Here is Part 2 of the Ford Fairlane History Series - the Fairlane ZB. If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 on the ZA Fairlane. Please make sure you Subscribe and give the episode a 👍Like👍 as it really helps the channel. Thanks for watching. 👍
I see that the Aussie Ford Fairlane has the American '67 Fairlane taillights, rear quarter panels, and boot lid/trunk lid. But the front grill, front fenders, bonnet/hood are Australian. Nice looking car for a Ford. Greetings from the U.S.
Dear Mark, For me this was the car of my youth that I most regret selling. You even called the interior "lounge seats", for me my 69 ZB 302 + C4 transmission was my lounge room on wheels, this has to be the most comfortable car I have ever owned and it was such a basic vehicle in terms of technology, so easy to maintain, even by me. I kept a close eye on my fuel consumption as many of my friends wondered how I could afford the fuel but I would regularly get 19 MPG around urban Sydney in the mid1970's, not bad for a car of its size. And the power steering, I could park my Fairlane 500 with my little finger. Rust was a bit of an issue up behind the rear bumper bar. The only thing that would let it down today would be the improved safety standards of newer cars. It was a wonderful car to tour in.
Just lovely. I've owned 3 ZB Fairlanes. My current one is in pieces tucked away, but she's got no rust at all, is as straight as the day she was pressed and is just waiting for me to find the time. They didn't have lights in the doors though, just an ash tray in the rear doors. The other minor differences from ZA to ZB were: - The heater controls were recessed into the dash - The doors had larger arm rests with the latch a pull in towards the person rather than pull up type. - The cursive script was also on the glovebox - The dual circuit brakes meant it got a BRAKE warning light when there was a large pressure differential - I think they upgraded the engine fan for a larger more aggressive one? I could be wrong on that. Thanks for the video, they're kind of a niche car these days.
Thanks. I agree, they are great old cars. Regarding the rear lights, not on the doors but inside the C pillar at the back. We didn’t get lights on doors until much later (first on LTD). The dual master cylinder was an important upgrade I should have mentioned and a must as a retrofit for ZA owners imo. 👍
@@lukesm5747 Thanks very much. I forgot to mention in the episode, that my brother’s friend Ian had a fantastic factory electric blue ZB 302 with a white vinyl roof. He had ZH Marquis hubcaps on it. It looked terrific and was his Dad’s car from new. He later sold it. He should have kept it. 👍
G'day Mark, Top quality video again just get better & better. Was the 302 a 2 BBL or 4 BBL Carby & was centre console shift a option if you really wanted it. Those horizontal headlights just classic but the real real shame was that Ford should of offered a 2 door Hardtop in the Fairlane as well. Imagine 2 door Fairlane Hardtop right hand drive by the factory with the XW GT running gear in it. Missed opportunities there. Great video thoroughly enjoyed it Cheers Louis Kats 👍
@@louiskats5116 Thanks Louis. The 302 was a two barrel and you could not order a floor shift in this model. You had to wait until ZC (the next Fairlane episode coming soon). Yes, a two door would have been cool but at that price point, as a semi luxury car, I think the volume would be very low. 👍
Love it Mark. They were great cars. I had an absolutely mint, original 351 ZF Fairlane come in to my shop on Friday. It had factory air and even had its original windscreen! Original decals, everything. Unbelievable. Beautiful cars. Thanks again for sharing, big thumbs up.
@@markbehr88 It was stunning. Metallic lime green with brown interior. Beautiful hubcaps. Red line tyres. Venetian blind in the back. Every original decal in the engine bay. Tag on the York A/C compressor held on with those funny clips. Silky smooth 351. Lovely XA style wrap around dash. Wow. They are only original once. I guess I will have to wait for your video on them..... You are doing such a fantastic job of documenting these great cars. It is greatly appreciated. You have produced a wonderful document of it all for the whole world to see. Thank you.
Mark thank you for the video. This was good. It was sad it was short, but I understand as the series only ran a year. The highlights were the fact the car used American Ford Fairlane parts, I saw them. The interior was more luxurious than the American Ford Fairlane. The length was interesting. It was a 196 inches long. That is the same as the downsized GM C and H bodies cars from 1985-1991, I expected a longer car, but that came much later. It was interesting looking especially in the front end styling. I loved the information about how Holden competed with the Brougham. I liked the footage as well. I saw power windows on the Holden Brougham , but not he Fairlane. I have a Holden Brougham brochure in my home. I now understand the context of the model. Fod really took a lead with this Fairlane. Thank you so much for the video.
Thanks Olds98. Glad you liked it. Yes,the Brougham could be had with power windows but the Fairlane did not receive them as an option until the early 1970’s. It didn’t hurt sales though because the exterior styling and longer wheelbase were what customers wanted. 👍
@@markbehr88 Thank you for sharing. I thank you for explaining no power windows. I noticed the longer wheelbase as well. It was the interior room that was more important. It was clear this Ford Fairlane was a hit.
@@markbehr88 That is where Ford succeeded. Holden Brougham did not appear different from the Premier. Holden learned fast. I still think it is interesting Holden tried to copy the Fairlane. Years later more than made up for that. The front end on the Fairlane did not look low end either.
Thanks Mark, yes Ford killed it with the release of the Fairlane, which technically speaking was not much different to the Falcon. All in the styling and marketing I guess, but in hindsight, GM and Chrysler were asleep. The appointment of Bill Bourke to run Ford Australia turned the company around with his energetic aggressive management. As you point out, market segmentation worked well in company fleets, as in those days' car entitlement matched managerial rank, status apparent in the company car park and at the golf club. Salary packaging of car costs changed that as you could drive what you wanted as long as you were willing to pay for it. Also, if you got made redundant, it was your lease not the company's lease, something that some companies found out when firing (sorry, reducing head count) in the early '90's recession!
I think the VE Valiant VIP interior looked better. The first Aussie car with head rests standard and that cool console THREE speed auto floor shifter left the Fairlane with its column only shifter in its tracks.
Back in the late 80s roughly, well I'm 50 now and I had my ZBs while on my p plates. my second car was a zb Fairlaine, zircon green.351 clevo (not original engine) it was wrecked when a guy t boned me. Then soon after I got another one zircon green 302 Windsor. But it was full of rust. Then I found another ZB white, 289 Windsor, eventually I put a 302 Windsor in it. Was a awesome car. The two green ones I paid $500 & $800 , the white one I paid $2000. I love ZB Fairlaines then and still do. Boy I miss those cars and those days. All my ZBs we're Fairlaine 500's
@markbehr88 I remember when I was on my Ps, a mate had a ZC , he said to me why do you love ZBs so much they are ugly. I said I just love them they look American. Back then I could buy a clean ZB with Reg for under $2000, Now same car would be $20.000 . My Aunty back in those days had a K code ZD .
You can only imagine the stir that this and the ZA caused in the boardrooms of Chrysler and GMH. At least Chrysler bothered with a longer wheelbase in their VF and VG VIP. Love your videos mate, always look forward to them. Cheers.
I never knew there was a VE VIP. At least the VF/VG made some effort at differentiation unlike Holden's cynical effort. They even had a Fairlane to examine first hand 🤦
@@markbehr88 Ooooh the later version! LOL feels like a bit like the HT, HK Holdens where only few minor changes were made lol (I did think it was weird it wasn't mentioned lol)
VE VIP was a legend and the VE won car of the year . The VE VIP was way ahead of Ford on there interior even had the floor slap stick auto . Plus waaaay better bucket seats with the safety pop up head rest . The VE T/ Flight was way ahead of Fords auto . Yes I had quite a lot of friends with those Fairlanes to be honest they were a great car . But very light steering 😮 .
Re the steering Brian, these series of Fords had the very scary "ram-steer" power assistance, as did many basic cars with power steering. Where a giant hydraulic ram applies massive force making for super light steering feel, to me many really modern cars with "electric" power steer feel the same, as with the new electric type there is no mechanical connection from the steering wheel to the front road wheels, it's all fly-by-wire giving ZERO road feel. The first Fairlanes to receive integral power steering were the late almost series "2's" versions of the ZD the late 1971 cars, using a steering box the same or similar to the RHD integral power steering fitted to our Aussie built 1965 and on Galaxies. Additionally, the late ZD's with FACTORY air conditioning were the first Aussie made car with fully integrated air-conditioning , and they have 3 weird cast alloy distribution points lower on the dash, left near door, right near door, and one diecast dual outlet in the middle where there are 2 vents one facing left and right, and now in 2024 those 3 diecast outlets are worth near $2k a piece , yep, $6k for the 3 piece set !!
I do like the VE and will cover them in my Valiant series. I remember Dad bringing a white with red interior loan car home and thought it was terrific. 👍
@@gregharvie3896 I beg to differ re A/C. The VF Chrysler VIP of 1969 had integrated Chrysler 'Airtemp' A/C standard, but available as a delete option.. Though the vents were under the dash and they were from the VF till the end, the vaccuum, illuminated press button controls were located where the non-illuminated heater/demister controls were located in the dash. Hence my argument that the VF VIP was the first Aussie car with standard integrated A/C.
I’d probably call the Chrysler system a hybrid integrated AC installation whereas the Ford was a true integrated system. It was a lot cheaper and easier to mount the vents under the dash versus having face level, which is what people would want and expect in an integrated system. I am sure it worked well enough. I own a lot of Chryslers and my brother owned a cool dark green VG VIP (which I wish he still had). 👍
I’d happily go back to these oldies if you could find one without car cancer , put some bigger brakes on them, electronic ignition and a twin system …. Instant cool cruiser 😊.
@@markbehr88 EFI six with power windows and door locks is the one I want. Missed out on a very good T3 Lexcen on marketplace the other da day, another Aussie car I'd like. I have always had badge engineered cars under my name, so why stop now?
@@jamesfrench7299 Certainly unusual re the Lexcen. I remember, when I was at Holden, we hated the badged cars. I had Nova and Apollo company cars and couldn’t wait to get back into my Commodore company cars, although I had an SL/E Apollo sedan and later, wide bodied Apollo GS Wagon and GS six cylinder wagons (double rear wiper and cantilevered roof design) that I actually really liked. 👍
Hi Mark, Very American looking car of the time, it's a car that stands well,I do like the look of this car. Being from Wales it's not a car we had or familiar with but I wish we did. as always a great video, Take care
The XT Falcon, ZB Fairlane models had upgraded braking with a DUAL CIRCUIT Brake Master Cylinder which really made a difference under heavy braking. Also the internal rear view mirror was improved with a much larger version giving the driver a better view of the road behind.
Another great video Mark. I can't wait for you to do the ZC Fairlane, my parents used too have 1. And a work colleague has a ZD fairlane and again I can't wait for you to do a video on that aswell. Cheers ✌️ 🤙👍🤟😎👌
It’s funny how at the beginning Ford blew everyone away and by the end of it all it was Holden’s caprice that was the prime machine. The au fairlaine was different enough, but by the BA BF they weren’t even trying anymore.
Thanks for going over it's competitors. I like the imported previous generation Fairlanes and Galaxies as well. I prefer this front over the ZC and I'm sure I'm not alone there. Ones who like the ZC are passionate about it I'd imagine. Quite polarising. Obviously inspired by the Galaxy and did provide differentiation both from the ZB and the Falcon Fairmont range. The choices of interior palettes is amazing. Great feature.
Thanks Mark, this is other the Ford I'd like, but a KB Laser seems more achievable. As a kid, riding around in one of these was just the business. Slightly crap brakes we learned, but towed our 16ft Millard all over the place easily. Neighbours bought the next [ugly imo] one, 8yo me was NOT impressed. =)
@@markbehr88 It's definitely the change from gross power to net power. The ZB's power rating didn't count the alternator, the air cleaner, the engine fan or even the exhaust manifolds! When adjusted to net power the 'B 302 makes more like 121kw.
When you read out that list of colours , what is the name of the green on the car in the last photo "zircon green" ? . Whichever name it is, I think I've seen it on some (not many) '67 and /or '68 Mustangs , a very nice green IMO , and when it comes to burgundy, there's something particularly nice about " Vintage Burgundy " .
The burgundy and green are very stylish for the lines of the car. The Holden Brougham was a joke. The ridiculous boot extension , coupled with the narrow cross section, made it look extremely awkward.
I like the Brougham with its floating vinyl roof and Cadillac derived badging. It also had the power window and A/C option the Fairlane and VIP's lacked in '68.
Thanks Mark. I love these cars; wish I had the coin for one! Would the 302's be imported Windsor's, Cleveland's in later cars? My mate's parents growing up in the late 70's through the early 80's had either a ZB or ZC, burgundy, nice car.
@@coalfacechris1336 Thanks. All of these had the Windsor V8. I think the engines were made here from imported parts? I am sure someone will know for sure? 🤔👍
The 3.6 221 was the orphan Canadian motor not the same as the 200 six or later 250 six...you could pick it out by the bumps in the side of the block just above the sump for rod clearance maybe ? My old friend years ago had the ZB with 302 and three speed on the column...Great comfortable daily drivers and would tow anything !...i used to remove the crappy power steering unit and put the low ratio manual box in...like the GT had !
Loving the Fairlane series Mark. Keep up the good work. Was the ZB / XT, the first model of Aussie Falcon to come equipped with Power Steering? If I recall, cars that were so equipped had a badge in the horn pad to tell you... Or maybe to warn you given the fast action and lack of feel some early systems had.
Power assisted front disc brakes were optional, yeah I am definitely paying the extra 100 bucks or whatever to get that, its pretty scary to think that people drove these giant V8 land yachts with drum brakes
Great video mark, 3 comments however. I believe the heater/demister had a 3-speed fan, not 2-speed. What did you mean by "keyless door locking" ? Also the VE VIP was not built on a longer wheelbase than regular Valiant. The first LWB VIP was the VF series where they got serious & not only lengthened the wheelbase, but the rear doors as well.
Hi. The VIP VE brochure says “now with 2” longer wheelbase (108”). Clearly they were misleading as they were comparing it to the AP6 rather than the Regal but that is what is stated in their brochure. Keyless locks for the Fairlane are also quoted - meaning you can depress the lock button on the driver’s or passenger front door and close it without holding the handle. In previous models, if you did that the door would unlock. The Fairlane brochure states 2 speed heater/demister fan. 👍
@@markbehr88 The "keyless" feature is a bit misleading but I get your point. Sounds to me an easy way to accidently leave your key inside the car. I stand corrected on the 2-sp/3-sp heater thing. Chrysler were a bit dishonest with the VE VIP wheelbase weren't they ?
@@terrybebbington3032 Yes, and the keyless locking was Ford’s term too, not mine. Personally, I like the feature. If you did lock your keys in the car, it would be pretty easy to still get into it (if you know how). 👍
Talking about cheap cars in the eighties In 1983 a friend bought a a valiant ve vip 2 door licensed for $50 partly because the old guy said it wasn’t running write He took it home coughing and carrying on only to find the choke was stuck on He drove it for 2 or 3 years before getting rid of it
I always hated the fronts of the both ZA & ZB, a kid I went to school with's dad worked at Ford Homebush as some kind of engineer, when he showed me a photo of the new car I could not believe that the Ford Aust' guys had cheaped-out and fitted the shorter boring Falcon guards on the car the cobbled up a big bland grill. Why the hell they did not fit the nicer stacked headlight version from the USA that was on the roads over there in 1966 I'll never understand also it had the "leaning forward " stance that its big brother the Galaxie had, eventually Ford OZ saw the light and fitted the nicer more formal correct front guards on the last two the ZC & ZD's. Then 3 decades later Ford OZ did the same thing with the late 1990's LTD & Fairlane updates, dumping the tapered longer and elegant looking entire front clip as fitted on the 1988 to 1995 cars and replacing it with the "drooping" shorter Falcon front clip guards & bonnet , so that when viewed side on It really looked like a kid had taken 2x glue together kit toy cars from boxes , and glued the wrong front end onto the wrong car.
@@gregharvie3896 Each to their own. I liked it and so did the market. Agree the ZC and ZD looked great although you could argue that stacked headlight treatment was outdated by the time it debuted in 1969? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 re one of your subs' who asked would buy the 6cyl customs. Several answers New Zealand, New Guinea and Sth African cars. Plus, Aussie upmarket taxis, hire cars for weddings etc) and also probably 10% of body production became black Federal Gov't Commonwealth cars. eg the Mosman Commonwealth car base dispensed with a fleet of series 5 Humber Super Snipes, a Mercedes 220S and a 230S, a'64 Pontiac Laurentian ( the very car that politician Arthur Caldwell was shot in at Mosman town hall, 2 '63 Chev Impalas and 3 '65 Rambler Classics. Originally all the cars had the special rego tags from Canberra white plate background, red Z and black SF with 3 numbers following, then later about 1967/68 they changed and added ZSA A for administration & foreign dignitaries etc and were the more expensive Ford Galaxies, all the ZSF (f for fleet) cars were poverty 6 cyl Fairlanes in black for use by ex-servicemen on doctors/medical /hospital appointments , the 12 Mosman cars all became 12 6cyl Fairlanes. PLUS eg a private hire car company run by a Dutchman , Norman Van t'Hoff had 6 black tank Fairlanes 59's, 60's & 61's within 2 years they were all dumped and replaced with a fleet of 6 ZA & ZB 6cyl Fairlanes , also all painted black, and he kept them for years.
@@markbehr88 The XR-XY Falcon wagon wheelbase was the same as the sedan @ 111 in. The Australian Falcon wagon didn't get the longer wheelbase until XA. Very clever just the same.
I hope LEGO do aussie cars next. A Speed Champions ZB Fairlane custom would be awesome. Or a BF XR6 Turbo sedan. Those would be a niche but still interesting market👍
Hi Eric, most 6cyl's were sent to South Africa, New Zealand or New Guinea. But here in OZ some were used as hire cars or deluxe taxi's or Commonwealth Gov't fleet cars. I grew up in Mosman in Sydney & the local hire car company "dumped" their fleet of 6 "tank" Fairlanes from 1959,'60 & '61, and within 2 years had a set of 6 black ZA & ZB Fairlanes all were 6 cyl's, the 4 ZB's all had vinyl roof treatments, the 2 ZA's were all just gloss black and had maroon interiors, & the 4 ZB's all had parchment/cream interiors, they used them for weddings & general use for years. ALSO, there was a deluxe big house that burned down in Ourimbah Rd Mosman, it had big stables backing onto a rear lane, strangely the Federal Gov't bought or obtained the site kept the rear stables capable of holding 12 x 20 foot long cars, the work shed and another building, then sold off another portion of land to local bus company , and rest to English & Saunders who were the local Datsun dealers , but E&S opened a BP servo there. So when the ZA & ZB's became available, the Federal Commonwealth car fleet stored there had all black cars '65 Rambler Classics, '65 series 5 Humber Super Snipes, 3 220SE "fin" model '62 Mercedes, a 1964 Pontiac Laurentian, 2 '63 Chev Impala's , all were replaced by a dozen new black 6 cly Fairlanes. One of my great aunts, & uncles lived opposite and the High side of Bray st Mosman's residents could only gain vehicle access to their house from the back lane. As at the front there was the cement footpath then a 20foot deep grass nature strip that was 15 feet above the road and so you could not fall off there was a council garden bed with nice small trees and other plants. So after school Nanna would often stop by her sister's house and with a contingent of "grannies" play bridge & rummy for a couple of hours. After I'd done my homework I'd head up the back yard and when the cars started returning have a yack to the drivers and check out their cars. NONE of the drivers liked their new Fairlanes as they were cheap and nasty by comparison to what they had replaced all seemed to have overheating problems with both the engine and the small automatic trann'y that had come from the small early Falcons and was not man enough for the job in warm summer weather. I finished high school in '74 by then they had 2 x Falcon based P5 LTD's in white, and 10 ZF Fairlanes also in white all 10 of the ZF Fairlanes were 6 cyl Custom models TOO. All ACT white background rego plates with a big red "Z" and a black "SF" or "SA" and 3 numbers, the ZSA plates were on the upper spec older black cars like the Humbers and Merc's, the rest were ZSF cars, all the poverty ZA & ZB Fairlanes were ZSF cars, as were the 10 x ZF 6 cyl Fairlanes and the 2 x P5 LTD's were ZSA cars. F for fleet cars doing transportation of returned servicemen or the wives to hospitals etc , the A for Administration cars were reserved for dignitaries that may need to be collected and taken to some event, like a foreign Consul General to a garden party or the like , as Mosman probably held half of all the foreign dignitaries living in Sydney , I know as I went to School for 13 years with their kids.
just to further add salt to the wounds that is GMH. the real "ZB" are: ZB Fairland & ZB Escape and not that abomination ZB Insignia that was forced to named commodore by idiots in Elizabeth SA.
@@351tgv And then there is the VE Valiant and VE Commodore. More insulting to me is putting Mustang on the Mach E (should have just been called Mach E) and that new SUV Capri. Now, that shows a total disregard for heritage and it is the same company! 😳
@@markbehr88yes i dont deny that each to his own they werent the audacious sized yank tanks with behemoth engines you looked twice at fairlane a wannabe.
Here is Part 2 of the Ford Fairlane History Series - the Fairlane ZB. If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 on the ZA Fairlane. Please make sure you Subscribe and give the episode a 👍Like👍 as it really helps the channel. Thanks for watching. 👍
What a stylish looking Ford, and that vintage burgundy was gorgeous.
@@masteryoda498 Agree. Great package. 👍
I'm not one to overstate things, but that was the greatest UA-cam video in the history of the world. Thanks mate.
@@robertknights1028 Wow. Thanks 🙏
And thanks for owning such a great example Rob. 👍👍
You might have overshot the mark a bit there champ ;)
Some of Mark's other videos might eclipse this one....
@@nkelly.9 I think Rob is a little biased as that is his gold ZB in the episode! 😀👍
@@markbehr88👉limousine ♥️👈
Found my ZB Fairlane at a wrecking yard, minus motor and trans. Sourced a 302 and auto from an XY and I was on the road, loved that car...
@@nevillejohnson8316 Great memories hey. 👍
I see that the Aussie Ford Fairlane has the American '67 Fairlane taillights, rear quarter panels, and boot lid/trunk lid. But the front grill, front fenders, bonnet/hood are Australian. Nice looking car for a Ford. Greetings from the U.S.
@@marcushaynes843 Yes. That’s right. Some US parts but uniquely Australian. 🇦🇺👍
Dear Mark,
For me this was the car of my youth that I most regret selling. You even called the interior "lounge seats", for me my 69 ZB 302 + C4 transmission was my lounge room on wheels, this has to be the most comfortable car I have ever owned and it was such a basic vehicle in terms of technology, so easy to maintain, even by me. I kept a close eye on my fuel consumption as many of my friends wondered how I could afford the fuel but I would regularly get 19 MPG around urban Sydney in the mid1970's, not bad for a car of its size. And the power steering, I could park my Fairlane 500 with my little finger. Rust was a bit of an issue up behind the rear bumper bar. The only thing that would let it down today would be the improved safety standards of newer cars. It was a wonderful car to tour in.
I agree with you. Terrific cars that had real style and character. Those seats were supremely comfortable too as you say. 👍
271 liked. My favorite Fairylane was the ZG, looking forward to that.
@@aussietaipan8700 Yes. That will be a good ep. 👍
Just lovely. I've owned 3 ZB Fairlanes. My current one is in pieces tucked away, but she's got no rust at all, is as straight as the day she was pressed and is just waiting for me to find the time.
They didn't have lights in the doors though, just an ash tray in the rear doors. The other minor differences from ZA to ZB were:
- The heater controls were recessed into the dash
- The doors had larger arm rests with the latch a pull in towards the person rather than pull up type.
- The cursive script was also on the glovebox
- The dual circuit brakes meant it got a BRAKE warning light when there was a large pressure differential
- I think they upgraded the engine fan for a larger more aggressive one? I could be wrong on that.
Thanks for the video, they're kind of a niche car these days.
Thanks. I agree, they are great old cars. Regarding the rear lights, not on the doors but inside the C pillar at the back. We didn’t get lights on doors until much later (first on LTD). The dual master cylinder was an important upgrade I should have mentioned and a must as a retrofit for ZA owners imo. 👍
My old man always called his zb Fairlane the aussie Rolls-Royce.
Great video and thanks for a an awesome trip down memory lane!
@@lukesm5747 Thanks very much. I forgot to mention in the episode, that my brother’s friend Ian had a fantastic factory electric blue ZB 302 with a white vinyl roof. He had ZH Marquis hubcaps on it. It looked terrific and was his Dad’s car from new. He later sold it. He should have kept it. 👍
Your dad seems like he was easily pleased.
@@mikevale3620 With a great car! It was Ian’s Dad. Mine had a 1972 Ford Galaxie LTD (which I still have). 👍
Great looking cars and spruce up nicely today as a restomod. Those seats are legendary 😂
@@MitchTube Yes, love those seats. 👍
Great to see the ZA and ZB being showcased !
@@retroautos Thanks David. Next model will be the ZC. One of my all time Top 3 favourites. 👍
The first-generation Fairlanes were all very desirable vehicles. 👍
Yes, for sure. Still are. 👍
Mark you're a wealth of information and knowledge to explain the finer points of
@@PaulHayman-tq5kb Thanks. 👍
G'day Mark,
Top quality video again just get better & better.
Was the 302 a 2 BBL or 4 BBL Carby & was centre console shift a option if you really wanted it.
Those horizontal headlights just classic but the real real shame was that Ford should of offered a 2 door Hardtop in the Fairlane as well.
Imagine 2 door Fairlane Hardtop right hand drive by the factory with the XW GT running gear in it.
Missed opportunities there.
Great video thoroughly enjoyed it
Cheers
Louis Kats 👍
@@louiskats5116 Thanks Louis. The 302 was a two barrel and you could not order a floor shift in this model. You had to wait until ZC (the next Fairlane episode coming soon). Yes, a two door would have been cool but at that price point, as a semi luxury car, I think the volume would be very low. 👍
@@markbehr88 👍👍👍
Love these Fairlanes...😄
@@user-qs4xw7ye5s Me too and the LTDs. 👍
I use to drive a zb to SCHOOL in 1980!! We bought it for $100 at Gold Coast abandoned car auctions. Reckon I looked hot…🎉
@@barsixful very cool 😎
What a shame we never got that beautiful hardtop coupe Fairlane, or indeed a XR-XY Falcon GT coupe.
@@judgedread-q4t They did look cool. 👍
Our market was just too tiny.
Northwrn hemisphere markets are spoiled rotten with choices.
@@jamesfrench7299 True, and yet we assembled Galaxies here. I guess Falcon utes/vans were also more important.
@@jamesfrench7299 Sure. Scale. They also had salted roads too. 😵💫😀
Thanks Mark. Even GMH loyalists liked the Fairlane in my experience
@@jgsheehan8810 Yes. Agree. 👍
Love it Mark. They were great cars.
I had an absolutely mint, original 351 ZF Fairlane come in to my shop on Friday.
It had factory air and even had its original windscreen!
Original decals, everything.
Unbelievable.
Beautiful cars.
Thanks again for sharing, big thumbs up.
@@nkelly.9 Thanks very much. That ZF sounds like a nice car!
@@markbehr88 It was stunning.
Metallic lime green with brown interior. Beautiful hubcaps. Red line tyres. Venetian blind in the back.
Every original decal in the engine bay. Tag on the York A/C compressor held on with those funny clips.
Silky smooth 351. Lovely XA style wrap around dash.
Wow.
They are only original once.
I guess I will have to wait for your video on them.....
You are doing such a fantastic job of documenting these great cars.
It is greatly appreciated.
You have produced a wonderful document of it all for the whole world to see.
Thank you.
@@nkelly.9 Thanks very much. I am looking forward to working my way through all these landmark cars. 👍
Wow that Black on black (hopefully triple back) Fairlane at 0:45 is superb.
@@liamgross7217 Yes. Very nice indeed 👍
Mark thank you for the video. This was good. It was sad it was short, but I understand as the series only ran a year. The highlights were the fact the car used American Ford Fairlane parts, I saw them. The interior was more luxurious than the American Ford Fairlane. The length was interesting. It was a 196 inches long. That is the same as the downsized GM C and H bodies cars from 1985-1991, I expected a longer car, but that came much later. It was interesting looking especially in the front end styling. I loved the information about how Holden competed with the Brougham. I liked the footage as well. I saw power windows on the Holden Brougham , but not he Fairlane. I have a Holden Brougham brochure in my home. I now understand the context of the model. Fod really took a lead with this Fairlane. Thank you so much for the video.
Thanks Olds98. Glad you liked it. Yes,the Brougham could be had with power windows but the Fairlane did not receive them as an option until the early 1970’s. It didn’t hurt sales though because the exterior styling and longer wheelbase were what customers wanted. 👍
@@markbehr88 Thank you for sharing. I thank you for explaining no power windows. I noticed the longer wheelbase as well. It was the interior room that was more important. It was clear this Ford Fairlane was a hit.
@@OLDS98 Yes for sure and it looked the part as well (in terms of being more upmarket than the Falcon). 👍
@@markbehr88 That is where Ford succeeded. Holden Brougham did not appear different from the Premier. Holden learned fast. I still think it is interesting Holden tried to copy the Fairlane. Years later more than made up for that. The front end on the Fairlane did not look low end either.
Agree 👍
Thanks Mark, yes Ford killed it with the release of the Fairlane, which technically speaking was not much different to the Falcon. All in the styling and marketing I guess, but in hindsight, GM and Chrysler were asleep. The appointment of Bill Bourke to run Ford Australia turned the company around with his energetic aggressive management. As you point out, market segmentation worked well in company fleets, as in those days' car entitlement matched managerial rank, status apparent in the company car park and at the golf club. Salary packaging of car costs changed that as you could drive what you wanted as long as you were willing to pay for it. Also, if you got made redundant, it was your lease not the company's lease, something that some companies found out when firing (sorry, reducing head count) in the early '90's recession!
@@nhilltiger Exactly. 👍
I think the VE Valiant VIP interior looked better. The first Aussie car with head rests standard and that cool console THREE speed auto floor shifter left the Fairlane with its column only shifter in its tracks.
@@mikevale3620 Yes, but the exterior styling versus the base car is what drove the sales. 👍
That model of fairlane,the zb is as old as me,I turned 56 yrs old back in october this year
@@StephenMacDonald-o2l Many Happy returns! 🎂
Back in the late 80s roughly, well I'm 50 now and I had my ZBs while on my p plates. my second car was a zb Fairlaine, zircon green.351 clevo (not original engine) it was wrecked when a guy t boned me. Then soon after I got another one zircon green 302 Windsor. But it was full of rust. Then I found another ZB white, 289 Windsor, eventually I put a 302 Windsor in it. Was a awesome car. The two green ones I paid $500 & $800 , the white one I paid $2000. I love ZB Fairlaines then and still do. Boy I miss those cars and those days. All my ZBs we're Fairlaine 500's
Great days hey. 👍
@markbehr88 definitely. I also had a XT paid $500 for it. And had rego.
@@I.Live4oldcars.prospecting Yes, cheap cars back in the day. 👍
@markbehr88 I remember when I was on my Ps, a mate had a ZC , he said to me why do you love ZBs so much they are ugly. I said I just love them they look American. Back then I could buy a clean ZB with Reg for under $2000, Now same car would be $20.000 . My Aunty back in those days had a K code ZD .
@@I.Live4oldcars.prospecting I like both of them. Out of the ZA to ZD I prefer ZC, ZD then ZA and ZB equally but I wouldn’t knock any of them back. 👍
You can only imagine the stir that this and the ZA caused in the boardrooms of Chrysler and GMH. At least Chrysler bothered with a longer wheelbase in their VF and VG VIP. Love your videos mate, always look forward to them. Cheers.
@@area51isreal71 Thanks very much. You’re right re the impact on the competition. 👍
That would only been in there 2 door VF and VG plus the VF and the VG 4 door VIP not The VE VIP 👍.
I never knew there was a VE VIP.
At least the VF/VG made some effort at differentiation unlike Holden's cynical effort. They even had a Fairlane to examine first hand 🤦
@@jamesfrench7299 Yes, the later VIPs were great cars. I will cover those down the track. 👍
@@markbehr88 Excellent...looking forward to seeing those mini-limo's.
I think Slim and Dusty had his purple one which he was quite fond of!
I think it's in a museum now somewhere...
@@icascone Yes, Slim Dusty had a Wild Violet ZD. Circa 1971. 👍
@@markbehr88 Ooooh the later version! LOL feels like a bit like the HT, HK Holdens where only few minor changes were made lol
(I did think it was weird it wasn't mentioned lol)
@@icascone Yes he had the vertical headlight ZD. It was on one of his album covers. 👍
VE VIP was a legend and the VE won car of the year . The VE VIP was way ahead of Ford on there interior even had the floor slap stick auto . Plus waaaay better bucket seats with the safety pop up head rest . The VE T/ Flight was way ahead of Fords auto . Yes I had quite a lot of friends with those Fairlanes to be honest they were a great car . But very light steering 😮 .
Re the steering Brian, these series of Fords had the very scary "ram-steer" power assistance, as did many basic cars with power steering. Where a giant hydraulic ram applies massive force making for super light steering feel, to me many really modern cars with "electric" power steer feel the same, as with the new electric type there is no mechanical connection from the steering wheel to the front road wheels, it's all fly-by-wire giving ZERO road feel. The first Fairlanes to receive integral power steering were the late almost series "2's" versions of the ZD the late 1971 cars, using a steering box the same or similar to the RHD integral power steering fitted to our Aussie built 1965 and on Galaxies. Additionally, the late ZD's with FACTORY air conditioning were the first Aussie made car with fully integrated air-conditioning , and they have 3 weird cast alloy distribution points lower on the dash, left near door, right near door, and one diecast dual outlet in the middle where there are 2 vents one facing left and right, and now in 2024 those 3 diecast outlets are worth near $2k a piece , yep, $6k for the 3 piece set !!
I do like the VE and will cover them in my Valiant series. I remember Dad bringing a white with red interior loan car home and thought it was terrific. 👍
Yes, I will cover those in upcoming episodes. 👍
@@gregharvie3896 I beg to differ re A/C. The VF Chrysler VIP of 1969 had integrated Chrysler 'Airtemp' A/C standard, but available as a delete option.. Though the vents were under the dash and they were from the VF till the end, the vaccuum, illuminated press button controls were located where the non-illuminated heater/demister controls were located in the dash. Hence my argument that the VF VIP was the first Aussie car with standard integrated A/C.
I’d probably call the Chrysler system a hybrid integrated AC installation whereas the Ford was a true integrated system. It was a lot cheaper and easier to mount the vents under the dash versus having face level, which is what people would want and expect in an integrated system. I am sure it worked well enough. I own a lot of Chryslers and my brother owned a cool dark green VG VIP (which I wish he still had). 👍
Love the xy style bucket seats of that era.
@@marklittle3551 Yes. The twin comfort lounge seats were excellent although no whiplash protection. 👍
I’d happily go back to these oldies if you could find one without car cancer , put some bigger brakes on them, electronic ignition and a twin system …. Instant cool cruiser 😊.
@@mikldude9376 You can but now big $$. 👍
Thanks again Mark. Great insight
@@mrdoiii Thanks 👍
Love my armchairs on wheels. Always wanted a ZB but unfortunately the earliest model i owned was the ZK
@@Twenty_Six_Hundred Still, ZK is a great car. I have one of those. 👍
ZK a lovely car. Like the oldies, tin worm afflicts them as well and in awful places.
@@jamesfrench7299 Yes, lucky mine is a rust free country car. And a V8. 👍
@@markbehr88 EFI six with power windows and door locks is the one I want.
Missed out on a very good T3 Lexcen on marketplace the other da day, another Aussie car I'd like. I have always had badge engineered cars under my name, so why stop now?
@@jamesfrench7299 Certainly unusual re the Lexcen. I remember, when I was at Holden, we hated the badged cars. I had Nova and Apollo company cars and couldn’t wait to get back into my Commodore company cars, although I had an SL/E Apollo sedan and later, wide bodied Apollo GS Wagon and GS six cylinder wagons (double rear wiper and cantilevered roof design) that I actually really liked. 👍
Fascinating report...Ford of North America could have greatly benefited from these interiors.
Yes, although their high series XL spec cars were very good. 👍
Hi Mark, Very American looking car of the time, it's a car that stands well,I do like the look of this car. Being from Wales it's not a car we had or familiar with but I wish we did.
as always a great video, Take care
Hi Shaun. Thanks. I reckon a few would have gone to the UK but not many. 👍
The XT Falcon, ZB Fairlane models had upgraded braking with a DUAL CIRCUIT Brake Master Cylinder which really made a difference under heavy braking. Also the internal rear view mirror was improved with a much larger version giving the driver a better view of the road behind.
@@herbnalis3723 Yes. Good points. Brakes were substantially improved again for XW and ZC. 👍
Another great video Mark. I can't wait for you to do the ZC Fairlane, my parents used too have 1. And a work colleague has a ZD fairlane and again I can't wait for you to do a video on that aswell. Cheers ✌️ 🤙👍🤟😎👌
@@biv351 Thanks. I am looking forward to doing those models too. Great cars. Especially the ZC and I have plenty of good info on it. 👍
It’s funny how at the beginning Ford blew everyone away and by the end of it all it was Holden’s caprice that was the prime machine.
The au fairlaine was different enough, but by the BA BF they weren’t even trying anymore.
@@andrewc14 Yes, I think that is a fair summary. 👍
Best looking Fairlane IMO followed by the ZH. 302 output wasn't too shabby back in the day.
@@marklittle3551 ZH is actually my all time favourite. Plus ZC and AU actually. 👍
Oops ! my mistake , it is just the lighting reflection on the rear window , found after zooming in .
@@robertmorris6529 I’m not following you? 🤔
Thanks for going over it's competitors.
I like the imported previous generation Fairlanes and Galaxies as well.
I prefer this front over the ZC and I'm sure I'm not alone there. Ones who like the ZC are passionate about it I'd imagine. Quite polarising. Obviously inspired by the Galaxy and did provide differentiation both from the ZB and the Falcon Fairmont range.
The choices of interior palettes is amazing. Great feature.
@@jamesfrench7299 Thanks. Yes, the ZC did provide more differentiation but I reckon ZA and ZB still looked very different from the Falcon. 👍
@@markbehr88 oh yes certainly did but shared more panels at the front, but looked suitably higher tier.
@@jamesfrench7299 True 👍
@@markbehr88 better effort than what Holden did at any rate.
Pretty sure that ZC ZD front panels were from the 66 67 Mercury Comet.
That's so wild!
@@tonyscarcare5657 Thanks Tony. Glad you liked it. 👍
Fantastic upload Mark!!!
Thanks very much. 👍
Thanks Mark, this is other the Ford I'd like, but a KB Laser seems more achievable. As a kid, riding around in one of these was just the business. Slightly crap brakes we learned, but towed our 16ft Millard all over the place easily. Neighbours bought the next [ugly imo] one, 8yo me was NOT impressed. =)
@@UncleJoeLITE Yes, great cars, although I love the ZC I have to say. Looking forward to that episode. 👍
I've been looking forward to this!!
@@couttsy222 Enjoy! 👍
Can't say i'm looking forward to the Gemini/Camira series
Take the good with the bad and learn from experience.
@@Eric-kn4yn Good answer. 👍
@@gregidour7315 Funny! 😀. Not sure I have those planned………but you never know. It could be quite interesting? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 had a drive in first series camira a 🐕 of a car.
@@Eric-kn4yn Yes the JB could not get out of its own way. The JD and JE were excellent cars. Went well and great handlers. 👍
Cool
Agreed. 👍
Great vid as usual Mark👍
I just realised the 302W in these Fairlanes had more power than the 351C in the XD-XE
Thanks. Really? Is that Gross versus Net? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 pretty sure the 302C was 140kw & the 351C was 149kw
Versus the 157kw that you mentiined in the ZB Fairlane with the 302W.
@@chrisF351 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 It's definitely the change from gross power to net power. The ZB's power rating didn't count the alternator, the air cleaner, the engine fan or even the exhaust manifolds! When adjusted to net power the 'B 302 makes more like 121kw.
@@karljamieson8573 Thanks. I thought so. 👍
Good work 👍
@@tonybennett638 Thank you. 👍
When you read out that list of colours , what is the name of the green on the car in the last photo "zircon green" ? . Whichever name it is, I think I've seen it on some (not many) '67 and /or '68 Mustangs , a very nice green IMO , and when it comes to burgundy, there's something particularly nice about " Vintage Burgundy " .
@@barrycuda3769 Yes, Zircon is the colour. Similar to Highland Green used on the Mustang. I have a 1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 in that colour too. 👍
The burgundy and green are very stylish for the lines of the car. The Holden Brougham was a joke. The ridiculous boot extension , coupled with the narrow cross section, made it look extremely awkward.
@@anthonywalsh2164 Agree. Those colours look terrific. 👍
I like the Brougham with its floating vinyl roof and Cadillac derived badging. It also had the power window and A/C option the Fairlane and VIP's lacked in '68.
@@mikevale3620 Fair enough. The Fairlane didn’t look like a Falcon and that was key to its success. 👍
Thanks Mark. I love these cars; wish I had the coin for one! Would the 302's be imported Windsor's, Cleveland's in later cars? My mate's parents growing up in the late 70's through the early 80's had either a ZB or ZC, burgundy, nice car.
@@coalfacechris1336 Thanks. All of these had the Windsor V8. I think the engines were made here from imported parts? I am sure someone will know for sure? 🤔👍
The 3.6 221 was the orphan Canadian motor not the same as the 200 six or later 250 six...you could pick it out by the bumps in the side of the block just above the sump for rod clearance maybe ? My old friend years ago had the ZB with 302 and three speed on the column...Great comfortable daily drivers and would tow anything !...i used to remove the crappy power steering unit and put the low ratio manual box in...like the GT had !
@@romemancer7905 Yes, the 302 Ford V8 is one of the best engines ever. Period. 👍
@@markbehr88low ratio steering box would have made steering more precise but heavier monaros GTS HK T G had same even 186S liked my 4 speed.
True 👍
@@Eric-kn4yn they were not heavy in the nose so i never felt more effort in the manual steering box...best of all no power steering leaks !
True 👍
Loving the Fairlane series Mark. Keep up the good work.
Was the ZB / XT, the first model of Aussie Falcon to come equipped with Power Steering?
If I recall, cars that were so equipped had a badge in the horn pad to tell you... Or maybe to warn you given the fast action and lack of feel some early systems had.
Thanks. They did have a power steering badge as you say ZA would have been the first. 👍
@@markbehr88 Power steering was available on the XR series from day 1, so it was first, around 6 months before the ZA.
@@terrybebbington3032 Yes, I was referring to the Fairlane. 👍
Power assisted front disc brakes were optional, yeah I am definitely paying the extra 100 bucks or whatever to get that, its pretty scary to think that people drove these giant V8 land yachts with drum brakes
@@Jasper9000-wd5sm Me too although drum brakes (when adjusted properly) are fine. 👍
@@markbehr88back in those days men were men none of this fuzzy gendering.
@@markbehr88not at 201 kph and still revving out joy oh bliss
Great cars, I have one in pieces, due for paint and panel .
@@biastv1234 Hopefully this might encourage you to finish it? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 after the Charger 🤦♂️
@@biastv1234 I am either going to include Charger in the Valiant series of may (more likely) do a standalone Charger series. Not sure yet? 🤔👍
Thanks, Mark, you make me feel young.I rarely saw one.
Didn't Ford put "HOOD" on their bonnet latch release knobs at some time?
Great to hear. Yes they did. Right back to XK regarding the use of Hood for the Bonnet catch 👍
G'day Mark , did you notice at 2:52 , the ZA appears to have a ZC type roof treatment , for some reason .
@@robertmorris6529 Right. A reflection as you said later. 👍
Mark My car is the Holden broughm when I saw it l still want to own Just like it the boot is good for if youy a golfer
@@PaulHayman-tq5kb Fair enough. The challenge fir Brougham was the lack of differentiation from the Premier League 👍
I have wanted to own a Holden broughm just the car and the cadlic badges and Holden's first go ate a luxury car
@@PaulHayman-tq5kb Fair enough. I drove a HK Brougham once with the 307 Chev V8. It drove well. 👍
Great video mark, 3 comments however. I believe the heater/demister had a 3-speed fan, not 2-speed. What did you mean by "keyless door locking" ? Also the VE VIP was not built on a longer wheelbase than regular Valiant. The first LWB VIP was the VF series where they got serious & not only lengthened the wheelbase, but the rear doors as well.
Hi. The VIP VE brochure says “now with 2” longer wheelbase (108”). Clearly they were misleading as they were comparing it to the AP6 rather than the Regal but that is what is stated in their brochure. Keyless locks for the Fairlane are also quoted - meaning you can depress the lock button on the driver’s or passenger front door and close it without holding the handle. In previous models, if you did that the door would unlock. The Fairlane brochure states 2 speed heater/demister fan. 👍
@@markbehr88 The "keyless" feature is a bit misleading but I get your point. Sounds to me an easy way to accidently leave your key inside the car. I stand corrected on the 2-sp/3-sp heater thing. Chrysler were a bit dishonest with the VE VIP wheelbase weren't they ?
@@terrybebbington3032 Yes, and the keyless locking was Ford’s term too, not mine. Personally, I like the feature. If you did lock your keys in the car, it would be pretty easy to still get into it (if you know how). 👍
A/C not available?
Only under dash. Not integrated until ZC. 👍
No mention of the southern cross constellation in the instruments
Ah, you will have to re-watch the ZA episode as I covered that in there. It was the idea of Lew Bandt. 👍
Talking about cheap cars in the eighties
In 1983 a friend bought a a valiant ve vip 2 door licensed for $50 partly because the old guy said it wasn’t running write
He took it home coughing and carrying on only to find the choke was stuck on
He drove it for 2 or 3 years before getting rid of it
@@davidbarnsley8486 Those were the days. Imagine how many we t to the wreckers!
I always hated the fronts of the both ZA & ZB, a kid I went to school with's dad worked at Ford Homebush as some kind of engineer, when he showed me a photo of the new car I could not believe that the Ford Aust' guys had cheaped-out and fitted the shorter boring Falcon guards on the car the cobbled up a big bland grill. Why the hell they did not fit the nicer stacked headlight version from the USA that was on the roads over there in 1966 I'll never understand also it had the "leaning forward " stance that its big brother the Galaxie had, eventually Ford OZ saw the light and fitted the nicer more formal correct front guards on the last two the ZC & ZD's.
Then 3 decades later Ford OZ did the same thing with the late 1990's LTD & Fairlane updates, dumping the tapered longer and elegant looking entire front clip as fitted on the 1988 to 1995 cars and replacing it with the "drooping" shorter Falcon front clip guards & bonnet , so that when viewed side on It really looked like a kid had taken 2x glue together kit toy cars from boxes , and glued the wrong front end onto the wrong car.
Just as well Ford didnt employ you, you'd be forever whingeing.
@@gregharvie3896 Each to their own. I liked it and so did the market. Agree the ZC and ZD looked great although you could argue that stacked headlight treatment was outdated by the time it debuted in 1969? 🤔👍
@@wizzard5442 You made me laugh. 😀👍
@@markbehr88 re one of your subs' who asked would buy the 6cyl customs. Several answers New Zealand, New Guinea and Sth African cars. Plus, Aussie upmarket taxis, hire cars for weddings etc) and also probably 10% of body production became black Federal Gov't Commonwealth cars. eg the Mosman Commonwealth car base dispensed with a fleet of series 5 Humber Super Snipes, a Mercedes 220S and a 230S, a'64 Pontiac Laurentian ( the very car that politician Arthur Caldwell was shot in at Mosman town hall, 2 '63 Chev Impalas and 3 '65 Rambler Classics. Originally all the cars had the special rego tags from Canberra white plate background, red Z and black SF with 3 numbers following, then later about 1967/68 they changed and added ZSA A for administration & foreign dignitaries etc and were the more expensive Ford Galaxies, all the ZSF (f for fleet) cars were poverty 6 cyl Fairlanes in black for use by ex-servicemen on doctors/medical /hospital appointments , the 12 Mosman cars all became 12 6cyl Fairlanes. PLUS eg a private hire car company run by a Dutchman , Norman Van t'Hoff had 6 black tank Fairlanes 59's, 60's & 61's within 2 years they were all dumped and replaced with a fleet of 6 ZA & ZB 6cyl Fairlanes , also all painted black, and he kept them for years.
@@gregharvie3896 Thanks Greg. It would be great to see photos of some of those cars back in the day. It would have been quite a sight. 👍
Clever amalgamation if station wagon wheelbase. Plus USA elements of Galaxie and LTD.
Yes, it was very cleverly done. 👍
@@markbehr88 The XR-XY Falcon wagon wheelbase was the same as the sedan @ 111 in. The Australian Falcon wagon didn't get the longer wheelbase until XA. Very clever just the same.
Yes. They were the masters of differentiation compared to Holden and Chrysler and the sales reflected this. 👍
Valiant VIP ahead of its time gender neutral Very Important Person 😂
@@Eric-kn4yn Ahead of its time 😀👍
Vapid Idle Pondering as CAR LIFE put it
I like Car Life (and have many copies) but that is mean. Everyone knows it means Very Important Plymouth 😀👍
@@markbehr88cheeky 🤣
Fairlane
Yes, Fairlane. 🤔👍
My dad has zb fairlane 500
@@joshuaslee7079 Very cool. 👍
I hope LEGO do aussie cars next. A Speed Champions ZB Fairlane custom would be awesome. Or a BF XR6 Turbo sedan. Those would be a niche but still interesting market👍
Interesting 🤔👍
🥝✔️
👍
Who would buy the 6pot fairlane ...a wannabe what % where the 6pot ? .thankyou
@@Eric-kn4yn Yes I’d go the V8. 👍
Hi Eric, most 6cyl's were sent to South Africa, New Zealand or New Guinea. But here in OZ some were used as hire cars or deluxe taxi's or Commonwealth Gov't fleet cars. I grew up in Mosman in Sydney & the local hire car company "dumped" their fleet of 6 "tank" Fairlanes from 1959,'60 & '61, and within 2 years had a set of 6 black ZA & ZB Fairlanes all were 6 cyl's, the 4 ZB's all had vinyl roof treatments, the 2 ZA's were all just gloss black and had maroon interiors, & the 4 ZB's all had parchment/cream interiors, they used them for weddings & general use for years. ALSO, there was a deluxe big house that burned down in Ourimbah Rd Mosman, it had big stables backing onto a rear lane, strangely the Federal Gov't bought or obtained the site kept the rear stables capable of holding 12 x 20 foot long cars, the work shed and another building, then sold off another portion of land to local bus company , and rest to English & Saunders who were the local Datsun dealers , but E&S opened a BP servo there. So when the ZA & ZB's became available, the Federal Commonwealth car fleet stored there had all black cars '65 Rambler Classics, '65 series 5 Humber Super Snipes, 3 220SE "fin" model '62 Mercedes, a 1964 Pontiac Laurentian, 2 '63 Chev Impala's , all were replaced by a dozen new black 6 cly Fairlanes. One of my great aunts, & uncles lived opposite and the High side of Bray st Mosman's residents could only gain vehicle access to their house from the back lane. As at the front there was the cement footpath then a 20foot deep grass nature strip that was 15 feet above the road and so you could not fall off there was a council garden bed with nice small trees and other plants. So after school Nanna would often stop by her sister's house and with a contingent of "grannies" play bridge & rummy for a couple of hours. After I'd done my homework I'd head up the back yard and when the cars started returning have a yack to the drivers and check out their cars. NONE of the drivers liked their new Fairlanes as they were cheap and nasty by comparison to what they had replaced all seemed to have overheating problems with both the engine and the small automatic trann'y that had come from the small early Falcons and was not man enough for the job in warm summer weather. I finished high school in '74 by then they had 2 x Falcon based P5 LTD's in white, and 10 ZF Fairlanes also in white all 10 of the ZF Fairlanes were 6 cyl Custom models TOO. All ACT white background rego plates with a big red "Z" and a black "SF" or "SA" and 3 numbers, the ZSA plates were on the upper spec older black cars like the Humbers and Merc's, the rest were ZSF cars, all the poverty ZA & ZB Fairlanes were ZSF cars, as were the 10 x ZF 6 cyl Fairlanes and the 2 x P5 LTD's were ZSA cars. F for fleet cars doing transportation of returned servicemen or the wives to hospitals etc , the A for Administration cars were reserved for dignitaries that may need to be collected and taken to some event, like a foreign Consul General to a garden party or the like , as Mosman probably held half of all the foreign dignitaries living in Sydney , I know as I went to School for 13 years with their kids.
Great memories hey Greg? 👍
just to further add salt to the wounds that is GMH. the real "ZB" are:
ZB Fairland & ZB Escape and not that abomination ZB Insignia that was forced to named commodore by idiots in Elizabeth SA.
@@351tgv And then there is the VE Valiant and VE Commodore. More insulting to me is putting Mustang on the Mach E (should have just been called Mach E) and that new SUV Capri. Now, that shows a total disregard for heritage and it is the same company! 😳
And the dash was stolen from earlier model Lincoln cars U.S,
@@romemancer7905 I’d say influenced as they are not the same parts. 👍
Shame Ford has gone backwards in this lap top car trash 🚮 world 🌍 😢.
@@brianandglendaharkin9457 I do prefer the old ones too. 👍
No disrespect but these fairlanes never did anything for me just an oversize falcon regardless of advertising glamour.
@@Eric-kn4yn The market said otherwise and so do I. 🤔👍
@@markbehr88yes i dont deny that each to his own they werent the audacious sized yank tanks with behemoth engines you looked twice at fairlane a wannabe.
@@Eric-kn4yn They sold over 10,000 of these in just over a year so a lot of people liked them enough to stump up the $. 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 subscribers certainly. 🥰 the fairlanes
@@Eric-kn4yn That’s good to hear. 😀👍