1955 Ford

1955

The American Ford line of cars gained a new body for 1955 to keep up with surging Chevrolet and Plymouth, although it remained similar to the 1952 Ford underneath. The Mileage Maker I6 was bumped up to 223 CID (3.7 L) for 120 hp (89 kW) and the new-for-1954 Y-block V8 was now offered in two sizes: Standard Fords used a 272 CID (4.5 L) version with 162 hp (121 kW) with 2-barrel carburetor and single exhaust or 182 hp with 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, but the large 292 CID (4.8 L) unit from the Thunderbird was also offered, boasting 193 hp (144 kW).

Apart from the engine changes, customers were sure to notice the new Fairlane, which replaced the Crestline as the top trim level, while a new Crown Victoria-style featured a chrome "basket handle" across the familiar (and continued) "Victoria" hardtop roof, which originally appeared on the Mercury XM-800 concept car. This use of a styling feature to visually separate the front of the passenger compartment from the rear reappeared on the 1977-1979 Ford Thunderbird, the Ford LTD Crown Victoria, the Ford Fairmont Futura and Mercury Zephyr Z-7 coupes. The company now marketed three different rooflines on its two-door models; the tall two-pillar Mainline, Customline, and Fairlane sedans, pillarless hardtop Fairlane Victoria and the chrome-pillar Fairlane Crown Victoria. The Fairlane Crown Victoria was also offered with a transparent "skylighted" top. New brakes were used 11 in drums. Also, Fords had a new frame, but still with five cross members.

The Fords introduced for 1955 also featured the panoramic windshields found on Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs the previous year. With this panoramic windshield the A-pillars had a vertical angle that gave the driver a more panoramic visibility.

For the first time, Ford offered seat belts as a dealer option (not factory installed, with instructions provided by a Service Bulletin). Also new for 1955 was Ford's first factory installed air conditioner. This “Select Aire” option featured an integrated heater core and evaporator coil unit within the dash and cold air discharge vents located on top of the dash on either side of the radio speaker. The "Select Aire" design was carried over to the 1956 models with slightly different cold air vents in the same location as on the 1955 models. The condenser was mounted in front of the radiator as in later cars.

The 1955 Fords were marketed under separate names for each of the three trim levels: Ford Mainline, Ford Customline and Ford Fairlane. Station wagons were offered as a separate series for the first time for 1955. The Ranch Wagon and Custom Ranch Wagon were 2 door wagons while the Country Sedan and Country Squire models were 4 door wagons, the latter featuring wooden appliqué side mouldings. A sedan delivery variant was marketed as the Ford Courier.

File:1955 Ford Fairlane Sunliner.JPG|1955 Ford Fairlane Sunliner File:1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria in Tropical Rose, Front Right, 06-09-2023.jpg|1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria File:1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria in Tropical Rose, Rear Right, 06-09-2023.jpg|1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria, rear view File:1955 Meteor Rideau (7594600304).jpg|1955 Meteor (Canada) File:1958 Ford V8 Customline sedan (Australia).jpg|1958-60 Australian built Customline with revised grille File:1955FordFairlaine.jpg|1955 Ford Fairlane 4 Door Sedan in Sandalwood Tan

Engines

1956

The eggcrate grille featured on the 1955 cars was widened into a series of rectangles for 1956, but this subtle exterior change was nothing compared to Ford's adoption of a 12-volt electrical system, with a six volt system optional. The Crown Victoria Skyliner's sales were plummeting with just 603 made, and it would be replaced by a convertible the next year. A new addition at midyear was the "Town Victoria" 4-door hardtop model which, along with the new Customline Victoria 2-door hardtop, were meant to compete with the Chevrolet Bel Air and Plymouth Belvedere. The Parklane, a Fairlane trimmed Tudor station wagon, was added to compete with the Chevrolet Nomad. There were new convenience options, such as a new air-conditioner system, a new heater, and a nine-tube signal-seeking radio. Instead of gauges, instrument cluster warning lights for oil pressure and ammeter were standard.

Victoria hardtop coupes now adopted the lower, sleeker roofline used by both 1955 and 1956 Crown Victoria, sans the wide chrome roof trim.

The Lifeguard safety package — consisting of seat belts, a padded dashboard, safety door locks, a deep-dish steering wheel, and a breakaway rearview mirror — was introduced. The option was a slow-seller. The optional air conditioner, which remained expensive and thus a slow seller, was totally revamped; the compressor was now housed beneath the hood and the cooling vents were moved to atop the dashboard (it could not be ordered on the Thunderbird).

File:'56 Ford Fairlane (Auto classique Salaberry-De-Valleyfield '11).JPG|1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria two-door hardtop File:1956 Ford 6-Passenger Country Sedan.jpg|1956 Ford Six-Passenger Country Sedan File:1956 Courier.jpg|1956 Ford Courier Sedan Delivery File:1956 Meteor Victoria (4547371652).jpg|1956 Meteor (Canada) File:1957 Ford Customline Sedan (Australia).jpg|1957 Australian built Customline with revised grille

Engines

Australian production

The 1955 Ford was also produced by Ford Australia which offered it as a V8 Customline 4-door sedan and as a V8 Mainline 2-door coupe utility. The latter body style was developed in Australia utilising an imported convertible chassis strengthened for load carrying. A limited number of Customline wagons was also built.

The 1955 model was the first Australian Ford to receive the new overhead-valve "Y-block" V8 engine, and went on sale at the end of July 1955. Australian Customlines and Mainlines received the 1956 US Ford facelift and then further makeovers in 1957 and 1958 with the final series utilizing the grille from 1955 Meteor of Canada.

By 1958 the Customline was being marketed as the Ford V8 Fordomatic when supplied with automatic transmission. 1958 was also when the larger, 292 CID V8 engine was introduced. Australian production ended the following year with the introduction of the 1959 US Ford which was locally produced in Custom 300, Fairlane 500 and Ranch Wagon models. |File:1955 Ford Customline V8 Sedan (Oz) (8437648522).jpg|1955 Ford V8 Customline |File:1956 Ford Customline (Australia).jpg|1956 Ford V8 Customline Sedan |File:1956 Ford Mainline Utility V8 (Australia).jpg|1956 Ford V8 Mainline Utility |File:1957 Ford Customline Sedan (Australia).jpg|1957 Ford V8 Customline Sedan |File:1957 Mainline V8 ute (Australia).jpg|1957 Ford V8 Mainline Utility |File:1958 Ford V8 Fordomatic.JPG|1958 Ford V8 Fordomatic Sedan |File:Ford Mainline Utility.jpg|1958 Ford V8 Mainline Utility

References

References

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5. [http://storm.oldcarmanualproject.com/ford/fairlane/1956/56Ffl-16-17.jpg Ford’s new Select Aire Conditioner –1956 Ford Fairlane sales brochure, page 17] Retrieved from storm.oldcarmanualproject.com on 16 February 2010
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20. (29 July 1955). "Many changes in 1955 Ford". [[The Western Herald, Bourke.
21. (11 September 1957). "Ford will be 85% Australian". Cumberland Newspapers, Ltd..
22. [http://www.redbook.com.au/car-reviews/2005/classic-and-rare/ford-customline-3292 Ford Customline, www.redbook.com.au] Retrieved on 26 October 2012
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24. Argent, Lon. "Y blocks in Australia". Y-blocks forever.
25. The Australian 1959-60 Ford Fairlane, Restored Cars No 84, July 1990, page 5