1963 Ford Fairlaine Hi-Po four-door

Bob Mannel searched for a ’63 Hi-Po Fairlane since 1968, in 1984 he finally found his prize. In 2016 restoration made this Ford the beauty you see today.

Al Rogers
Updated Feb 10, 2026 9:49 AM PST Ford introduced the midsize Fairlane model and a new small-block to power it in 1962, and by 1963, it was building performance versions of both. Freeze Frame Image LLCIn 1968, Bob Mannel began his search for his first Fairlane. A friend had provided him with a 1963 Ford Buyer’s Digest, which showcased all the Fairlane models and available engine options for that year. Among the illustrations, the depiction of a High Performance 289-4V engine caught Bob’s eye and sparked a lasting fascination with this particular powerplant.

Bob wasn’t able to locate and purchase an affordable Fairlane equipped with the High Performance 289-4V back in 1968. It wasn’t until 1984 that he finally landed a Fairlane with the rare High Performance engine option. And what a Fairlane it was!
It’s called the K-code and the Hi-Po 289, but officially it’s the High Performance 289-4V. They all reference the 271-hp version of Ford’s small-block 289-cid V-8. This engine was a true performance unit packing solid lifters, a hot camshaft, freely breathing header-type exhaust manifolds and other go-fast and durability goodies that were good enough for Shelby Cobras and Mustangs — and the midsize Ford Fairlane Freeze Frame Image LLC

An affinity for Ford small-block V-8s

From 1968 to the early 1980s, Bob was elbow-deep working with Fords packing other small-block V-8 engines, such as the 221-cid V-8, 260-cid V-8 and the pedestrian version of the 289-cid V-8. His first car, a white-over-turquoise 1962 Fairlane, was powered by the 221-cid V-8. His wife’s chestnut 1963 Fairlane Sports Coupe also featured the 221-cid V-8, which was later upgraded to a 260-cid V-8. Another one of the couple’s Fairlanes, a 1963 Country Squire station wagon, received a 289-4V to replace its original 260-cid V-8. Additionally, a 1963 Fairlane Sports Coupe was upgraded to a 289 engine using Ford’s Muscle Parts Program components, transforming it into a hydraulic version of the High Performance 289. As Bob’s small-block collection continued to grow, it even came to include a couple Mercurys: a 1964 Comet Caliente and a 1965 Comet hardtop, both powered by small-block Ford V-8s.

With so many small-block-powered Ford Motor Co. products — especially Fairlanes — coming and going from his garage, Bob found himself networking with other Fairlane owners. One thing led to another, and in 1981, he and his wife Jane contributed to the establishment of the Fairlane Club of America. They subsequently launched a newsletter titled Fairlaner that, over time, developed into a magazine under their editorial leadership.
The full-size Fords had dropped tailfins by 1962, but the Fairlane continued with 1961 Ford-style fins through 1963. Large, round taillamps had been a Ford hallmark since the 1950s. Freeze Frame Image LLCWith a wealth of small-block Ford V-8 knowledge and hands-on experience with the engine, combined with his Fairlane connections, Bob set out to write a comprehensive book about the engines that powered his beloved Fairlanes, as well as other Ford models. The book included coverage of popular Mustang V-8s due to the high interest in Ford’s pony car, but Bob’s primary focus was on the smaller-displacement engines found in their predecessors, notably pre-1965 Fairlane models.

New Ford, new small-block V-8

For the 1962 model year, Ford repositioned the Fairlane from a full-size model to a new intermediate model, bridging the compact Falcon and the full-sized Galaxie. The Fairlane was designed to compete with Chevrolet’s new Nova and Plymouth’s new shorter models. Measuring 197 inches in length with a 115.5-inch wheelbase, it was 16 inches longer than the Falcon and 12.3 inches shorter than the Galaxie.

Fairlane styling borrowed from several FoMoCo products, and for its inaugural model year of 1962, it actually borrowed more of its styling cues from the full-size 1961 Fords rather than the restyled 1962 big Fords. The 1962 Fairlane had small canted tailfins that terminated above large, round taillamp lenses, as on a 1961 Ford. The Fairlane grille incorporated horizontal quad headlamps and appeared close to that of the 1959 Edsel grille, but without the Edsel’s central “horse collar.” The roofs of the new 1962 Fairlanes had wide C pillars, as seen on a Thunderbird.

Structurally, the new Fairlane featured unit-body construction incorporating Ford’s distinctive “torque boxes,” which improved vertical absorption of road shock. Its front suspension utilized a standard short-long arm design, complemented by a Hotchkiss drive system at the rear. For 1962, Fairlane body styles included only two-door and four-door sedans available in both the base Fairlane and top-line Fairlane 500 trim lines.
Ford touted “luxury car interiors” in the Fairlane, and the tri-color upholstery gave that impression in the Fairlane 500. Freeze Frame Image LLC