Vehicle Description
This 1956 Ford Customline Victoria has been with one family for
more than half its life thus far, and there are less than 1,200
miles on it since its restoration. But the stats don't tell the
full story as much as the glossy black presentation of an
exceptionally authentic V8 classic.
This is a family heirloom. The consignor's father gave it to her in
1986...but first, he gave it a full restoration in 1984. Yes,
that's actually the last time this was painted! But when you do it
right, and it has been treated with respect ever since, the
attractive black paint retains this kind of high-gloss presentation
for the long term. In fact, with only 1,153 miles on the car since
its restoration, you know it has only left the garage on very
special occasions. And the daughter says that she has only driven
it a time or two since her father gave it to her. So it has been
out of the garage so few times that you can almost consider this a
barn find. More than just a great history, you want this Ford
because it's a stylish classic. The trim tag tells us this is a
true Victoria, but the desirable pillarless hardtop profile already
told you that. And the Customline's side trim was particularly
attractive this year with two sporty overlapping broad strokes to
cover the full length of the car. It's presented so crisply on a
car with smooth panels, good gaps, and exceptionally preserved
brightwork. It's truly attractive from the fender skirt on the rear
to the Ford family crest leading the way.
The pillarless Victoria hardtop body means everyone gets a terrific
view of the two-tone interior. The sleek white on the seats gives
way to the ribbed red inserts for a look that's both correct and
appears custom. The way the colors coordinate on the carpeting,
door panels, headliner, and dash gives you a uniform presentation
that you'll be proud to show off. So you can really tell that
storage for this car meant responsible care. The view from behind
the wheel is pure 1950s cool. Ford's arching instrument panel is a
great-looking piece of industrial design, complete with plenty of
bright trim to accentuate the dash. And the whole presentation
looks period-correct right down to the heat/defrost sliders. In
fact, you'll be impressed with the overall level of presentation,
right down working details like the dome light and AM radio.
Under the hood you'll find a 292 cubic-inch Ford Y-block V8 motor.
That was an optional powerplant borrowed from Ford's ultimate
personal cruiser. So those Thunderbird valve covers are no
accident. It's not only one of the largest motors Ford offered back
then, but it also came standard with a Holley four-barrel
carburetor to give this coupe the power to be an anywhere kind of
cruiser. This was a special car when it left the factory, and so it
is great to see it with the right motor looking in such a
good-looking engine bay. Even the accents of the classic battery
topper go with the red motor. While this one has very few miles
since its restoration, it has been treated with the right care to
make sure the motor fires up readily and runs strong. The dual
exhaust has a terrific tune, and you control it all with the
classic column-shift three-speed manual transmission. The consigner
even claims the classic manual overdrive works.
The sale comes complete with the owner's manual and service manual.
This is a striking classic with a great family history. That's why
you know you have to act fast to take it home. Call now!
