Fairlane Trim Package

[RAS04]

I am looking to get a poll from some of you on what you would be willing to pay for a very rare item that my wife's uncle has come across. We are going to list the item on Ebay later this month and we wanted to get an idea on what someone might offer for it.

The item is a 1955 unopened box of Fairlane Trim for a '55 T-Bird. Ford advertised this exterior trim for the T-Birds that year prior to production. But when production started, they decided to drop the trim. The company that made this trim for Ford didn't make many packs. We currently have 2 boxes. One unopened and the other opened which my wife's uncle is planning to use on his T-Bird. Other then that, I have not come across any more boxes of this trim anywhere. This is a very rare item to say the least. The most famous use of it has to be L.D. Crusoe's personal T-Bird which is on display in the Henry Ford Museum. I don't know why Ford dropped the trim prior to production, but the item was created for the '55 T-Bird. Like I said, this is a very rare item. It's not something that someone made as an add-on, it's the real thing, from 1955. If you can get an ad from 1955, you can see that it was indeed advertised on the T-Bird then prior to production. I have an article here that talks about the Fairlane Chrome Trim and details how it was dropped prior to production. My task is too see how much something like this would be worth to someone. If you have any ideas on what you would pay or someone else, let me know. Thanks

 

[stude3]

fairlane

hi, you will get a lot of coverage on ebay as many far and wide look at these autions. it cant hurt to start with a high reserve even if you dont sell it. you can feel it out that way. then rerun it according to what you find.

but you might check directly with some t-bird professional like "prestige" as they have been in the field for many years.

keep in mind that t-bird parts which are not reproduced, for example, original top frames, go for several thousands. if you price it in this range you would be expected to verify originality at a minimum.

also keep your options open on your ebay auction. for example reserve the right to end the auction early if you find a buyer. you never know what you might learn during the process. also i have seen the price skyrocket in the last 1-minute on an auction due to professional snipers. this is legal and to be expected.

frankie

 

[edmlynek]

Fairlane Trim -55 T-bird Notes

yes--'fairlane trim----do the boxes also have the special trim clips to hold the pieces on???...when i bought my first 55 bird in dec -71, it was a total wreck paid off my the insurance co.---this bird was in hollywood ,calif. for the first years of it's life until 1968......(totaled then) ..( i still have the 'PINK SLIP' to prove it )..then it was sold to a brother of the calif. owner to inkster mich.....the i.d. plate said P5100110....the 110th car built in 1955.(birds were built at dearborn rouge plant on a asm. line with regular fords...maybe 3 ford passengers, then a bird, then a few more 4 door sedans, then maybe 2 birds, ect, ect.....so in ck.ing this out in 1975, we deduced that in a 110 fords/birds made, my car was the 31st bird made...ok...then it was sold to a dearborn/fordson high school best friend of mine...(i was in 'nam in combat infantry/army)...he wrote me saying when i got back home, the bird was mine. he never did anything to this bird, just kept it for me...i got it for $650--(same price he paid for it)...i got it and then saw that both front fenders were so badly damaged, that i would have to buy a pair to replace them (i did--$1100/pair)...in stripping off all the 'old coats of paint..(gee, must have been 7 layers!)...their they were..ALL THE HOLES WHERE THE FAIRLANE TRIM CLIPS WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED ALL ALONG THE WHOLE SIDE OF THE BODY (BOTH SIDES) WERE (PROFESSIONALLY) 'FILLED IN' WITH BRAZEING ROD AND PERFECTLY METAL FINISHED..YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN THEY WERE THERE.... this had had to be done after the holes were punched in and then filled in before selling the car by ford body men....it is not known (to me anyway) how many (very,very early) 55 birds had their fair lane trim clip holes filled in..i could't be the only one, for sure..there are 4 known birds out there with this trim..bye...ed.