Info on NB Fairlane Sportsman

BenJ · 06-07-2007, 08:30 PM

Hi All

Does anyone have info or specs on the NB sportsman fairlane.

Any info on additional parts or alterations would be useful.

Thanks
BenJ

johnny13 · 06-07-2007, 08:32 PM

I dont think there was ever a NB sportsman.

I know they pumped out some NB lanes for a short period, didnt think they made any special models.

-jjM- · 06-07-2007, 08:41 PM

your more likley to find info regarding the NC Sportsman, i dont think youll find anything refering to NB anywhere....

Sportsman was the Luxury Sport versoin for the Fairlane E-Series, with Fairlane Ghia interior and a Tickford OHC inline 6, with a Green Rocker Cover instead of the normal Red Rocker Cover

There arnt rare but there not common....

**Polyal** · 06-07-2007, 08:42 PM

Yeah pretty sure the sportsmans started with NC, around the same time as the ed xr6 as AFAIK thats the engine they got, with the funky green rocker cover..LOL

Damn beaten by JJM, nice work..LOL

BenJ · 06-07-2007, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the info

There is one at the wreckers near me. It appears to have factory fitted door pods to take 6" speakers down where the map pocket would be.

Also, what diff gears would be in one?

BenJ

-jjM- · 06-07-2007, 09:57 PM

not sure on diff gears, if it was like you said an NB it possibly might have 3.27 LSD, but if it is a NC then itll just be a SS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Damn beaten by JJM, nice work..LOL

MWAHAHAHAHA

johnny13 · 06-07-2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -jjM-

not sure on diff gears, if it was like you said an NB it possibly might have 3.27 LSD, but if it is a NC then itll just be a SS

no a NC sportsman would have 3.45's as its got XR running gear.

**aussiblue** · 06-07-2007, 11:23 PM

I have an NB Fairlane that was an ex Ford prototype not a sportsman though. They are extremely rare (my dealer in Perth has never hear of another) and Ford will tell you there is no such model and any NB is a mislabelled NA. DOCAT who issue compliance plates will also tell you any car with such a compliance plate has an illegal compliance plate as the NB model was not approved for any production vehicles (prototypes only). If you have seen one for sale with an NB compliance plate buy it as by all reports I understood mine was the only one that was sold (by mistake by Ford). The old Ford mag wheel poster did show an NB sportman mag wheel so it seems there was meant to be such a car. see http://www.trueblueford.com/RossNBfairlane.html

**Polyal** · 06-07-2007, 11:34 PM

While I was with ford, I looked through their workshop manuals in the garage. NB is most definately there.

-jjM- · 06-07-2007, 11:56 PM

very interesting read

**aussiblue** · 06-07-2007, 11:58 PM

Quote:

While I was with ford, I looked through their workshop manuals in the garage. NB is most definately there.

But their historian Adrian Ryan will give you emphatic denial if you ask about such a model

**Polyal** · 07-07-2007, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiblue

But their historian Adrian Ryan will give you emphatic denial if you ask about such a model

Well, I saw it with my own eyes, and looked through it, so he can deny it all he likes.

Whether it was official or not I dont know, technically it must be or why would you bother printing it.

And this isn't some gregory's, its a full on bible.

Kenaz · 07-07-2007, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Well, I saw it with my own eyes, and looked through it, so he can deny it all he likes.

Whether it was official or not I dont know, technically it must be or why would you bother printing it.

And this isn't some gregory's, its a full on bible.

You should've taxed a EL one while you were there

:

**Polyal** · 07-07-2007, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenaz

You should've taxed a EL one while you were there

:

Hehe

This is when I had my green EA/ED, so I was looking something up, skimmed through and found that. Asked an engineer who has been there for ages and he wasn't surprised, and we chatted about it for a bit.

I did photocopy some pages, but ive lost them now, I was having some usual EA/ED issue :togo:

**aussiblue** · 07-07-2007, 12:11 AM

Ford appear to have certainly planned to market an NB from some of the literature that is around but appeared to have changed their mind. Also some parts suppliers like ACL are aware of the model in terms of supp ling ford with a limited number or parts and holding some parts stock. Adrian Ryan also said it appeared my car should have been scrapped and was sold by mistake. DOCAT never issued a compliance plate approval for an NB so I expect Ford might have some difficulty admitting they sold one. They have offered to replace my NB plate with an NA plate but as you would understand I have declined this offer. My local ford dealer also says there are some annotations on the Ford computerised part systems noting some differences with NB model. The owners hand book for my car has the cover neatly cut off so I wonder if it once said NB on the cover.

**Polyal** · 07-07-2007, 12:13 AM

It exists, and yes it would be rare. But they are hardly a collectors item. Give it 200 years or so.

I doubt anything was drastically different, had any issues getting parts?

**aussiblue** · 07-07-2007, 12:17 AM

Now if you could have just snuck one of those workshop manuals out....

**Polyal** · 07-07-2007, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Now if you could have just snuck one of those workshop manuals out....

I know I know...but I would need a suitcase.

**aussiblue** · 07-07-2007, 12:25 AM

Grill is different and some minor parts like the heater bypass hoses, tie rod ends, originally some different arrangement of solenoids in the 4 speed auto (vertical instead of horizontal - obviously was also a prototype gearbox), different fusible links, some NC parts and minor things I find from time to time. 3.9 motor has slightly different size crank, con rods and bearings (suspect stroked to 4 L).

BenJ · 07-07-2007, 12:29 AM

Well this is quite informative.

The car at the wreckers has the tag indicating it is an LSD.

I will have a look tommorrow and see what gearset it has.

BenJ

**aussiblue** · 07-07-2007, 12:33 AM

Mine was owned and serviced by Ford Products Engineering for a couple of years and everything (including the little plastic hubcaps on the mag wheels) is marked with beige paint (MV-1) and it seemed to have been somewhat of a work in progress testbed as the upholstery was about two years newer than the rest of the car. I suspect it was abandoned in Geraldton where it ended up after Ford sold it on some around Oz test drive and I suspect overheating and a head gasket was the cause of it ending up there as when I bought the car it was clear that the head gasket had been recently replaced.

**aussiblue** · 07-07-2007, 12:35 AM

If it is an NB at leat get a pic of the compliance plate so I can see how it compares with mine and if they were made at the same time.

**aussiblue** · 07-07-2007, 12:39 AM

Quote:

It exists, and yes it would be rare. But they are hardly a collectors item.

Yes it's no GTHO but somone has offered me $20,000 ("conversation piece" for a car museum) for it if I can get Ford to authenticate it... but they are not interested.

LUXO_8 · 07-07-2007, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenJ

Thanks for the info

There is one at the wreckers near me. It appears to have factory fitted door pods to take 6" speakers down where the map pocket would be.

Also, what diff gears would be in one?

BenJ

they definantly would not be factory speaker pods, ford only put them in the stock location - someone has put those pods in the doortrims

BenJ · 07-07-2007, 01:53 AM

I will get some photos, or even buy them, as they are factory plastics and fabrics and work with the Velour doortrims.

I was quite intrigued when I saw them as they really do look factory.

BenJ

BenJ · 07-07-2007, 04:17 PM

OK, went to the wreckers.

On closer examination the door pods were from a holden. They looked pretty close tho and were sitting in the fairlane, so my apologies.

The car is two tone but after having a better look at it I don't think it is a sportsman. I checked and it is an NA.

The diff is an LSD 3.23 ratio.

Will a diff from an NA fit a EB2? I have a 3.23 SS in mine.

Regards
BenJ

johnny13 · 07-07-2007, 04:23 PM

2 tone white and silver??

if so its a SVO well sounds like it by ur description.

BenJ · 07-07-2007, 04:32 PM

No, silver over dark grey.

BenJ

johnny13 · 07-07-2007, 04:50 PM

Hmmm beat's me then kustom job??

but yer the diff will fit strait up.

LUXO_8 · 07-07-2007, 05:07 PM

the diff wont fit straight up...

if its an NA it will have the universal joint type yoke, if its an NC it will have the flange type yoke

also, anything pre EB2 has narrow lower trailing arm bushes, EB2 on got wider bushes

all fairly easy things to get around, but just letting you know its not a straight swap