Information on Mississippi 427 Fairlane

[427FeWedge]

From the engine compartment shot I don't see it and I've asked that question 2 times now and no response.

[427FeWedge]

Sorry, I have been unable to post pictures of the shock towers from my R-code to show the upper access holes that are on all 66-67 R and W code Fairlanes and Comets.
You can see that access hole on the drivers side tower on the Ed Terry car.

Since you have dismissed all of us as Google experts why not go back and post your question in the FB
66 67 427 fairlane/67 427 comet registry.

The only thing so far that sounds possibly be an r-code is the Spec casing. But then you could have found out about that in a Google search.

At this point I am going to file this with the 1968 W code Mustang.

Good luck with your research.

[BH107]

B107, there’s several answers to that in which are being sorted out. The people in the know believe the car was pulled from the line and restamped by ford then sent to Memphis DSO to be sold to the public after they were done with it. Since the history of the car lines up with that. Thanks though for being a posting my cars information online, if I wanted it here, I would’ve posted it. The information has zero to do with what I asked about IE the cars owner history. Clearly the information of the cars history requires me to search elsewhere. Have a good day.

In an attempt to get history like you are asking for I checked with some guys who are not the form type... one already knew about the car and that is where I got the information. Others that are "in the know" just said its likely fake. Another pointed out that these types of test cars would not have been done in Atlanta, and in October of 65 there were certain 427 Fairlane specific parts that would not have been released yet let alone sent to Atlanta to be fit to a production line car. These were also not given R code vins, just like the Ed Terry car.

Sure we know that test cars were built, used in advertising and even loaned out for PR, but then destroyed. That is why none of the SOHC 427 Galaxies or others exist...

This kind of smells like a John Rummel story....

[fajr22]

That’s kind of weird since I’ve spent a fairly extensive time with 2 of them on the phone that said exactly the opposite... The fact you stated the cars were built on the production line kind of shows your limited knowledge. The cars (even the 57) were pulled and as assembled as parts became available. Another source noted for a fact in the 60’s ford would pull cars from the assembly line and assemble them as my car has been, Not being R codes (like Ed Terry’s) Z car. Some of these cars do exist and they’re hard to document but were built and are out there. Let me refer you to July 1966 HotRod magazine... So to call it a Rummel story is pretty tasteless. My car isn’t restored, isn’t being sold and isn’t all doctored up with cock n Bull stories. Hard to say likely a fake when you have zero history, knowledge or even inspected the car. One of the unique features on the car stood out as a very unique feature in which helped lean towards the car being a legitimate race car from the day. It’s pretty obvious my car was important enough to call someone and try to debate or discredit it.. So that usually means it peaked your interest enough to make a phone call to Cory... I mean everyone pretty much knows in 67 there was no 6 code for a transmission, but in 68 it was correct for a 4 speed... I’d have thought you would’ve popped on the 2:80 rear ratio...but hey that’s just me..  That in itself is humorous because I simply came here to see if the car was known in a certain area. Must’ve ruffled some feathers, otherwise you wouldn’t have bothered Ben... 

Oh and as all of us know... especially ME, all test cars aren’t destroyed... I mean I do own 1 and the Fairlane GTX was one of those cars... So there goes that ironclad theory

[BH107]

No worries Fred, you are free to believe what you want. Didn’t need to talk to Cory to get the info I posted, and without some documentation there will always be doubts about the legitimacy of this car.

Carry on, and let me know when the next lobster dinner is.

[427John]

Thank you, exactly the point. He has been on the defense about this car without any answering any specific questions.
Without its origin, time slips, residual lettering under a layer of paint it is going to be difficult and or next to impossible to trace its history.

1) If a it is factory Drag console team cars it would not be unusually that a modified pre-production version would be supplied by Ford  to r-code specs by the various Ford vendors (DTS, Holman Moody, Ford X Garage ).
I have one on the 11 factory 62 lightweight Galaxies re bodied to a 63. It is not a R code but a G code and doesn't fall into a production category but is still a 63 lightweight.

2) Is reason there was 57 66's is because Ford Engine Foundry could only supply 57 427's to the Atlanta plant by the required due date. His is not hearsay but Ford interoffice document's I've seen.

3) Press cars usually because of the leed time would be pre production vehicles and not matching engine codes or transmission combinations (example, automatic transmission in in the Phil Bonner 427 Fairlane test).

4) It was not unusual back in the day for race cars to be updated with the next year sheet metal so I wouldn't be concerned about that.

I asked specific questions regarding the holes in the shock towers and contacting Don Antilla without a answer.

I am not trying to slam this car nor am I jealous but in all honesty from the FB pictures and the current separate thread, I haven't seen anything that would convince me that it is a 66 production R-code Fairlane.

Moving on to race history it would be helpful to have a time frame and specific location.
I get it, these cars can be a size able investment and you want to make sure what you buy is a legit vehicle
If I am wrong in my opinion I will gladly apologize in this forum as to any error in my opinion.

As to regards to #4 a former co worker once owned and raced one of the 57 and related to me how the they updated it to 67 appearance and updated to the tunnel port power  in late 1967 and they raced it in that configuration until switching to a Maverick and Pro Stock in late 69 early 1970.

[427John]

That’s kind of weird since I’ve spent a fairly extensive time with 2 of them on the phone that said exactly the opposite... The fact you stated the cars were built on the production line kind of shows your limited knowledge. The cars (even the 57) were pulled and as assembled as parts became available. Another source noted for a fact in the 60’s ford would pull cars from the assembly line and assemble them as my car has been, Not being R codes (like Ed Terry’s) Z car. Some of these cars do exist and they’re hard to document but were built and are out there. Let me refer you to July 1966 HotRod magazine... So to call it a Rummel story is pretty tasteless. My car isn’t restored, isn’t being sold and isn’t all doctored up with cock n Bull stories. Hard to say likely a fake when you have zero history, knowledge or even inspected the car. One of the unique features on the car stood out as a very unique feature in which helped lean towards the car being a legitimate race car from the day. It’s pretty obvious my car was important enough to call someone and try to debate or discredit it.. So that usually means it peaked your interest enough to make a phone call to Cory... I mean everyone pretty much knows in 67 there was no 6 code for a transmission, but in 68 it was correct for a 4 speed... I’d have thought you would’ve popped on the 2:80 rear ratio...but hey that’s just me..  That in itself is humorous because I simply came here to see if the car was known in a certain area. Must’ve ruffled some feathers, otherwise you wouldn’t have bothered Ben... 

Oh and as all of us know... especially ME, all test cars aren’t destroyed... I mean I do own 1 and the Fairlane GTX was one of those cars... So there goes that ironclad theory

A chassis can't be "pulled" from the assembly line unless it has been built there first,if it is assembled on some special jig then it doesn't need to be "pulled" from the assembly line.

[427John]

Also while I don't dispute that this car may be an original 427 I would point out that the prescence of single piston caliper front disc brakes proves that this car has been modified to some extent over the years since they weren't introduced for another 2 years.

[WConley]

Having worked in Ford Engineering, every car that goes down the assembly line has an order and a destination before the build starts.  That order could be special, for an engineering test vehicle or the race program, or it could be for a retail / fleet customer.  The Atlanta '66 R-code Fairlanes were all ordered ahead of time with a special build configuration for the 427 engine.  This is well documented.  Special builds are also usually run together or at least in batches, since assembly operators have to be trained.

It would be extremely unlikely that a "normal" optioned build car would be "pulled" from production and then extensively modified.  The special cars were built as much as possible for their final purpose.  If a final special part wasn't available at the plant, a minimum spec production version of the part would be put on so you could safely drive the car onto the transporter.  This minimized waste.

Now at the time it was pretty common for dealers to swap in performance engines.  One of my old friends had a '67 GT-500 that had a documented dealer-installed 427 high riser.  As to the R-code door tag, that's been discussed above.  I'd look at the chassis stamps as a more reliable telltale.

[427FeWedge]

"As to regards to #4 a former co worker once owned and raced one of the 57 and related to me how the they updated it to 67 appearance and updated to the tunnel port power  in late 1967 and they raced it in that configuration until switching to a Maverick and Pro Stock in late 69 early 1970."

Would that be Bill Ireland or Sam Auxier jr.?
My first tunnel port motor came from Bill.

[427John]

Unfortunately I never had the pleasure of working with either of those guys,though my cyclone did pass thru Bill Irelands  shop at some time prior to my ownership.This guys name was Schultz and he was partnered with another guy who's name escapes me they raced together for years from the mid 60's to the early 70's and then had some sort of falling out. He made it sound like while they did OK in SS for independents they weren't very successful in Pro Stock.

[gt350hr]

   Fred ,
      There are several indicators from the pictures that your car was drag raced. The flat front shock plates are there for added shock travel. The dual rear shocks and electric fuel pump also indicate drag racing heritage.  "History" searches are often very difficult. As a drag racer of 55 years I find it interesting that the car doesn't have "some" form of traction bar on it. Fairlanes and Mustangs were notorious for wheel hop. "Bolt on" traction bars certainly could have been removed over time.
    WConley's "inside" information is spot on. "Builds" were scheduled on the assembly line so workers could be trained about the unique options AND so that the required parts were in place at the various stations. The line HAD to keep going. It the case of the special built '66s , they would have been built as complete as possible ( less the glass hood and hood pins) and sent to another area ( off line) to receive the hood and modifications. The cars did not go "back on the line as some envision. I was not aware of any "flat hood" '66 427 Fairlanes built.
    Another note is that "prototype" cars retained by specific departments "most" often recieved brass "asset tags" for tracking and accounting purposes. Lists of these vehicles ( for various years) have been copied and are "out there " in some people's hands. I have a couple myself. They include specific vin numbers. BTW VIN numbers were RARELY changed ( by Ford) as the test vehicles were NOT meant to be sold , but as we all know "some" did get out. I do know of two specific Mustangs that had their vins changed "by Ford , at Ford" to comply with SCCA rules. This was NOT the "norm".

[cammerfe]

To throw another iron into the fire, I watched, over a several week period, as a '69 Mustang was delivered, brand new, to the Exec Garage in the southwest corner of T&C Livonia, stripped down, and turned into a full-on Trans-AM SCCA Boss. The body work was done (the cut-in scoops in the rear quarters were not used in the Boss cars, so they were filled.)

If I remember correctly, an engine came in on a pallet with markings showing it came from Bud Moore.

It came in as a brand new car. It went out as a brand new car, as well. But it went away as a fully done-up road racer, and it was all done on FMoCo property by Ford employees. I have no idea what the vin tags said. As I remember, that car was destroyed, and the driver killed in an SCCA race of the 'round-the-houses' sort. It happened on Wide Track Drive in Pontiac a few months after the car was finished.

And we haven't even mentioned the facility over on the edge of Melvindale where they did the years-ahead planning of assembly lines. They had a large store of cars there that had been modified to be used in the planning. If you knew who to talk to, it was entirely possible to get a 'dollar' car there to be turned into some sort of competition vehicle. I personally participated in two such activities---showing up with a roll-back truck in one instance and a pick-up and trailer the other time.

All sorts of things were possible if you knew who to ask.

KS

[gt350hr]

    You are probably talking about the Black and gold Smokey Yunick car which was an M code 351W. The two prototype T/A cars were R code 428s. One ( blue) to Shelby and the other ( red , white , and black) to Bud. I have all of the vins.
    Randy