Ford Fairlane 500 2-door Club Sedan

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Model number: 5274

Review of the model:

The Ford Fairlane 500 1958 from Sun Star is a 2-door sedan with fine rooflines and handsome rear window. No doubt, the car was an attractive choice for the low to mid-price range buyer. The car looked more expensive than it really was in 1958. The real car had many beautiful features, such as 2-tone paint scheme and well-designed panel lines. The front with the grill was as modern as the other more exclusive cars. All in all a popular model from Ford – “Buy two for the price of one” was the slogan in their brochures.

Sun Star’s Ford Fairlane 500 is from their Platinum series that include the higher level of detailing in every aspect regarding the parts of this model car. So here, maybe the old saying from the brochures is not applicable. So is the extra price, well spent, for this specimen in the jungle? Before I contacted the dealer, I did a little research on the net, just to see if I could find any reviews of the model. I found some articles that pitched the new release from the producer and small highlights from near and far. This review will be followed by a series of pictures, so you can be your own judge. In the model car world, there is a board span of various qualities. Sometimes it follows the price but we can be surprised. And in this matter I was looking forward to unpack the parcel from my dealer. I must say that Sun Star had made a very fine model car! – I will go so far, to say it’s perfect in every sense. Perfect paint, mount of parts and all parts fits nicely. The richness of details is just breathtaking. The model proportions are to my eye also spot-on. When Sun Star make good model, they really shine. And I will rat this model car to one of the best they ever had produced. I will recommend The Ford Fairlane 500 to all.

I will give this model 6 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and a little movie clip for the real car. So please enjoy!

History:

The 1957-1958 Ford Fairlane 500 was Ford's new top-line series in these feast-then-famine years. The 500 shared a new 118-inch wheelbase platform with standard Fairlane hardtops and sedans, two inches longer than that of junior Custom/Custom 300 models and a newly separate Station Wagon line. It was longer, lower, and wider in 1950s fashion, with many styling elements from the 1955 Mystere show car.

The 1957-1958 Fairlane 500s had bigger, weightier new bodies matched by a lower-profile "cowbelly" frame with a dropped rear floorpan and kicked-up aft side rails permitting a two-inch reduction in overall height. The suspension was improved via swept-back front lower control arms and longer rear leaf springs. All 1957 Fairlane engines were basically 1956 units tuned for more power (in the usual ways).

Facelifted Fairlane 1958s looked more elaborate and included: quad headlamps above a '58 Thunderbird-style bumper/grille, broader side trim, scalloped rear deck, four oval tail lamps, and longitudinal roof ribs (to strengthen those panels, a '57 weakness). Main mechanical advances for this vehicle were new "big-block" 332/352 V-8s and a more sophisticated three-speed Cruise-O-Matic self-shift transmission.

Ford beat Chevy in 1957 model-year production, then suffered much lower sales in 1958's flash recession, as did most everyone else. The 1957-1958 Fairlanes were not as well built as earlier Fords -- early rust-out was common. They were not widely recognized among collectors until lately, so they are relatively scarce now, but still, well worth searching for.

Pluses of the 1957-1958 Ford Fairlane 500:

• Less costly now than comparable Chevys

• Roomy

• Smooth ride

• Tasteful 1957 flash

• V-8 performance brisk to bombshell

Minuses of the 1957-1958 Ford Fairlane 500:

• Build quality down on 1955-1956

• Debatable 1958 styling (1957s generally priced higher)

• Rust-prone

• Still not the investment a comparable Chevy is

Production of the 1958 Ford Fairlane 500:

Victoria hardtop sedan: 14,713

4-door town sedan: 105,698

Victoria hardtop coupe: 80,349

2-door club sedan: 34,041

Sunliner convertible: 35,029

Specifications of the 1957-1958 Ford Fairlane 500:

Wheelbase, inches: 118.0
Length, inches: 207.2/207.5 (1957/1958)
Weight, pounds: 3,346-3,556

Price, new: $2,235-$2,650 (U.S.)

Engines for the 1957-1958 Ford Fairlane 500:

Old brochures of Ford Fairlane 1958

Video of the real car from Youtube

If you have any question or comment your are free to contact me at: aeronautic@stofanet.dk

Dealers are welcome to get their models reviewed too.

Aeronautic Aug. 2017

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