A wedding, and a search for the right car
Some memories stay with you forever. For me, one of those will always be tied to my wife, Tanisha Large, and a 1955 Ford Fairlane that became much more than just an old car.
Before our wedding in 2019, we'd been searching for a classic car to bring my bride-to-be down the aisle. We asked around and looked for something we could use for the weekend, but because the wedding was out of state, nothing quite worked out.
So I did what any slightly crazy car guy in love might do. I bought one.
Before our wedding in 2019, we'd been searching for a classic car to bring my bride-to-be down the aisle. We asked around and looked for something we could use for the weekend, but because the wedding was out of state, nothing quite worked out.
So I did what any slightly crazy car guy in love might do. I bought one.
A barn-find Fairlane on Facebook Marketplace
I found a 1955 Ford Fairlane on Facebook Marketplace in New Jersey. My dad and I drove out to look at it, and I'll be honest — it was a little rough around the edges. It didn't run, it needed work, and it definitely wasn't wedding-ready. But I struck a deal, brought it home, and told myself I could get it running before the wedding.
When I got it home, Tanisha kept looking at it sitting on the trailer. Then she asked me something I'll never forget:
“Do you think you can make it match our wedding colors?”
Mind you, this was one week before our wedding.
When I got it home, Tanisha kept looking at it sitting on the trailer. Then she asked me something I'll never forget:
“Do you think you can make it match our wedding colors?”
Mind you, this was one week before our wedding.
Why wouldn't it start? A wire left off the points
The car had rust that needed repaired, dents that needed worked out, and it still didn't run. I got it off the trailer and down to the shop. Pretty quickly, I found the reason it wouldn't start — someone had left a wire off the points. I also found plenty of wiring that had been messed with over the years, twisted together and covered with electrical tape.
That's the part people don't always see about this work: most “it won't start” mysteries come down to one small thing done wrong. You don't throw parts at it — you find the actual fault and fix it. Once I got it running, I started working on her wish.
That's the part people don't always see about this work: most “it won't start” mysteries come down to one small thing done wrong. You don't throw parts at it — you find the actual fault and fix it. Once I got it running, I started working on her wish.
Turning a red Fairlane Stratocaster blue
The red car was going blue. Not just any blue, either — a 1960s Fender Stratocaster blue that I found and fell in love with.
After a lot of long hours packed into just a few short days, I somehow pulled off what most people probably thought was impossible. I'm not a body guy. In fact, this was the first car I had ever painted. But I wanted to do it for her.
After a lot of long hours packed into just a few short days, I somehow pulled off what most people probably thought was impossible. I'm not a body guy. In fact, this was the first car I had ever painted. But I wanted to do it for her.
Down the aisle in a '55 Fairlane
Looking back now, I still can't believe I pulled it off. That old Fairlane became more than a project. It became part of our story. It was a reminder that when you really want something, and you put your mind to it, you might surprise yourself with what you're capable of.
And I don't regret a single minute of it. Because at the end of the day, I did it for Tanisha. And you know what they say — a happy wife makes a happy life.
And I don't regret a single minute of it. Because at the end of the day, I did it for Tanisha. And you know what they say — a happy wife makes a happy life.
The same hands that built it work on your car
That Fairlane is a big part of why I do what I do. The same care that went into getting a 70-year-old Ford running and repainted in a week is the care we put into every vehicle that rolls through NextGen AutoWorks — whether it's a daily driver that needs brakes or a classic you're trying to keep on the road.
Classic cars and EFI swaps are a genuine passion of mine, not a side project we tolerate. So if you've got something in the garage, a fuel-injection conversion you've been thinking about, or just a car that needs honest work, we'd love to help.
Classic cars and EFI swaps are a genuine passion of mine, not a side project we tolerate. So if you've got something in the garage, a fuel-injection conversion you've been thinking about, or just a car that needs honest work, we'd love to help.
From barn find to the big day
Frequently Asked Questions
What year and model is the car?
It's a 1955 Ford Fairlane sedan I found in New Jersey. It left the factory as a red-and-white two-tone, and I repainted it a 1960s Fender Stratocaster blue to match our wedding colors.
Did you really repaint it yourself in a week?
Yes — and it was the first car I'd ever painted. With the wedding one week out, I diagnosed why it wouldn't run, sorted the wiring, worked out the rust and dents, and laid down the blue over a lot of very long nights at the shop.
Does NextGen AutoWorks work on classic cars?
We do. Classic cars and EFI swaps are a real passion of ours, right alongside everyday repair for daily drivers. If you've got a project or a classic that needs honest, careful work, call our Grantville shop at (717) 473-5997.
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Got a classic in the garage or a car that just needs honest work? Call our Grantville shop at (717) 473-5997 or book an appointment online — we'd love to help.
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