The 1966 Fairlane was Ford’s answer to the erupting muscle car wars of the mid-1960s.
This made sense because Chevy had the SS396, Pontiac had the GTO, Olds had the 442 and Chrysler had the big-block, B-body Plymouths and Dodges.
That was a rough bunch to go up against, but a 390 Ford GTA was up the challenge.
Jerry Sutherland
Ford built approximately 37,000 390-equipped GT and GTA Fairlanes in 1966, so they are on the rare side in 2024. The GT was the 4-speed manual version and the GTA meant the “A” stood for automatic transmission. The 390 coughed up 335 horsepower—a number that definitely put the Fairlane in the muscle car game.
Norm McLeod is a self-admitted more-power track car builder, but he held back when he bought his ’66 GTA. This car was a massive project when he found it because it had to be dragged out of a barn by a tractor.
The GTA was a roller—no engine or transmission, but Norm knew he had to put a 390 back under the hood of his Fairlane. It wasn’t numbers-matching because his 390 came from 1963—not 1966.
It was a 390 but now it’s a 428 because Norm stroked it out and added a few track tricks to make this run a lot better on the street and at the track. He had to dial it back from full-race status because Norm wanted a street driver car with track capabilities—not the other way around.
The interior was redone to factory specs, but Norm replaced the “piece of junk” factory shifter with an aftermarket piece built for heavier duty. He also redid the interior and added a new dash pad. The shifter and extra gauges are the only clues this ’66 GTA isn’t exactly stock.
The wheels are another clue. They came from a ’76 Ford Granada that Norm bought for his daughter. The engine jumped a timing chain a year later, so it became a donor car—the magnum wheels look natural on a ’66 GTA plus he also used the front disc brakes.
Norm chose a 3:25 rear gear to make the car liveable at highway speeds so it runs 3200 rpm at 70 miles per hour. That’s a realistic number because anything lower would have the Fairlane screaming on the freeway–nobody needs to grenade an engine on the local turnpike. Norm said he gets good mileage if he “doesn’t stomp on it”.
The Fairlane does well at the track, but Norm said it fights for traction. He added traction bars to offset that problem, but the truth is this car is built for the road—not the track. Norm doesn’t mind a milder car because he’s built enough track cars to get the mega-horsepower experience.
He admits he hasn’t driven the GTA much over the last few years, but he has driven it several hundred miles to a major car show—it been a great experience. Norm summed it this up way.
It’s been a blast.
Norm McLeod
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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