1956 Ford Crestline

1956 Ford Customline Victoria 2 Door Hardtop  Ford's new Customline sedans bring you new styling with low sleek lines, new chrome ornamentation, and delightful new colors.  And you get the smooth, quiet, responsive power of Ford's advanced new Y-8 engine - 176 horsepower with Conventional or Overdrive.  All 18, (yes, 18!), body styles offered for the Fairlane series in 1956 were featured in the sales brochure on one page and the largest image was reserved for the Customline.  America's idea of low lines was quite different in 1956, but this car represented a slightly trimmed model that was intended to evoke emotion of Thunderbird lovers who needed extra room.  For consignment, a 1956 Ford Customline Victoria that was restored in 2007 and the new owner will also take home receipts and photos from the restoration.  The car has been garage kept and is a multiple time car show award winner and our consignor proudly tells us this car was driven to those shows!   As dad would say, she's a 'beaut.  Exterior Two tone was trending at the time and we're all better off for it!  This car wears a two stage coat of Berkshire Green over Colonial white.  The blue green tone sandwiches the white that runs along a body trim piece that extends nose to tail with a fantastic triangle nameplate midway that creates a barbed spear below.  Thunderbird taillights look like cat eyes over the Cheshire smile of the long, perfectly chromed bumper.  Chrome is the highlight of the front as well with a stylish grille that is not over the top, chrome casing on the marker lights, and bumperettes on the bumper, all in fine condition.  The hood ornament is polished to a perfect shine and so is the remaining brightwork on the car including the window frames.  The Ford crests on the front, back, and hubcaps are fantastic and so is the paint which is miles deep on the green coverage and silky smooth on the white.  We could not find any glaring exterior flaws on this showpiece.  Interior A body keyed header tops the door panels composed of 50's style contours of light green and dark green, patterns which are picked up near seamlessly by the back seat sidewalls.  Vinyl topped upper in light green vinyl is over a darker green cloth with a marble pattern on the split bench and repeated with perfection on the rear bench which has constructed armrests with built in ashtrays on each end.  The body color seat shell in front melds with the dash of the same color, fronted by a black plastic steering wheel with metal horn ring.  Under the arch of the dash are simple gauges and a large speedometer, then the dash sweeps flatly right, glossy Berkshire green housing an AM radio and a vent controls.  A new shade of green is introduced by the loop carpet on the floor which on the driver's side reveals perhaps the only imperfection on the interior, a bit of discoloration.  The minty green headliner with its regal patterning, is about as good as it gets.  The trunk is lined with a plaid mat and holds a spare white wall tire and painted tire case.  Drivetrain Under the massive hood, we find a show ready engine bay housing a red blocked 292ci V8 rated at 176 horsepower and fueled by a 2-barrel carburetor.  Setting the car in motion would be the Ford-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission sending power to the back where it is met with 3.22 gears.  Drum brakes are found front and rear.  Undercarriage It's rare when a car is this clean on the top side that the underside doesn't reflect some care.  And this one keeps with the trend as it's super clean with barely any surface rust and no errant fluids to speak of.  If we had to find fault, there's a bit of grease build up on the steering knuckles but probably not enough to cause lost points in a judged show.  Meanwhile, the clean dual exhaust joins with stock style mufflers before finding its way out the back, under the bumper via chrome tips.  Suspension consists of coil springs in front