1971 Ford ZC Fairlane 500 Sedan

Based on the XR Falcon, Ford Australia’s first locally designed and built Fairlane was designated the ZA and proved an immediate success from the time it was unveiled in 1967.  Although the cheaper Custom model was only sold in six-cylinder form, the more upmarket Fairlane 500 – boasting reclining bucket seats and woodgrain trim – was powered by the same small-block 289-cid V8 found in Mustangs, Cobras and the Falcon GT.  Facelifted in 1968, the ZB Fairlane 500 switched to the 302-cid V8 and also came with automatic transmission, power steering and power front disc brakes as standard equipment.  With the introduction of the ZC range in 1969, the Fairlane benefited from a major restyle, featuring vertical headlamps at the front and wraparound tail lamps, plus chrome strips along the sills and wheelarch surrounds on the 500.  Improvements included additional insulation to reduce noise levels inside the cabin and the introduction of air conditioning as an option.  The Fairlane 500 was now available with the Ford Australia’s most powerful engine of the day, the thumping 351-cid Windsor V8 engine, with no less than 290 horsepower on tap.  Period tests indicated the 351 Fairlane auto could do the standing quarter mile in 16 seconds flat and the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.6 seconds, figures on par with many sports cars of the era.  Some 12,513 Fairlanes of all types were built in total between July 1969 and November 1970 and those fitted with the big V8s have become increasingly sought after by Ford aficionados who prefer their muscle in a luxury package.