In the almost 15 years that History’s hit reality series “American Pickers” has been on the air, host Mike Wolfe and his band of antiquing gurus have scoured parts unknown for all manner of rusty, dusty, and long-forgotten treasure. Over the years, they’ve also been known to shell out big bucks for unique vintage vehicles like the famed “Bubble Car.”
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On some occasions, they’ve even managed to pry a vintage automobile away from an owner for a sizable (if considerably less substantial) sum of money. That was just the case during a Season 3 episode titled “Fairlane Fever,” which saw Wolfe and the late Frank Fritz venturing off the beaten path in rural Illinois to pick the property of Norm, who’d just put a For Sale sign on an old motorcycle in his front yard.
While the bike was initially what drew the “Pickers” duo to the property, what the man had stowed away in his garage was ultimately what Wolfe and Fritz flipped out over: a 1967 Ford Fairlane 390 GT. Once Wolfe laid eyes on the Fairlane — whose builds are sometimes ranked amongst the more collectible of Ford’s legendary muscle car lineup — it was clear he wouldn’t be leaving without it. After a little bit of negotiation, he was finally able to pry the vehicle away from Norm for a pretty reasonable $7,000. Given the condition of the vintage Ford, one has to think Wolfe got a pretty good deal on the muscled-up classic.
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What to know about the Ford Fairlane 390 GT
If you know anything about the Ford Fairlane, you understand why “American Pickers” host Mike Wolfe was thrilled to lay eyes on the one stowed away in Norm’s garage, as they are well-loved by muscle car enthusiasts and vintage collectors alike. While the one Wolfe picked on the show wasn’t exactly in cherry condition, given its desirability alone, the vehicle was well worth the price he paid — even more so with Norm keeping the engine in better-than-solid condition.
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On that last note, Norm casually added that he’d upgraded the heads on the Farilane’s otherwise all-original motor to give it an additional 25 horsepower. Fairlanes, of course, debuted in the mid-1950s, with even those ’55 builds packing a bit of low-key muscle thanks to available straight six and V8 engine options. By 1967, the build was into its fifth generation, and packing a little more power than many of its predecessors. That was largely the result of the available 390ci V8 engine, which could produce horsepower in the 320 hp range. With Norm’s upgrades, the ’67 390 GT picked by Wolfe was likely pushing closer to 350 hp.
Even without the upgrades, the ’67 Fairlane was pushing better-than-solid muscle, though, obviously, not quite as much as those builds packing Ford’s fabled 427 engine. As for what one might be worth on the open market, despite the vehicle’s need for some cosmetic upgrades, the $7,000 Wolfe dropped on Norm’s Ford Fairlane was a good deal indeed, as Hagerty notes a ’67 390 GT in good condition could be worth as much as $36,800.
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