1964 Ford Fairlane 500

Specifications

Built by: Ringbrothers

Configuration: Longitudinal front engine

Engine: V8

Displacement: 7L/427 cu. in.

Horsepower: 540HP

Torque: 540 ft/lbs

Max RPM: 8,000RPM

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

A Little History

The Afterburner was originally commissioned by the customer Ken Smith in 2006, Ken Smith was having a 1964 Ford Fairlane Sport Coupe restored to its original glory in the year he just graduated from high school. He shipped the the Sport Coupe to a restorer in Georgia to be worked on, who happened to be driving a black 1964 Ford Fairlane 500. The Fairlane was in good condition that he bought it off the restorer. Soon after, it became clear that the builder in Georgia couldn[t finish the restoration in a timely manner, so Ken had both cars shipped back to his home town in Wisconsin. In the automn of 2007, while searching for the closest Roush distributor, Ken met the Ring brother’s right as they were preparing to debut their Mustang “Reactor” for the first time after long time waiting to happen. After some discussions, Ken agreed to have Jim and Mike Ring move forward as the builders on the Fairlane 500.

Who are the Ringbrothers?: Mike and Jim Ring brothers, started the company in 1989 year. Today, they are known as some of the top car builders in the country. The Ringbrothers focus on creating cars that look like the concept cars seen at auto shows.

The Customizations: This car is full of Ringbrothers custom carbon fiber parts and billet aluminum, all created in house on their CNC machine. The most challenging customizations was with changing the shape of the body of the 1964 Ford Fairlane 500. The first change they made was to lower the roof of the Afterburner by more than one inch. The second change was lifting the rear of the car to give it a balanced appearance from the side and more straight. The final and most difficult part to change was completely rebuilding the front of the car.

In fact, the most impressive part of this car is its engine bay. Intricate webs of billet aluminum and also the carbon fiber appear throughout the entirety of the Rausch 427 small-block and compartment; they also custom made the hinges for the hood.

Did you know? The Afterburner took more than 20 months to build!

The car was coined “The Afterburner” when Ken Smith said the taillights resembled the afterburners on fighter jets and spaceship. Originally, the Ringbrothers were going to call it “Speed Lane”.