1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Sedan 🇮🇹

This car was bought new in 1957 in Rome and is an export model for the European market, as can be seen from the speedometer in kilometers instead of miles. This Ford belonged to the series Fairlane 500 2-door Club Sedan, ordered at the time with the optional 245 hp 312 cid engine combined with a Ford-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission.

After having spent about 25 years on Italian roads, the Fairlane joined the Bulgari Collection at the beginning of the eighties and underwent a complete restoration. A total frame-off was carried out involving engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, bodywork and interior. Every part was renovated by the Bulgari Collection workshop and bodywork and interior specialists, to return it to its 1957 splendor. The two-tone paintwork was respected using the official Ford colors of 1957, Raven Black/Inca Gold, while the interior trim is in tone with the exterior in Raven/Gold.

The Fairlane is a perfect testimonial for the magical fifties, when in 1957 Ford overtook its rival Chevrolet in top total sales. Due to the number produced it is certainly not a difficult car to find, but its existence in Italy from the start makes it definitely a rarity.

Company
Ford Motor Co.

Wheelbase
118in

Interior trim
Raven/Gold cloth

Brakes
front and rear drums

Make
Ford

Length
207.5in

Engine
V8 312cid

Tires
7.50x14

Model
Fairlane Club Sedan

Width
79in

Carburetor
1 Motorcraft 4-barrel

Original Price
$2,281

Body style
2-door Sedan

Weight
3346lbs

Horsepower
245hp @ 4600rpm

Production
93,756

Model year
1957

Exterior paint
Raven Black/Inca Gold

Transmission
Ford-O-Matic 3-speed

The car business was going gangbusters in 1957. Each of the Big Three was pumping out new body styles every other year in an attempt to steal sales from the competition. Horsepower and cubic inches were growing, and the buying public was eating it up.

Prior to 1957 Chevrolet clearly held the trophy for styling and performance, however things were about to change. Ford’s design team perfected what was arguably the most beautiful car of the decade. With less chrome than Pontiac or Chevrolet, the 1957 Ford, with its simplicity, looked futuristic at every corner. But it wasn’t just sheetmetal changes that made the new Ford a success. The fact was that along with beautiful styling, the Ford Y-block received a big power boost. Outside, all-new sheetmetal redefined styling. The headlamps were recessed into deep eye-browed fenders. For the first time, the hood would open from the rear and featured a simple hood ornament replacing the faux mini scoop of 1956. Its grille was similar to the previous years, with horizontal bars creating a wider look. Parking lights were now affixed within the grille, and a new slimmer bumper gave the car a wider look. Ford, like Chevy, was known for dramatic side molding, and in 1957 they didn’t disappoint. Fairlane models included a split horizontal molding that went from the front of the vehicle to the rear edge of the door and laid within it, a stunning ribbed brass insert. Rearward of the door, the molding kicked up and followed the upper edge of the quarter panel. Ford continued to use the single round tail lamp design, but it was much larger in size and now included a stylish fin sitting above it at a 45-degree angle. Ford’s styling was simple yet elegant.

The 1957 interior was completely redesigned. A new instrument panel showcased a large sweeping speedometer with a fuel and temperature gauge located at each end. An optional padded instrument panel top was available. The seat covers, as well as the door panels, were also redesigned. The seating area was more than adequate for six and included more headroom than in 1956. Ford offered a total of 37 different fabric combinations to please even the fussiest buyer. The Fairlane 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.

A first for any manufacturer was the availability of 21 models–including the Ranchero, a pickup truck based on a Ford passenger car. Another first was the design of a retractable hardtop called the Skyliner. Other models included two and four-door sedans and wagons, two and four-door hardtops, and a traditional convertible. Ford had all of the bases covered.

Powertrain options ranged from a 223 cubic-inch “Mileage Maker” six-cylinder to 272, 292, and 312 cubic-inch Y-block V-8s. Horsepower ratings ranged from 144 with the six-cylinder to 300 with the supercharged V-8 (Paxton-McCulloch). Other “racing only” options were also available through Ford dealerships.
In the end, the 1957 Ford Fairlane and Custom Series proved to be a big success. Clearly it was the combination of great styling and improved performance that enabled Ford to beat Chevrolet. Today, the 1957 Ford is considered by many to be the most stylish Ford product of that decade.