Ford 1957
Ford remodelled its entry level cars for 1957, with new bodies on a 116-inch chassis for the Ford Custom and Custom 300, and 118-inches for the Fairlane and Fairlane 500. The highest trimmed Fairlane was Club Victoria. As well as the usual sedans, convertibles and station wagons they were two new body styles. The Ranchero utility was described as a coupe/pickup and combined car comfort and style with practicality. The Skyline was a Fairlane 500 with a retractable hardtop; in 1959 this went on to become the Galaxie 500 Skyliner. A 3.7-litre ohv straight six was given to the base model, and the Y-block V8 powered higher priced cars. A 4.5-litre V8 started the V8 options, along with a 4.8-litre Thunderbird 212hp unit, as well as a Thunderbird 5.1-litre supercharged engine. The recipe worked well and Ford outsold Chevrolet for the first time since 1934. Ford dropped the body between the chassis rails to give a much low car. A modest facelift gave the Customs and Fairlanes quad headlamps, and there were new high performance 5.4-litre and 5.8-litre FE V8 engines. In mid year the 'Galaxie' trim version topped out the Fairlanes. The Ford Custom was dropped in 1959 and the Custom 300 given the same 118-inch wheelbase as the Fairlanes. A new body was given to the Fairlane for 1960 on a 119-inch wheelbase, but the 'Fairlane' name would be gone in 2 years.
aa Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible badge
aa Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible badge
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible - badge on rear wings
ac Ford Custom 300 Fordor Sedan 1957 head
ac Ford Custom 300 Fordor Sedan 1957 head
Ford Custom 300 Fordor Sedan 1957. Ford introduced a new chassis frame for its models in 1957 enabling a much lower body with the passengers sitting down within the frame. There was also a new differential which also enabled lower seating. The Custom model was shorter than the Fairlane model. The Custom was available with a 3.7-litre six or a 4.5-litre Y-block V8. In 1958 quad lamps were given and in 1959 a new body was given, with the Fairlanes being downgraded to take over from the Customs, and a new Galaxie replacing the Fairlane 500.
ac Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible head
ac Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible head
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible. The new 1957 Fords has single headlamps, but the 1958 refresh gave them quad lamps. Under the bonnet Ford gave its Fairlane, and lower-priced Custom models, engines from a straight six up to Thunderbird performance V8s.
ac Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan head
ac Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan head
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan. Commonly the Custom models were fitted with the 3,653cc (223) Mileage Maker Six engine, but the 4,778cc (292) small block V8 was an option.
Ford Custom 300 1957 Fordor front
Ford Custom 300 1957 Fordor front
Click here to go to an album on: Ford Custom 300 1957 4-door sedan. .The Custom and Custom 300 Fords were the entry level cars for 1957, and were offered with a 3.7-litre ohv straight six as well as a range of V8 engines.
Ford Custom 300 1957 Fordor rear
Ford Custom 300 1957 Fordor rear
Ford Custom 300 1957 4-door sedan. The Custom and Custom 300 were offered as 2 or 4-door sedans, and there was also a 2-door business sedan which had no back seat and was used to carry business products.
s Ford Custom 300 1957 Fordor side
s Ford Custom 300 1957 Fordor side
Ford Custom 300 1957 4-door sedan. The new 1957 Fords had the 'Custom' model as the entry level car, with the Custom 300 better trimmed and the Fairlanes above.
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible front
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible front
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible. The 1957 Fairlane 500 was offered with a range of engines from a six cylinder right up to a supercharged Thunderbird V8.
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible rear
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible rear
Ford Fairlane 500 1957 Convertible. The Fairlane 500 was the top trim level until the 1959 Galaxie name was added. The convertible was the most expensive Fairlane model until mid-1957 when the Skyliner retractable hardtop model was launched.
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan front
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan front
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan. Commonly the Custom models were fitted with the 3,653cc (223) Mileage Maker Six engine, but the 4,778cc (292) small block V8 was an option. 1958 cars usually had quad lamps (where State regulations allowed), and were built on a 116-inch wheelbase whereas the Fairlane was on 118-inch.
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan rear
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan rear
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan. The Custom was Ford's bargain basement model for 1957 and 1958, and the Custom 300 was just slightly better trimmed. Customs were built on a 116-inch wheelbase whereas the Fairlane was on 118-inch.
l Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan lamps
l Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan lamps
Ford Custom 300 1958 2-door sedan - rear lamps
Ford Customline 1954 2-door sedan front
Ford Customline 1954 2-door sedan front
Click here to go to an album on: Ford Custom models. Ford Customline 1954 2-door sedan. A mid range Ford with styling similar to the British Ford Zephyr
Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie 1959 Sunliner front
Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie 1959 Sunliner front
Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie 1959 Sunliner rear
Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie 1959 Sunliner rear
Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie 1959 Sunliner. The 'Sunliner' had a conventional long cabin and short boot because it had a collapsible fabric hood and not the retractable metal hardtop of the Skyliner.
Chevrolet BelAir 1957 4-door Sedan front
Chevrolet BelAir 1957 4-door Sedan front
Click here to go to an album on: Chevrolet BelAir 1955. Chevrolet Bel Air 1956 4door Sedan. The body on this 1957 Bel Air was launched 1955 in 4-door sedan, 2-door Coupe and Convertible. A new body was launched in 1958