1955 Ford

1955 Ford
1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Production	1954–1956
Assembly	Chester, Pennsylvania Long Beach, California Edison, New Jersey Campbellfield, Victoria, Australia (Oceania only)
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size Ford
Body style	2-door sedan 4-door sedan 2-door hardtop 4-door hardtop 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 2-door station wagon 4-door station wagon 2-door sedan delivery 2-door coupe utility (Australia)
Layout	FR layout
Powertrain
Engine	223 CID (3.7 L) OHV I6 272 CID (4.5 L) Y-block V8 292 CID (4.8 L) T-bird V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	115.5 in (2,934 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	1952 Ford
Successor	1957 Ford

The 1955 Ford is an automobile which was produced by the Ford in the United States for the 1955 model year and, in revised form, for the 1956 model year.

The American Ford line of cars gained a new body for 1955 to keep up with surging Chevrolet, although it remained similar to the 1952 Ford underneath. The Mileage Maker I6 was bumped up to 223 CID (3.7 L) for 120 hp (89 kW) and the new-for-1954 Y-block V8 was now offered in two sizes: Standard Fords used a 272 CID (4.5 L) version with 162 hp (121 kW) with 2-barrel carburetor and single exhaust or 182 hp with 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, but the large 292 CID (4.8 L) unit from the Thunderbird was also offered, boasting 193 hp (144 kW).

Apart from the engine changes, customers were sure to notice the new Fairlane, which replaced the Crestline as the top trim level, while a new Crown Victoria-style featured a chrome "basket handle" across the familiar (and continued) "Victoria" hardtop roof, which originally appeared on the Mercury XM-800 concept car. This use of a styling feature to visually separate the front of the passenger compartment from the rear reappeared on the 1977-1979 Ford Thunderbird, the Ford Fairmont Futura and Mercury Zephyr Z-7 coupes. The company now marketed three different rooflines on its two-door models; the tall two-pillar Mainline, Customline, and Fairlane sedans, pillarless hardtop Fairlane Victoria and the chrome-pillar Fairlane Crown Victoria. The Fairlane Crown Victoria was also offered with a transparent "skylighted" top. New brakes were used 11-inch (280 mm) drums. Also, Fords had a new frame, but still with five cross members.