Vehicle Description
Fords were almost all new in 1955, and like their counterparts at
Chevrolet, there are many who think the first are still the best.
This 1955 Ford Victoria has a fantastic '50s look, dramatic
two-tone paint, and a burbling V8 that makes it a lot of fun to
drive. At this price, how can you go wrong with something that
looks so right?
The '50s were all about color and pastels were all the rage. This
Ford wears handsome Snowshoe White and Goldenrod Yellow that works
particularly well thanks to the sweeping spear of trim bisecting
the two colors. You see far fewer of these than you do Chevys, but
now that you're looking at it, you have to wonder why because it's
simply gorgeous. Sure, the paint is a few years old and showing a
few minor signs of age, but the impact this car makes at shows is
far greater than a comparable '55 Chevy, which everyone has already
seen. But what really makes this car work is the trim and bright
work, all of which is in excellent condition and fits well. The egg
crate grille is handsomely understated, you can see the design
influence of the Thunderbird in the way the parking lights are
integrated into the grille, and it's just too cool the way they
wrapped the secondary color around the headlight rings. The bumpers
are nice, although there are one or two dings in the rear bumper,
and all that irreplaceable glass is in great shape.
Inside, the black and white upholstery tones down the pastel and
ups the style. It's not quite the way the factory did it, but only
an expert would know and it certainly looks right for the mid-50s.
Wide bench seats make this car feel spacious for everyone and the
vinyl is very neatly installed and should look this good for years
to come. Matching door panels seem to mimic the sweep spear trim on
the exterior and that dashboard is definitely going to ring a bell
with Thunderbird owners. The painted surfaces are recently
refinished, so everything is nice and bright, and all the gauges
are fully operational. It appears completely stock and even the
unique round AM radio is still in the middle of the dash, although
it's sadly not operational. The big steering wheel makes it easy to
maneuver the big Ford and the giant trunk with a full-sized spare
seems to beg for a road trip.
Ford's 272 cubic inch "Y-block" V8 was optional but really it's the
only one you want in your vintage cruiser. With good low-end
torque, it feels punchy around town and when combined with the
Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission, it has great highway legs,
too. The engine bay is quite stock, from the big oil bath air
cleaner to the Ford Red paint on the block itself to the handsome
valve covers that remind you that, yes, this is a V8. There appears
to be a new radiator up front, along with new hoses and some fuel
system work, and once it's warmed up, it's a fantastic runner. The
exhaust manifolds feed a burbling dual exhaust that sounds just
right and you'll be extremely pleased to see how clean it is
underneath. Not "show it with mirrors under it" clean, but very
solid and with no hidden surprises. The transmission shifts nicely
and since ford switched to tube shocks, it rides and handles much
better than you'd expect. Standard steel wheels with hubcaps are
the right choice and it sits on a set of 215/75/15 radials, but
imagine just how awesome this would look with a set of wide
whites!
Accompanied with a pile of spare parts including a wire harness,
engine gasket kit, and some other small bits, this is a car that's
ready to enjoy the way it is or it could be the foundation of
something truly spectacular. It's up to you. Call today!