rebuilt the 312 and redid the interior. I named it "Old Blue" and it was a "cool" machine until a drunk front-ended me in Fall 1965 ...a lot of great high school memories with "Old Blue"!!!

My second car, in 1960, was a 55 Fairlane convertible. Two tone blue, dark blue over light blue, which was not the norm. Pretty car, but.........a piece of junk.

Right side door wouldn't stay shut (had to tie the outside door handle to the rear window handle), heater went bad, top didn't work, car went down the highway a wee bit sideways, leaked oil.......

But, 17 years old, driving down to the Joisey Shore top down with my steady girl, listening to Sam Cooke singing "Chain Gang"and/ or The Ventures playing "Walk Don't Run"..........priceless!

[02LeeBird]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Back in high school I had a black 55 Ford Sunliner convertible with black and yellow interior and the big V8 under the hood. It had the same side chrome as that 55 Bird that just sold. It was totaled by some business man in a brand new Bonneville when he tried to pass me on the right, while I was pulling into a gas station. It was a two lane road and he practically ran up on the curb trying to pass. Since I was only 17 the insurance company only paid half my claim. Back in 64 young drivers had virtually NO rights here in the Bay State. I was going to deck the guy till he got out of the car and he stood about 6'5" and about 300 pounds. The accident pushed the body an inch and a half off the frame.....

[AZTB]

Re: Fairlane Bird at Barrett-Jackson

Car sold for $32,000

That's not a bad price!