The second-generation Ford Fairlane and Fairlane 500 ran from 1957 through 1959, riding a new longer, lower body on a 118 inch wheelbase while the cheaper Custom series used 116 inches. The Fairlane 500 arrived for 1957 as the new top trim and hosted the Skyliner retractable hardtop, built all three years. Power started with the 223 cubic inch six and Y-block V8s, then the FE-series 332 and 352 arrived for 1958. Midway through 1959 the new Galaxie series took over the top of the Ford line, and the Fairlane 500 slid down a rung.
Other Ford Fairlane generations
Platform and body
For 1957 Ford split its full-size line onto two wheelbases. Custom and Custom 300 sat on 116 inches, while Fairlane and the new Fairlane 500 got 118 inches with a longer, lower body, about four inches lower than the 1956 car. Construction stayed body on frame with a ball-joint front suspension and a live rear axle on leaf springs. The 1957-1958 cars share most sheetmetal; 1959 brought a heavily reworked body with flatter rooflines and larger glass, still on the 118 inch wheelbase.
Engine lineup
- 1957: 223 cubic inch inline six (144 hp gross), then Y-block V8s: 272 (190 hp), 292 (212 hp), and 312 in 245 hp four-barrel and 270 hp dual-quad forms, plus a 285 hp dual-quad version sold only to racers. A McCulloch/Paxton supercharged 312 rated 300 hp gross was built in small numbers, mostly for racing homologation.
- 1958: the FE series arrived. The 332 came in 240 hp two-barrel and 265 hp four-barrel versions, and the 352 Interceptor Special four-barrel was rated 300 hp gross. The 292 Y-block stayed on as the base V8 at 205 hp, and the 223 six continued at 145 hp.
- 1959: 223 six (145 hp), 292 (200 hp), 332 (225 hp two-barrel only), and the 352 at 300 hp gross. All ratings in this era are gross figures.
Drivetrain and transmissions
Everything was rear wheel drive. The base gearbox was a column-shift three-speed manual, with Borg-Warner overdrive optional. The Ford-O-Matic automatic carried over, and for 1958 Ford added the three-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic, offered behind the FE 332 and 352. Rear axles were conventional hypoid units with a range of ratios; overdrive cars typically ran numerically higher gears.
Year by year
- 1957: all-new body, Fairlane 500 debuts as top trim, Skyliner retractable hardtop reaches showrooms in April 1957, six months into the model year. Ford outsold Chevrolet in model-year production, 1,522,406 cars to 1,515,177, the first time Ford had done it since 1935.
- 1958: quad headlights, revised grille and trim, FE 332/352 V8s and Cruise-O-Matic introduced. A recession year, so 1958 production is the lowest of the three.
- 1959: new squared-off body. The Galaxie series appeared in February 1959, taking the Fairlane 500's Skyliner retractable and Sunliner convertible along with the top-trim position. All 1959 Galaxies kept Fairlane 500 badging on the decklid.
Trims and variants
Fairlane trim sat above Custom 300, and Fairlane 500 sat above Fairlane with more stainless trim and interior upgrades. Body styles included two- and four-door sedans, the Victoria pillarless hardtops in two- and four-door form, the Sunliner convertible, and the Skyliner. The Skyliner retractable hardtop, built 1957-1959 only, folds its steel roof into the trunk with a system of electric motors, relays, and limit switches; total production across the three years was 48,394 cars. Wagons were catalogued as a separate series (Ranch Wagon, Country Sedan, Country Squire) rather than as Fairlanes in these years.
Asked all the time
What engines came in the 1957-1959 Ford Fairlane and Fairlane 500?
The 1957 Fairlane and Fairlane 500 offered the 223 cubic inch six (144 hp) and Y-block V8s of 272 (190 hp), 292 (212 hp), and 312 cubic inches, the 312 rated 245 hp with a four-barrel, 270 hp with dual quads, and 300 hp with the rare supercharger. For 1958 the FE-series 332 (240 or 265 hp) and 352 (300 hp gross) replaced the bigger Y-blocks, with the 292 staying as base V8 at 205 hp. The 1959 lineup was the 223 six (145 hp), 292 (200 hp), 332 (225 hp), and 352 (300 hp).
Which years of the Skyliner retractable hardtop were built?
The Ford Skyliner retractable hardtop was built for 1957, 1958, and 1959 only. In 1957 and 1958 it was a Fairlane 500; partway through 1959 it moved to the new Galaxie series. Total production was 48,394 across all three years, and 1957 was the highest-volume year at 20,766 cars.
When did the Galaxie replace the Fairlane 500 at the top of the Ford line?
Midway through the 1959 model year, with the Galaxie rollout coming in February 1959. The Galaxie arrived as a new top series above the Fairlane 500, taking the Thunderbird-style roofline, the Sunliner convertible, and the Skyliner retractable. All 1959 Galaxies kept Fairlane 500 badges on the rear deck.
What transmissions did the 1957-1959 Fairlane use?
A three-speed column-shift manual was standard, with Borg-Warner overdrive optional. The Ford-O-Matic automatic was available all three years, and the three-speed Cruise-O-Matic was added for 1958, offered behind the FE 332 and 352 V8s.
Which year of the second-generation Fairlane should I look for?
The 1957 Fairlane 500 is the most sought after, with single headlights, the widest engine choice including the 312 Y-block, and the highest production. 1958 cars are the cheapest way in and got the stronger FE engines and Cruise-O-Matic. A 1959 Fairlane 500 built before the Galaxie launch is the sleeper buy, since most attention goes to the Galaxie.
Are the FE 332 and 352 in a 1958 Fairlane the same engine family as the later 390?
Yes. The 332 and 352 introduced in the 1958 Fairlane are the first FE-series engines, the same family that later produced the 390, 406, 427, and 428. Many external parts interchange, which makes a period-correct-looking 390 swap common in these cars.
The wall · registered 1957–1959 Fairlanes
Sorted by depth of documentation. Click any vehicle to open its permanent record.
