Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Skyliner

 

So why buy an American car?

 

That’s is a question many people asked has they have known for many years my love of Triumph cars and British cars in general.

We have owned many Triumphs, Rovers and latterly Jaguar in various models and condition. They are great “ little” cars and often cause interest at the many shows and places you go, with the comments from previous owners about their cars or their relations, or how they learnt to drive in them.

 

However we have been fortunate to have travelled several times to the USA and there is a very strong patriotism of their history and culture, and this especially can be found when you look around outside the tourist areas.

In 2002 we stayed at one hotel Dezerland in Miami where they actually had real cars cut up and used for diner tables.

 

In 2003 at Old Town just outside Orlando we were talking to the owner of a ’59 Cadillac (who told us she had another Cadillac and an even bigger Lincoln!) who invited us to their cruise night where we had a trip around their lead vehicle.

This was the ’59 Cadillac and better than any Disney ride and the warmth of the crowd and cheers made the short 10 minute ride seemed to last all night.

So by now the bug had got us and despite the many trips and fun that the TR6 gave us something was just missing.eing a little tired and pondered on spending money on it or selling as is and finding a better condition car with the money from the sale and the extra I was thinking of spending.

 

So it was in September 2004 that we set of to California with my hidden agenda of looking for a “new” car. During our holiday (surprisingly!) we found ourselves at car museums and car dealers looking at American cars. At one dealer he had a ’57 Ford Fairlane retractable which we had to wait to look at since it had been loaned to an exhibition for the day. When it arrived we were impressed!

It was during looking at the car outside that a down and out was walking up the street with the usual “spare any change” cry. When he reached the car he stood amazed, and commented that he had not seen one for years. With this he proceeded up the street and then we realised he had not asked us.

 

Driving the car was a great experience and lots of drivers flashed their lights, honked their horns and generally appreciated this American classic. The dealer offered a deal of $500 to ship to the UK with a blank invoice and I was tempted.

The holiday proceeded and we found several other cars at the roadside and another dealer with a ’57 Thunderbird (Hard top) undergoing restoration and a very cheap ’57 2 door Chevy Bel-air (another hardtop!) and by now the mind was calculating the prices and the good exchange rate.

However I decided that none of these cars were quite right and more importantly the bosses approval (Corrine) had not quite swung in my favour.

 

So we continued with the holiday and one morning saw this ’63 Ford Galaxie ranch wagon at Dana point just outside Capistrano Point L.A.

We saw the car again later, this time being loaded with surfboards and stopped to chat to the owners. Upon hearing our interest (yes our Corrine was thinking about it as well) he gave us the name and number of a local body shop owner.

After explaining to him that we looking for a “fins and chrome” car but were not really bothered about the manufacturer he suggested we try a few and visit the local event at Cystal Cove (just north of Laguna beach) where they would be cars for sale at 7am-9am. When double checking the time we found it was a shopping mall and hence the cars were to be cleared by 9am.

 

We were advised to be early as anything good would sell so we duly set alarm and had breakfast and set off up the road. At about 7.30 I feared something was wrong, as I had not seen any old cars and 3 miles up the road we arrived at an industrial park. Yes the driver error had taken me about 10 miles away and the only thing was to turn round and hit the peddle to the metal.

 

Going up the right road were Ferraris, Lamborghini’s at assorted American classics, but they were coming away!!

We arrived at the mall at 8am to be greeted by a car park full of cars, old cars. We meet the guy with the body shop selling his Chevy Malibu but could not afford his $100K price tag. We looked around at the cars, many were Austin’s, TR’s and E-types and with some very tempting prices.

 

One car caught Corrine’s eye and then I saw what I thought was the first Convertible we had seen. Only closer examination I realised this was in fact a ’59 Ford Retractable the “Skyliner”.

It seemed no one else had paid this car much attention and I asked him to put the top up. “Why do you want to do that?” the seller asked. “Were from England” we replied “and it rains”.

 

When he lifted the roof the car park swarmed around his car and then he duly reversed the switch and the roof folded again. “Awesome”.

He offered a test drive so we both leapt in and I could see that Corrine definitely approved this vehicle.  

 

 

With the widows down we speed up the road on the bench seats and our breath was taken away by the cool LA morning and the ride.

We got the sellers name and number and by the time we arrived back at the Mall nearly all the other cars had left, but the Skyliner captivated us.

 

We talked of little else that night and I was working out could we afford this car, not knowing what was involved in exporting a car and the costs involved in getting a UK legal car.

So it was just after our return that I started talking to people and finding out the laws and rules about importing a car.

 

This process was started and the main decision to advertise the TR6 was then done. Time progressed and we had been in touch with the seller and kept him informed of the progress and the hoops we had to go through.

The TR6 was then sold In October and deal worked out with the seller of the Galaxie.

 

I started the paperwork in anticipation of importing the car and found out about the MOT and License procedure. We were informed that Customs and Excise refused our application for low tax (BTI Binding Tariff Import) and we took a step back to see if the extra taxes made the car out of reach.

I contacted an American car club and found a similar car for sale in Gatwick.

I looked at that and the price and decided we still would be better importing the car we saw and the quality was much better.

 

So we proceeding in leaving a deposit and getting a snag list actioned on the car. This delayed the shipping but also gave us a little time to get the extra funds needed. Time went on Christmas came and New Year went and the weather in California took a turn for the worst so could not take it out sort out the remaining items.

 

Finally the weather changed and the small defects where sorted and so we could inform the shipper that the car was ready. A date was arranged and the car driven to Long Beach Feb 10th 2005. The container ship could not get in to the dock, then got delayed going out.

 

Things got worst and it got delayed again en route, then due to bad weather in the Atlantic landing in the UK got put back.

 

Finally the ship arrived in the UK at Felixstowe and all that remained was to transport to Chatham for Customs clearance and unpacking (what could go wrong!). The container arrived at Chatham and we were told it would be cleared on Saturday. By 5pm no phone call was received and I took things into my own hands and phoned the freight agent.

 

I was told that it would be cleared first thing on Monday 11th May so plans were made to pick it up Tuesday. We duly hired a car for the one-way trip and armed with fuel, brake fluid, jump leads and toolbox we set off to Chatham.

Of course just to add pressure you have 7 days from customs clearance before storage charges apply and I had to fly out of Birmingham at 5pm (no pressure then!). We set out early then I remembered I had forgot to get Insurance cover.

A quick phone call and that was done so onwards to Chatham. The car had been cleared and started to get it out the container.

We duly arrived and saw the car driving towards us, the last time we had seen it was September 2004. It looked good, but very dirty and the fact that the top had been down in California during the bad weather had taken its toll. The seats and inside were dirty and the chrome had verdegris so closer inspection made me quite sad.

 

We made a quick clean up and put the roof up the best we could (it seemed to have stuck. We then drove off and took it to the local car wash to remove the muck and the crayon on the windscreen, only just making the turn across the road. That done, the car shone and are spirits were lifted.

 

We set off and soon realised we needed to “gas it up” but forgot which side the fuel filler was. So refuelled we set off around the M25 at a steady 50 mph to get use to the car. During this time even though all the other cars were flashing by us it was us that everybody seemed to be interested in and of course we were still on California plates.

We continued homewards and the traffic was quite good getting to the Dartford Crossing and then realising that the pay booths were on the wrong side (well from my point of view!). Corrine paid and we wondered if we would classify as a large vehicle with special escort through the tunnel, but we were short by a long way.

So with the car set in drive we off Cruisin’ the M25 and getting use to the car handling and being on the left didn’t seem that funny really having driven in the US many times.

 

We of course had no owners book and the workshop manual was somewhere packed under the rear seat with the set of spare wheels so we fiddled as we went and tried the radio which did work but very crackly.

We made good progress and then joined the M1 and still coped with the extra lanes and the rear fact that we only had 1 external mirror was OK since Corrine could look around for me!

 

 

So we proceeded into Bedfordshire when we noticed that the sun had gone and it looked rather black. Yes of course it started raining. Slowly at first then increasing heavily at this point the wipers were called for. We found the switch, but there was nothing and repeated twists, pulls, pushes could make them work. We could stop but the fact that that I needed to be at the airport made that decision for us.

So we continued and hope that it did not get worse.

I always hate rain on my classics but at least if it does not go all up the wheel arches and you don’t put the car away wet then it is OK.

Well of course it did get worse and by now we were in Northamptonshire driving very slowly with the lights on (we hoped) and then it stopped.

 

Gradually it got better and drier so it soon blew off the body and windscreen so we could accelerate back to 50-60mph. By now we were close to home and time was running short. We pulled of the M1 and the last few miles of the journey. We arrived at the local school just as all the kids were coming out.

Straight the way we got the stares, pointed fingers and camera phones so this was every bit the attention grabber we saw in the US.

 

We got home and I left Corrine to clean up the car whilst I loaded up the Jaguar to get to the airport. I left Corrine with all the cleaners, polishes and clothes said my goodbyes and left.

 

 

Upon my return the first thing I did was go to look at the car and found a transformation into the same gleaming car we had saw in the US.

We tried all the electrics and found it seemed to have various problems all due to the 2½ months spent shipping.

I started to sort this out and we worked through most of the bulbs in the car replacing them as we went. The horn, radio and wipers were sorted and having stripped the clock (stamped July 59) and cigar lighter those also now worked and so we had it ready to go to the MOT.

The day came and we checked everything when the lights flickered bulbs popped and it would not start (Christine came to mind). I replaced the bulbs and it seemed OK but would not start.

I traced this to the starter solenoid so using a jump lead cranked the “motor” and she fired.

We went to the MOT, slightly late, and came away with the certificate and a few advisory items to sort.

I could now get the car registered and then get the plates made but could we do this in 8 days as we had my sisters 50th birthday and we wanted to take her in the car.

That turned out easy and I came from Nottingham with the new number but then found plate manufactures offering standard plates (der!!).

 

Fortunately I had the number of a US style plate maker and so we got those made but could still use the US plate for 30 days anyway.

We surprised my sister and duly 6 of us went out in the car and came back very pleased that we had made the date.

 

Time went by and we went to the first show, up to this time only having tried the roof about once. When the crowd assembled of course the roof did nothing so at a suitable quite moment I tried again, this time pulling the threaded insert from the header rail.

 

Obviously this needed some work but a quick repair meant at least we could go home without the roof stuck halfway!

So when we arrived home the next few hours were spent greasing and adjusting the mechanism so at least we could get it to work more smoothly.

 

 

So would we do it again? Are we glad we did?

 

The easiest way to answer this question is how many times do people film us driving, flash their lights, take pictures on the camera phones or stand open mouthed when you retract the roof.

 

 

Andrew & Corrine