Orange County Fairlane, Now With Added '65 LTD!

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Many of you have been kind enough to send DOTS Bonus Edition photos my way, and you're all very good about not raking me over the coals for taking so damn long to get to some of them. Reader Vance, who dwells behind the Orange Curtain, shot this very clean 1955 Ford Fairlane on the streets of Tustin back in October. Now, most houses down in SoCal have garages, so you don't see quite as much old iron on the street... but that desert climate means you just don't get rust. When you're done checking out the Fairlane, make the jump to see the Bonus LTD, with commentary by Vance.




1965 was the first year for the LTD — a higher trim level of the Galaxie 500 that competed with the also-new Chevy Caprice (a higher-trimmed Impala) — offered in a two door or four door hardtop only. Ford sold about 68,000 of the four-doors, at a base list price of $3300 — $700 more than the equivalent Galaxie 500. This one is an original black-plate California car that started out in Banning.
The LTD model designation gets its own emblem on the C-pillar. Note the bold type font and classy crown detail.
Since the LTD didn't become a stand-alone model until 1967, this car also carries Galaxie 500 nameplates. It also has the optional factory wire wheel covers similar to the ones you could get on the Mustang (though this one is missing one of its spinner "ears.")
It's a big-block car with the optional 390 V8, available that year with either 300 or 330 horsepower. The 289 200-horse small block was the standard engine but it would have felt anemic in a car this size (though at 3500 pounds it's only about the same weight as today's Mustang GT). The new fender engine emblem for 1965 combines Thunderbird and racing cues, as did the 1962-64 emblems.
Except for the faded paint, this car is in great shape for a 42 year old vehicle. It even has factory air and a cool deck-mounted radio antenna.
Overall, a classy survivor.