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 Fairlane Victoria hardtop 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 combos were all the rage. This
Ford wears handsome Torch Red and Snowshoe White 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
some 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 shiny 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 dominant red color around the headlight rings and on
the roof. The bumpers are nice, the brightwork is still nice and
shiny, and all that tough-to-replace glass is in great shape.
Inside, the red and white continues the theme of the exterior and
even ups the style a bit. 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, kicked up a notch by
its two-tone presentation that matches the exterior. The painted
surfaces are recently refinished, so everything is nice and bright,
and all the gauges and controls are crisp and clean. It appears
completely stock and even the unique round AM radio is still in the
middle of the dash, although its function is supplanted by a
Panasonic AM/FM/CD head unit that's tucked away in the glove box.
The big, restored 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.
Open the hood and you'll be surprised to find a very healthy Ford
390 V8. With great low-end torque, it's very punchy around town and
when combined with the upgraded C6 automatic transmission, it has
great highway legs, too. The engine bay is quite stock, from the
big Ford Blue 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 newer
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, providing a little extra grunt when
you put your foot down. Not "show it with mirrors under it" clean
underneath, but decent enough and the pans have been sprayed with
protective undercoating. 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 bright hubcaps are the
right choice and it sits on a set of 205/75/15 Coker Classics wide
whitewall radials to finish off the period look.
Accompanied with a build receipts, restoration photos, and
maintenance records, this is a car that's ready to be enjoyed right
away, or taken up a notch into the realm of spectacular. Either
way, this is one special Ford that likely won't last long in our
inventory. Call today!
