1955 Ford Fairlane.....Rare combination?

[Dynaflash8]

In the past 60 years, this is the only 1955 Ford I have EVER SEEN in the same combination as our Honeymoon car.  Even then I don't know if it was exactly the same.  On April 4, 1957 I purchased a 1955 Ford Fairlane Town sedan.  I bought it from Arlington Motors Ford in Arlington, VA with 20,000 miles on it.  It was a 272-Special.  How many of you Ford guys have ever heard of a 272-Special?  It was so designated because it came with an automatic transmission and a Holley 4-barrel carburetor.  It had factory backup lights and I think I remember that it had power brakes (I'm not sure of that).  The upholstery was two tone blue (or I thought the slighter color looked more like acqua, like the lower body color, but officially it was blue.  I believe this color combination was also on the cover of the 1955 Ford brochure.  In following  years before I began noticing 1955 Ford''s as old cars I don't know if I ever saw another one like it; but after I did begin noticing I never ever saw but one.  I took this picture at the Winchester, VA  Apple Blossom Festival Meet.  I found out it belonged to a man I knew in Baltimore Co., MD.  He said he didn't want to sell it.  Some years later I saw him and he said he'd sold it after all. 

 

It might not have been just like my car because of the interior, automatic or 4-barrel carb, but it sure liked like a duplicate car.  I'm sure Ford made more than one that color....many more.  So, my question is how many of you have recently seen one or know of one.  I'm just interested to know since our 60th wedding anniversary come up next week. 

[TexRiv_63]

Can't speak to the color or interior but I never heard of a 272 special with a 4-barrel. are you sure it wasn't a 292? Was the four barrel the Holley teapot style and did it have factory dual exhaust? Possibly a dealer modification?

[Jubilee]

  When I was in high school, my best friend had a 1955 Ford two door post with a 272 factory 4 bbl, dual exhaust, and automatic. That was the only 272 4 bbl set up I ever saw. I had a 1955 Ford two door hardtop with a factory 292 Thunderbird 4 bbl, dual exhaust, and manual. 

  Black and white with white interior. Beautiful car. I bought it in 1956 from a Ford dealer with 11,000 miles on it. Nicknamed CE for Chevy eater. I never ran across another ‘55 with a 292 in it.

[Dynaflash8]

Yes, it did have factory dual exhausts.  I forgot to mention that.  Ford dealer told me it was a 272, and all I know about the carb is that it was a Holley.  I didn't think the 292 Thunderbird was available in a Ford car until 1956.  But, then again, what do I know.  I'm a Buick straight 8 kind of a guy.  But that Fairlane sedan was a lot faster than a 272 2-bbl Crown Victoria I owned in the 1980s.  Also it always started ok when hot, unlike the Crown Victoria.  I can only speak from experience.  Jubilee, I've looked up information on '55 Fords and there was such a thing as a 272-Special.

[Paul Dobbin]

 

Earl,

Happy Anniversary to you & Judy, take her out dancing.  

[Dynaflash8]

11 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

 

Earl,

Happy Anniversary to you & Judy, take her out dancing.  

We neither one have been well enough to go dancing. 

[sebastienbuick]

beautiful  

[junkyardjeff]

I never heard of the 4 bbl engine called a special but that was before my time,I know the 292 was available in police cars in 55 but probably not many were in regular production unless it could be specially ordered and they were more common after 56.

[1957Birdman]

According to the Ford 1949-1959 parts book an "M" (engine code) 1955 Ford was a 272 CID engine with a four barrel carburetor rated at 182 horsepower. Interestingly enough, that engine was only available with the Ford-o-Matic transmission. There was no four barrel option available with a stick shift car. The 272 CID engine with stick shift was rated at 162 HP. The 292 CID engines were only available in 1955 T-Birds and also for police applications.

Regards,

Lew Bachman

1957 T-Bird Colonial White

[TerryB]

I like that Ford picture you posted, I grew up during the 1950s and have a soft spot for 1950s cars.  I recall talking about Fords with the 312 T-Bird Special engine and not really being sure if the car in question had that engine.  Me and my friends were not really able to drive yet but in our minds we had already chosen our future cars and a Ford with a “special “ engine was high up on our wish list.  What I find amusing was my first car was not one of those dream rides but rather a 1951 Pontiac Chieftan 4 dr light green bottom and dark green roof.  The second car was closer, a 1955 Chevy with the 265 V8.  Thank you for your post and I hope your anniversary was a good time regardless of how much dancing was done.

Terry

[KVP]

Regarding the color combo, my childhood neighbor had the same colors but in a different pattern.  His car had the dark blue top and dark blue below the chrome spear on the sides.  The light blue was between the two dark hues.  I admired that car and have looked for years for this color combo, to no avail.

[Ed Luddy]

  This is a similar picture to the 55 Meteor I had a teenager. I know this is a 56 model, but hard to find 55's in this color combo

[Ed Luddy]

Here's a 55 Meteor Niagara

[Ed Luddy]

Not sure if it was  regional or cross Canada but I well remember 2 tone blue 55-56 Ford and Meteor's being very popular. Next would be 2 tone green. 

But my favorites were the tri-tone Meteors

[Ed Luddy]

[Dynaflash8]

On 4/10/2019 at 8:54 PM, TerryB said:

I like that Ford picture you posted, I grew up during the 1950s and have a soft spot for 1950s cars.  I recall talking about Fords with the 312 T-Bird Special engine and not really being sure if the car in question had that engine.  Me and my friends were not really able to drive yet but in our minds we had already chosen our future cars and a Ford with a “special “ engine was high up on our wish list.  What I find amusing was my first car was not one of those dream rides but rather a 1951 Pontiac Chieftan 4 dr light green bottom and dark green roof.  The second car was closer, a 1955 Chevy with the 265 V8.  Thank you for your post and I hope your anniversary was a good time regardless of how much dancing was done.

Terry

I knew the guy in Baltimore, Gary Wilmer, who owned that car.  I asked to buy it and he said it wasn't for sale.  A few  years later I visited his house to look at some kind of car he was selling and the Ford was gone.  I asked about it and he said he had sold it.  Needless to say, that made me really unhappy.

[padgett]

Back in the early 60s I often drove rental cars and were all pretty much the same: Small V8, power steering, automatic, R&H, and AC. Power brakes were uncommon.

Edited September 28, 2020 by padgett (see edit history)

[cheezestaak2000]

didn't ford designate their performance engines of this era as "intercepter"?

 

[misterc9]

Ford called their Police car engine Intercepter.

[Dynaflash8]

On 9/28/2020 at 12:32 PM, padgett said:

Back in the early 60s I often drove rental cars and were all pretty much the same: Small V8, power steering, automatic, R&H, and AC. Power brakes were uncommon.

My car did also have power steering, but I still question power brakes.  Thinking back, I don't think it had power brakes.  It was a very fancy 55 Ford.  The oil filter was in a can on the bottom of the engine (lets say near the bottom).  I had the oil changed one night and when I came out to go to work, all the oil was on the ground.  So, the garage installed some kind of a kit so that in the future it was possible to use a spin-on filter.

[padgett]

That was the thing about drum brakes, by the 50s the way they contacted brake drum made them "self actuating" and did not require much force. Disk brakes so not have this and need power assist.

[John S.]

Dynaflash8, the color combination on the Ford is Banner Blue upper, Waterfall Blue lower.

[Dynaflash8]

19 hours ago, John S. said:

Dynaflash8, the color combination on the Ford is Banner Blue upper, Waterfall Blue lower.

Thanks John S.  I didn't know the names.  Best, Earl