Pride of ownership becomes clearly evident when a seller takes the time to take photographs of all the awards that his or her classic car has received at shows or events. The Pick of the Day is a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 two-door hardtop listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in New Vienna, Ohio. It has taken home over 30 awards since 2023!
“If you’ve been looking for a clean, classic ’57 Ford that’s ready to cruise and show, this hardtop deserves a look,” the listing begins.
The Fairlane 500 was marketed by Ford as “The fine car at half the fine-car price.” One advertisement said, “Ford is the big prize package of the low-price field. Here’s a new car that’s as long on looks as it is on Thunderbird V-8 power. A new kind of car that’s built around a rugged new ‘Inner Ford.’ A car that’s built to stay built.”
And stay built, this car did — for nearly 70 years now, even. Features for the two-tone red and white exterior include chrome bumpers, antenna, driver-side mirror, body side and rocker trim, rear wheel skirts, continental kit, and wide-whitewall tires.
The vibrant interior features red and white vinyl and cloth upholstery, custom center armrest with dual cupholders, manual-crank windows, clock, push-button radio, and a tissue dispenser. (Of course, let’s not overlook the obligatory Betty Boop-themed floor mats and fuzzy dice, too).
Under the hood is a 312ci Thunderbird Special V-8 that has been upgraded with a 600cfm Holley four-barrel carburetor and a 12-volt electrical system conversion. A two-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels. Available service documentation illustrates replacement within the last few years of the brake master cylinder, exhaust system, and tires. The seller asserts that the current odometer reading of just 65,373 miles reflects a true reading.
The listing says, “This Fairlane is driven regularly and responsibly — approximately 1,000 miles per year –and has been driven 50+ miles at highway speed, where it runs and drives great. The car is always stored indoors in a fully-enclosed garage year-round.”
From the looks of things, this Fairlane 500 is a turn-key classic. The seller says that it has already garnered accolades including “Best Ford” and “Best in Show” honors. Several of the photos in the gallery are dedicated to displaying the lineups of awards. The asking price is $41,995 or best offer.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
