Thirty years ago, owning a car like this was about bolting on aftermarket parts and going faster. Today, it is more about appreciating the way these midsize Fords rolled off the assembly line. As this car stands in 2005, we find ourselves admiring its many nuances. The way the roofline blends into the tailpanel is pleasing to the eye. Those twin-set headlights mounted in the horizontal grille say "Ford" without us even seeing the nameplate. The rich Fairlane 500 interior with bucket seats speaks of sporty luxury, but with a strong hint of an atmosphere for the common man, like we could light up a cigarette or wolf down a burger and fries without much concern for the vinyl. The way the gold wraps around the Black Jade makes this a Fairlane to catch the eye just about anywhere it goes.
The Fairlane Cobra was a nice exclamation point toward the end of an era most of us fortunate enough to have lived through will never forget. For Don Pendziwiater, it is certainly a wonderful musclecar memory he gets to relive anytime the Pennsylvania climate permits.