Ford Fairlane ZD - Modern Classic

Here is the 4th episode in the Fairlane Auto History Series. Please be sure to give the episode a Like 👍 as it really helps the channel get seen by more enthusiasts like you. Plus, please Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Thanks for watching! 👍

[@markbehr88]

Here is the 4th episode in the Ford Fairlane Auto History Series - the ZD. Please help the channel by hitting the old Like 👍 Button. It will help the channel get seen by more enthusiasts like you. Plus, please Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode as there is lots more to come! Thanks for watching. 👍

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Looking very dated by now but XY sedan emphasised this.

[@markbehr88]

@@Eric-kn4yn Dated but still market leader. 👍

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​​@@markbehr88 sth africa was good with fords early 70s turned sour mid 1980s

[@markbehr88]

@@Eric-kn4yn Yes. 👍

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​@@markbehr88 its sad 😥

[@michaelcalder9089]

Great color selections. Unlike the boring crap we have with new cars.

[@markbehr88]

Agree. Everything is white, grey, black or silver these days. 🫣

[@MrLeslloyd]

Not with the Toyota Rav4 Prime,beautiful Maranello Red,hey wait why don't we get that and they and even India get those fancy interiors colours too even today.Now there must be a story behind why that is Mark?

[@markbehr88]

What about the Mustangs we get here. In America you can get red, tan etc. Here we just get black grey. 🫣

[@romemancer7905]

The Peak of beautiful cars to come out of that era...When i was young the XY Fairmont and ZD Fairlane were among my favorite cars...our family had the ZD Fairlane and XY Fairmont wagon...just a joy to go out in these fantastic cars !

[@markbehr88]

@@romemancer7905 very cool. We had (and I have) the 72 Galaxie which was out with those cars at the end of their run. 👍

[@romemancer7905]

@@markbehr88 I remember that model Galaxie sat for years in the corner of a bomb yard unwanted....for 900 dollars...black ex GOV...I would say !

[@markbehr88]

@@romemancer7905 Really. What a shame.

[@barrycuda3769]

@@markbehr88 I remember, there was a lovely condition ( at least body and interior wise) mark 1 Cortina 4 door sitting in the yard of the local scrap metal dealers , I thought ,surely someone will want that and save it , but no, the last time I saw it , they had uncaringly stacked another car on top of it , and it would have been crushed. I hate seeing that waste of a classic era car.

[@markbehr88]

@@barrycuda3769 That is sad. When I see such things I go and ask how much, just to either buy it myself or let someone know who might be interested. But, you can’t buy em all.

[@royferntorp]

Farmers loved them. Big boot, tow anything. Went everywhere without issues. Seems that the XP program paid off.

[@markbehr88]

@@royferntorp Yes. And they marketed that rugged luxury. 👍

[@greglewis1146]

Best car i ever owned! i was 22 and it was only a few years old, beautiful powerful car

[@markbehr88]

@@greglewis1146 Great car for a 22 year old. 👍

[@richardbrimble1319]

I’m biased, but the ZA to ZD were so far ahead of the competition back in the day. Performance, size, looks and interiors were outstanding.

[@markbehr88]

@@richardbrimble1319 Yes, the sales reflected this too. 👍

[@indykartsindoorgokarting6711]

I used to be a mechanic and these ZD's were really popular with country girls (good long distance cruisers). What most people don't know is that Ford had a bunch of 351 4V motors left over from their GT projects and they randomly threw these engines in ZD 351 fairlanes. There was no identification on the car at all, the only give away was they were as fast as f*** and, if you looked closely, you could find the "4" cast into the heads. I had two customers with these.

[@markbehr88]

@@indykartsindoorgokarting6711 Cool. Very interesting. I know they did that when they were trying to get rid of XA Phase IV components later on. 👍

[@Gokizzmass]

Windsors i'm guessing.

[@markbehr88]

@@Gokizzmass Cleveland for the last 351 month of production. 302 is Windsor. 👍

[@brianlove8413]

I have had 2 of theses years back, one Nugget Gold 302 and a White K code with dealer air. On the sunroof, I worked on a ZC back in 76 which had a factory wind back sunroof fitted, it was a 351 that also had factory air, and power windows fitted.

[@markbehr88]

@@brianlove8413 It may have been a Ford company car to trial it. 👍

[@brianlove8413]

@@markbehr88 Definitely a possibility. It was a nice car, Dark green (almost black) and white trim.

[@markbehr88]

@@brianlove8413 Gorgeous. 👍

[@romemancer7905]

God bless Slim Dusty and his purple Fairlane ...who towed his caravan for years across OZ entertaining communities everywhere...

[@markbehr88]

@@romemancer7905 Yes. What a legend. 👍

[@couttsy222]

Another great episode. One of my favourite cars. We had a ZD for many years, specifically when our two young children needed pushers, high-chairs, cots etc. The boot was perfect for this! Originally copper bronze(?) I repainted it Diamond White in our garage and had a black vinyl roof fitted -- not the norm in the 1990s! 302W with Quadrajet, GT suspension and power steering from an XC Falcon it was just like a huge gokart. Very fun to drive. Also surprisingly easy to park as each corner could be clearly seen. I don't see otherwise mentioned (I apologise if it has already been discussed) that this was also the transition from Windsor to Cleveland V8s The last of the Windsors had some unique ancilliary items, such as waterpumps and other bits'n'bobs I've since forgotten. It was always a pain trying to get the correct parts. Earlier and older build date ZDs were easy but not the month mine was built in. Always the way......

[@markbehr88]

@@couttsy222 Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, a transition to the Clevelands for this model, depending upon build month. The ZD certainly is a much loved car. Then and now. 👍

[@drifterdrifter9558]

I had a ZD. 351 auto. Forklift power steering 😂 The size of a state. And used petrol like it was water. I loved it. So good cruising that thing.

[@markbehr88]

Yes. Sounds like the recipe for a good car to me. 😀👍

[@slepper98]

Another enjoyable episode, thanks Mark.

[@markbehr88]

Thanks very much. 👍

[@robertdryburgh1457]

Nice cars! Far more attractive and dependable than todays cars. I still find the outside windshield visors common on newer Aussie vehicles odd. They were common on 40's and early 50's North American vehicles and then disappeared. Always great to see the classic Aussie vehicles.

[@markbehr88]

@@robertdryburgh1457 Thanks. I guess the visors are for those really hot climates plus Gov’t cars often had them too. 👍

[@barrycuda3769]

That photo of the black 1966 Galaxie, its a thing of beauty, I dont know how many people would agree, but I tend to think most old cars never look better than when they're painted black , the 1966 Galaxie is one of those cars, that to me looks best as a 4 door , I love the tail lights and the body shape, Im not so in love with the grille, but its still absolutely acceptable , I'm pretty sure I've only ever seen one RHD 4 door version of a '66 Galaxie in NZ ( it was black). My AP6 Regal was sky blue from the factory, I changed it to black , because many year's ago I saw a black AP6 V8 that I thought looked stunning, sky blue cant compete IMO. On the subject of red line tyres, they are another thing I love , Ive noticed that red lines seem to be quite popular in Australia, but in NZ there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for them . I experimented for a long time trying to come up with a paint that I could use to stripe my own tyres , and I finally came up with something that really works and lasts , and doesn't crack and flake off , ( if anyone is interested , just ask and I'll pass on the formula ) . Sorry , I went off on a tangent or two again, this video was about the ZD Fairlane.

[@markbehr88]

@@barrycuda3769 Yes, I like black too if there is plenty of chrome. I have a black 70 Galaxie with a red interior. Keen to hear more on the redline solve? 🤔👍

[@barrycuda3769]

@@markbehr88 Yes , I totally agree, black works best when there's plenty of chrome and stainless steel , which, in the case of the AP6 Regal , it has enough of the shiny bits, to work really well with black. I tried all sorts of recipes for the red line paint, and had a lot of failures, but in the end , the one that worked was very simple , all it consists of is, some red basecoat automotive paint ( or any colour) thinned out a lot with automotive plastic adhesion promoter ( in my case just out of a spray can ) . The application process is , take the wheel off , and wash the tyre , and then, lightly scrub where the stripe is going with a scotchbrite pad , then rinse it off , and let it dry . Then put the tyre/ wheel flat on a bench or stand . Have multiple rags, and wet each rag with lacquer thinner ( that's what I use , but acetone or isopropyl alcohol should be ok) , then wipe the sidewall with several rags until not much black shows on the rag . Then spray the sidewall with one thin coat of just plastic adhesion promoter. Then decide on which part of the sidewall you want to stripe , and how wide it will be (mine have been about 12 mm wide ), then mark it out with a ball point pen , using the edge of the rim as the reference point , I use a piece of pen marked masking tape , and just go around the tyre marking the stripe area with dashes .Then mask around the pen marks ( inner and outer lines) with fine line tape ( not plastic type tape , it doesn't adhere well enough) . Press down the edges of tape firmly . Then , using an artist's brush, apply enough coats until it looks covered, (and a little bit of drying time in between coats) .Let it dry off ,( but not for very long ) and carefully pull the tape off. Whew! , explaining it was more difficult than doing it. Iv'e found that this method works. Although, these days you can buy stick on rubber redlines , but, with my way you can get the exact colour you desire. I dont care anymore, do what you want to do.( not you specifically Mark) 🙂

[@markbehr88]

Thanks for the tip. I love redline tyres. I have a Highland Green 1967 XR7 Cougar with factory mag wheels and I would live red line tyres on it. Currently it has thin whitewalls. 👍

[@barrycuda3769]

@@markbehr88 Iv'e always loved them too. That paint recipe and method worked for me . If you try it , you could do a little test bit on the inside of a tyre first , to satisfy you that it works good and lasts. The most difficult part is marking out and masking the line , but, I've found that even if its a little bit wonky, it's not noticeable . A friend of mine had a 1968 Cougar , a memory of it that I'll never forget is one Saturday night we jumped into it to go into town and get a beer flagon filled , we were on a long straight road , and, as is usual for him , he had his foot down pretty hard , he looked at me and said "that's 90 " ( MPH) , and that was where the road started to curve to the left , and I was thinking we shouldn't be going that fast on a curve, and at that very moment, we were on fine grit that had been spread on the road because of frosts, and suddenly we were doing 90 completely sideways, and fast approaching an intersection onto the main highway, I was expecting the car to flip over , but we came to rest safely, halfway out on the highway, then he punched the accelerator right to the floor , and we took off back home in a cloud of tyre smoke.

[@markbehr88]

@@barrycuda3769 Scary! 😳

[@GerardDaly-y1n]

Love the ZD it's great to see some of your family and friends cars used in this video

[@markbehr88]

Thanks Gerard. Even you made an appearance! 😀👍

[@chrisweeks6973]

In 1972 one of my colleagues in the Truck Plant had a ZD 500 351 - and very nice it was, too. 👍 We'd just switched over to the ZF at that point, but he was in no rush to change it for the newer model, as he liked the instantly-recognisable look of the ZD. The ZF (and the ZG) Fairlane looked too much like the XA Falcon, which is why in 1976 Ford went to the more squared-off ZH.

[@markbehr88]

@@chrisweeks6973 Yes, the ZF was very similar although it and the ZG still sold very well. I agree it was more generic. 👍

[@stephenvelden295]

I used to own a Green ZD (302 column auto). I was working in the West Australian Goldfields and some work colleagues and I were heading to a pub in a nearby town, about 50 Kms away, We took a non drinking apprentice with us to drive us home at the end of the night. He mentioned that he would need a paper bag over his head in case anyone recognized him while driving "that old heap of junk"! After about a Kilometer he suddenly exclaimed, F**k this thing is nice to drive!

[@markbehr88]

@@stephenvelden295 He saw the light. 😳👍

[@louiskats5116]

G'day Mark, Another great video, you got to be spewing as a buyer no matter what you ordered 302 or 351 it was only 2BBL. No more GT spec 351. Really enjoying every episode. Cheers Louis Kats 👍

[@markbehr88]

@@louiskats5116 Thanks Louis. Agree. No 4V, which is why I like ZC best although the ZD is still a great model. 👍

[@louiskats5116]

​@@markbehr88👍👍👍

[@markbehr88]

@@louiskats5116 👍

[@chuckselvage3157]

I love those ZDs i knew a few people that owned one of these,one being my dads mate and i've been for a run in it. It was yellow and had a 351 T bar auto.Thanks for the episode.

[@markbehr88]

Thanks very much. Yellow would be quite rare. 👍

[@aussietaipan8700]

My Neighbour has a ZD 351 in burgundy red. Nice car. Modified with a 9 inch LSD with rear disc brakes and turbo 700 trans with OD. Great cruiser.

[@markbehr88]

Nice car. Great colour too. 👍

[@mikldude9376]

Lovely old cars , built for comfort and room . I can’t recall seeing any of the really brightly coloured ones, they must have been in low numbers . Maybe I’m thinking of ZC , I remember white , tan , nice dark metallic blue , mustard , and green. I’d happily swap my modern car for a ZD V8.

[@markbehr88]

@@mikldude9376 I recall seeing Vermillion Fire, Wild Violet, the Mustard Yellow. That was in Sydney. I am sure regional areas had more sombre colours. 🤔👍

[@Steven-p4j]

I still remember this model as being most attractive in an understated way. The 351 was the popular choice.

[@markbehr88]

@@Steven-p4j Yes. Top cars. 👍

[@markbehr88]

@@Steven-p4j Nice to have one now. 👍

[@bossdog1480]

I had one of these beauties. Ut was the 302 auto in Bronze. A fairly strong machine but not impervious to kangaroos unfortunately. A very comfortable and quiet car. The huge steel bumpers saved me in a prang when I suddenly saw the crossing lights with the sun in my eyes. I slammed on the brakes and a poor Cortina behind me ran straight into the raised bumper and was badly damaged. Not a scratch on the Fairlane. lol

[@markbehr88]

Yes, they were rugged cars 👍

[@aussietaipan8700]

3rd liked mate. My neighbour has a ZD 351, only mods are 9inch LSD and turbo 700 OD trans. Great cruiser.

[@markbehr88]

Thanks. I think the ZD is one of the most popular, if not THE most popular Fairlane? 👍

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@markbehr88 a pity there wasn't an LTD as well. It could have had concealed vertical headlights with the eyelids coming sideways.

[@markbehr88]

Yes although they sold the Galaxie as the top tier car. I have a 1972 model that was my Dad’s car. 👍

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@markbehr88 so the P5 LTD must have come out in 73, after the Chrysler by Chrysler and HQ GM Statesman top model. I wish we kept getting the American models C although the square nose ends didn't look as in keeping as the 72.

[@markbehr88]

@@jamesfrench7299 Yes, that’s right. 👍

[@timsullivan3921]

I have a ZD T Bar K Code in Vintage Burgundy with a white vinyl roof, boy is it a big car to drive. I was amazed how many people give you a wave and a thumbs up as you motor around town. I guess you just don't see cars like this on the road anymore. I don't recall seeing another ZD on the roads around Sydney since I bought the car.

[@markbehr88]

@@timsullivan3921 Very cool. Funny enough I saw a ZD driving past me last week. It was great to see it on the road. 👍

[@timsullivan3921]

@@markbehr88 What colour was it and whereabouts? I'm north side of Sydney, was wondering if it was me you drove past LOL!!!

[@markbehr88]

@@timsullivan3921 It was in Victoria. It was black (a repaint I suspect). 👍

[@timsullivan3921]

Was not me then lol I was surprised they only weight 1400kg. I did think with a 351 it would have more poke but it's a very original and standard vehicle

[@markbehr88]

Yes, no airbags etc plus all the electronics. 👍

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Mark, There is some thing about the Fairlane's with the twin vertical head lights they look cool, reminds me of the old Mercedes Benz 200 series with there vertical head lights. I see there is a UK registered (1:20) Another great looking car we never had. As always a great video, catch you soon Take care

[@markbehr88]

@@shaun30-3-mg9zs Thanks Shaun. Good point re the Mercedes. I am sure they too were influenced by the US market although the Euro versions had the nice integrated headlights versus the US versions. That UK 🇬🇧 one was imported from South Africa 👍

[@danozism]

Another great episode Mark, cheers. I could never decide between the ZC or the ZD. It's a tough one, depending on what you want Keep up the great work mate, Dan

[@markbehr88]

Thanks Dan. They are both very cool. I will go ZC because I like the high comp 351 and the front grille. 👍

[@danozism]

@@markbehr88 I knew you'd say that, haha. Yeah, the first time I saw a ZC I was pretty much sold! But I thought I should at least give the ZD half a chance ''-)

[@markbehr88]

I do like both. 😀👍

[@70XU1]

Another well executed video Mark I wonder if any three speed column shift V8 cars still exist. Surely none of very very few

[@markbehr88]

@@70XU1 Thanks very much. They would have to be virtually non existent I imagine? 🤔👍

[@70XU1]

@@markbehr88 it's quite a strange mix anyway, a luxury car with w column shift - something more in line with entry level cars Thanks again, these are really great videos and I'm sure I'm not the only one that appreciates your efforts

[@markbehr88]

@@70XU1 Thanks very much. The Custom may have appealed to hire car type markets? Personally I would only ever buy a Fairlane 500 with the V8. Ideally, 351 T bar auto. 👍

[@noelgibson5956]

A column shift manual, to my knowledge, couldn't be paired up with power steering, so a V8 with column manual would not have been popular with female drivers.

[@markbehr88]

@@noelgibson5956 I don’t think it would be popular with blokes either! 😀👍

[@PaulHayman-tq5kb]

Mark I would like to say how prompt you're i Response is I like that and the way you can explain the finer points of the models and is a very professional

[@markbehr88]

@@PaulHayman-tq5kb Thanks very much. 👍

[@OLDS98]

Thank you Mark. I would say the 1966 Ford Galaxie 500/LTD influenced the styling of the Australian Fairlane. They better utilized space on this Fairlane. I guess our American models have more exterior bulk. This car has a long wheelbase, but not long in length. I am watching waiting for when the Fairlane is finally over 200 inches long. It is getting there. I see they had interesting colors too. This model was really focused on the Australian market. The options were interesting. Still no power windows and seats yet. I thought it was interesting they offered front bench seats. That was nice to see. I smiled when I saw the Holden Brougham and Statesman. That HQ Statesman looks like a Oldsmobile in the front. The Chrysler by Chrysler looks like a 70's Chrysler in the United States. The next generation Fairlane you showed in the photo looks like a Ford Torino. Thank you again Mark.

[@markbehr88]

@@OLDS98 Thanks Olds98. The ZD was a great car. The competition was hotting up as you’ll see in the next episode. 👍

[@OLDS98]

@@markbehr88 They put the effort in this Fairlane. They focused on the details. This car has a glamours appearance compared to the American Fords at the time. You could see it. Yes, I see the competition is getting quite interesting. That was previewed at the end of this video. Ford was hitting home runs with Falcon and Fairlane. It was a game of catch us if you can. I did notice they were selling American GM and Ford vehicles along side the Australian models. When did that stop? I would say the 1970's. I could be wrong. I look forward to the next episode as this is exciting and interesting.

[@markbehr88]

@@OLDS98 Thanks Olds. In terms of the US offerings. 1972 Galaxie LTD sold into 1973, Chevrolet stopped in 1968 as an ongoing model but there were batches of later models up to 1974. Dodge Phoenix up to 1971/2. 👍

[@OLDS98]

@@markbehr88 I thought it was the 1970's. I appreciate you sharing the models. The Australian market is becoming its own market as we are starting to see in your videos. It is a shame it is gone now. What happened to all those people who worked for Ford and Holden and Toyota.

[@markbehr88]

@@OLDS98 Many went onto other jobs but I doubt they enjoyed it as much. 😢

[@jamesfrench7299]

Never knew they came in red or orange. Both look nice. While I still don't find the vertical headlamps particularly pretty, it gives the car exclusivity and presence.

[@markbehr88]

@@jamesfrench7299 Yes, the vertical headlights enabled it to channel some Galaxie styling themes. 👍

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@markbehr88 it looks very masculine as well.

[@markbehr88]

@@jamesfrench7299 Yes. 👍

[@noelgibson5956]

In 1970-71, the ZD was far superior to look at than the HG Brougham. XY Fairmont vs HG Premier on the other hand, I'd definitely take the Prem. The HG offered more optional equipment than the Fords at that point. A fully optioned V8 Premier was a very pleasant car on long trips.

[@markbehr88]

@@noelgibson5956 Yes but I wouldn’t say no to a Fairmont 351 with factory sunroof, t bar in Port Wine. Agree the Premier is nice too but I would go 351 Fairmont. I drove a column auto 351 XY Fairmont once. It was $3,600. I should have bought it. It was fantastic to drive. 👍

[@romemancer7905]

just a little side note from Fordburger at Roadkill garage...did you know in 1980 ...Ford introduced a 250 cubic inch Windsor !!!

[@markbehr88]

@@romemancer7905 Yes, I think it was actually a 255 cubic inch V8. It was not that popular and was fitted to mainly Fox bodied sedans like the Fairmont, Mercury Zephyr, Fox body LTD and Marquis plus the 1980-83 Thunderbird. 👍

[@user-qs4xw7ye5s]

I still have mine. 😄

[@markbehr88]

Lucky you. What colour? 🤔👍

[@user-qs4xw7ye5s]

@@markbehr88 Vermilion fire 🔥. 302 column shift auto. Lounge chair on wheels. 😁

[@markbehr88]

302 is certainly the most reliable and durable of the engines. 👍

[@user-qs4xw7ye5s]

@@markbehr88 The only weak point on the 302 Windsor engine is the alloy timing case, as the passage of coolant through it eventually finds its way to the outside. But I still prefer it over a 351 Cleveland.

[@markbehr88]

@@user-qs4xw7ye5s Right. Yes, the 302 is an exceptional engine reliability wise with good power too. 👍

[@drifterdrifter9558]

Your brothers was the same as mine. Dark green and tan interior

[@markbehr88]

Great colour combo hey. 👍

[@thunderbird1454]

I always thought the ZD was the better one of the two. You don't see many ZCs these days, so my assumption must be right. I have never seen a metric dash in one of these, considering metric wasn't coming in until July 1974, so it was a way off yet. It could be an after-market conversion back in the 70's to replace the plastic lens to give you a metric speedo, but the odometer would have still been in miles.

[@markbehr88]

@@thunderbird1454 It’s a South African export model dash. 👍

[@mikevale3620]

By now the Chrysler VIP was into the second year of providing headrests, A/C and radio as standard and the VG VIP also had quarter vent window delete with the standard A/ C. The Fairlane sold more, but IMO the VIP was the better value car, with the better looks especially from the rear limousine angle.

[@markbehr88]

I do like those VIPs and my brother had one. Given the choice though I would take a 351 Fairlane. 👍

[@TexasBlues-123]

Those old Fairlanes are by far the best looking cars compared to the Chrysler and Holden offerings.

[@markbehr88]

The Holdens and Chryslers certainly became more competitive in the early 1970’s but the Fairlane outsold them by a long way. 👍

[@Fwdking]

1:04 was that the first time Ford used plastic grilles? This model as a kid , turned my head more than others . Not sure why, love the green version at beginning 👍🇭🇲🦘

[@markbehr88]

@@Fwdking Yes it was. 👍

[@Jacacatt]

Hey Mark, the dash photo at 12.25 is interesting being in kilometres. Outside the 351, the factory sunroof was one of the best options fullstop. Had one in an XC back in the day and still think it looked better than today's glass, and for it's time it was pretty quiet when opened.

[@markbehr88]

Thanks. I didn’t notice that. Could have been a South African export model? Agree. Love the factory sunroof. 351, T bar, Integrated air conditioning. Not sure what colour I would have? Maybe a dark blue with white interior. 🤔👍

[@Jacacatt]

​@markbehr88 colours were great them days. How could one go past wild violet or jewel green

[@markbehr88]

@@Jacacatt Yes. Great colours. 👍

[@robertmorris6529]

​@markbehr88 yes, that one is strange , notice also no factory radio , but it has aftermarket with a single floor mounted speaker , and possibly a on off toggle switch switch maybe for Fog/ Driving lights .

[@markbehr88]

@@robertmorris6529 I assume they would fit the radio in their home market? 🤔

[@derekhobbs1102]

I can't believe these were only about 100kg heavier than my Datsun 720.

[@markbehr88]

@@derekhobbs1102 Pretty light. No Airbags, less glass, no electronics etc

[@tonxbezzina7015]

Thanks again, I didn’t know about the suspension options was it just different springs?

[@markbehr88]

@@tonxbezzina7015 Thanks. And potentially different shocks. 👍

[@tonxbezzina7015]

@@markbehr88the horn ring delete is also interesting never seen one 🧐

[@markbehr88]

@@tonxbezzina7015 Yes, I have seen a few. I prefer it without personally. 👍

[@AussiePom]

The wheels on the ZD at 3:52 make it look a bit too Falcon for me and they're not the wheels that were optioned for that car by Ford. The white striped tyres on the car at 8:44 make the car look odd and chinsie but I like the red striped tyres. Perhaps it's the colour of the car as white striped tyres on a white car would look good or a silver car but not a copper shade. The hub caps are similar to the Lincoln but appear to be have a brushed chrome finish giving them a satin look although the edges that make contact with the wheel seem to be polished chrome. I think they look far better than the US Lincoln ones. An owner a Wild Violet coloured Fairlane would almost need to have a pair of fluffy dices hanging from the interior mirror, remember those. But aside from my criticisms which are only my thoughts another cracking review Mark of a car I never really knew even though I saw them as it was the later Fairlanes I took more notice of.

[@markbehr88]

@@AussiePom Thanks. Yes, the Falcon type wheels are better left to the Falcon although, when we get to ZF, there were some shared wheels 👍

[@UncleJoeLITE]

As much as I like the ZC & ZD, I still do not like the look of those vertically stacked headlights. Ford Australia had a bunch of good ideas, these weren't one of them. Imho ofc. Cheers Mark. (9:00 Nice Capri in the showroom.)

[@markbehr88]

@@UncleJoeLITE Fair enough. Each to their own. I remember, as a kid in the 1970’s, thinking the vertical headlights were a bit old fashioned, but I do like them. 👍

[@xk2fg]

Re the volumes: ZD Fairlanes 12797. Custom series 1136, 500 series 11661. The 302 column manual was quite rare - 68 produced (all Custom series obviously). Even rarer is a Custom 351 auto - only 10 produced.

[@markbehr88]

@@xk2fg Wow. Thanks for those numbers. You don’t happen to know individual sales for AU Fairmont V8 wagons do you. Series 1, 2 and 3 separated? 🤔👍

[@noelgibson5956]

I'd take a rough guess and say the 302 auto was the No.l choice for all Fairlane buyers from ZB all the way to ZK, followed by the 351 auto, then the 250 six auto. Manuals were very much purchased by outliers in very small numbers, regardless of engine. With ZK in 1982, the last year of Cleveland V8's in passenger Ford's, the 302 still made up 55% of sales and 45% were for the six. 351 V8 disappeared with ZJ, but confusingly, was still offered with LTD and XE Fairmont ESP. Peak Fairlane for me was the ZJ and ZK V8's. I had an XE Falcon years ago.......so I'm a little biased towards that style.

[@markbehr88]

@@noelgibson5956 Yes that would be right re sales mix. 👍

[@xk2fg]

@@markbehr88Series I - 163, Series II - 145, Series III - 60.

[@markbehr88]

@@xk2fg Thanks very much. I have a Series 1 in Sparkling Burgundy and a Series 2 in that Olive Green colour. I love them. 👍

[@BCBtrucks64]

hmmm i happened to be like number 351

[@markbehr88]

A good number. 👍

[@StarlightWorkshop0z]

Same colour as mine was :(

[@markbehr88]

Which colour was that? 🤔

[@rusky351]

Hi Mark My uncle had a ZD with all the good gear-4 valve heads, FMX auto and 9 inch diff. I think these cars were built in batches and they had a name. Any ideas?

[@markbehr88]

@@rusky351 The 4V wasn’t available in ZD as a factory option so they would be subsequently fitted by owners in the vast majority of cases. A few may have been done by the dealer as a special order and maybe less than a handful built that way for very senior Ford Managers but without specific paperwork I would say retrofitted. 👍

[@SLR-hn5yy]

Mark KZbin unsubscribed me. My dad had a HQ Statesman metallic olive green and I could hear him driving back from work work at least 30 seconds away so I had to open the gate for him.

[@markbehr88]

Really! What the hell are they doing! 😳. Can everyone please check that they are still Subscribed! Thanks for letting me know. I do like the HQ Statesman. I will do a Statesman series too and also the upmarket Chryslers. Will finish the Fairlane, Valiant and Commodore series first though. 👍

[@PaulHayman-tq5kb]

Ford Australia should have made a Fairlane in a convertible car for the next level

[@markbehr88]

Not sure of the sales potential there? 🤔

[@nkelly.9]

Thanks Mark. More stellar content loaded with interesting facts. Good old Slim Dusty. You can see him driving his Fairlane at 2:56 in this clip "The Plains of Pepperminati", shot at Pepperminarti Station in the Northern Territory. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqjQqo1nm7x6os0 He drove that car everywhere. Terrific cars.

[@markbehr88]

@@nkelly.9 Thanks very much. I’ll check it out. 👍

[@markbehr88]

Just watched it. Terrific. 👍

[@nkelly.9]

@@markbehr88 It's a great song too!

[@markbehr88]

@@nkelly.9 Yes, you can tell he had an affinity for the people out there. 👍

[@aussietaipan8700]

unable to add comments,

[@markbehr88]

Is this not a comment? 🤔

[@Dylan_Mulvaney_OFFICIAL]

I prefer the ZC, because the ZC had a cleaner look, especially the boot looked better.

[@markbehr88]

I do too but still reckon the ZD looks excellent. I do like the boot trim and also the hubcaps but prefer the engine and front grille of the ZC. 👍

[@Dylan_Mulvaney_OFFICIAL]

@@markbehr88 I prefer the "moulding less" boot of the ZC. Would be a blessing for people doing the re-painting restoration work.

[@markbehr88]

Yes, it is certainly a cleaner look too. 👍

[@area51isreal71]

Ford could do no wrong with the Fairlane.....until the XA Falcon look a like ZF Fairlane. I could be wrong but I seem to remember the ZF Fairlane being out sold (slim margin) by the new HQ Statesman for a brief period.

[@markbehr88]

@@area51isreal71 That could be true for one month or so but overall the Fairlane ZF outsold the Statesman and Chrysler combined by a large margin. 👍

[@jasoncarpp7742]

G'day Mark. Another awesome car history video. Have you yourself ever driven a Ford Fairlane ZD? Although not my favourite Fairlane, my favourite is the ZF Fairlane, it's still a nice looking car overall.

[@markbehr88]

Thanks Jason. Yes, I have driven most of the Fairlane models. The ZD is nice to drive. I would say though, that the ZF probably feels better to drive. My favourite was the 351 ZC because of the raw power. 👍

[@jasoncarpp7742]

@@markbehr88 If only our American Fords were this nice. Most of the Fords of the 1970s, with the exception of the Maverick and Mercury Comet, look way too large for most American driving. I would've preferred either a Maverick or Comet any day over an LTD, etc.🙂

[@markbehr88]

@@jasoncarpp7742 I do like the big US Fords and own quite a few but I understand what you mean. 👍

[@jasoncarpp7742]

@@markbehr88 Unless I'm mistaken, isn't our Ford Maverick/Mercury Comet anything like Australia's Ford Falcon? in terms of overall size, I would think it'd be perfect for most people. 🙂

[@markbehr88]

@@jasoncarpp7742 Size wise it is similar I believe. 👍

[@wafive]

Never liked the ZC/D Fairlane interior as much as Fairmont / GT... I feel that Ford missed a great opportunity by not making a GTA Fairlane.

[@markbehr88]

@@wafive Sure. The ZC high compression 351 floor shift manual was mighty close.

[@PaulHayman-tq5kb]

Slim dusty car He called IT Old purple and has a song called Old purple

[@markbehr88]

@@PaulHayman-tq5kb Very nice. 👍

[@deanstevenson6527]

In my opinion, the ZD was seriously defanged, probably due to a proliferation of the Falcon M code 170 hp 2V and two T (300 hp) and H code (GTHO) engine options, which Fo MoCo decided not to offer in the Fairlane ZD. From Ford's six cylinder stationary engine sales brochure, net hp values were supplied. This was the first time Ford's Fairlane line up aped America, with the US L code 155 hp gross 250 our 4.1 litre 102 hp net ( 76kw) L code. The US F code 220 hp gross 302W 2V our 4.9 litre 143 hp net (107 kw) Y code. The US H code 250 hp gross 351C 2V, our 5.8 litre 183 hp net (136 kw) K code. Ford Australia cars had no 1972 model year compression ratio drop like America did, and no quoted net figures. For 73, those same US engines were emissionised the the same standard introduced in Australia July 1976, but rated 88 hp net for the 250, 136 for the 302 Windsor 2V, and 156 for the 351 2V Cleveland, down 21 hp from 1972 Mustang's 177 hp net figures . In Australian production , Net figures weren't published until July 1976, and then, only by FoMoCo and Chrysler. GM Holden decided to await the HX to publish SAE Gross figures, and DIN net figures, September 1978..

[@markbehr88]

Thanks for the info. Another reason was that US engines were generally designed to run on unleaded fuel from 1971, even though it was not mandated in the USA until 1974. 👍

[@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars]

Until they developed chrome look plastic...the first plastic grills certainly look pretty plastickey, with some manufacturers getting around that by using black!....and strip speedometers where the outer division segments were stretched further apart, while the centre divisions and numerals were all bunched up close together were among my pet dislikes for the period.

[@markbehr88]

Yes. Often they added metal trim pieces to augment the plastic grilles too. It was a good weight saving move. I don’t mind them. They don’t corrode for one. It’s all in the execution of course. 👍