1968 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZB Series)

The car that introduced luxury to more Australians than any other in the 1960s


Ford Fairlane 500, 1968 version, Front and Side, Camberwell VIC, Photo taken January 2020

(Click on photos to enlarge) - Images free to share and distribute but please acknowledge driverclassics.com.au

About This Ford Fairlane 500

Our 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 was purchased new from Bib Stillwell Ford in Cotham Road, Kew VIC by Eric Driver in September 1968 and has been kept by the family since that time.

The 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 is powered by a “Mustang V8” 302ci petrol engine with a 3 speed automatic transmission.


The Story

The lineage of the 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 dates back to 1949 when Ford Australia introduced the locally built Ford Custom ‘Single Spinner’, a stylish sedan in a similar size category to the 1968 Fairlane. The Fairlane was named after the Ford family estate, Fair Lane, in Dearborn, Michigan USA.

The ’49 Ford Custom ‘Single Spinner’ was followed by the Ford Custom ‘Twin Spinner’ in 1951 leading to the Ford Customline in 1952. From 1955 until 1958, Ford Australia offered four successive Australian assembled Customline models that became quite popular in the luxury sector with professional and rural customers.

The 1955 Ford Customline offered a 272ci OHV V8 engine, a 3 speed column shift manual and had styling aligned to its US counterpart. For 1956, the Customline’s grille was updated, its roof was lowered 1.5 inches and mid-year saw the introduction of the optional ‘Fordomatic’ automatic transmission.

The 1957 Ford Customline featured chrome side trim styling from the 1956 US Fairlane, a large V8 badge in the grille but it retained the Customline name and it wasn’t until late 1959 that Ford Australia first used the name Fairlane.

The final Ford Australia 1958 Customline ‘Star’ model used the grille from Ford Canada's 1955 Rideau and the side chrome trim from Ford Canada's 1956 Meteor and was perhaps the most stylish of all of the Australian Customlines.

Cover from 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Brochure.
1959 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure cover
Page spread from 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Brochure. Adding superb emphasis to the style leadership of Ford's new kind of car... the Fairlane 500.
1959 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure page
Ford promotional photo of 1959 Ford Fairlane, first car off Ford’s new factory assembly line in Broadmeadows. Photo taken at Broadmeadows factory in VIC in August 1959.
1959 Ford Fairlane, first car off Ford’s new factory assembly line, Broadmeadows VIC, August 1959 (Ford promotional photo)

For 1959, Ford Australia re-aligned itself to the latest US Fairlane model, later nicknamed the ‘Tank Fairlane’. This time, the new Fairlane was fully manufactured in Australia and was the first car to roll off the production line at Ford’s new Broadmeadows, Victoria plant. There were three models; the Custom 300, Fairlane 500 and Ranch Wagon.

1960 brochure cover for
The New Ford V8s 1960 brochure cover
Brochure page of 1960 Ford Fairlane 500
1960 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure page

Ford's new design 1960 and ’61 US Fairlanes did not make it to Australia, but Ford Australia released two minor facelifted versions of the ‘Tank Fairlane’ for the Australian market to cover those years.

Ford Fairlane 500, 1962 model, brochure page
1962 Ford Fairlane 500 (FB series) brochure page

Ford Australia imported a downsized ‘Compact’ Fairlane in CKD form for 1962 based on the Canadian Mercury Comet with a 221ci V8 engine. Two facelifted ‘Compact’ Fairlanes followed for 1963 and 1964, with the first 1963 facelift continuing the small tail fin styling but now with a 260ci V8 engine. The final 1964 model had no fins, a 289ci V8 engine and looked very much like a small Ford Galaxie.

Page from 1963 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure
1963 Ford Fairlane 500 (FC series) brochure page

Ford Australia offered no Fairlanes for most of model year 1965 and nothing for 1966 with the Falcon, Fairmont and larger Galaxie having to cover the segment.

On February 27 1967 Ford Australia launched its first locally developed ZA series Fairlane based on the 1966 US Fairlane, with 95% local content, a 289ci V8 engine and an optional 200ci six cylinder engine. The ZA to ZD series of Fairlanes were the first home grown Fairlanes that were tailored and developed for the Australian market.

Page from 1967 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure
1967 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZA series) brochure page
Illustration from US 1966 Ford Fairlane brochure
1966 US Ford Fairlane brochure Illustration

The 1967 ZA Fairlanes used a stretched Australian Falcon XR platform with a 5 inch longer wheelbase of 116 inches and an overall length of 196 inches. The front of the Fairlane was essentially an Australian Falcon with a unique to Fairlane grille featuring twin headlights, while the rear panels and boot were imported and of US design. The comparable US Fairlane of the ’67 and ’68 era had a stacked headlight arrangement which did not appear in Australia until the ZC and ZD series.

Page from 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure, showing front
1968 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZB series) brochure page
Page from 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure, showing side profile
1968 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZB series) brochure page

The 1968 ZB Ford Fairlane was a mild face lifted version of the 1967 ZA series but now offering a 302ci V8 engine. The popularity of the Fairlane grew rapidly and it soon became a leader in its class. Cars at a similar level of luxury were often double the price. Total production for the Ford Fairlane ZB series was 10,708.

Ford advertising for the 1968 Ford Fairlane stated: “This is the luxury motorcar that more people move up to than any other car”. The Fairlane Custom was the base model while the Fairlane 500 was the top of the range and came equipped with “Twin-Comfort lounge” front seats, a “Mustang V8” engine and a “SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic” automatic transmission.

Page from 1968 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure
1968 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZB series) brochure page

Ford Australia released an all new, so called Australian designed ZF series Fairlane in 1972 and they were the first Fairlanes in Australia that had no direct connection to a US Ford model as the Fairlane was no longer offered in the USA. Ford Australia did not have the capability of creating full size clay models in Australia at that time, so they sent their 3 top designers to Detroit in May 1968 for an extended stay. Their task was to design the new Falcon and Fairlane range in conjunction with their Detroit design counterparts.

Page from 1972 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure
1972 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZF series) brochure page

The next series, the Fairlane ZH was built between 1976 and 1979 and still retained the 116 inch wheelbase but featured a larger body. Australia’s unique Ford Fairlane continued through different series until December 2007 when it was finally retired.

Page from 1976 Ford Fairlane 500 brochure
1976 Ford Fairlane 500 (ZH series) brochure page