Every car build needs a spark. Something has to speak to the buyer of a forlorn car left in the weeds, and for Brian Allen, that spark came in the form of a car from his father’s past, a 1966 Ford Fairlane that he had ordered brand new back in the day. Wanting to live in a little bit of nostalgia while looking for a project car, Brian and his father set out on a hunt to locate a Galaxie to build up and for Pops to enjoy…not the easiest thing to do when you live near Chicago, where sheetmetal cancer is a way of life. Most people would have opted to go hunting for a useable shell in just about any other location in the lower 48 states, but Allen and his father instead headed up to Wisconsin to look at a 289 powered, three-on-the-tree car that “was the definition of a sixty-footer”. Yikes.
After getting the red Ford back home, work got started immediately. The running gear and interior were yanked, and metal work started in earnest. The driver’s side floor, kick panel and toe board were replaced, as were sections of the rear frame. But when life pulled Brian out of the picture due to work, the old man got frustrated with the build and handed the Fairlane over to him to complete. This gave Allen the option of bringing in a wild card we all wished we had at one point or another: a body guy who owed Brian some money. Marty Tischer helped media blast the car, as well as installing new quarters and rebuilding the wheel wells and the paint. The Pepper Grey and black metallic paint combination was chosen by Allen’s son, as were the 17″ wheels.
A Flaming River manual steering rack and Wilwood brakes help the front suspension work better than Ford designed, while out back leaf springs, CalTracs and Viking shocks support the Ford 9-inch, which runs 31-spline Strange axles, an Eaton True-Trac and 3.23 gears.
The interior sports 8-way power BMW front seats that were patterned to match the rear bench seat, all reskinned by Riggs Bros. Vintage Air keeps everything cool, while a Flaming River steering column keeps the inside wheel connected to the outside wheels. The Hurst shifter is from Dad’s old ’66, and the carpet and trunk interior was finished out by a neighbor who took a 1966 Honda Dream motorcycle in trade for the labor. A Kenwood stereo works with two amps and two 12″ subwoofers to keep the music thumping, and that’s just the tip-top of the list of changes that Allen has made to the car during it’s build.
Well, there is one other major change that should probably be noted. The windshield banner says it all, and we fully expect an inbox filled with irate diatribe from the Ford faithful. Under that hood rests a 5.3L LS, complete with Trick Flow heads, an LS1 intake, LS7 injectors, and a full Holley Dominator computer system (which Allen personally thanks Andrew Borodin for needling him into purchasing and to assist with the learning curve). The transmission is a 4L60E that has been built up to 4L70E specifications, complete with a Vigilante 3,000 RPM lock-up torque converter. Just to rub some salt into that anti-LS wound, Allen explained why in one simple sentence: “This car needed to have some muscle, so there was no way it would have a Ford bullet in it.” His words, not ours, folks.
The Fairlane was finished up the week before LS Fest 2016, and had 200 miles on the build when Allen and family headed south to Bowling Green, ignoring bad roadways, unpredictable drivers, or even a couple hours of torrential rain. Turning 2,300 RPM at good highway speeds, the Fairlane returned 19 miles per gallon and made pass after pass at Beech Bend Raceway Park with no issues to speak of. The doors shut solid, the car is gorgeous to look at, is well finished and while controversial, is built to high quality and is daily-driver dependable. Now, to see if it will survive Allen’s kid using the car as a Homecoming ride for his girlfriend…that’s the real test!
Its a Fairlane guys, not a Galaxie…
Also, get that junk LS out of there… What an insult to an otherwise very nice car..
I completely agree with you.
As somebody else said its a FAIRLANE. Look at the pics you posted! Ford Man card Revoked!!
The novelty of throwing a chevrolet engine in anything has long worn off.
With all the excellent crate engines that are available from Ford, why an LS?
Other than the LS is. cheaper and faster and has more after after market support, I cant think of a single reason….
Did all you guys comment on the ferrari on speedhunters over the weekend too? better to have it on the road than being melted down for your next refrigerator
First off, to the guy that flat out called this kid or his dad stupid is an ass hat. Regardless of what “ass hat’s” preferences are, to call a kid who wrenches and works on any car stupid (or a father that encourages it) shows how much of a moron he is. I really don’t get why people comment on these articles and tear down someone’s work. If the features here enflame your butt hurt syndrome so much find another website. As for the build, I think it’s a beautiful car, it turned out great.
Hey Brian, stick to the chevy articles from here on in & leave the Fords to the pro’s. Besides the Galaxie blunder, the Fairlane was born with a 289, not a . 283. Actually, I could have stomached a 283 a little better than the LS.
The equivalent of a chick with a dick…
So many errors – so few keys on my keyboard….
Did the FAIRLANE even come with a “3 on the tree”
He wanted power and then tucked a naturally aspirated 5.3 in there – that’s a lot of work to install a lame engine better suited to his mom’s wagon.
Shifter sure did not come from Pop’s ’66 – maybe the handle?
Or maybe he just made a bunch of stuff up and you were a bit too hungry for the story & just repeated it
66 definitely had a 3 on the tree
Does anyone do research or proof read these articles? It is a Fairlane. It even says it on the car!! The LS is just crazy to. Such a waste of a nice car…. I thought BangShift was better than this. Just Chevy Craft online I guess… Repeat after me, “it is a Fairlane”
LS meh nice car owners preference he can do what he wants . at least it didn’t get called a chevelle . my ranchero always gets called a el camino
It’s been said before and I’ll say it again, Just because you can put an LS motor in something doesn’t mean you should.
Rumour has it that they are seriously contemplating changing the name of this website to “whineshift.com”. Because you girls whine so much every time anybody does an engine swap on their car. They may lose a few of their automotive advertisers but there is a large number of cheese makers waiting in the wings to take over the empty spaces.
Jesus bleeding heart LS engine haters….I say bravo to the Fairlane/Galaxy whatever LS Swap. I’m glad to see a great father and son project. Does it matter what engine? Thanks for the story Bryan.
Last time I checked there was not a “Ford Engine Fest” but an LS Fest…The only car show dedicated to an engine.
We actually do have an engine specific race and car show just for the FE powered stuff. Bangshift has been kind enough to cover it for us over the past few years.
And I also say Thanks for making the corrections. The LS does not bother me as much as it probably should – other than the fact that its a lo-po iteration of the engine. The LS is kind of an FE in disguise anyhow – deep skirt block, cross bolt mains, ten bolts per head, 12 degree valve angle – more in common with our design than it has with the traditional SBC
I never knew Mr. McTaggert hated Ford’s so much!
I LOVE IT!
LS in a Ford? Not ground breaking by any means. I love the LS crowd. They think they have reinvented the wheel. I just don’t get the “I’m better than you” mentality. The LS isn’t any better than anything else it’s just easier which makes you lazy and unoriginal actually. I personally like this particular car but wouldn’t ever give it a second look because it has a belly button motor. Notice they didn’t mention the times it ran?
Thank you Brian for the corrections. when you are dealing with car guys & you goof up they are certain to set you straight. Now, find a nice 427 galaxie to do an article on & all is well.
Beautiful car my favorite ford. Great engine wrong car.
Yawn, took the easy and boring way out, who would want this thing when they inevitably took the easy
way out sell it?
Why build a Ford if you don’t lie ke them? Dad sounds like a douche
Who cares it is a very nice car
I say put an LS in everything. Put a Ford in nothing!
oh Geordie? we have this nice Ford for you to take a look at….honestly, you GM haters need to grow up a bit. OK, so LS’s are popular, cheap, and common – hmmmm….wonder if that’s why there are so many of them being used?
I’ve worked for 2 of the 3 `big three’ manufacturers and guess what? the people working there do not give a toss about the cars they are making. I have never understood how buyers think that one must be a million times worse based purely on the badge….just stupid logic.
What a waste of a nice car. I’d rather see it smashed and melted into Chinese steel than powered by a garbage belly button Chevy engine. Congrats to the owners for ruining a classic.
As an every car guy with an allegiance to Chevrolet first, this guy is an asshole.. There are plenty of great blue engines that would have made this car attractive.
This case a cool father / son project.
The engine doesn’t care what name is stamped on it’s valve covers – why should you?
When it comes right down to it, they are just cars or trucks or motorcycles or whatever. 100 years from now none of this will matter. Un-wad your undies.
* In this case …. (stupid computer….)
That abortion is a Fairlane, Lohnes wouldn’t make a mistake like this!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!! LOHNES?!?!?!?! He’s the king of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. You can blame this one on me. I spend each and every night and morning usually copy editing both Brian and Bryan’s stuff. We all screw up sometimes with lack of sleep. But Lohnes? Wow, I laughed out loud. He’s mispelled, misnamed, and misidentified so many things that McT will have to write for 10 decades to catch up. LOL
I never understood the brand loyalty thing, always found it very silly… I race a Chevy with a Ford 9 inch with a Chrysler master cylinder hehe… and even though it has a Chevy small block, there isn’t a single Chevy part in it (Dart, Lunati, Callies, etc.)… Personally I would’ve put a Ford engine on it, though a 2nd gen Hemi would’ve been fun too… No wait, how ’bout a Ferrari V-12? Now that would confuse and piss off the brand loyal fans. Car looks great, call it whatever model… It’s classic American iron with a modern small block… not sitting in the weeds rusting away. Props to the builder….
Where’s Mad Gordie’s comment?? That’s all I came here for.