BEAUTIFUL SUNLINER, RESTORED & LOVED BY 3 LONG TERM OWNERS, 292 Y BLOCK, CLEAN!
1956 Ford Fairlane Sunliner
Ford guys don't have to feel left out when there are gorgeous cars like this 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible running around. Sure, the Chevys seem to be popular, but when you show up with this lovely two-tone ragtop wearing all that glittering chrome jewelry, people will probably forget the garden-variety Chevy and come right over to see more Blue Oval awesomeness.
Wearing a recent repaint in Raven Black and Colonial White, this Ford is the ideal '50s cruiser for the guy who doesn't dig pastels. The Sunliner was the top-of-the-line in 1956 and it shows, with that sweeping bit of trim running down the sides of the car and separating the two colors in dramatic fashion. Finish quality is very, very good, with a deep shine, excellent panel alignment, and few signs of use beyond the usual polishing marks. With long-term ownership and only three owners, we can say with a lot of confidence that it has never been badly wrecked or rusted and someone invested big to make it look this good. On any '50s car, just the chrome and stainless trim costs as much as two years of mortgage payments, and it was well-spent, because the bright stuff on this ragtop looks fantastic. Ford still delivered round taillights for their jet-age styling and the exhaust ports through the rear bumper are just plain cool.
There's a two-tone black and white interior and you can see the family resemblance to the Thunderbird everywhere you look. The seats are wearing correct reproduction seat covers that duplicate the '50s look as well as Ford's conservative attitude, and there are fresh carpets on the floor, all installed in 2015. Dramatic door panels seem to echo the stainless trim outside and the big three-spoke steering wheel makes this big ragtop easy to handle, even in close quarters. The gauges are like those used throughout the Ford lineup, and they're in good original condition. The three-speed manual transmission with overdrive not only makes this car a lot of fun to drive, but it features a fresh clutch, pressure plate, and flywheel installed last January. The original AM radio is in the dash but it's joined by an FM converter underneath, which was installed decades ago and is probably due for a modern upgrade today. The white vinyl convertible top was installed in 2014, along with new lift cylinders, hoses, and pump, and a new tonneau was created when the interior was restored. The trunk appears mostly original, with a proper plaid mat and full-sized spare with a funky plastic cover that's definitely 1950s.
Ford's reliable and torquey 292 cubic inch "Y-block" V8 makes the Sunliner feel peppy out on the road and effortless at cruising speed. It's nicely dressed with a proper heavy-duty air cleaner, "Thunderbird Special" valve covers, and Ford Red paint on the block itself. It remains quite stock save for the new aluminum radiator, but you probably won't complain about this car being impervious to hot weather. Recent work includes a rebuilt carburetor, new water pump and thermostat, a fresh ignition coil, electronic ignition, fuel pump, and a custom dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers that give it a bit of a muscular soundtrack. It starts easily and you'll love the way it cruises with the overdrive engaged. The undercarriage is largely original but shows nothing but dirt and some minor surface scale, so don't let that scare you away, and it sits on beautiful H78-15 wide whites for a proper '50s look.
Just a beautiful car with a great powertrain. This Ford will make people forget Brand X and the guy who owns this one will never regret going a little outside the norm. Call today!
- Condition: Used
- Make: Ford
- Model: Fairlane
- SubModel: Sunliner
- Type: Convertible
- Trim: Sunliner
- Doors: 5
- Year: 1956
- Mileage: 6,473
- VIN: M6DC134234
- Color: Black
- Engine size: 292 V8
- Transmission: Manual
- Interior color: Black
- Vehicle Title: Clear Want to buy? Contact seller!