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Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

-148 Ford Fairlane (1962-65)

Ford Fairlane

Meccano Liverpool labelled model 148 as Ford Fairlane, but you still don’t know the correct type of name of the original car that was reproduced and in which year this car was manufactured.

As far as I know, the 545 DeSoto Diplomat with "DeSoto 59 Diplomat" and 24a Chrysler New Yorker (second version) with "Chrysler New Yorker 1955" on the baseplate are the only ones that mentioned the model year in its name on the baseplate. DTandMM, the GBofDT or MM don't give details about the type and model year, so you have to look for brochures and photos to find this information.

Model 148 was introduced in MM of January 1962, so it seems most likely that the real Ford Fairlane was manufactured in 1961. This also correspond with the brochures and photos I found. My conclusion is that model 148 with his two doors and low line mouldings is a reproduction of the 1961 Ford Fairlane 500 club sedan.

1961 Ford brochure

1961 Ford Fairlane 500 club sedan brochure: 2 doors and low line mouldings

Real 1961 Ford Fairlane 500 club sedan with Ford and Fairlane 500 badge back side

My Dinky Toys 148 Ford Fairlane right back side

Fairlane 500 badge right front fender

1961 Ford Fairlane 500 club sedan advertisement: Price $ 2376.

Ford Fairlane.

The Ford Fairlane is an automobile model that was sold between 1955 and 1970 by Ford in North America. The name is derived from Henry Ford’s estate, Fair Lane, near Dearborn, Michigan.

Over time, the name referred to a number of different cars in different classes; the Fairlane was initially a full-sized car, but became a mid-sized car from the 1962 model year. The mid-sized model spawned the Australian-built Fairlane in 1967, although in that market it was considered a large car.

Third generation (1960-1961)

Full-sized Fairlane and Fairlane 500 models were restyled for 1960 and again for the 1961 model year. The Galaxie series continued as the top-of-the-line full-sized Ford. Fairlane 500s demoted to mid-level in the lineup and were equivalent to the Chevrolet Bel Air. Fairlanes were primarily sold as base level trim models for fleet use (taxi, police). Both were only available as pillared sedans.

The big-block 390 CID V8 was available in 1961 as the top-horsepower option, as the "horsepower wars" in Detroit continued.

1961 Ford Fairlane new Interceptor V-8 Police Car brochure

Dinky Toys 258 U.S.A. Police Car Ford Fairlane

1961 Ford Fairlane - Galaxie US police car.

1961 Ford Fairlane Highway Patrol brochure with the new Police Interceptor 390 V-8 engine … designed for the most rugged and demanding police duty… for situations where only absolute peak power will do the job …

Ford Galaxie Ohio State Highway Patrol (Ford Galaxie was made in the same production line as the Ford Fairlane.)

Dinky Toys 264 R.C.M.P. Patrol Car Ford Fairlane. The Ford Fairlane was also assembled in Canada for Commonwealth markets.

I did my police duty in the 60"s with this Chevrolet C10 Suburban in the town of Rotterdam. A powerful car with automatic gear.

Meccano Liverpool:

Introduction Dinky Toys 148 Ford Fairlane in MM January 1962

Dinky Toys 148 Ford Fairlane in catalogue UK 1962. Model 148 was always pictured in green.

My 148 Ford Fairlane

Note the low line mouldings painted silver

My 148 Ford Fairlane with number 148 on baseplate and April 1962 written on baseplate and box

258 U.S.A. Police Car Ford Fairlane with deleted number on baseplate and type 2 rivets.

264 R.C.M.P. Patrol Car Ford Fairlane with deleted number on baseplate and type 1 rivets.

Together with the South African issues there are some colour variations to contribute to this subject.

Jan Oldenhuis, 11 November 2019.

kasvd
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DTCA Member

What a great article Jan, 

I have great memories about this one.

It was my first dinky i bought after i decided to start collecting dinky toys!

This was 10 years ago.

I included a picture of my fleet of fairlanes 

Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Kas

Thank you for your contribution. Very special. You have built a nice collection of color differences of the bodies and interior of the Ford Fairlane. Nice to see all these differences.

Kind regards Jan O.

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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Jan,

Thank you for this very nice Fairlane writeup. This Dinky appeared when I was six years old and always a favorite, though at the time I considered it less than realistic because all police cars I had seen had four doors. The vintage literature you have uncovered makes it clear that some departments did run two-doors. (I still think Dinky would have done better to make a four-door, which could also have been issued in taxi guise as an update to the Plymouth Plaza.)

I do have one quibble: the black-and-white police car (550) you shared a photograph of is a 1962 Fairlane, which despite similar styling cues is a completely different car from the one modeled by Dinky. In 1962 Ford moved the Fairlane nameplate to this “mid-size” platform, leaving the full-size Ford to be known as the Galaxie only. 

Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Jonathan, thank you very much for your contribution and your appreciated correction. I myself also doubted the model name and the correct year of manufacture. I am therefore glad that you draw your attention to this. That is what makes the forum so valuable. Thanks for that. Jan O

 

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johnnyangel
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Jan -- in honour of your nice contribution and this pleasant model, here are some very quick photos of my three -- one South African, and two British. Pulling these out of the display confirmed to me that the sample you photographed is unusual in having the silver paint on the side mouldings. None of my three has this paint -- so have we found yet another variation?

I am also uploading a photo of a Code 3 Fairlane I own. Normally I don't collect these, but I think the modeller made a great job of creating an "ought to have been" Dinky Toy, complete with a bespoke box.

 

Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Jonathan. You're right. I have also viewed several photos of the Ford Fairlane and concluded that the silver painted mouldings is not original. We do not have to doubt about that. I didn't pay enough attention to this when I bought it, but it is just correct to determine this.

You have, incidentally, built up a very exclusive collection of Ford Fairlanes and in a very nice condition. Congrats. Thanks for the nice pictures. Jan O.

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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DTCA MemberUSA

Added another :)

Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Jonathan. A very nice addition to your collection Ford Fairlanes. Indeed a very beauty and shiny mint South African issue. Because you don't show a South African side of the box I may assume that it is an English box? Now you have almost all colour variants. Congrats, Jan O.

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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DTCA MemberUSA

Thank you, Jan! 

Yes, it came only with an English box. Fine with me as I do not display my boxes and it was costly enough as is!

Cheers and happy holidays!

Jonathan A.

Townie54's picture
Townie54
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Anyone know why and when the interior went from white to red?