Going for LWB luxury is the new AU trend???

[JR.]

It’s turned into a bit of a LWB luxury renaissance party here in the AU Workshops section. We’ve currently got threads running on no less than 8 different cars in the first two pages alone;

auIILTD’s 5.6L AUII LTD
Eagleheart’s 1999 Ford Fairlane
EL.50’s The Couch on Wheels
FAT245’s AUI Fairlane Ghia
My own JR’s Trip Down AU Lane
KR1STO’s FTe by KR1STO
Sportsman V8’s AUII Fairlane Sportsman V8
xrghiawagon’s XRGhia’s AU2 Fairlane Ghia

I know my reason for buying one was the great value for money (cheaper than equivalent year model & spec Fairmont Ghia's), and I think the design has actually grown to look better with age - not to mention it was better looking than the standard AU shape from the start.

But what other reasons are there for the upswing in popularity of the AU LWB sedan? I'd be interested to hear your opinions...

[SSD-85]

Theyre cheap, and look hotter than Macpherson doused in petrol & lit.

[TheSneakiness]

I've seen two excellent examples in my area in the last week and I seriously just want one. Cheap to purchase and good motoring.

[SantoAU]

If I had my time again I would have got a 'lane over the 'mont.

[EL.50]

I liked the way our AU Ghia drove...not so much how it looked. Fairlane looks a lot better, but has the same comfort/seating position as the Fairmont, with extra rear and boot space too!! The head room in AUs is great compared to my EL too.

[raised by monkeys]

Originally Posted by Eagleheart

Theyre cheap, and look hotter than Macpherson doused in petrol & lit.

yeah but id still tap that.

[EL.50]

I could have bought a Fairmont Ghia for a fair bit less than I paid for my Sportsman though....

[XRGhia]

I only bought the Fairlane because it was cheap... Don't regret it either! Bloody comfortable, and has more then enough leg room all round, even with the front seats all the way back.

[SantoAU]

The lwb models have the presence straight off the bat. The swb really don't come to the fore until they are dropped a little imo - they just look a little too much like a forte (come at me forte owners )

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by SantoAU

The lwb models have the presence straight off the bat. The swb really don't come to the fore until they are dropped a little imo - they just look a little too much like a forte (come at me forte owners )

S1 Forte is my favourite variant of the Fortes.

[JR.]

Originally Posted by Eagleheart

S1 Forte is my favourite variant of the Fortes.

Now you just be talking the crazy talk!

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by JR.

Now you just be talking the crazy talk!

Im actually serious. I love the waterfall grille.

[Dauphin]

I have noticed a slight increase in the presence of AU Fairlanes during my driving the past few months. It has always been rare to pull up to a red light next to one when in mine but I ended up in a rolling roadblock of three a few days ago!

I bought it because I am a Ford guy and much prefer very large sedans.

[robbyj]

Have noticed an increase on the forum, havn't noticed any difference when driving.

I'v never seen a nice clean one in the flesh (apart from Stu's on australia day), only old rugged ones in need of a good clean. kristo's is my favorite example on these forums. Otherwise id still prefer an AU XR over the AU LWB's any day, but thats just me.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Eagleheart

Im actually serious. I love the waterfall grille.

Same here, the waterfall grill rules.



BTW, what does the Sportsman have over and above the plain vanilla Ghia?

[SportsmanV8]

I specifically chose an AU because they are comfy, well appointed, look good and are reliable. I'm a taxi driver and the BA's have proven to be nowhere near as reliable as the AUIIIs, in my experience.

When I found my Sportsman I nearly fell over myself to get up to Sydney and have as look at it because it was the exact car was looking for, just for the wheels and different trim over the Ghia really.

I wanted a V8 because luxo barges should be an eight, once again, in my humble opinion.

[EL.50]

Originally Posted by Sox

Same here, the waterfall grill rules.



BTW, what does the Sportsman have over and above the plain vanilla Ghia?

Sportsman has Howe leather seats (same as LTD) a Momo Steering wheel, 17 Inch wheels. They also have 10 way elec memory seats (Which I think is an option in a normal Fairlane?)

Doesn't sound like much, but overall, as a package, they are quite a special car

[GasoLane]

If you drive a Fairlane you tend to think that a Fairmont is just a Falcon with electric windows !!

[Bushbasher]

The question isn't why would you want one but rather why wouldn't you want one. They are the pick of the crop unless you really want to go the go fast XR or ute route.

[Dauphin]

The Fairlane 75th Anniversary has all the same equipment as the Sportsman, except I was told by the dealer that the Sportsman has sports-tuned suspension of some kind.

[KR1STO]

Hahaha.. I was thinking of starting a thread outlining this JR..
I noticed the LWB's have been sitting at the top of the list of AU workshop builds for the last few days..

The AU LWB is a whole lot of car, for quite a low price..
I've seen them sell for dirt cheap, with low k's and in great condition..
I saw a 2001 Fairlane V8 with black leather and 17's and 140,000 sell for $2250 the other week.. At that price, you would never get better..!

It's great to see so many people getting into the LWB's now, especially since Ford is not producing any more..

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by KR1STO

Hahaha.. I was thinking of starting a thread outlining this JR..
I noticed the LWB's have been sitting at the top of the list of AU workshop builds for the last few days..

The AU LWB is a whole lot of car, for quite a low price..
I've seen them sell for dirt cheap, with low k's and in great condition..
I saw a 2001 Fairlane V8 with black leather and 17's and 140,000 sell for $2250 the other week.. At that price, you would never get better..!

It's great to see so many people getting into the LWB's now, especially since Ford is not producing any more..

Well at this rate Kris, if mine is ever retired from daily duties, it will be kept as opposed to sold.
Its worth no more than the pittance I paid for it, thus is far more deserving of being kept. I had this idea with the ZL, but its hard to ignore a V8 AU barge.

[KR1STO]

Originally Posted by Eagleheart

Well at this rate Kris, if mine is ever retired from daily duties, it will be kept as opposed to sold.
Its worth no more than the pittance I paid for it, thus is far more deserving of being kept. I had this idea with the ZL, but its hard to ignore a V8 AU barge.

Yep.. you're definitely better off holding onto it..
I'm really surprised at how low the prices are.. Saw a black LTD on a nature strip in for sale.. 170,000kms, LPG, Sat nav, V8, very clean, $4500ono.
If only I could convince the missus that we need another big car..!!

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by KR1STO

Yep.. you're definitely better off holding onto it..
I'm really surprised at how low the prices are.. Saw a black LTD on a nature strip in for sale.. 170,000kms, LPG, Sat nav, V8, very clean, $4500ono.
If only I could convince the missus that we need another big car..!!

Well its no secret im addicted to large Fords, I only need to convince myself to get another

It would be a crime to not have an AU of some sort in my shed, so it stays.

[auIILTD]

For me, I have always loved a Ford LWB. When I was a young fella, my old man owned a couple of ZJ Fairlanes - 302C. Beautiful cars. Since then, I have always had a soft spot.

I bought my first LWB back in around 2000. A FE LTD. That was it, I was hooked. I thought the Fairlanes were special - until I owned my first LTD!

Around 2003, I had to make the decision to update. Found a NL Fairlane - Loved it. Lowered it, threw some whiteline swaybars at it and some Billet rims from the US. That was about it.


Until it got rear-ended and written off.

Went on the hunt for another car, then found my LTD over 1000km away. Put a deposit down sight unseen.


Was not really looking for an AU, but I had to have this car. It has only been later that I have found out how good these cars are. Even later that I found out AUII LTDs are quite rare. I made a couple of basic mods at start, but then the rest is history. End result, I believe I have the best of both worlds. First class luxury with performance!

Cheers
Stu

[Vincenzo]

Here is part of a recent post I made about a trip I am on at the moment.

" 9) With the exception of 11 vehicles, every car / caravan I passed between Perth and Canberra was towed / pulled by a SUV, 4x4, LandCruiser, Patrol, Prado, Audi Q7, Ford F series etc and there were mobs of them.

The 11 exceptions were 10 Falcon / Fairlane varients and one lone commodore. 1 EL, 1EF, 1 BA and 7 AU's of which 4 were Fairlane / Ghias."



Cheers to all Vincenzo

[auIILTD]

Guys, with the recent sparked interest in our AU LWBs, it would be great to get together for a photo shoot. It would be incredible to see all these big girls lined up together.

May I suggest, if it is possible to have as many of us at Albury on Australia day. This would be a perfect opportunity to get some awesome snaps of what would possibly the largest gathering of AU LWBs ever! Maybe the Ford production line might have beaten us!

Details of the event are here:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11381524

Hope to see some there together. Tony, I hope that your big girl is up to the trip - would love to see the Fairlane rather than your wagon. We already have a convoy of cars heading south from Canberra on the day. Just need the Melbourne guys to make the effort (yes, that is directed at you Kristo) to come up and be a part of it! Dauphin's 75th was there last year, I just ran out of time to have gander at it!

Hope to see as many LWBs as possible.

Cheers
Stu

[EL.50]

I'll come if Kristo comes :P

[KR1STO]

I'll come if all the LWB's that JR listed in the first post come..!

[auIILTD]

Originally Posted by KR1STO

I'll come if all the LWB's that JR listed in the first post come..!

Fair dinkum you guys! You are bigger girls than your cars.

I am going (Well, I am sort of organising it!)

Commit you big girls!

Stu