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1969 Ford Fairlane GT side profile, orange with black racing stripes
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1968-1969 Ford FairlaneSixth-Gen Fairlane (Torino era)

1968–1969 14 on the wall 27 documents ↓

The 1968-1969 Ford Fairlane was the sixth and final full generation of the nameplate, redesigned on Ford's 116 inch wheelbase intermediate platform (113 inches for wagons) and repositioned as the lower series of the new Torino family. Fairlane and Fairlane 500 sat below Torino and Torino GT, sharing the same body shells, engines, and running gear. The base engine was a 200 cubic inch six in 1968 and a new 250 six in 1969, with V8 choices running from the 302 through the 390 and, for 1969, the 351 Windsor. Even the 428 Cobra Jet reached Fairlane-badged cars: it was a rare option on the Fairlane 500 from April 1968, and the 1969 Cobra that carried it as standard equipment was built on Fairlane 500 body codes.

Other Ford Fairlane generations

1955-1956 Ford Fairlane 1957-1959 Ford Fairlane 1960-1961 Ford Fairlane 1962-1965 Ford Fairlane 1966-1967 Ford Fairlane

Platform and Position in the Lineup

Ford redesigned its intermediate line for 1968 and split it into two tiers. Fairlane and Fairlane 500 were the lower series; Torino and Torino GT were the upper. Every one of them rode the same unit-body platform on a 116 inch wheelbase, with station wagons on a 113 inch wheelbase. Suspension was conventional for the class, coil springs and unequal-length control arms up front, a live axle on longitudinal leaf springs in back, drum brakes at all four corners standard with front discs optional. The 1968-1969 Fairlane is the same car underneath as a Torino, so most mechanical parts interchange freely.

Engines

The base engine for 1968 was the 200 cubic inch inline six rated at 115 hp gross. For 1969 a new 250 cubic inch six at 155 hp gross replaced it as standard on everything but the Torino GT and Cobra. The V8 story starts with an oddity: a six-week UAW strike early in the 1968 model year pushed Ford to make the 289 two-barrel, rated 195 hp gross, the base V8 on early cars before the 302 two-barrel took over at 210 hp. A four-barrel 302 rated at 230 hp was offered in 1968 only, and the two-barrel 302 was rerated to 220 hp for 1969. The 390 FE big block came as a 265 hp two-barrel and a 325 hp four-barrel S-code in 1968; for 1969 the two-barrel version was dropped and the four-barrel carried a 320 hp rating. The new 351 Windsor slotted into the middle of the 1969 lineup, 250 hp gross with a two-barrel and 290 hp with a four-barrel, and it quickly became the sensible pick for a driver. Ford's earliest 1968 literature listed a 427, but no Fairlanes or Torinos were actually built with it. From April 1, 1968 the 428 Cobra Jet, rated at a conservative 335 hp gross, went on the option chart for the intermediate line, Fairlane 500 two-doors included; only about 22 Fairlane-badged CJ cars were built that first year. For 1969 the CJ came standard in the new Cobra and remained available elsewhere in the line. All ratings from this era are SAE gross figures, so expect real-world output well below the advertised numbers by modern net measurement.

Drivetrain and Transmissions

Every 1968-1969 Fairlane is front engine, rear wheel drive. A column-shifted 3-speed manual was standard with everything except the 428. A 4-speed manual was available with the stronger V8s, though the 1968 Cobra Jet cars came only with the Cruise-O-Matic automatic; the 4-speed joined the CJ for 1969, when the Cobra made it standard. The Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic was the common choice on cars ordered new, typically a C4 behind the six and small V8s and an FMX or C6 behind the bigger engines depending on application. Ford practice put the 8 inch rear axle behind the six and small V8s and the 9 inch axle behind the big blocks and heavy-duty applications. Limited slip was optional.

Year-by-Year Changes

  • 1968: All-new body and the debut of the two-tier Fairlane/Torino structure. Fairlane offered a 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, and wagon; Fairlane 500 added a fastback 2-door and convertible. Federally mandated side marker lights appeared this year. Early cars carried the 289 as base V8 during the UAW strike, and the 428 Cobra Jet arrived on April 1.
  • 1969: Mild grille and trim revisions. The 250 six replaced the 200 as base engine, the 302 two-barrel picked up 10 hp to 220, the 351 Windsor joined the chart, the four-barrel 302 and two-barrel 390 were dropped, and the Cobra arrived with the 428 CJ and a 4-speed standard. Fairlane-badged cars carried on unchanged in mission, the plain-trim versions of the same body.

Trims and Variants

Fairlane was the base trim, with rubber floor mats and minimal brightwork. Fairlane 500 added upgraded interior trim, more exterior moldings, and the wider body-style selection including the SportsRoof fastback and the convertible. Torino and Torino GT sat above them with nicer trim and, on the GT, standard V8 power. The 1969 Cobra is the interesting footnote for Fairlane people: Ford's literature badged it simply Cobra, but it was built on Fairlane 500 body codes with the 428 CJ, competition suspension, and a 4-speed standard. For a buyer today, a Fairlane 500 fastback with the 390 or the 1969 351 four-barrel gets most of the Torino GT experience at a lower entry price, since the sheet metal and chassis are identical.

End of the Nameplate

The Fairlane name made its true last appearance in 1970, when the Fairlane 500 hung on for one final year as the base series of the restyled Torino line. After 1970 the entire intermediate range was badged Torino, closing out a nameplate Ford had used since 1955.

By the SuperMotors Editorial Team · Last updated July 2026 · Spotted an error? Suggest a correction

Asked all the time

What engines came in the 1968-1969 Ford Fairlane?

The 1968 Ford Fairlane started with a 200 cubic inch inline six at 115 hp gross; for 1969 a 250 six at 155 hp became standard. V8 options were the early-1968 289 two-barrel (195 hp, fitted during the UAW strike), the 302 two-barrel (210 hp in 1968, 220 in 1969), a 1968-only 302 four-barrel (230 hp), the 390 FE as a 265 hp two-barrel and 325 hp four-barrel in 1968 (320 hp four-barrel only in 1969), the new-for-1969 351 Windsor at 250 hp (2V) or 290 hp (4V), and from April 1968 the 428 Cobra Jet at 335 hp gross as a rare option.

What is the difference between a 1968-1969 Fairlane and a Torino?

Trim level, not machinery. For 1968-1969 Fairlane and Fairlane 500 were the lower series and Torino and Torino GT the upper series of the same Ford intermediate line. They share the 116 inch wheelbase unit body, engines, transmissions, and axles, so a Fairlane 500 with a 390 is mechanically the same car as a Torino GT with plainer trim.

Which year of the sixth-generation Ford Fairlane should I look for?

For the 1968-1969 Ford Fairlane, 1969 is the better driver's year because the 351 Windsor four-barrel (290 hp gross) became available, a lighter and more parts-friendly engine than the 390 FE. The most collectible Fairlane-badged cars are the roughly 22 1968 Fairlane 500s built with the 428 Cobra Jet, followed by S-code 390 four-barrel cars. Condition matters more than year; the two are nearly identical cars.

Did the 1968-1969 Ford Fairlane come with the 428 Cobra Jet?

Yes, though rarely. The 428 Cobra Jet (335 hp gross) went on the option chart on April 1, 1968, and Fairlane 500 two-doors could be ordered with it; only about 22 Fairlane-badged CJ cars were built for 1968, all with the Cruise-O-Matic automatic. For 1969 the CJ was standard in the Cobra, which was itself built on Fairlane 500 body codes, and it remained optional elsewhere in the line.

What transmissions were available in the 1968-1969 Ford Fairlane?

The 1968-1969 Ford Fairlane came standard with a column-shifted 3-speed manual on everything except the 428. A 4-speed manual was optional with the larger V8s, though 1968 Cobra Jet cars were automatic-only, with the 4-speed added for 1969. The Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic was widely ordered, typically a C4 behind the six and small V8s and heavier FMX or C6 units behind the big engines.

When did Ford stop using the Fairlane name?

After 1970. The 1968-1969 cars were the last full Fairlane generation, and for 1970 only the Fairlane 500 name survived as the base series of the restyled Torino line. From 1971 the entire Ford intermediate range was badged Torino.

Technical Reference

Member-uploaded diagrams & documents for this generation. AI-classified; community-verified where badged.

Data/Spec Plates (2)

Manual Pages (3)

Schematics (21)

Exploded Parts (1)

The wall · registered 1968–1969 Fairlanes

Sorted by depth of documentation. Click any vehicle to open its permanent record.

1969 Ford Fairlane GT side profile, orange with black racing stripes1969 Fairlane1969 Fairlane · Dave Schouweiler515 photos 1969 Ford Fairlane rear view with Fairlane script and Cobra emblem1969 Fairlane1969 Fairlane · Dave Racela102 photos 1969 Ford Fairlane coupe, dark blue, side view“Elsie”1969 Fairlane · shaun williams14 photos Red vintage Ford convertible with white top, front 3/4 view in driveway“Fairlane 500 Convertible”1969 Fairlane · Bryan Sheffar10 photos Red 1968 1969 Ford Torino fastback two-door parked in a lot1968 Fairlane1968 Fairlane · dark70684 photos Two curved black rubber hoses with a clamp on a white metal surface“Talladega”1969 Fairlane · tall692 photos Red 1969 Ford Fairlane coupe, side view, with scoop on hood“Lucifer”1969 Fairlane · trinozone1 photo 1969 Fairlane1969 Fairlane · Pallen-fairlane0 photos 1969 Fairlane1969 Fairlane · edd690 photos 1969 Fairlane1969 Fairlane · mustang69er0 photos “OLD GOLD”1969 Fairlane · HUNTED0 photos “The Fairlane”1968 Fairlane · Randy Schlichting0 photos “baby”1969 Fairlane · Andrew Stratz0 photos “COBRA”1969 Fairlane · david beaver0 photos