For anyone looking to beat the heat this summer, consider a trip to Prince George, British Columbia, about 465 miles (or better said, 749 kilometers) north of its nearest United States border crossing. There, near the Fraser and Nechako rivers, you’ll find wineries, nature parks, railway museums, and a very stunning two-tone Ford that you might decide to take home as a souvenir.
The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Prince George, British Columbia. (Click the link to view the listing)
The seller says, “Restored a number of years ago and it’s very nice. Everything under the hood is rebuilt or new.” While the restoration was not a frame-off undertaking, the listing says that it was a comprehensive process and included replacement of the floors, front fenders, hood, rear quarters, inner and outer tubs, and rocker panels.
The result is a handsome coupe dressed in plenty of period-correct accessories like a hood ornament, smooth “baby moon” hubcaps, wheel skirts, a continental kit, and dual polished exhaust outlets.
The Fairlane was initially introduced in 1955 as Ford’s premium model, and within the Fairlane lineup were the Victoria and the Crown Victoria. The “Crown” version had a stainless-steel band that spanned the width of the roof. One version of the Crown Victoria was the Skyliner which had a tinted acrylic glass panel. (The Skyliner name would later be used to describe a convertible).
There were some important stylistic elements that went into the exterior shape. A commercial for the 1955 Crown Victoria said, “The feeling of motion has been built right into the basic shape of the car itself.” This was a way for the car’s design to express its function – both “forcefully and imaginatively.”
Power comes from a reportedly period-correct 292cid V8 that has been rebuilt, and the car’s previous manual transmission has been swapped for an automatic. Service under the seller’s ownership has included replacement of the water pump, generator, starter, Edelbrock carburetor, and tires. The radiator has been re-cored, power steering was added, and power front disc brakes were installed.
One of the things that struck me as interesting about this car was that the continental kit is apparently not being used for anything other than its outward appearance: The photo of the inside of the trunk shows a spare tire taking up cargo space! Have you ever owned a car with a continental kit, and did you actually use it to hold a tire? Let’s hear about your experiences.
The asking price for this Crown jewel is $40,000 USD. Plan your trip to Prince George and pick it up!
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, you can find it at Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com