65 fairlane

[6t5frlane]

Gotta say I'm glad I finally joined the HAMB. You guys are a wealth of info and inspiration. Have a 65 fairlane ( yeah the lunchbox sytle ! ) and it now has a 302, 4-speed. Looking maybe to do the gasser look ala T-Bolt type. Any thoughts. I do not want a straightaxle and have seen front end lift kits, but I'm a little worried about that. I do not have a digital camera yet ( santa ?? ) but if you guys have any pics or thoughts that would be great...Thanks...Geoff

[57JoeFoMoPar]

Welcome aboard!

[HOTRODPRIMER]

Howdy!HRP

[Bigcheese327]

I don't have my book here, but as I recall didn't T-bolt Fairlanes run A/FX or SS/S? Also, by '65 didn't they make a factory production big-block Fairlane called the GT?

In any case, sounds like you've got a fun project. Although my temptation would be to stay with the four-speed and get one of those 327 or 347 stroker kits. Kinda like the performance car they should've built in the early days.

[CruZer]

Welcome. Where abouts in New York? Anything you do to raise the front is going to cause handling issues,but,hey, if it's got "the look" who cares ???? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Satinblack]

Welcome to the hamb! I too have a 65 Fairlane. And no they didnt make a big block one that year, only a 289 hipo car. Its a very overlooked year, being a one year body style. Satin

[Bigcheese327]

Ah, and here I thought '64 was the last year for the small-block-only cars. I learn something new every day.

What I still want to see is a Mercury Meteor done up right.

[6t5frlane]

1966 was the first year for the big block 390 car. A few 427's were also made. 66 was also the first year for th GT. Before that it was called a Sport Coupe. In 64 Ford made 100 Thunderbolts to go drag racing all 427 cars. Most people do not know that 1 thats ONE 65 Thunderbolt was also made. By 65 Ford was running Mustangs. The idea of a stroker might be a good one since I do not want to chop my shock towers.Anybody have any pics of 65's for ideas???....Thanks....Geoff P.S. I'm in Rockland Cty NY http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[jalopy43]

Welcome .The SS Fairlane sounds neat. I'm sure you could put 2" risers on your balljoints,for the "Look'. The SS cars didn't run straight axles,only the FXer's or Gassers. Sparky

[cougardan]

Welcome to the Hamb. '65 two door sport coupes are cool, the four doors suck. I had one in high school- hardly anything you can do to improve them. Had mine crushed after I yanked the 289.
Dan

[cougardan]

Here's about as good as you can do.

[6t5frlane]

This one is a 2dr hardtop. Turquise green with a white top saddle interior with American Mags....I've seen only 1 other 65 at any shows or cruises. One guy told me it was a canadian car! Thats whats so Freakin kool about it. Still lookin for ideas

[TINGLER]

Hell yeah,
The Fairlane crowd is growing on here.... COOL.

I can't help you much since I gutted the suspension on mine and went with a straight axle.
On the other hand, I have some suspension parts if you need them.

Heres a pic of mine.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/hotrodtingler/GASFRONTON.jpg


Welcome to the HAMB

[6t5frlane]

WOW Now thoses are sweet cars. I think I've seen that light blue one before in some magazine. think it was a 289 hi po car ( less then 100 built in 65 ). That gasser 63?? is way cool. How hard to put the straight axle on a unibody car? Any issues with that?

[TINGLER]

Nah,
It wasn't all that complex. I just welded spring perches right to the unibody "frame" rails. I haven't even cut my shock towers out yet. The axle and springs are a kit from Speedway....Heck, its even got disc brakes.

I ran into some problems here and there, and it took a good two months for me to do it (cause I'm an amateur)....but I've since put about 1000 miles on it and it seems to be holding up just fine.

Be warned though, once you do something like this, the car is no longer a "normal" car. It will handle differently, and PEOPLE will react differently to it.
I get a lot of Joe shmoe's standing along the road with their gobs hanging open scratching thier heads... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[brianf31]

Here's a few pictures of mine.

[brianf31]

351C power after chopping the shock towers. Everything else from a small block bolts right up. Headers are non-existent, though.

Crites Restoration (www.critesrestoration.com) sells all the Tbolt conversion pieces to mount an FE or 460 in the '65: teardrop hood, f'glass bumper, engine mounting, headers, etc.

[brianf31]

Last shot. It's for sale: I need to finish my A coupe.

PM me if you need any advice on parts sources, etc.

[TINGLER]

[ QUOTE ]
Headers are non-existent, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not so. HOOKER super comps will bolt right up. NO problems. Just a pain to get in....but they do go in without any mods at all.

Just don't expect to run column shift with them.

BTW....if you go with a straight axle, you can just punch a hole in the inner fender panels and run some fenderwell headers. I kick myself every day for not doing it this way.

....oh well, I LOVE MY HOOKER headers. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[TINGLER]

OOPS.
I misread that!

You have a 351C. I don't know about those....
I can only vouche for the Hooker supercomps bolting up to a 289 or 302....
Sorry...carry on.....

VT.

[Jimv]

he 65! I use to live in Rockland, Pomona/Mt.ivy area!! Quaker road.
jimV

[BARNETT]

Welcome to the HAMB...as you can see, there's lots of like minded weirdos here. VonTingler is scary, so watch out. This is what he looks like on the weekends...

[Crease]

Welcome!

I drove a 65' Fairlane in college. I loved that car. Do you have the wicked green interior?

[Dirty2]

Welcome !!! I love those cars !!!

[6t5frlane]

The car has a saddle colored interior. Hey I know where Quaker rd in Pomona is . About 10 minutes from my house. Ever go to Kruckers for a picnic or party ??? I take pomona rd to get there. Brian thats a nice Fairlane. I'm thinking about disk brakes. I've seen a couple of articles on the switch. Did you use that guy Mustang Steves adapter for the tie rod end??? I was thinking about using the Crites Tear Drop hood and fabricating some ram air through the inner headlights. Thanks

[Satinblack]

Actually that pic of the 65 hipo is shown with an article at woody's fairlane site. Mine is the aqua metallic with the aqua/teal interior, although mine is the hard to find fairlane 500 2 dr post. Satin

[burger]

Here's a shot of my old Fairlane... it was my daily driver thru college.

[6t5frlane]

I like it in black. Was that a crites hood on the car?? Can you tell memore about it. Disk brakes???

[prime mover]

I put a crites hood and front bumper on my 64 you wont find better quality.

[burger]

[ QUOTE ]
I like it in black. Was that a crites hood on the car?? Can you tell memore about it. Disk brakes???

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes and yes.

Like others have said, the hood was of very good quality. If I had it to do over again I would have installed a plain fiberglass hood, as lots of rain ended up on the engine, turning it into a ratty mess in no time.

When I bought the hood, I also bought tie rod ends from Crites' that allowed me to use Granada spindles and the stock tie rods. I forget the exact reasoning why, but that's the easiest way to go. The swap was straightforward otherwise. Spindles came from eBay and everything else from the local autoparts store. You can find recipes for the swap all over the web.

[brianf31]

You can do the disc swap a lot cheaper by getting the individual pieces. I bought the brake swap parts list from Crites, but there's no need for you to do it. Here's what you need:

'75-'80 Granada/Monarch spindles, rotors, calipers, pads, brackets, flex brake lines, dust shields

'85 Bronco II MANUAL master cylinder

'72 LTD outer tie rod ends - adapts Granada spindle to '65 tie rod sleeve (prolly different for P/S 65's-mine is manual)

About any old disc/drum proportioning valve: I robbed mine off an '83 Tbird.

Use '65 ball joints.

I found that I had to lengthen my m/c rod a little. Brakes work great. They feel like something inbetween manual and power. And it will lock 'em up.

When I ordered my front suspension rebuild kit from PST, I had them swap out the '65 tie rod ends for the '72 LTD pieces. Go ahead and get new inner tie rods, too.

[6t5frlane]

Hey thanks Brian, thats a complete list for the swap.Any idea what the parts from the auto parts store cost? I have seen new kits but there like 800 bucks or more.Brian are you familiar with the adapter that Ed tals about from Crites? Ed that black 65 looks killer. Did you say you sold it? Thanks ..Geoff

[swazzie]

Hey frlane , welcome aboard .Had one of those .It was a rotted forest green with a hipo.Which they made a few more than a hundred of.It was after all the performance motor for the car that year.If ya wanna GAS it then shit do it .Those cars had a short wheel base that already made em sort of squirley anyway .Guess you'll just have to learn how to drive .Good luck and post pics once ya get that santa thing figured out.swaZZie

[poncho]

welcome 6t5fairlane..my pops had a bunch of '65 sportcoupes as daily drivers in South Africa ,,and when we moved to b.c he had 7 at one time,,,i had a 4 dr for while in highschool,,beat it to death,,i know of a wagon in town here thats for sale but the only problem is i have nowhere to put it.. one day i'll have a killer little sportcoupe for a daily driver,,they really are a kool looking car..

[6t5frlane]

Yup, I love it cause it's a 1 year only model. I saw a black 65 wagon on the internet somewhere with the tear drop hood and lowered. Very different and cool....

[brianf31]

[ QUOTE ]
Any idea what the parts from the auto parts store cost? I have seen new kits but there like 800 bucks or more.Brian are you familiar with the adapter that Ed tals about from Crites?

[/ QUOTE ]

I dunno, prolly $25-50 for the junkyard spindle parts and prop. valve, $30 each for the rotors, $20 each for the calipers, $20 for pads, $30 for brake lines, $25 for bearings, maybe $50 for the tie rods. That's around $300.

I think Ed is simply talking about the '72 LTD ends. They sell them under a Moog number, and I cross-ref'd it to the '72 LTD. These ends have the stud that fits the Granada spindle and threads that fit the stock (manual steer) Fairlane tie rod sleeve.

[6t5frlane]

Could ed be talking about that adapter from Mustang Steve??? I guess Crites and several others also use something like it....

[burger]

[ QUOTE ]
Could ed be talking about that adapter from Mustang Steve??? I guess Crites and several others also use something like it....

[/ QUOTE ]

Crites must have sold me the '72 LTD tie rod end without telling me what it actually was.


Ed

[meteor63man]

I have a 1963 Mercury Meteor Wagon that I want to modernize the front end on. I am thinking of swapping in a front end from a Granada 1980ish or earlier. Can I just weld in the front end and take the steering column and all? thoughts? Is this a more complicated job than I think?