1967 427 Fairlane XL

The Fairlane has a 427 V-8 with twin Holley 715cfm four-barrel carburetors, an 11.5:1 compression ratio and enging rating of 425 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 480 foot-pounds of torque at 3700 rpm.

Drive goes into a 9-inch Traction-Lok differential with 3.89:1 gearing. The engine block, transmission case, and differential case are all cast of nodular iron and built to withstand NASCAR racing - both oval track and road course - of dragstrip action. The transmission input shaft is 1.4 inches in diameter and 10 inches long, and the rear axles has 31 splines. Two transmissions gear spacings are available: wide ratio, with a 2.78 first gear for drag racing and NASCAR over tracks, and a close-ratio set with 2.20 first gear for NASCAR road racing.

To bringh this machine to a stop, Ford furnished disc brakes at the front, an option on other models, but standard on the 500XL. Drums were retained at the rear. The reason Ford even built this model was (a) to built enoughcars to qualify it as a legal NASCAR package, and (b) to give drag racers a machine for Pro-Stock. Straight off the showroom floor, the Fairlane 500XL will do 0-60 in 6 seconds and the standing quarter mile in 13.8 seconds with a trap speed of 101 mph.

With its innocent façade, XL 500 owners could ravage unsuspecting Pontiac GTOs, plymouth GTX', or Olds 442 drivers. The Fairlane wasn't a bad-looking car, but even with its vinyl-covered hardtop (the NASCAR Fairlanes weren't hardtops, the stiffer and stronger coupes with B-pillars were used), it looked like anything but a racer.

Specifications

Base price:
Engine:
Horsepower:
Induction:

Transmission:
Curb weigh:
0-60 mph:
Quarter mile:

$4342 (1967)
427 V-8
425 @ 6000 rpm
Twin Holley 715cfm four-barrel carb.
4 speed man.
? lb
6 sec.
13.8 sec/101 mph