Harold Harlandavermenko owned a 1956 Ford Fairlane sedan when he was a young single guy back in 1964-65.
The Ford Fairlane was his courting car and played an important role in his life because the young woman in question became his future wife.
Jim Sutherland
Harold sold his original 1956 Ford Fairlane many years ago, but he never forgot how the car was a big part of his life when he was a young guy courting his future bride. The Ford Fairlane served him well and, even though Harold moved on from the car, he always respected its important role in his life.
A 1956 Ford Fairlane was a hot-selling car that duked it out with the Chevy sedans for top sales that year. History would give a big edge to the Chevy in the hearts and minds of car guys, but Harold was a “Ford guy at heart” in his words, therefore a ‘56 Ford Fairlane was an easy choice for him.
So was Harold’s decision to buy another 1956 Fairlane that was identical to his original car. Cars with two-tone paint jobs were a common choice in the 1950s for buyers who wanted a striking finish on their vehicles.
Harold’s replacement Ford had the same two-tone colors as his original ’56 Ford, an important feature that helped him decide to purchase the car 15 years ago. He wanted a solid car with minimal repair requirements and found the perfect vehicle for his purposes.
The replacement ‘56 Ford has its original powertrain, including a 272 cubic-inch small block V-8 hooked up to a three-on-the-tree manual transmission. The car has a replacement interior that matches the original material found in the Fairlane when it left the factory in 1956.
However, Harold made some minor changes to his Ford to make it more efficient and comfortable. The list includes window tinting to help keep it cooler on the inside during warm sunny days, as well as a switch to a paper air filter from the factory oil bath filter found on 1956 Ford engines.
The net result was more passenger comfort with reduced direct sunlight from tinted windows and more efficient performance with a paper air filter, according to Harold. He also added an “Aoooga” horn for a novelty sound from a bygone era and it’s a distinctive horn to say the least.
The sound system has a retro look but provides 21st century performance for Harold whenever he hits the road in his 1956 Ford Fairlane.
Harold built a car that is very comfortable at 60 mph (about 100 km/h), according to Harold.
It was clear that Harold loves to get behind the wheel of his 1956 Ford Fairlane and hit the open road for a trip down memory lane headed for a time when his late wife was his girlfriend and they were at the start line for a life together as a married couple.
The replacement 1956 Ford Fairlane is the perfect time machine for Harold’s sentimental journey every time he gets behind the wheel.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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