Ford Customline
The Ford Customline is an
Ford Customline | |
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FR layout | |
Chronology | |
Successor | Ford Custom 300 |
First generation (1952–1954)
First generation: 1952 to 1954 | |
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FR layout |
1952
The Ford Customline was introduced in 1952 as the mid-range model in that year’s US Ford range, positioned below the
1953
The 1953 Customlines continued the 1952 bodies with only minor changes.[3] Production totaled 761,662 units.[3]
1954
The 1954 Customlines used the 1952-53 bodies with only minor changes.[3] The Customline range now included a new 2-door Ranch Wagon.[5] Engines were now 223 cubic inches (3,650 cc) inline six-cylinder or 239 cubic inches (3,920 cc) overhead valve V8.[3] 1954 Customline production totaled 674,295 units.[3]
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1953 Ford Customline Country Sedan
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1954 Ford Customline “Fordor” Sedan
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1954 Ford Customline Country Sedan
Second generation (1955–1956)
Second generation: 1955 to 1956 | |
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FR layout |
1955
The 1955 Customline was redesigned with new longer, lower and wider bodies.
1956
The 1956 Customlines utilized the 1955 bodies with only minor changes.[3] A Customline Victoria 2-door hardtop was added to the range.[3] 1956 Customline production totaled 368,653 units, and was manufactured in several branch assembly plants the company had continued to operate in the United States.[1][3]
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1955 Ford Customline Tudor Sedan
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1955 Ford Customline Fordor Sedan
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1956 Ford Customline Victoria
The Customline was not carried over to the 1957 model year.[6]
Australian production
The Customline was also produced by Ford Australia from 1952 to 1959.[2] Cars were assembled using Australian built bodies and imported chassis kits which included all front sheet metal.[7] In addition to the Customline sedan, a limited number of station wagons [8] and the Australian developed Mainline Coupe Utility were produced.[7]
The 1952 model was updated in 1953 and 1954 along the lines of the US Fords.
The 1955 body was used for four model series in Australia.[10] The 1955 model was powered by the overhead valve Y-block V8 which had entered partial Australian production with locally sourced components.[11] The 1956 model featured the 1956 US Customline grille, 12 volt electrics and a new Fordomatic automatic transmission option.[11] The 1957 model retained the 1956 body but featured a large V8 badge positioned in the grille and utilized 1956 Ford Fairlane trim.[9] The 1958 model used the 1955 Canadian Meteor grille with a four-pointed star and 1956 Meteor side trim.[9] The 1958 ‘star model’ was badged as either a Customline or as a Fordomatic [11][12] Production ended in September 1959 with the introduction of Australian assembled 1959 Fairlane 500, Custom 300 and Ranch Wagon models.[10] An estimated 18,000 examples of the 1955-1959 sedan were produced.[13]
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1952 Australian Ford V8 Customline
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1953 Australian Ford V8 Customline
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1954 Australian Ford V8 Customline
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1955 Australian Ford V8 Customline
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1956 Australian Ford V8 Customline
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1957 Australian Ford V8 Customline
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1958 Australian Ford V8 Customline with Fordomatic side trim
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1958 Australian Ford V8 Fordomatic
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5.
- ^ a b 1952-59 Ford Customline: Blue-Collar American becomes an Upper-Crust Aussie, www.shannons.com.au Retrieved on 8 November 2013
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa John Gunnell, Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975, Revised 4th Edition, pages 389-397
- ^ Ford 6 page sales brochure for 1952 Customline Country Sedan and Crestline Country Squire
- ^ 1954 Ford brochure, www.oldcarbrochures.com Retrieved on 9 November 2013
- ^ John Gunnell, Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975, Revised 4th Edition, pages 397-399
- ^ a b Eddie Ford, The Australian OHV Ford Mainline Coupe Utility, Restored Cars #198, Jan-Feb 2010, pages 51-53
- ^ Norm Darwin, The History of Ford in Australia, 1986, pages 137
- ^ a b c d Norm Darwin, The History of Ford in Australia, 1986, pages 126-131
- ^ a b The Australian 1959-60 Ford Fairlane, Restored Cars No. 84, pages 4-6
- ^ a b c Aussie originals: Ford Customline, www.uniquecarsmag.com.au Retrieved on 11 November 2013
- ^ Ford Motor Company of Australia advertisement for the 1958 Ford V8 Customline and Ford V8 Fordomatic, www.flickr.com Retrieved on 11 November 2013
- ^ Ford Customline, www.motoring.com.au Retrieved on 11 November 2013