Origin of Ford's "500" trim level?

[Nikked]

Can anyone shed any light on this?


All I've managed to conjure up, is references to the required numbers of cars built to be homologated for NASCAR racing, or the distances covered in races. BEcause, as far as i know, the Galaxie was the first model to use the 500 tag...and the Galaxie was Fords NASCAR entrant...

I then believe was appropriated as a trim level on other models...

[Ford_The_Win]

I thought the '500' trim appeared in the late 1950s on the early Fairlanes, not the Galaxie. Perhaps it was to one-up the Chrysler 300 which came out around that time too? They did a lot of nonsensical things in the 1950s.

[Ford_The_Win]

Nikked you peaked my curiosity.

As per wiki:

The 1957 models retained a single-headlight front end like their predecessors, but were unmistakable with their long flanks and tailfins. A plethora of trim lines was introduced, starting with the base "Custom", "Custom 300", "Fairlane", and top-line "Fairlane 500". The two Custom lines used a 116 in (2946 mm) wheelbase, while the Fairlanes had 118 in (2997 mm) between the wheels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Ford

Seems it was just to distinguish one trim level from another.

[Dauphin]

According to my Standard Catalog of Ford book, the Fairlane 500 was a new top trim model for 1957. The 300 was the upmarket version of the shorter wheelbase Custom. The Galaxie then came along for 1959.

[malazn mafia]

If only Ford finished Falcon with a Falcon FG-X 500. 5.0L supercharged V8 with 500kw, wearing stock XT bodykit.

[last fairlane]

All good re the early Ford 500s that was in the US but here in OZ in 1959 we got our First Fairlanes (the tank model)
the base model was called the custom 300
and the up market model was called the Fairlane 500
thats my memories of growing up

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Can anyone shed any light on this?


All I've managed to conjure up, is references to the required numbers of cars built to be homologated for NASCAR racing, or the distances covered in races. BEcause, as far as i know, the Galaxie was the first model to use the 500 tag...and the Galaxie was Fords NASCAR entrant...

I then believe was appropriated as a trim level on other models...

Interesting question..................I always assumed it was to tag the Armstrong 500 then Bathurst when the event moved there, which was also originally a 500 mile event from memory?

Cheers Mick

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by HO 3

Interesting question..................I always assumed it was to tag the Armstrong 500 then Bathurst when the event moved there, which was also originally a 500 mile event from memory?

Cheers Mick

As mentioned earlier, the first 'Tank' Fairlane 500 appeared on the Australian market before the first Armstrong 500 in 1960.

I know of many people who thought that there was a connection, but I think the only Ford 500 model with any relation to the race would be the 1965 Mk1 Cortina GT500.

Dr Terry

[last fairlane]

Beat me to it dr terry re the Cortina GT500

[Tui2]

actually 500 refers to ...ah i have nothing

[pmacc]

I've been wondering about this ever since i picked up my Fairlane. I originally assumed it was from stock car racing as some of the major event races are 500 laps

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by pmacc

I've been wondering about this ever since i picked up my Fairlane. I originally assumed it was from stock car racing as some of the major event races are 500 laps

Come to think of it, it just seems too coincidental that Ford had both the 300 & 500 as part of their model names in the late 50s & most, if not all Nascar races are either 300 or 500 miles in length.

Dr Terry