1956 Ford Cars Fact Sheet

A new pillarless 4-door sedan bowed this year, called the “Fordor Victoria” or “Town Victoria”. Trimmed like the two door with essentially the same lines, it offered the style of a 2-door hardtop with the ease of access of a 4-door sedan. 32,111 were sold.  See the Brochure HERE.

The Customline series was the intermediate trim level for 1956 and included chrome window moldings, horn ring, two sun visors, arm rests on all doors, passenger assist straps on two-door interior “B” pillars, for easier rear seat exit, a chrome strip along the entire length of the body with the series identification just above, and forward of the rear wheel opening. Trunk lid identification consists of a Ford crest with horizontal chrome bars on either side of the crest.

This model was offered with two lines: “Six” and “V-8”, the I-6 being the 223 OHV 137 HP version and the V-8 being the 272 CID 173 HP version. The 292 CID and 312 CID V-8s were optional at extra cost. Customline models were 2-door and 4-door sedans, and the 2-door Victoria Hardtop.

The Fairlane series was the top trim IeveI tor 1956 and included chrome window moldings, chrome ‘‘A” pillar moldings on Sunliner Convertibles, chrome side sweep moldings with simulated exhaust outlets at the back of the trim, Fairlane script below the Ford crest on the hood and a large, V-shaped insignia on the trunk lid. Also, V-8 equipped Fairlanes had rear bumpers with slots in each end for the dual exhausts, which were standard when either V-8 engine was ordered.

This model was offered with two lines: “Six” and “V-8”, the I-6 being the 223 OHV 137 HP version and the V-8 being the 272 CID 173 HP version. The 292 CID and 312 CID V-8s were optional at extra cost.Fairlane models were 2-door and 4-door sedans, and the 2-door and 4oor Victoria Hardtops, the Crown Victoria, the Crown Victoria Skyliner (plexiglass roof), and the Sunliner Convertible.

Station Wagons were still their own series for 1956. The Ranch Wagon was the base trim level two-door wagon; Country Sedans were the intermediate trim level and Country Squires were the top trim level with simulated wood-grain exterior paneling.

In the level of equipment, the Mainline models were the 2-door Ranch Wagon and the 4-door Country Sedan 6-passenger. Customline versions were the 2-door Custom Ranch Wagon and the 4-door Country Sedan 6-passenger. The Fairlane series included 2-door Parklane Wagon and the 4-door Country Squire.

This model was offered with two lines: “Six” and “V-8”, the I-6 being the 223 OHV 137 HP version and the V-8 being the 272 CID 173 HP version. The 292 CID and 312 CID V-8s were optional at extra cost.

Mainline & Customline Manual Transmission V-8: Overhead valves. Cast iron block. Displacement: 272 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.62 x 3.30 inches. Five main bearings.  Compression ratio: 8.0:1. Brake horsepower: 173 @ 4400 RPM. Torque: 260 ft. lbs. @ 2400 RPM. Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 246°, Exhaust: 246°, Overlap: UNK.  Carburetor: Holley two-barrel #1156,  Serial number code “U.”

Mainline & Customline with Ford-0-Matic V-8: Overhead valves. Cast iron block. Displacement: 272 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.62 x 3.30 inches. Five main bearings.  Compression ratio: 8.4:1. Brake horsepower: 176 @ 4400 RPM.  Torque: 260 ft. lbs. @ 2400 RPM. Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 246°, Exhaust: 246°, Overlap: UNK.  Carburetor: Holley two-barrel #1159. Serial number code “U.”

Thunderbird V-8 Standard Transmission (Standard on Fairlane Models): Overhead valves. Cast iron block. Displacement: 292 cubic Inches. Bore and stroke: 3.75 x 3.30 inches. Five main bearings.  Compression ratio: 8.0:1. Horsepower: 200 @ 4600 RPM. Torque: 285 @ 2600 RPM. Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 246°, Exhaust: 246°, Overlap: UNK. Carburetor: Holley four-barrel #1163.   Serial number code “M.”

Thunderbird V-8 (Standard on Fairlane Models with Ford-O-Matic): Overhead valves. Cast iron block. Displacement: 292 cubic Inches. Bore and stroke: 3.75 x 3.30 inches. Five main bearings.  Compression ratio: 8.4:1. Horsepower: 202 @ 4600 RPM. Torque: (early) 285 ft. lbs. @ 2600 RPM, (late) 299 ft. lbs. @2600 RPM. Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 246°, Exhaust: 246°, Overlap: UNK. Carburetor: Holley four-barrel #1164. Serial number code “M.”

Thunderbird Special V-8 (Optional all models with standard Transmission): Overhead valves. Cast Iron block. Displacement: 312 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.80 x 3.44 inches. Five main bearings. Compression ratio: 8.4:1. Horsepower 215 @ 4600 RPM. Torque: 317 ft. lbs. @ 2600 RPM. Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 246°, Exhaust: 246°, Overlap: UNK. Carburetor: Holley four-barrel #1163. Serial number code “P”.

Thunderbird Special V-8 (Optional all models): Overhead valves. Cast Iron block. Displacement: 312 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.80 x 3.44 inches. Five main bearings. Compression ratio: 9.0:1. Horsepower 225 @ 4600 RPM. Torque: 324 ft. lbs. @ 2600 RPM. Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 246°, Exhaust: 246°, Overlap: UNK. Carburetor: Holley four-barrel #1164.  Serial number code “P”.

Thunderbird Special Dual 4-barrel Carburetor V-8 (Special Order): Overhead valves. Cast Iron block. Displacement: 312 cubic inches. Bore and stroke: 3.80 x 3.44 inches. Five main bearings. Compression ratio: 9.5:1. Horsepower 260 @ 4600 RPM. Torque: 330 @ 2300 RPM.  Camshaft: Mechanical. Duration: Intake: 256°, Exhaust: 256°, Overlap: UNK. Carburetor: 2 Holley four-barrels  #1163.  Serial number code “R”.

NOTE: This engine was not fitted to Ford-O-Matic equipped cars. It was developed for racing but could be placed on road cars. First used by Mercury, it was made available too late in the 1956 racing year for Ford cars.