How many 1966 Ford Fairlane GT convertibles were made?
Very few were produced, and there is no official public tally from Ford for the 1966 Fairlane GT convertible. Historians and car registries generally agree the figure is extremely small, but an exact, verified count has not been published.
The 1966 Fairlane GT convertible sits at the intersection of Ford’s mid‑1960s performance marketing and the convertible’s waning popularity. The GT package was offered as a performance upgrade on several Fairlane trims, and in 1966 a GT option could appear on the convertible body style as part of Ford’s broader push for sportier, higher‑spec vehicles. Because Ford did not release a straightforward model-by-model production tally for this variant, researchers must piece together data from catalogs, dealer sheets, and club registries, leaving the exact number open to interpretation.
Context and Production Realities
The GT package and the convertible combination
The GT designation signaled a performance-oriented option group rather than a standalone model. In 1966, Ford extended the GT package to various Fairlane configurations, including a narrow subset of convertibles. This helped create a rare blend of open-top style with enhanced performance—but the trade-off was limited production.
Why official counts are elusive
Ford has not published a definitive, public tally of how many GT convertibles rolled off the assembly line in 1966. The data most often cited by historians comes from archival materials, dealer ordering guides, and club registries, all of which have gaps or rely on interpretation of option codes and VINs. As a result, the exact total remains uncertain.
Production Numbers: Sources and What They Suggest
To understand what is believed about the 1966 Fairlane GT convertible, researchers typically consult a mix of primary and secondary sources. The following list consolidates the kinds of materials that informed most assessments:
- Ford Historical Archives and limited production catalogs (accessible selectively; not a public, year-by-year tally)
- Original 1966 Fairlane brochures and GT option guides (confirm configurations but not a definitive count)
- Registries maintained by car clubs such as the Fairlane Club of America and dedicated Ford performance registries
These sources collectively indicate that the GT convertible existed in 1966 but stop short of confirming an exact production total. The consensus among registries is that the number was very small, though precise figures vary by source and interpretation of option codes.
Registry Insights and Collector Perspectives
In the collector community, the rarity of the 1966 Fairlane GT convertible is frequently cited as a key factor in its value and provenance. Experts emphasize verifying a car’s GT status through chassis numbers and option codes, because misclassification or later retrofitting can cloud tallies. While specific counts are debated, the car is commonly described as one of Ford’s rarer mid‑1960s convertibles, with only a limited production run contributing to the scarcity today.
Summary
The 1966 Ford Fairlane GT convertible remains one of Ford’s rare mid‑1960s performance convertibles, and there is no publicly published, definitive production total. Most credible registries and historians place the figure in a very small range, but exact numbers are not officially confirmed. For enthusiasts and researchers, the car’s appeal is tied to its scarcity, verified provenance, and the archival puzzle it presents.
