Photo by L. Seddon, from the Cohort.
In the last few years, the kind of vintage cars we enjoy seeing here at CC have been vanishing from the streets. However, a good number are now hiding under covers, as this shy wagon shows. In this condition, it appears timid, not quite ready to face the world of today.
According to the contributor, this particular wagon has been in the same family for over 40 years, although 36 of those off road. The model is a 1963 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon and arrived in the UK back in 1964.
For 1963, the range of Fairlane wagons included the Ranch, the Custom Ranch, and the Squire. All 4- doors, and as was the custom, with a whole range of engines; from tame sixes to strong V8s. No idea what lies in the hood of our Cohort find.
Against yesterday’s Mustang, at least this old Ford is being somewhat protected from the elements. And if you wish to see some Fairlanes not afraid to show themselves, just click the links below.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1963 Ford Fairlane – XL- Size Falcon; XS – Size Galaxie
Internet search shows it as 4949cc, google tells me that is 302 cubic inches.
Internet is wrong, the 302 didn’t come out until around ’68 or so. ’63 would have been a 260 or 289.
Must have been quite the attention getter back in the mid-sixties…driving a large Ford “estate” with a 5.0 V8 (ok, 4.9) around those country lanes, when the locally large-ish Ford Cortina Estate, with the optional engine upgrade, was a 1.5! It would have owned the early UK motorways, at least among family cars. I can recall my Dad’s Cortina sounding like it was reasdy to grenade when it topped out at just over 80. Defintely a bit oversize for the parking spots of the day, but would have been a fun ownership expereince.
Maybe it came to the UK with a USAF serviceman to one of the many bases over here back then. It’s not a Suffolk county reg mark, so possibly not Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Bentwaters or Woodbridge?