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Low Mileage Red And White: 1955 Ford Crown Victoria

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I always enjoy looking over what appears to be a truly cherished car. This 1955 Ford Crown Victoria has had the same owner for the past 40 years (prior to the current seller) and is said to have traveled less than 20,000 miles since new. Thanks to Charles H. for this find! It’s located in Tempe, Arizona and is available here on eBay.

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My school colors are red and white, so you can see the obvious appeal to me! The car is said to be rust free and obviously shines. I’m guessing this is a repaint, but it appears pretty nice in the pictures. This one does not have the transparent top fitted to some Crown Victorias; personally I think that makes the car more usable, if not quite as rare.

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The chrome and stainless steel trim all appears to be nice, at least from a distance. I wouldn’t mind seeing some more close up shots of some areas, especially pot metal cast pieces. Do you think the wide whitewalls work on this car?

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The interior looks nice, but does show it’s age in some areas. I would prefer some better pictures here as well; I’m wondering if some of these are from the sale prior to this one as they seem to be taken indoors in poor light. There’s some corrosion on the die cast housing for a prism (to view stoplights?) attached to the dashboard and it makes me wonder whether the car was ever in salty air. I’d really like to see some under car pictures as well.

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Apart from a replacement carburetor, the 292 Y-block V-8 is said to be completely original. My concerns here include a general lack of cleanliness compared to the rest of the car, crimp connectors on what appears to be a brake light switch modification, what I’m guessing may be vapor lock issues as the fuel line is crudely insulated, and a replacement carburetor. On the plus side, the car has recently received a rebuilt transmission, steering gear, brakes, fuel pump and a water pump. I’m somewhat curious as to why the transmission needed rebuilding considering the low mileage claim. Still, this is a nice appearing driver in a great color scheme–what do you think?

Comments

  1. Avatar RayT

    I’m no expert, but I’d say this car was owned by someone who really liked it and kept it in decent shape over the years (fresh paint, somewhat inexpensively redone interior), and not a collector who was dreaming of Big Money somewhere down the road.

    After 60 years, doesn’t surprise me at all that the Fordomatic needed rebuilding, no matter how many miles were on it. At a minimum, seals and gaskets age and need replacement. Details like the brake-light switch suggest a local mechanic, not a restoration shop, kept it running.

    Wouldn’t call it a “survivor,” and wouldn’t pay the reserve, which I’m guessing is set in the $25K-30K range. But I’d like to have it anyway!

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  2. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    I notice the front plate is an Historical plate issued by the State of Ohio.

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  3. Avatar 64 bonneville

    Fordomatic transmission was prone to leaking, requiring seals and gaskets at a minimum. The old “Y” block, like the flat head were prone to vapor lock, and in the old days, you would clip a spring type wooden clothespin on the fuel line about mid way between fuel pump and carb. I had same problem on a 73 LTD with the 351 Windsor and 2 barrel carb. The stop light finder (prism) is a fairly common aftermarket accessory from the 1950s’, cheap to buy and cheaply made, but you could see the traffic signal if you had the accessory sunvisor over the windshield. The white wall tyres are the correct width for 53-57 American made automobiles. My personal opinion on the mileage, I will keep to myself, unless I could see photos of the under carriage, or do a PI. $15-18K value, in my opinion, due to it not having providence to back up mileage claim.

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  4. Avatar JW454

    To me, the car looks to be worth in the high teens to very low twenties so I’m sure the seller is hoping for low to mid-thirties.

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  5. Avatar Jason Houston

    I don’t believe a word of it. The car was built in Chicago, a VRP (very rusty place) and obviously spent time in Ohio, another VRP. The Continental kit is not a factory Ford unit and the door panels don’t come attached with Philips screws. The pic of the odometer looks deliberately skewed, so as to avoid revealing too much. At best, the seller should offer some documentation, but all we have is his flipper’s word. The fact it’s presently in Phoenix says it’s been imported and is just waiting for the next round of Barrett-Jackson. A nice car for someone used to bondo sculptures, but not for this kid, sorry.

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  6. Avatar Gary I

    Twenty thousand miles I doubt. Unless it’s been sealed in a climate controlled room this car has had too have been gone over in its lifetime, probably several times. Nice looking car, but rust free 50s cars with 20,000 miles are hard to imagine.

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    • Avatar Mike

      Remember Gary cars back those days it was not very hard to roll back the miles with a drill. Just a saying!!!!!!

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  7. Avatar Henry

    1955 Fords came with stock 272 cubic inch engines. Very few had the optional 4 bbl. carb, which increased the horsepower. This did not automatically make it a 292 engine. The 292 engines came in the ’55 t-bird. The 292’s came out in 1956 . However, just about anybody who has a ’55 Ford claims it has a 292 or 312. They just haven’t researched this and don’t know any better.

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  8. Avatar Jason Houston

    Exactly.

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  9. Avatar Steve

    The Resurrection of Vicky….who remembers that book?

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    • Avatar Marty Member

      Steve, I remember it, and have it around here somewhere. This car looks like a dead ringer for that one.

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      • Avatar Steve

        Nice!! sad that Cars and Parts magazine went under, the new version of it pretty bad. Greg Rager is still active on Facebook. RIP Bob Stevens

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  10. Avatar Barry T

    Sweet. I lusted after one just like this when I was in high school in the late 50’s. Some years later I actually owned one like this.

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  11. Avatar Charles

    I wonder if they would take an arm or a leg in trade for it?

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  12. Avatar Mike

    I always wonder why somebody will put all the work into restoring or whatever, but not clean up the motor or motor bay, I also think replace the wiring not splice it. Anybody that would be crazy enough to give this much for this car would take time to take it apart before even thinking about buying it for that cost. But people with cars like this have dreams of glory, sometime they need to come back down to earth with the rest of us!!!!!!

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  13. Avatar RoughDiamond

    Nice to look at, however, I believe a PPI would uncover some unpleasant surprises.

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  14. Avatar kenzo

    Like the others, I believe the odometer has been around once. Nobody chips the ashtray edge like that in 20K miles. Looking at the pic of the stop light finder the dash above the chrome strip is pock marked or chipped again you don’t get that at 20K miles unless they are high heel marks….lol. The push buttons on the radio seem a bit askew as well. I live in the pacific north west and my wife’s daily driver Honda with 70K on it and the engine bay is cleaner that that. On the passenger door the armrest and chrome trim don’t align and same door panel, the trailing edge has hangie out pieces from a poorly done redo. The front seat back passengers shows signs of support fatigue.
    It may be picky, picky, picky but the car is not as represented or described. IMHO

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  15. Avatar Jason Houston

    NEVER apologize for being picky. Anyone who wants $55 grand for a rolled-over odometer and sloppy interior deserves to be toasted under all the hot light that can be generated. Make these liars squirm like a piranha out of water!

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