1971 Ford ZD Fairlane 500 V8 Sedan

Description

For many years Ford's Fairlane was Australia's favourite big car and can trace its origins back to the ZA series, based on the XR Falcon, of 1967. The first locally designed and built Fairlane was sold in two versions, the Custom (sold only as a six-cylinder) and 500, the latter boasting reclining bucket seats and plenty of woodgrain trim and more importantly, the 289-cid V8 under the bonnet. The facelifted ZB Fairlane 500 of 1968 saw the introduction of the 302-cid V8 plus automatic transmission, power steering and power front disc brakes as standard equipment. With the introduction of the ZC range in 1969, the Fairlane came in for some major restyling, with vertical headlamps at the front and wraparound tail lights and chrome strips along the sills and around the wheelarches on the 500. Further changes included more insulation to make the car quieter and the introduction of air conditioning as an option. For the first time, the Fairlane 500 was available with the 351-cid V8 engine pumping out 250 bhp in standard tune. In November 1970, Ford released the final model of the first generation Aussie Fairlane in the form of the ZD, with a grille based on Lincoln's Continental, revised tail light treatment, new hubcaps and some minor improvements to the interior. Often overlooked in recent years, with the muscle car boom focusing attention almost exclusively on the GTs, Ford Australia's ZA-ZD Fairlanes are slowly becoming recognised as classics in their own right, combining muscle car performance in a more luxurious package.