That is the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 that was modified by legendary East Coast customized automobile builder John North. He purchased the automobile new and instantly started the rebuild course of, naming it “White Pearl” when it was accomplished.
The automobile featured prominently in interval publications together with Rod & Customized, Automotive Craft, and Scorching Rod Journal, it was later owned by rock star Gene Pitney, who apparently drove it to a few of his live shows.
Quick Info – The “White Pearl” Fairlane 500
- This 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 was purchased new by East Coast customizer John North, he rebuilt it right into a customized automobile that may develop into well-known from coast to coast named the “White Pearl.”
- The White Pearl is powered by its authentic E-Code 270 bhp 312 cubic inch V8, fitted with double four-barrel carburetors and mated to a 3-speed guide transmission.
- The bodywork and inside have been considerably modified over the inventory automobile, in later years it grew to become a well-liked a part of the Bortz Auto Assortment the place it has been on show for over 15 years.
- The automobile is now being supplied on the market in a dwell on-line public sale with RM Sotheby’s. The value information is $50,000 – $60,000 USD, which places it nicely into inexpensive territory for a automobile with historical past like this.
John North
John North has been referred to as the “George Barris of the East Coast,” a reference to the legendary West Coast customized automobile builder who created a slew of iconic vehicles together with the authentic Batmobile, the Starsky and Hutch automobile, the Dukes of Hazzard automobile, the Knight Rider automobile and plenty of others.
Your entire physique has been custom-made from entrance to again together with the inside, and the taillights have been reshaped into teardrops.
Whereas John North’s profile by no means reached these lofty heights he did construct a powerful fanbase for his technically refined customized automobile builds, essentially the most well-known of which is the White Pearl.
The 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 “White Pearl”
Removed from being only a present automobile, the White Pearl is a real performer. The “E-Code” 312 cubic inch Y-block Ford V8 below the hood is identical engine that was fitted to the primary technology Ford Thunderbird.
On this utility the engine is fitted with double four-barrel carburetors and it’s stated to make 270 bhp – a major determine for the late Nineteen Fifties. Energy is shipped to the rear wheels through a 3-speed guide transmission, additionally the identical unit used within the Thunderbird.
That is the automobile’s authentic 312 cubic inch Y-block Ford V8, the identical engine fitted to the primary technology Ford Thunderbird. This one is fitted with double four-barrel carburetors and it produces 270 bhp.
John North was identified for his gold scalloping and the White Pearl definitely options this in abundance. He additionally added “Lakes” facet pipes operating alongside the recrafted rocker panels, and taillight lenses recontoured into a particular teardrop form.
A home made handcrafted tubular grille is fitted up entrance and the entrance and rear badges have been eliminated, and the rear bumper was eliminated in favor of chrome nerf bars. The suspension was additionally lowered to offer the automobile a extra purposeful stance.
Inside you’ll discover white tuck-and-roll upholstery all through – together with the seats, dashboard, doorways, and carpets. Curiously a fake tv was put in in there dashboard, a futuristic idea on the time however many years later the set up of screens into dashboards is an business norm.
As a nod to the long run, John North put in a fake TV into the dashboard. A long time later and trendy variations of the dashboard display screen can be fitted to virtually each automobile in manufacturing.
John North would promote this automobile on to rock star Gene Pitney, an American singer-songwriter and musician who charted 16 prime 40 hits in the US.
He wrote the songs “Hiya Mary Lou,” “He’s a Insurgent,” “Twenty 4 Hours from Tulsa,” “I’m Gonna Be Sturdy,” “It Hurts To Be In Love,” “One thing’s Gotten Maintain of My Coronary heart,” and plenty of others.
Pitney would apparently drive himself on this automobile to live shows, little question attracting loads of consideration from fellow motorists alongside the way in which.
White Pearl is now being supplied on the market by RM Sotheby’s in a dwell on-line public sale, the value information is $50,000 – $60,000 USD and you possibly can go to the itemizing right here for those who’d wish to learn extra about it or register to bid.
Photographs courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
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