FAIRLANE 500 V-8

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31499, 13 October 1967, Page 10

FAIRLANE 500 V-8

'THE Australian-made Fairlane 500 is now available in New Zealand for $4156, with a sterling requirement of $1972. Standard equipment includes automatic transmissions, power steering, power disc brakes, heater and demister, windscreen washers, reversing lights and an electric clock.

The engine is the “Mustang 289” unit which produces 200 b.p.h. at 4400 r.p.m. and 2821 b of torque at 2400 r.p.m. The car is 196.1 in long and 74.7 in wide.

The 500 has individually adjustable front seats with perforated upholstery, and a padded section between the two front seats permits a third person to be accommodated. Optional equipment includes vinyl-coated roofs, radial-ply tyres, and laminated or tinted windscreens. The fuel tank holds 16.4 gallons, and luggage space is quoted by the makers as 30 cu. ft. Greasing is required only every 36,000 miles. device and get into the habit of switching it on as well. Here to Stay I wonder when car designers will realise that the number plate is here to stay? Look around the streets, and you will realise how few designers allow for the front number plate, which is generally tacked on as an afterthought. Many design-in a rear number-plate frame, but very few seem to think of the front plate at all. Number plates which hang from the front bumper often get a severe battering on rough roads, too.

Alternators Many new cars have alternators in place of dynamos, and if your car has an alternator, there are some important things to remember when carrying out repairs. The delicate circuitry in alternator controls can easily be damaged by incorrect treatment. Polarity is of vital importance when connecting or charging the battery. Using rapid charging methods without disconnecting the battery from its leads can cause damage to the control unit, and the use of electric welding gear on the car can also cause damage unless the alternator is disconnected. Quote of the Week

“Continental drivers are demanding ever - increasing speed and acceleration, even from the humblest family saloons. As Mr L Mills, Triumph’s sales director, put it: “If you can’t publicise the top speed of a car, you can’t sell it in Europe’.”—John Langley in the “Daily Telegraph.”