Bill spends plenty of sunny day miles behind the wheel of his Fairlane, so updating the interior was an important part of the equation from the start. Sharp eyes will notice the dash is fitted with a rare radio-delete panel found in a wrecking-yard four-door, but that doesn't mean Bill is satisfied to hit the road with just the sound of the stout small-block up front. No, a Pioneer CD head unit is housed in the custom center console, supported by a 300-watt JBL amp and a quartet of JBL speakers. The power front buckets were sourced from an '84 T-bird and rebuilt/recovered in black tweed by A-Tech Auto Restyling of Columbus, Ohio-along with the door panels and original rear seat.
In the end, we love that Bill has taken a decidedly different approach to classic Ford performance-supported in a big way by his wife, Nanci, and his daughter, Caiti. Sure, the '65 may not be the pinnacle of Fairlane styling, but it's still an excellent example of mid-'60s design, and arguably every bit as attractive as the competition (think '65 Malibu).
Those who seek a unique angle to our hobby ought to be particularly inspired by the content of this story, evidenced in part by the fact that it's been more than four years since we encountered our last feature-worthy '65 (Dec. '02). Bill Miller's example brings well-deserved attention to this historically ignored hot-rod option, and we give him a big thumbs-up for a job well done.
The Details
'65 Fairlane 500 Hardtop
Owner: Bill Miller, Silverdale, WA
Engine
D.S.S. 306-inch Super Pro Bullet short-block AFR 185 heads, 2.02/1.60-inch stainless valves Anderson Ford Motorsport N91 hydraulic roller cam, 0.576-inch lift, 240/249 duration at 0.050 Edelbrock Victor 5.0 intake Edelbrock 75mm throttle body C&L 85mm mass air meter ACCEL distributor and ignition system Custom Bullistic stainless tank, Aeromotive fuel pump and regulator, 30-lb/hr Ford Racing Performance Parts injectors EEC IV PCM w/Predator chip by Dyno Sources, Sequim, WashingtonTransmission
'89 T-5 five-speed Hays clutch and flywheelRearend
Nodular case 9-inch Traction-Lok differential Richmond 3.70 gears Moser 28-spline axlesExhaust
Hooker long tubes 2-1/2-inch exhaust Three-chamber 70-Series FlowmastersSuspension
Front: Stock, rebuilt, KYB gas shocks Rear: Stock, rebuilt, KYB gas shocks, custom subframe connectorsBrakes
Front: Granada disc Rear: Lincoln discWheels
Front: Ultra Type 50, 15x7-inch Rear: Ultra Type 50, 15x8-inchTires
Front: Grand Am Radial GT, P205/60R15 Rear: Grand Am Radial GT, P235/60R15Interior
Thunderbird bucket seats custom-built console Auto Meter gauges Pioneer CD player, JBL speakers and amplifierExterior
Dynasty Green in DuPont basecoat/clearcoat, top painted white (factory option)