Abandoned 1960 Ford Starliner Gets First Wash in 51 Years

When we think of iconic Ford vehicles of the early 1960s, we usually think of the Thunderbolt, Fairlane, Ranchero, and Galaxie. But the company's lineup included more nameplates at the time, some of which haven't received the recognition they deserve.

The first that comes to mind is the Falcon, but I wouldn't say the compact has been forgotten. The Starliner, on the other hand, is a FoMoCo vehicle from the early 1960s that has pretty much been lost to the history books. And that's mainly because it was a short-lived model based on the more iconic Galaxie.

The latter was introduced as a top-of-the-line full-size car for the 1959 model year. It sat above the Fairlane 500, and the lineup included two- and four-door hardtops, as well as a convertible. In 1960, Ford added a new body style with a fastback roof. Part of the Galaxie Special Series along with the drop-top Sunliner, the fastback was dubbed the Starliner.

With its sleeker design, the Starliner quickly became a popular platform for NASCAR teams. Although Ford lost the 1960 championship to Chevrolet, the Starliner brought the company 15 victories. Three years later, Ford would win the title with the Starliner-inspired Galaxie Sports Hardtop.

The fastback was only in production for two years. After a successful debut with 68,641 units sold in 1960, sales dropped to just 29,669 in 1961. While these numbers are too high to call the Starliner a rare car, they are significantly lower than the total Galaxie production. For comparison, Ford sold 638,993 Galaxies in 1960 and 1961, so the Starliner only accounts for 15% of total production.

It's been more than 60 years since the last Starliner rolled off the assembly line, and these fastbacks are rare to see at classic car shows. That's because they didn't become the highly sought-after cars that other American vehicles of the era did. But it's also because many Starliners raced and crashed, while others were abandoned in junkyards and barns.

The abandoned example you see here is one of the unfortunate ones. Documented by “Tanner Rebuilds” on YouTube, this Starliner was found rotting in a field. The fastback was said to have been sitting since 1973, meaning it hadn't moved in a full 51 years.

But while it’s long enough to turn any steel vehicle into a rust bucket, this Starliner is still in one piece and surprisingly complete. Sure, it’s got a lot of rust and will need a full restoration to get it back to roadworthy condition, but it’s certainly luckier than most of its siblings.

It’s unclear whether our host has any plans to restore the car, but it now shares a yard with at least two other Starliners. And it’s been washed for the first time in more than five decades, the first step toward properly assessing the damage. It’s pretty satisfying to see all that dust and moss removed from the mostly straight body panels, so hit play below and enjoy.