We’re in the mid-fifties today.
Imagine a country where a regular American sedan is regarded as a big car, a rich person’s car. Where a Chevy only comes as a six-cylinder manual sedan in mid-level 210 trim. No sporty hardtops, no convertibles, no wagons. No V8 yet, not even a Powerglide for the six. A country where Fords only come with a special low-compression 272 Y-block (145hp), no six or bigger eights (yet). But they do offer an automatic (from late ’56). Where Chrysler still assembled the 1953 Plymouth – it was a popular and practical size and shape after all – and are about to facelift/taillift it to take it through the early sixties!
Mopar do sell Dodges and DeSotos, but they were just re-trimmed Plymouths; no bigger, just different to look at. Ford doesn’t bother with Mercurys or Lincolns; a select few GM dealers (maybe one per state) will special-order an Olds, Buick, or Cadillac for the well-heeled, but the locally-assembled Pontiac you can buy is pure Chevy under the skin.
Welcome to Australia, 1950s style.
As a boy growing up in an inner Melbourne suburb, the Ford Customline was pretty much the default big car. They were certainly more common on the street than Chevys or Plymouths during this period. The only ‘tri-five’ Chevy I ever saw back then was owned by the high school principal.
Australia seems to have adopted the car later than the US. By the early fifties, still only one household in ten owned a car. Many city-dwellers would take public transport or cycle to work; indeed, as late as the mid-seventies some families I knew were still getting their first car. In many cases that would be a used Holden. The importance of the Holden in postwar Australia cannot be overestimated. Suffice to say that it quickly became the default car, and by the late fifties had over 50% of the market: one brand, one model, two (or three) trim levels, no mechanical options, in sedan, wagon (from 1956), utility or panel van.
But what if you wanted something better?
Being a part of the British Empire, we had a wide variety of British cars to choose from. In those days the British companies owned the small car market; VW had yet to make much impact. Ford’s Zephyr was Holden-size but more expensive (₤1172 cf. ₤1104); Vauxhall’s Velox likewise (₤1140) From Standard you had the ever-popular and tough-as-nails Vanguard (₤1133). BMC offered big four- and later six-cylinder Austins (₤1292) and sometimes Morrises, but they were a bit larger. Then there were the luxury brands: Humber (₤1398, or ₤400 more for a 4 litre six), Rover (₤1715), and many smaller brands culminating in Daimler (₤2308 for a 2.3 litre one) and Rolls-Royce (POA, which means ‘if you have to ask….’). These are 1953 prices, but you get the idea.
But suppose you wanted simply a large car without all the fancy trimmings, the wood and leather? Here, America had you covered. Their cars were notably upmarket, being larger and roomier, they had a reputation as rugged, and appealed to the no-nonsense Aussie. For about a third more than the price of a Holden, they seemed good value. A Customline could be had for ₤1668; a Chevrolet for ₤50 less, a Plymouth a bit more.
American Fords had long been assembled in Australia; indeed, Ford had established the Geelong plant in 1923. Initially to produce the Model T, but the smaller British Fords were added to the range in the 1930s. Local production often led to distinct body variations such as utilities large and small, or the two-door fastback ‘Slopers’ of the late thirties. But by the fifties, body styles were limited to the four-door sedan, in Custom or Customline trim, and the ute, as a simpler Mainline. Two-door bodystyles have never been big sellers here, and two doors on a car as large as a US Ford would have simply made no sense in Fifties Australia – though they are popular as imports now.
I built my first ’56 Ford model about 1974. I’d seen the kit in an Auto World model car catalog that was being passed around up the back of the classroom, and decided I had to have one. A local shopkeeper showed me a list he’d received from the wholesaler showing the new kits that were coming out, so I promptly asked him to get a ’56 in for me, along with about four other kits. He was happy to oblige.
At the time I knew we had some funny-looking Customlines in Australia, but didn’t know which model year was which. I’d seen a three-tone and attempted that on this model but put the extra trim in the wrong place (should have been below the main trim, not above). Originally aqua and white, this was rebuilt in the eighties.
Speaking of the eighties, now I had a job in Melbourne and was able to trawl the hobby shops during my lunch hour. About once a week I picked up something of interest. Naturally I got another ’56, to build differently. The kit had an extensive range of custom and drag options, as well as optional pieces for the Crown Victoria and Skyliner versions. This time I went with a simple hardtop rather than the Crown Victoria, and used small hubcaps rather than full wheel covers.
Here’s another early build, in a different shade of pink, with white as the secondary colour.
I tried using all the custom pieces on this one.
I’d seen photos of customs in magazines, and occasionally saw a customized Holden on the road. I could have chosen a more interesting colour though.
Inspiration for this one came from a period press photograph. Such a high-contrast two-tone would have made the car a real stunner in its day, especially down here.
Something more subtle was more common though, certainly around here. Aussies were a conservative folk, especially those who could afford a Ford V8.
But not always too conservative; I seem to recall something similar to this one, back in my childhood. High contrast, but not unusual colours by themselves.
Occasionally back then you’d see a hot Customline, perhaps something like this, with nice paint, different wheels, and a slightly modified Y-block underhood. When a Customline was already faster then most other cars on the road, why make it faster still?
I saw this one on the street a few years back. From the sounds it made, it wasn’t running a Y-block.
Here’s another one based on a car I’d seen in a magazine.
Back home again: this one was inspired by the good old Aussie galah!
Next time, who knows?
Gotta keep you on your toes!
That’s quite a collection to behold–and a great lesson (for this American) in the realities of Australian car market of that period.
The models look great, and I’m impressed that you’ve saved them so carefully. The height of my model building was pre-1970, but even fifty years ago I’d shed all the souvenirs.
Thanks for your contribution today!
Thanks George.
One thing I’ve learnt from reading Australian automotive history is just how frequently management sent here from overseas – or, for that matter, management back in head office – just don’t get the cultural differences, or downplay them. Fair enough: it took me ages to realise how different my own country is – but then I’m not in a responsible management position!
I’ve always kept most of the models I’ve built; some disassembled for rebuilds, some traded with friends, but the rest packed away carefully.
I love this, in 1956 our “well-to-do” neighbors had a 1956 Crown Victoria, that car was the first car that I aspired to as a young pre-K boy. Love Australian movies, TV shows, actors. Very jealous that we can’t get utes in this country, the Ford Maverick is the closest to a ute in this country but it has four doors.
Thanks typopete.
Neighbours had a Crown Victoria! That must’ve been impressive.
When the ’56 Ford came out (just pre-me!), our family car was a 1954 Morris Oxford (pic), probably about as roomy as a Holden but with a smaller four cylinder engine. So we weren’t even in the ‘Holden class’, let alone being able to afford a Ford. At the time we were one of only two families (out of six) in our flats to afford a car; the others had an older Austin A40.
The Glass skylight are cool
Yeah, amazing to think they would do that back then – even if it was only on the top model. Especially considering sunroofs seemed to be historically much less popular in the US than in Europe or the UK.
Great models as always, Peter. I’m quite fascinated by your descriptions of car ownership in Australia in the 1950s – 1970s. Never having been there, I don’t have a good feel for how compact Australian cities are (or were?), but the idea of many people cycling or riding public transport, and perhaps not owning cars until the mid-1970s is interesting to me, and some day I’d love to learn more about Australia and how it made different social and cultural decisions than the US did.
I have seen so many changes during my lifetime, Jeff, that has made me a lot more curious about these things myself.
Just to give a few figures, from 1950-1970 the whole country’s population went from 8.1 to 12.6 million (currently about 27.6 million), and Melbourne’s population (second largest city, where I grew up) from 1.3 to 2.5 million (currently 5.5 million). There has been a move from the country to the cities; currently 75% of our population live in the state capitals. Don’t ask me what they all do there!
Melbourne had a good public transport system when it was smaller, but I think (Justy? Don?) it hasn’t kept up with the city’s size (I left 36 years ago). The inner suburbs are well served by trams and trains same as they always were, while the outer areas only have buses if that. When I worked in central Melbourne (’79-86) I used public transport rather than fight the traffic.
Public transport is not shocking, especially when you realize the joint’s grown by close to 2 million in 20 years. That means it’s always an on-going project really, and despite a fair bit of investment currently, it’ll need much more. As for so long, the lunatic lack of co-ordination between buses and trains is a real failing. Over all, it is straining when busy, for sure.
Lots of colourful combos there, Peter. I do like that olive green with brown interior though the two tone blue with blue and white interior run it close. Then the one in the 3rd and 15th picture is a good, if more reserved, pairing too.
Interesting to hear about Australia ‘back in the day’. My Dad did own half a car (an upright Ford Pop) with his brother, but that was sold when I was a baby. He did occasionally hire a car but, living in London (and being a keen cyclist), he never saw much point in owning one. Consequently my car memories are of being in other people’s vehicles.
Thanks Bernard. I was thinking after I wrote this – I didn’t intend it to be a feature on colours, but that’s pretty much how it turned out! There’s another one coming up later this year, with an orange and cream pairing.
Back in my childhood days many of the older folk still looked on the UK as ‘home’, even when they were second generation Aussies. Days when the Empire really meant something; I was just a bit too young to feel it. We had a lot of migrants from the UK after the War, and the life their kids described was way different to the Enid Blyton stories I read as a kid.
Peter, what I think I appreciate most about this post is the extra context you provided around your country and what you had expected to see on the streets – especially as I contrast my understanding of 1950s U.S. To be fair, you usually include some such details, bit for whatever reason, leading your essay with this information made me think about those things a bit more.
I can imagine that building scale models and perusing those magazines was, in effect, your workaround for getting to tangibly experience those Fords, Chevys, and Plymouths that were going to make it to Oceania in very small numbers if at all.
And the models are all beautiful. Thank you for this one.
Thanks Joseph. I didn’t set out to make this an educational piece, but felt I had to explain the appeal of a 1956 Ford to an older Aussie, which in turn led to a bit of socio-economic history sneaking in, with a lot more detail than customary for me. Once I found that price list in an old magazine, the ‘social position’ of some of those cars I used to see made more sense to me, so I had to put some of that in as well.
Good point about my model building as a way to experience those American cars most of us could only dream about. And I think that explains nicely why I’ve built so many ’56 Fords; I got a shock when I counted up how many there were.
I was walking down Mitford Street the other day with a friend, and he mentioned that the mansion opposite Santa Fe was a rooming house in the 1980’s, I’m curious what sort of condition was this mansion in the 1950’s
Not all that bad, Newt. There were certainly worse-kept places – like Santa Fe! I never went inside, but was always curious…
Dad said it was run by Veterans Affairs; one of the guys there had a very ‘military’ bearing, straight back, never seemed to walk but marched everywhere, even when he went to feed the pigeons!
The pink and white paint was peeling, the upstairs balcony floor looked a bit dicey (nobody ever went out there) and there was no garden. Just a wide grassed area from the house to a low brick fence along Mitford St. – the right height to sit on while waiting for a bus. Oh, there was a bush or two up against the house, but they looked almost accidental. Definitely no attempt at any sort of garden. The driveway went through to the lane behind and was just dirt with a lick of gravel; dry in summer but got carved up with tyre tracks in winter. There were only ever two or three cars parked there.
I’ll take the two-tone green Fairlane Victoria; I’ve always liked them a bit better than the Crown because of the basket handle (or crown, or tiara, or whatever) on the Crown’s roof.
Yeah, I tend to agree, Aaron. The basket handle was taken off a fifties Ford show car (Merciury XM-800), and while it didn’t exactly look bad, the logic of paying more to turn your sporty wide-open hardtop into what amounts to a two-door sedan with this thick chrome pillar…. I just don’t get it.
Mind you, using the parts on a model does perhaps make it more eye-catching.
I remember building an AMT 56 Ford kit. That one was a favorite of mine, though getting the opening doors to fit well was a challenge. I skipped the Crown Vic pieces on mine.
Yes, those doors can be a challenge. Not only on this, but their 1957 Ford, and 1958 Chevy Impala also come with opening doors. In a positive light, they were better engineered than the opening doors on Revell’s ‘tri-five’ Chevy kits – even if they don’t close flush with the body.
Nice selection of ’56 Fords, Peter, and loved the backstory on car ownership in Australia in the 1950s through the 70s! I always liked the styling of these Fords.
You mentioned the AMT kits of the ’56 and ’57 Fords and the ’58 Chevy Impala, all with opening doors. My younger brother built all 3 in the 1960s, but the only one remaining as of a few years back was the ’56 pictured (the doors, hood and rear bumper were lost along the way).
Thanks. I had to be careful the backstory didn’t get away from me. I knew the basics of the history of that period from past reading, but once I started digging a bit deeper it was amazing what turned up. Like that ultra-low percentage of car ownership in 1950, or those prices.
Your brother’s ’56 looks like a lot of work went into it before bits started coming off.
I like the hardtop conversions and the 2 tone green is my favorite. I did a ’57 in similar greens, and a ’56 in aqua and white.
Glad you liked them, Dan. They’re not so much hardtop conversions as simply leaving the Crown Vic trim pieces off. I seem to have hit a nerve with this theme – did every American boy build a ’56 Ford? 🙂
Lovely ramble, Mr W.
Lots to digest, but one thing does strike me: the current late middle-age whinge about the good old days. Yes, yes, lots of nostalgia that I also feel, for car manufacturing and all the rest, but your post reminds me that, gawd, the place was also so bloody uptight! It was so uniform, and so very, very dull. A bunch of silly starched-shirt wearers presiding over silly roast dinners of a Sunday when it was 40c outside, and even if they could afford it on the new Customline, and since you ask, no, despite the opinion of the wife, they will NOT be getting the flash paint job, thankyou very much. Please note, I’m probably the middle-aged fart who’ll too often be found complaining about things now, but on any close thinking, I’m glad it is what it is. It’s a properly great place, today.
I love your galah paint job. To explain to CCer’s, that’s both a gorgeous and characterful (and destructive and LOUD) cockatoo endemic here, and an old Aussie-ism for someone who’s being an idiot. Here’s one I’ve prepared (the bird, not an idiot).
Glad you enjoyed the ramble, Justy.
I won’t get into the question of where middle-age stops and the next stage (call it what you will) starts, except to say that I hoped to avoid that stereotypical whinge about the good old days. Telling the story without too much nostagia intruding can be tricky.
I didn’t notice the ‘up-tight-ness’ so much as a child, or when I did, just put it down to being a grown-up thing. Something to do differently when I grew up. Seems to me that each succeeding generation has new hangups, new things to get uptight about, whether it’s mindlessly carrying on old/inappropriate traditions or coming up with new ones. Why did it take us so many generations to adapt our dietary traditions to this new climate?
Yes I remember the roasts on 40 degree days, but in my experience that was only when the whole tribe got together at Christmas. It definitely wasn’t every Sunday for us, as Mother, God rest her, wasn’t much of a cook. I never realised that until I got married – but that’s another story. Summer with us was salad after salad, and always the same.
Oh, and about our old mate – I was going to put the galah in, but this was already getting out of hand and got cut back several times, so I’m afraid he’s on the cutting room floor, poor chap. He doesn’t look real happy about that.
Nice article about cars I love the looks of, the ’56 Fords were snappy looking to me as a child and still look good .
The back story and history lesson mixed in makes this article a winner ! .
Please feel free to write more like it =8-) .
-Nate
(who worked on Y-Block Ford V8’s and so doesn’t like them much)
Thanks Nate. Not much more I can say about the cars, except that, yes, there’s a certain ‘rightness’ about the style. Having the British Consul and Zephyr (pic) on the roads as well at the time seemed to underline the style and proportions as ‘just right’, though the British wisely avoided the wraparound screen on these smaller cars.
The ’55 and ’56 (and Australian ’57 and ’58) have long been favourites of mine. Without the competiton serving up fresh designs at the frenzied pace of the US in the late fifties, it seemed quite valid for this style to hang on; indeed Holden only caught up to the ’56 Ford look with the FB of 1960 (by which time it was looking dated).
I’ll admit once or twice while writing this I asked myself “Is this about the models, the ’56 Ford in general, or about the place of the car in postwar Australian society?”. Guess that goes to show I can do it all in one.
Here’s a 1956 Ford borrowed for display purposes as part of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2009.
Why the ’56? It’s because Ford chose to introduce its Lifeguard safety features including optional front lap belts that year.
Nice colours, and beautiful condition.
The AMT kit of the ‘56 Ford is great! My folks bought new a 1956 Victoria coupe in the fall of 1955 when they got married, so on their 35th anniversary I made a replica for them using this kit. For their 70th this past fall I made a new diorama for it with a vintage McDonald’s background and mini pics of them!