Vehicle Description
Ford was hitting on all eight cylinders in 1955, having just introduced the wonderful Thunderbird and rolling out the brilliant Crown Victoria. This 1955 Ford Crown Vic was Ford's top-of-the-line, easily identified by its bright strip of trim spanning the roof and dramatic side spears that divided the popular two-tone color schemes.
This lovely first-year Crown Vic, rendered in Tropical Rose and Snowshoe White, is a perfect example of the pastel 1950s. The 1955 Fords are widely admired as the perfect blend of 1940s restraint and the flamboyance that was to end the decade. The restoration is a few years old, but the two-tone car will still stop people in their tracks, and is like a one-car parade anywhere you go. The paint work was obviously well done at the time, and has been well maintained ever since it was completed, although it's showing some age when you get up close. Not enough to need a repaint, of course, but then again it isn't trying to be a trailer queen. The stainless steel "tiara" that identifies a Crown Vic has been polished to a bright shine, along with the rest of the trim, which was most likely a very expensive process. The continental kit was not standard equipment, but nobody can deny how right it looks on the car, which explains why a majority of Crown Vics wear them.
The handsome two-tone interior is classic 1950s design. Pink and white vinyl on the seats is a traditional look, of course, and the body-colored accents on the front seat and dashboard give this Crown Vic the same bright flavor as the exterior trim. Correctly finished and showing only minor wear, the split bench is comfortable enough for long-distance cruises, and the back seat will carry three in comfort. Black carpets use the correct weave and prevent pastel overload, and are protected by aftermarket mats that'll keep them looking fresh. The gauges are in good order, including the cool speedometer with the plexiglass window, and they're joined by an under-dash temperature gauge. The three round pods in the center of the dash house the HVAC controls, the radio, and the clock, and there's an under-dash A/C system that's so neatly hidden that you almost don't notice it. There's also a good-sized trunk with a correct plaid mat and a spare tire so you don't need to dig into the continental kit in case you need it on the road.
Speaking of the Thunderbird, this Crown Vic also carries a 272 cubic inch V8, which runs great and looks quite stock under the hood. From the large oil bath air cleaner to the unique cast iron exhaust manifolds, it carries all its factory equipment, and while not detailed for show, you can't argue with keeping it stock. There's Ford Red paint on the block, simple painted valve covers, and a massive radiator up front keeping it all cool. It says "Fordomatic" on the trunk, but this car is equipped with a 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive, so it's a fine cruiser at modern highway speeds. A mostly original and tidy undercarriage with a rumbling dual exhaust system means it has the right '50s sound. Modern 15-inch wide whitewall radials were installed on the original wheels, which wear the original hubcaps in excellent condition.
With dramatic styling and superb road manners, the 1955 Crown Vic may just be the best Ford of the '50s, and if you're going to have such a car, you may as well go all in and get a pink one. Call today!
