"New Guy" from Oklahoma w/56 Fairlane

[guthriesmith]

Well, I have been on here for about a year and a half now, but really haven't posted anything other than trying to sell my Model T. I now have an original-unrestored 56 Fairlane and plan to be a little more involved. Thanks for having me! Jeff

[46yblock]

Jeff, welcome to the barn!

[Daves55Sedan]

Theres quite a few folks around here who tinker with the '55 & '56 Fords. You should be in good hands should you have any questions in the future.

[guthriesmith]

Thanks guys! I will try to post the story tomorrow of how I ended up with the 56. It is quite the story.

[JeffB2]

Be sure an stop by here too! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/g...hp?groupid=332

[guthriesmith]

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Here is the story of how I ended up with "Ruth" (which was the name of the original owner)...

Early December of 2010, a guy that I work with came to me and asked me if a friend of mine might be interested in a 56 Ford that his brother wanted to sell. So, naturally I had to ask some questions about the car so I could convey the info to my friend. And, I might have an interest as well…

So, turns out that the car is a 56 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan. It was bought new by my co-workers uncle and then sold to my co-workers dad in the late 80’s. When his dad got it, it was still pretty nice, but needed the seats recovered since the originals were showing some wear. They had a local upholstery shop recover the seats with cloth instead of vinyl but in the original styling.

So, as he goes on with information about the car over the next few days at work he also reveals the following. The car is red with red and black interior. It still has the original paint and interior other than the seat covers. It now has 82,000 miles on it and is a 292 automatic car.
Then to get me more interested, he sends me this pic to show me the overall condition of the car. To say the least I am starting to get very interested at this point…

I asked what his brother wanted for the car and it appeared that they didn’t really have a good idea of the value or didn’t necessarily want to set a price. So, I did a little research to see what I thought the value was and made an offer based off the one picture I had and the information.

Come to find out, his brother wanted quite a bit more for the car so I figured it was more than I could swing right now. I was in process of adopting a couple girls from India, already have too many project cars, projects around the house, etc. So, I started to figure as much as I was interested it was just beyond what I could afford and deal with right now.

Then, I had to take a trip to Europe for work where I was gone for two weeks. During that time, my co-worker talked some with his brother about the car and his brother was getting more anxious to get it sold. He had a local mechanic put a new fuel pump on it and got it cleaned up and ready to sell. I got a picture of the car on the rollback that apparently took it to get its new fuel pump while I was gone which helped to keep my interest.

So, I got back from Europe, Christmas came and went, and I was back at work full time after the first of the year. Shortly after getting back, I got several pictures of the car since it was fixing to be advertised. In one of the pictures, I noticed the “Thunderbird” emblem on the fender which made me ask more questions. After getting some pics of the engine, it appeared this might be a 312 car knowing its history and lack of modification over the years. I also find out that it has power steering and brakes, dual exhaust that exits through the bumper, etc. (I later found out that the car was a 292 for sure.)




Anyway, at this point, I was planning to make an offer to the most I thought I could give at this time. However, during the weekend I had kind of decided that I should really just focus on the projects I have so I can get them done and not distract myself with this car. We already had way too much going with normal life stuff, two boys, plans to get two girls, work, etc.

I came into work Monday morning following that weekend and got an email from the guy with the car asking if I was still interested. He had a local collector make an offer and he was hoping to get a little more out of it so he was seeing where I was at. I sent him an email back explaining that I had decided against the car right now just because of all of what I had going but let him know that I had pretty much came to the same value that the collector had come to. Anyway, I thanked him for all the information and fully expected him to sell the car to the local guy within the next week or so.

I get back to work the next morning at 6:00 and get a response from him. He comments that he and his brother would rather I have the car and wondered if I would be interested at less than what the other guy offered. I was kind of blown away to say the least. I was in no way trying to negotiate a price but had legitimately decided not to buy the car. It happened to be my birthday and I was kind of laughing about the deal a little and called my wife to tell her about it. She said, it sounds like it is meant to be and “Happy Birthday”. So, I made the deal!

Being so excited, I planned a trip to go get it and took my two 6-year-old boys with me. It gave me and the boys some time together and gave Mom a break. We made it to pick up the car, got to meet with fellow Ford Barn guys cvstl and Old Patriot for dinner and had a great trip overall. I wish I would have taken more pics along the way, but only got a couple…
at the hotel where I could watch it out the window while sleeping with one eye open…

at a gas station on the trip home

Anyway, this seemed to be one of those deals of being in the right place at the right time and getting a chance to get a very nice unrestored original car. I have had the car for right at a year now and have enjoyed it quite a bit. All I have really done to it is buff it, change out the brake lines, and lower it a little. It has made a great car for me, my wife and our four kids to drive.

And finally, here are a couple more pics that I took at a car show this last summer in Salina, Kansas after the buffing and lowering.

[Ole Don]

What a great story! A great car, kids that love it, and a wife who loves all of the above. You are one lucky dude. Power steering is a rare and wonderful addition to that car. Take good care of all of it.

[Y-Blockhead]

Nice car and great story. Welcome also.

[joe plumber]

Welcome to the Barn

[rick55]

That was a great tale with a great car at the end of it. Love to see some more photos of it.
As others have said you are one lucky dude. I would have been scared s#%¥less with the car on a trailer in a motel parking lot overnight. There are so many stories of cars being stolen I doubt I would have slept a wink all night.
Genuine cars in this condition are so hard to find.
Regards

[Wily Kyote]

What a delightful story. Congratulations. Love the car.

A friend's father bought one new. Like yours except blue and white, and standard with OD. In the seventies, the son bought it and installed a 406 with 3 deuces. Changed the transmission to a T-85 with OD. Left the outside stock: ww tires, wheel covers, fender skirts, everything.

This was in the CB radio era. He (I along) fell in with a convoy of luxury cars from Tucumcari, NM back to Amarillo on the Interstate. The other drivers talked to each other (unaware that we heard) about that 'grandma's car', and how could it stay up with their ever increasing speeds? (It even had one of the full coverage bug screens on front.) They would teach us a lesson when they neared Amarillo!

The story is kind of like that song about the little Nash Rambler stuck in second gear. They agreed to drive wide open and leave us sitting. When they had maxed out, we sailed past the fastest of them at another ten miles per hour.

God must have loved us, with those skinny tires and all. The driver sold me his '41 Ford pickup for $223. (I still have it) To show my appreciation, I later sold him our one-owner 50,000 mile '66 7 Litre convertible for $750. Hot damn!

[frank long island]

Enjoy the kids while their at this age and include them in the upkeep if there intrested it will be a life of memories for both of you its the best when you have the young ones and go to shows i did this with my 8yr old but sold my 55 wagon this past month so its just walking around this season but i've had many enjoyable hours at shows and made many friends you'll find this site has a lot of knowledgable people always ready to offer a hand at solveing the problemswe have with these "classics" good luck and welcome to the "barn" p.s thats a beauty is it a salmon color

[guthriesmith]

Thanks for all the comments and warm welcomes. My boys have grown up in old cars since before they could walk and my oldest (now 7) loves them. My girls are just now learning. I took all four of them to the car show in Salina and gave my wife a well-deserved break back in August. Anyway, I look forward to what all I can learn here. I am still somewhat new to Fords. I grew up with a dad that worked for a different car company.

[parklane]

Welcome to the site. That car is a beaut.