In a heads-up competition with the spectacular 1955 Chevrolet, the new 1955 Ford was bound to come up second best, but it wasn’t as bad as you think. Chevrolet moved 1,702,710 examples of the “Hot One,” many with the new small-block V8, but Ford didn’t do so bad at all, selling 1,435,002 cars in that booming selling season. And when it comes to convertible sales, Ford outshone its longtime crosstown rival with this gorgeous Fairlane Sunliner (49,966 to 41,292). This example, powered by the newly-enlarged 272-cubic-inch Y-Block paired to a three-speed manual with overdrive, is for sale on Hemmings Auctions in Novelty, Ohio.
A fun fact about the featured Fairlane is that it’s painted to match the brochure Sunliner: Goldenrod Yellow and Raven Black, evocative names for a fun and cheerful color combination.
But is the car painted and trimmed as it was when new? Let’s look at the data plate, starting with the serial number.
- U: 162-horsepower 272-cubic-inch two-barrel V8
- 5: 1955 model year
- P: Twin Cities assembly plant in Minnesota
- C: Bodystyle (Convertible)
- 178952: Unit number
The bottom row tells us the following:
- 76B: Fairlane Sunliner
- VAS: “VA” stands for Goldenrod Yellow and Raven Black, while “S” stands for “Styletone” paint, which means that the two colors were separated by the Fairlane’s sweeping side trim.
- R: Black and yellow vinyl interior
- 1G: July 1st scheduled production date
- 8003B: Scheduled item number
This is good news; the Fairlane is in its original configuration.
While nobody without an ax to grind will compare the Ford Y-Block favorably to the new-for-1955 Chevy small-block, I’ve always found the Ford to be one of the best looking and sounding V8s in volume production. The 1955 Ford still used a 6-volt electrical system (for the final year), but this car has a 6-volt to 12-volt converter with a switch under the dash (and a 12-volt windshield wiper motor to replace the original vacuum wipers). I don’t personally like when people start playing games with the electrical system, so I’d be a little leery of that whole deal.
The combination fuel/vacuum pump for the original vacuum wipers is still in place down low on the driver side, but an electric fuel pump has been added in the rear of the car (more on that in a minute).
The gorgeous interior also matches the brochure model, and according to a prepurchase inspection done before the current owner bought the car, it’s in excellent condition. The only non-original feature is the small tachometer on the steering column, which the new owner can probably dispense with if they’re not planning on wringing the Y-Block’s neck.
The third pedal tells us that this is a stick car, and it has the useful Overdrive option for relaxed high-speed cruising. The stock rear-axle ratio for V8s with Overdrive was 3.89:1, so both acceleration and cruising were theoretically superior to a standard three-speed manual.
Remember how I mentioned an electric fuel pump? These are the lines running to the front of the car, and I spent way too much of my morning trying to decipher all this, and this is my guess.
- The painted line is the brake line (replaced at some point based on the junction near the middle of the picture).
- The light-colored line is the fuel line, which was bent using NiCopp.
- The bright copper or red line is the tricky one; it might be a return line to the tank or fuel pump. I can’t see where everything ends up in the photos, so if you have any better ideas, please feel free to leave them in the comments.
Judging by the spiderwebs on the leaf springs and frame, the Ford does some sitting around, but all old cars do. I’ve found spiderwebs under my fleet many times.
Being a car located in Ohio and built in Minnesota, you can’t expect it to be desert dry underneath, and indeed, the inspection posted on Hemmings shows that there has been some patch work along the way.
But as the video shows, it is far from being a rust bucket. Anyone who’s worked on cars in the north recognizes the patches, black paint, smatterings of undercoat, and jagged metal edges of an amateur restoration. There’s nothing obviously unsafe under here, but it’s never going to be a concours car. This is typical of many nice-looking drivers in the salt belt.
And the exterior looks great, with no noticeable bubbling, mismatched panels, or clearly substandard work; in other words, it’s a fine top-down Sunliner you can enjoy. While a 1955 Fairlane doesn’t quite have the universal appeal of a shoebox Chevy, it’ll be just right for a Ford person.
Related Reading
Vintage Carrier: 1955 Ford Wagons On The Way (by Rich Baron)
My Dad purchased the showroom floor model ’55 Town Sedan in yellow/white, and I’ve always thought that the Ford looked every bit as good, (if not better) than the much lauded ’55 Chevy. This Sunliner is absolutely stunning!! 🙂
The “bumblebee look” keeps coming back: 1930 Packard 745 Deluxe Eight Convertible Victoria by Dietrich (left), 1974 Porsche 914 LE “Bumblebee” (center) and 2027 RAM Rumble Bee (right).
As I commented earlier today on Peter’s post, according to Motor Trend, Stellantis is bringing back the Super Bee, so add that to the Bumble Bee look.
Maybe it’s time for a Transformers movie reboot as Hollywood is so wont to do….
I don’t speak ‘bow tie’ anyway, so this Sunliner fills my ticket just right! Beautiful in every respect.
It’s fun to see this! Even though I’m not looking to buy, I enjoy your peek at the fixup details.
I’ve always liked that side molding (stainless? chrome? aluminum?), and it really helps the two-tone “work.” In case anyone here didn’t know it, a similar molding _almost_ got put on the 1955 Thunderbird, but was deleted quite late in the game.
One of the reasons cars with overdrive had lower (higher numerical) rear axle ratios was to facilitate second gear starts, which then allowed one to drive up to 45 mph or so in 2nd and 2nd/OD without any shifting or using the clutch (except for starts). Quite handy around town and second gear starts were a common thing back then, given the torque curve of engines. In vintage road tests, the issue of second gear starts comes up not infrequently.
So that’s why my uncle always started off in 2nd in his ’59 Morris Oxford – I’d always thought it was because he’d learned to drive on cars with only 3 speeds.
Thanks for that! I never understood why OD cars have lower rear ends.
I was a Chevy guy for so many years, but find myself drawn to certain Fords. This car is stunning!
What a splendid automobile – 70 years on and looking fine.
The seller uses words like “good shape”, “no rust”, and “works fine.” Then Hemmings ends with “clearly a restored vehicle finished to a high standard.” Hemmings is playing with words and semantics. I know what high standards is, Hemmings probably does one would hope, and this car isn’t in that category even if Hemmings implies. The professional report just says mechanics work and nothing more. Then wonder why car was painted in BC/CC, not original Single Stage, when SS paints can be used by a shop, in Ohio, unlike California. Actually I don’t have to wonder. Nonetheless, that color combination certainly makes an impact.
Way before I was born, let alone know automobiles, my grandfather had this yellow on his 1955 Ranch wagon. Been hearing about it my entire life. We’ve got slides showing that yellow Ford parked with my then, 6 year old uncle, perched behind its steering wheel.
A very bright cheerful vehicle. It went on regular hunting trips to Wisconsin, Indiana and out to hunt along the Kankakee, where my family had farmland among the “Everglades of the North”.
During this time, the massive prehistoric swamps in Northern Indiana were being drained into cornfields, but there were still enormous acreage where fishing and hunting were accessible. Grandpa’s yellow Ranch Wagon was a regular sight, according to family lore.
My son recently got his first car – a yellow Soul, which upon seeing, causes my mother to reminisce about her dad’s Ford.
This car is too sharp to drive.
I wonder if this is the car I photographed at a show in St. Joe, MI in 2013. If not, it was a twin, right down to the OD.
I have always considered the 55-56 Ford’s styling as near perfect. Of course the Chevy was a looker too. Poor Plymouth just wasn’t quite there.
I have been appreciating these mid 50s Fords more as time goes on. They are very appealing as a classic cruiser. I would probably tend towards a fixed roof version over a convertible for myself but this is a really nice driver example.
It’s not like 1955 Ford is particularly good looking but the combination of it being convertible and having that really eye catching contrasting 2-tone paint job kind of elevates it. According to my sources the original retail price would have been $2224 + $210 for the transmission/engine combo. Plus additional options.
This is my older brother in 1966. 1955 Crown Victoria. 11 year old car he bought for $150.
“Aunt Bea” got an all black one ((with “Goober’s, help)) on the “Andy Griffith’, show. She got her “d/l”, too.
I know this is sacrilege, but I’ll go out on a limb and say the ’55 Chevrolet looks a little dumpy compared to this! 🙂
I like the ’55 & ’56 Fords looks very much .
This one is a stunner .
If anyone here ever gets a vehicle with over drive, disable the lockup as climbing hills in 2nd gear over drive is easy and fast =8-) .
I remember being a gas station pump jockey and having those darn Y-Bock V8’s come in with the incompetently engineered by pass coolant hose between the top of the water pump and intake manifold weeping or spraying hot coolant, I had to change them whilst blistering hot right there on the pump island .
I’d love to test drive this beauty .
-Nate
Ford got the styling just right on the 1955-56 models, a big improvement over the dumpy 1952-54 models.
Those ’55/6 Fords were gorgeous. After the ’49/50s they didn’t get stunning again till ’59, and then ’62/4.
When I was a ~10y/o kid, ~1960, there was a carpenter named Ellwood who had one of these ’55 bumblebees with a Carson top. Whenever I see one I still think “Ellwood!”
And I had no idea that they made almost 50K ’55 ragtops. Cool!
I’ve never seen one of these on the street–or shining at a car show—but still hope to.
Here’s another 1955 ad (you’re welcome to ad it to the essay):