| Ford Division
Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan |
| Engine |
390-hp, 427
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
3-speed automatic |
| Steering |
Power-assisted |
| Suspension |
Heavy-duty |
| Brakes |
Disc F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Excellent |
| Noise Insulation |
Fair |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Very
Good |
| Shift Smoothness |
Excellent |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Very
Good |
| Response |
Good |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Very
Good |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Very
Good |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Very
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Good |
| Driving Position |
Good |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Good |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Fair |
| General |
| Vision |
Fair |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Very
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Good |
|
Ever since the Ford
Motor Company gathered itself together and decided to go racing,
its products have been steadily improved. The 427 Fairlane,
featuring a racing-bred engine, handles well and stops superbly.
You'd expect a 427 cu. in. engine to yank you down the road
in no uncertain terms, and in the case of the Fairlane, you'd
be right. In spite of its Thermactor exhaust emission control
(fresh air injected into the exhaust stream as it leaves the
combustion chambers) and a carburetor tuned so lean that it
squeaks, the car is a right fair hauler for street or strip.
The engine, a street
version of that which powered the Ford Le Mans cars and the
NASCAR Grand National stockers, has been civilized (hydraulic
lifters in place of mechanical tappets, etc.) but it hasn't
been emasculated; it pumps out 390 hp. at 5600 rpm, and an
impressive 460 ft-lbs. of torque at 3200 rpm.
Ford has seen fit to make its
3-speed automatic transmission mandatory with the 427 engine,
and it's a sensible decision. The automatic is capable of
handling all that torque, smoothly yet positively, and goes
a long way towards cutting down the impact loadings on the
rest of the driveline.
Designed to be a street racer,
the 427 Fairlane does its job quietly but exceptionally well.
|
