In the 1960s, the Pontiac GTO kickstarted an entire segment of high-performance cars for the masses dubbed "muscle cars." But while the GTO, which was introduced as the 1964 Pontiac Tempest LeMans, with the GTO option package, offered a 325 horsepower 389-CID V8, it was the 1969 Judge with the 370-hp Ram Air IV V8 that helped bring the segment toward its peak in the '60s.Ford had plenty of muscle competing in the '60s horsepower wars with the legendary 1969 Mustang Boss 429 – a NASCAR-bred 375-horsepower behemoth built to take on the likes of the Chrysler 426 Hemi.However, before that, Ford built another often-forgotten and overlooked Fairlane that could easily outgun the Mustang Boss 429, Pontiac GTO, and virtually any other muscle car before it. This Ford was produced in very limited numbers in 1964, with just 100 examples built, and fitted with an engine that some believed had the kind of horsepower that would raise eyebrows in a sedan today, let alone 60 years ago. The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt Claimed A Conservative 425 HP Mecum AuctionsFord Fairlane Thunderbolt SpecsBack in 1955, Ford introduced the Fairlane range of coupes and sedans – a model line that has been largely forgotten – fitted with inline-sixes and others carrying the Y-block V8, replacing the Crestline in Ford's model lineup. The Fairlane was very much of its era, a two-tone and chrome cruiser that had the charm of a jukebox on wheels – squint, and you'll spot one cruising around Courthouse Square in Back to the Future.Mecum AuctionsIn the early ‘60s, the muscle car scene arrived, and drag racing, both on track and deserted highways, became a main source of entertainment for newly emancipated youths, meaning that the Fairlane had to change.The fourth generation model received the Challenger 289 CID engine in 1963, with solid lifters and other performance parts pushing output to 271 hp, but the Fairlane needed more power if it was to stand a chance on the drag strip – a place where winning cars on the weekend would push sales on the forecourts in the week. Ford Introduced the Fairlane Thunderbolt In 1964 Mecum AuctionsThe Ford Galaxie could have made a good drag racing car for Ford, with success on race tracks around the world, but the Fairlane made more sense, being a foot shorter in overall length and with three and half inches shorter wheelbase, not to mention weighing less. The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt debuted with a 427ci 8-cylinder high-riser FE engine with two 4-barrel carburetors - plus a chassis that had been reinforced to take all that torque. Officially, peak power of this rare car, with just 100 made, was 425 hp and the torque was 480 lb-ft. However, according to sources such as Classic.com, the real figure was likely closer to 500 or even 600 hp. What Made The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt So Special Bring a Trailer For the Thunderbolt, Ford stripped out even more weight, removing the sound-deadening material, spare tire, radio, carpeting, heater, and anything else that wasn't bolted on. Fiberglass doors, front fenders, and hood put the Thunderbolt on even more of a diet, with plastic side windows added for good measure. The inner headlights on the Fairlane Thunderbolt were replaced by ducting for that monster engine's ram air induction system.That new hood featured a teardrop-shaped domed for clearance of that 427 – when it was designed the Fairlane was intended for an engine no larger than a Ford small block. For better weight distribution on the drag strip, the battery was relocated in the trunk and the seats were a choice of either lightweight chairs from Ford's police package vehicles or a pair of bucket seats from the Econoline van. Here is what else makes the Fairlane Thunderbolt so special. The Engine Was The Star Of The Thunderbolt Mecum Auctions There may have been elements of the Thunderbolt that appeared rushed, just to get it out on the strip, but the engine had a large amount of attention to detail. Bob Tasca, owner of a Rhode Island Ford dealership, had squeezed a 427 ci FE Ford engine into a Fairlane 500 road car, giving Frank Zimmerman, Ford's marketing manager at the time, the idea to make the Fairlane the company's drag racer of choice.After suspension components had been relocated to make enough space, the production Thunderbolt was fitted with the High-Riser 427ci motor destined for the Thunderbolt, featuring a 12:1 compression ratio, dual four-barrel carburetors, long-tube headers, and ram-air induction. Transmission choices were either a four-speed manual gearbox with a final drive ratio of 4:57.1 or a three-speed automatic with a 4:44.1 final drive. How The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt Compared To The 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Bring a Trailer Now one of the most coveted classic muscle cars on the market, the Ford Mustang Boss 429 was designed specifically for its NASCAR-developed 7.0-liter V8 engine. It's also one of the rarest Mustangs ever, with just 1359 units ever sold.And it's not just a simple Mustang trim, either; the 429 engine is so big that Ford had to completely modify the First-gen Mustang's engine bay and several other components of the car to make it fit. The Boss 429 was essentially a brand-new muscle car.Not only was its engine massive, it was extremely powerful. Ford quotes 375 hp, but in reality, many sources agree this figure was severely underrated, and the actual output was closer to 500 hp. Buying A Ford Fairline Thunderbolt Today Bring A TrailerDue to the rarity and notoriety of the Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt, fans will need deep pockets to get the keys to one. According to Hagerty.com, a good condition Fairlane Thunderbolt will cost $201,000, with the highest sale recorded as $286,000. In 2022, an original Fairlane Thunderbolt reached $210,000 on Bring a Trailer, although the reserve wasn't met.The car is number 17 of 100 examples built for 1964 and one of 59 said to have been equipped by the factory with a three-speed MX Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. For a lot less money, it is possible to pick up a Fairlane that has been retrofitted with a 427. One project car in need of a lot of love sold for $26,250 in 2022.