1955 Models

New Stuff:

• Chrysler 300 Brochure
• Ford Thunderbird Brochure

1955 was a landmark year for American automotive performance.  The fuse was lit.  This wasn’t (yet) the shootout that the ’60’s would see, but these years without a doubt set the stage for the muscle car era.  There were a lot of innovations and change became the norm.  There were nine new V8 engines this year!  It was to be this way for several years.

The Horsepower Skyrocket

To better appreciate the significance of 1955, as well as the years immediately following, take a look at this graph from the 1946 through 1963 Engine Development by Automaker section of Early US Automotive History.  Graphs of the averages of compression ratios, horsepower per cubic inch and V8 engine size all took off like a rocket, starting in 1955. 

This graph actually starts to take off in 1954, with 1955 seeing the first huge yearly jump. I don’t think it would be fruitful to debate if this phenomenon was supply driven or demand driven; I think it was both.

This scene played out just like any other product market. You might keep in mind the early 2000’s cell phone market as you consider our discussion of the 1950’s auto market.

Overhead Valves

V8 engines, OHV in particular, became less expensive to manufacture as industry experience and expertise increased. Of particular importance were iron casting methods. The post-war market (1946) saw one V8 (Ford), and two OHV non-V8 engines (Chevy (6), Buick (8)). We’re not including the independents or low production makes like Cadillac. Naturally, it wouldn’t be long before all automakers ‘married’ the two (V8 and OHV) and started offering their own V8 OHV engines, initially of moderate size. This happened within a two year or so window, as each company was largely aware of what their competition was doing.

What they didn’t understand, though, was the degree to which the public would embrace the new V8 engines, asking for them not only in the larger, more expensive cars, but also in the entry level cars. This did cause some problems for Chrysler corporation, but it also led to an economy of scale advantage that made these engines even cheaper to manufacture and cheaper to purchase. This fed upon itself, in a good way, generating demand and interest, and ultimately leading automakers to look at how to further differentiate themselves from their competition. The most obvious way? Why, larger displacement engines, of course!

The flame became a fire and then a full-on conflagration! That’s what led to that almost vertical rise in the horsepower graph from around 1954 to 1959. If you were under the impression that the 1960’s was the era of the horsepower wars, you were only partially right. In terms of year-to-year horsepower increases, it was unquestionably the mid to late 1950’s that epitomized this.

Back to 1955…

Most of the companies were up close to 50% or more over last year!  The notable exception was FoMoCo, with gains of half that.  Hudson and Lincoln saw reductions over ’54, and little Nash held on with a 5% increase.  Pontiac’s 92% gain led the pack. 

Total sales were approximately 7,119,000, an increase of 46.4% over 1954.

A few of the highlights would be the appearance of the iconic American car engine, the Chevrolet small block.  Also, the unique Ford Thunderbird would take the stage this year, in what was to become its classic form.

The number of new V8’s and the numbers of V8 engines sold, the exploding engine sizes and outputs, as well as some other factors made 1955 a truly landmark year, unlike any previous year.

American drivers were beginning to fall in love with V8 engines and the power they could provide.  It’s likely that not a single automaker realized just how significant and popular the V8 engines were to become.  You have to keep in mind that engine progression prior to this period had been fairly relaxed.  Sure, a couple of companies had V8s (flatheads), and a couple had overhead valves, but nobody was in a hurry to marry the two together.  It was more-or-less “What was okay last year is okay this year”.  The market wasn’t demanding change, but it wasn’t going to remain that way for long.  Soon, change would become the norm, rather than the exception!

1955 Noteworthy Events

• Buick                     Reaches 200hp, 4bbl carb.
• Chevrolet             First V8, OHV V8, 4bbl carb, 12V electrics, air conditioning.
• Oldsmobile         Reaches 200hp.
• Pontiac                 First OHV, V8, all-OHV, 4bbl. carb, 200hp.
• Chrysler               First multi-carb, 300hp.
• Dodge                  First 4bbl. carb.
• Plymouth            First OHV, V8, OHV V8, 4bbl, power brakes, air conditioning.
• Ford                      First 4bbl. carb, air conditioning.

1955 was a great year for the U.S. auto industry, even for most of the independents. GM companies saw much more success than FoMoCo, while Chrysler companies saw gains that actually exceeded those of GM.

It’s clear that 1955 buyers were far more taken with the new Chevy models than the Ford. Ford’s 24.5% gains were actually far below the overall average of 46.4%. Pontiac was up over 90%! What the heck was that about? Maybe the market liked their new 287cid V8. And Buick? They already had an OHV V8 engine, and they moved into third place!

Chevrolet

A new 265cid OHV V8 was available in Chevrolet bodies, such as the 150 / 210 / Bel Air, making 162hp at 4400 rpm.  Chevrolet referred to this engine as the “Turbo-Fire 265”.  It went from conception to production in just under four months, and initially had no provisions for an oil filter; if you wanted one (it was optional), it had to be mounted externally!  Also available was a power-pack option; with 4bbl and dual exhaust, it made 180hp at 4600 rpm.  The 265 would later be recognized as the first Chevy ‘small block’, in a decades-long line of small block descendants.  The 265 would not go on to fame and glory that would be bestowed on the 283, 327 and 350, but it was the first.  See the 1946 through 1963 Engine Development by Automaker section of Early US Automotive History and Muscle Car Era Engines for complete 265 information.  The new ’55 styling was a quantum jump beyond the ’54 models.

Shoe Boxes

This was the start of the “shoe boxes”, the marvelous trio of ’55, ’56 and ’57 Chevy’s that have long been iconic. Bel Air had a two-door hardtop available, and the gorgeous Nomad was a two-door wagon version of the Bel Air.  One interesting option that may or may not have been new this year was a foot operated windshield washer.  I guess that was for the folks who couldn’t spring for the optional vacuum operated washer. 

Approximate sales: 1,704,000; change: +49%; industry rank: 1^st.

The 210 was the mid-level car, sandwiched between the 150 at the bottom and Bel Air at the top. 210 actually outsold Bel Air by a slim margin, with less than 10% of Chevy buyers opting for the 150.

Regardless of the trim level, it was gorgeous! The hood was now nearly flat, with mostly-flat sides with tasteful creases and chrome as highlights. The rounded-oval grill was at the same time simple and attractive. Truly a landmark design.

Notice how well designed the rear of 210 is. Taillights, bumper, license plate placement, Chevy insignia, everything is just ‘right’! There is nothing on this car that you can point to and say “Yeah, I’d change this“.

If you wanted a hardtop, you had to move on up to the top level Bel Air. In fact, if you wanted carpet, you also had to select Bel Air.

Chevy is offering value here.  You don’t have to buy a high-priced ’55 model to experience driving pleasure.  Buy a Chevy!

Motoramic!

The word ‘Motoramic’ is highlighted at the bottom of the ad.  GM used the term ‘Motorama’ to refer to their yearly traveling display of show cars and concept cars from 1949 to 1961.  Chevy turned this into ‘Motoramic’, and there you have it!

Postal Codes

The arrow pointing to the address shows an example of a Postal Code, in the ‘2’.  These were started during WWII when many of the regular postal guys were in the armed forces, and help was needed in getting the mail to the right geographic areas.  Everyone knows about zip codes, which were put into place in 1963.

At its peak, Motorama was held in several different locations throughout the US. Some 10.5 million people attended throughout the thirteen-year run.

This is a postcard of the 1954 Motorama.

More ‘Motoramic’-themed advertising from Chevrolet. I like Chevy highlighting their large selection of ‘power-drive combinations’, particularly the fabulous new 265cid V8.

This list of things to check makes me want to go out and check my glass and mufflers. Don’t wanna forget my rear-view mirrors, either! Crap! Did I remember to check the blinker fluid?

Dirty Windshield?

An electric shaver was one of the options you could select on the order sheet. Shaving while driving?

Corvette

There weren’t many changes to Corvette’s body, but the huge news was the availability of 265 cubic inches of overhead valve V8 power.  This was the single thing that, more than anything else Chevrolet did, helped secure the success of the Corvette.  Even into 1955 there were those within Chevrolet and GM who viewed the Corvette as a failed experiment.  There seemingly wasn’t much of a market for a domestically built, European style sport car.  That much was actually fairly accurate.  In this incredibly strong auto market, only 700 Corvettes were sold, a mere fifth of last year’s total.  Corvette was indeed on life support.  It would take the market a bit longer to discover the ‘new’, V8-powered Corvette.  The fact that the base engine was still the Blue Flame six didn’t help in the matter. A mere handful of the six-cylinder cars were sold. To these people, I’d say “Why?”

Thunderbird . . . ?

The other thing that helped inch Corvette away from the precipice was the new Ford Thunderbird.  It was a similar vehicle, having the same 102 in. wheelbase, and also a two-seater.  It was a bit longer and a few hundred pounds heavier, having a traditional steel body rather than fiberglass.  However, it was marketed (and designed) as a ‘personal luxury’ car, not a sport car.  Plus, Thunderbird was V8 powered from the get go.  Thunderbird showed Chevrolet what the Corvette could be. Chevrolet was wary of the effect of the new Thunderbird on their already low Corvette sales, so they limited production to just 700 units this year. It’s said that there were several hundred 1954 models still unsold at the end of that year.

Approximate sales: 700; change: -81%.

Ford-GM Rivalry Saves Corvette!

Ford introduced a roughly similar car to Corvette two years after the Corvette introduction and wiped up the floor with the Corvette.  In 1955 Ford sold over 16,000 Thunderbirds, or over twenty times the number of Corvettes sold!  The honor of both GM and Chevrolet was at stake, and I’m sure there were plenty of people there who felt that they’d be damned before they let Ford have success in this market segment where they could not.  The new Chevy V8, the Thunderbird success, and GM/Chevy pride ensured the Corvette didn’t die in 1955, as it otherwise well might have.

The protruding tail lights, as viewed from this angle, are just plain funky, aren’t they? This would be the final year Corvette owners would have to suffer this indignity.

What’s with the Rockets?

There was a lot going on in the arena of rocket development and it was constantly in the news at this time.  WWII had been over for a decade, and I guess most Americans were well aware of the V2.

There were US rocket programs at this time, such as the Redstone, which was directly based on the V2.

The prime contractor for Redstone was Chrysler, which may have factored into the decision portray the V2 rather than Redstone.

The launch of Sputnik was still a few years away, and rocket research was focused on delivering atomic warheads either short range or between continents (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile).

So many innocent non-combatants were killed by the V2; it’s too bad Chevy couldn’t have used something else.

German V2

The V2 referenced and pictured here was one of two Nazi vengeance weapons during WWII (the other being the V1).  The research behind this rocket led directly to the U.S. and Soviet space programs, when both countries scrambled to capture German rocket scientists in the final days of the war.  The 46 ft. long, 27,600 lb. rocket carried a one-ton high explosive warhead.  Guidance was by analog computer and gyroscopic stabilization, with some versions ‘riding’ radio beams for part of the flight.  Range was about 200 miles, attaining an altitude of 55 miles.

Approximately 9,000 people, mainly in London and Antwerp, Belgium, were killed by the weapon, with some 12,000 dying during enslavement while being forced to work on the program.  British allowed ‘misinformation’ regarding where the weapons hit to be intercepted by the Germans.  Believing the ruse, they adjusted their targeting, thus missing the heaviest populated parts of London.

This is a ‘Bumper V-2’ of the late 1940’s, being tested by U.S. engineers. Mounted at the top is a WAC Corporal rocket. This setup allowed testing of the two-stage concept.

This ad is aimed straight at the racing crowd, it would seem. Maybe it’s more likely it’s targeting the guy who might never actually race it but liked the thought of owning a ‘race car’.

Yeah, this was the one year you could have your new Corvette with a six or a V8. To those who opted for the six: “Why, why, why”? The gal in the ad looks like she’s on the tall side, but look how low the car is next to her.

1955 Corvette Brochure

Buick

This year saw Buick get a broadened front grille, doing away with the frown-face front.  More of the models got rear fenders that were more fully cut away, showing more of the rear wheels.  The big news, though, was the 322cid V8 being pumped up to 236hp, 36hp more than in ’54.  The Special was Buick’s base model, with the Century and Super being the intermediates and the Roadmaster being placed as the top offering.  There were both two door and four-door hardtops offered.

The Special got the 264cid V8, with its 2bbl carb, 8.4:1 C/R making 188hp at 4800 rpm; Century, Super and Roadmaster utilized the larger engine.  The base Special had three fender ventiports, while the others had four per fender.   The two lesser models were on a 122 in. wheelbase, with the upper two models having 127 in. wheelbases.

Century was a combination of the lighter Special and the engine of the Roadmaster.  This became the Buick performance standard-bearer.

1955 was a remarkable year for Buick, selling over 739,000 vehicles, exceeded only by Ford and Chevy!  This year also saw the eight millionth Buick built. 

Approximate sales: 739,000; change: +66.4%; industry rank: 3^rd.

Here’s the entry level Special, with the 264cid V8. Fantastic looking car for being entry level! Buick’s two-tone treatment was as funky as anyone’s.

Color-O-Rama

Buick’s selection of different color choices was enormous. For example, the car above might have had a white color top, were it not a convertible. It might then have been available with the colors swapped or with the top the same color as the top body color. And that’s without throwing a third color into the mix!

Cars today are soooo boring when it comes to color. All you see is an almost monochromatic sea of whites, silvers, tans, blacks, dark blues and a few dark reds. What the hell happened to us? Sure, some of the performance cars (read ‘expensive’) can be had in in some cool colors, but I’m referring to everyday drivers, the cars most of us drive.

This was one helluva car!  The Riviera was available in both hardtop coupe and hardtop sedan, and were members of the Super and Century series.

Take a look at that clean grille; it’s stunning!

Dynaflow

The performance of the Dynaflow transmission is described as “…a dazzling safety-surge of forward momentum that’s thrilling beyond past experience.”  The ad guy who write this was either high as a kite or some kind of freakin’ advertising savant.

You’ll recall that the Dynaflow was given the derogatory nickname of ‘Dynaslush’, and for good reason.  The Dynaflow had a sophisticated torque converter, but didn’t shift between its two gears.  The torque converter functioned as a ‘fluid variable gear ratio’.  Putting your foot to the floor didn’t cause a down-shift, like we became used to later.  Acceleration was best defined as ‘leisurely’.  ‘Thrilling’ my butt!

Here’s Roadmaster again, this time with a black top. I think I prefer the white top.

The Special in solid green. Grille is similar to Riviera, which is quite attractive.

Buick is offering to thrill you here, not merely satisfy you or please you!

Note that four-door hardtops in both the Super and Roadmaster series were called ‘Riviera’. This was not yet a separate series, but that would come in just under a decade as Buick, like most automakers, recycled names.

All new Buicks featured tubeless tires this year, as did the rest of the industry.

Tubeless Tires

This year most new vehicle tires were of the new, tubeless variety.  They offered a better ride, better traction, and better resistance to puncture.  If a puncture did occur, air would escape gradually, in stark contrast to a tubed tire.

B.F. Goodrich, of Akron, Ohio, announced their new tubeless tires in May of 1947, after more than three years of research and development.  The company would go on to introduce the first radial tire in 1965.

The B.F. Goodrich company itself dates back to 1870, having been founded by Benjamin Franklin Goodrich.  Their rubber items included hoses, belts, and later bike tires and car tires.  It’s said that Goodrich invented the PF Flyer shoe in 1933.  The company stopped making tires in 1988 and the name was purchased by Michelin.  Today, Goodrich tires are made by Michelin of North America.

“We’re Going Color-Mad”

The November, 1955 issue of Auto Age magazine ran an article with this title, which was quite interesting.

The article was primarily about the development of Du Pont’s Dulux enamel paints. It’s interesting, but what really caught my attention was the last page. To quote: “There is an increasing emphasis on two-tone combinations, extending in some lines to three tones. In 1946, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler offered a total of 36 single-tone models, 14 two-tone combinations, and no three-toners. Today, these companies have 57 single-tone models, but their two-tone and three-tone jobs have climbed to the amazing figure of nearly 700! And note that these are standard offerings, not custom affairs!” The article ends with: “Do you want to be driving a kaleidoscope in 1956? We don’t think so.”

Indeed, it would not be long at all before two-tone and three-tone color schemes were quite rare, and then eventually, gone. I’d gladly take a little bit of this color, here in 2021!

Oldsmobile

Oldsmobile for ’55 offered a new, attractive front grille and some nice side treatments, especially sharp in two-tone paint.  This was a huge year for Olds, with sales way up from ’54.  Olds sold more cars in 1955 than any prior year. The 88 was the base model, followed by the Super 88 and then the 98. 

The 324cid V8 was offered in 185hp and 202hp variants.   The 88 received the 185hp engine, with the 202hp going to the Super 88 and 98. All models sported the swept back front wheel openings that were seen on the 98 last year.

All three series offered both two-door and four-door hardtops, known as the “Holiday”. 

Approximate sales: 583,000; change: +64.7%; industry rank: 5^th.

The front grille, with the block O-L-D-S-M-O-B-I-L-E is gorgeous!  So is this combination of paint colors.

I think I really like the way Olds implemented their two-tone color scheme. What is it with protruding tail lights?

Oldsmobile and an example of their ‘Rocket’ advertising.  I wish they had shown more of that massive chrome bumper!

Cool ad, but kinda boring color scheme for the car, huh? The drawing of the engine in the bottom looks like a model of an atom, doesn’t it? The public was fascinated with all things related to atomic energy at this time.

Now this is colorful!

This is cool, but again, the car featured is rather bland in color.

Pontiac

Pontiac got updated sheet metal for ’55, as well as a nice “divided” grille treatment.  New was the 287cid overhead valve V8 that made up to 180hp.  Wraparound windshields and sweptback front fender wheel cutouts were introduced as well.  The two series were Chieftain and Star Chief.  The Custom Safari was a two-door hardtop wagon. 1955 was a peak sales year for Pontiac.

The two available transmissions were the standard column shifted manual 3-speed and an optional automatic four-speed Hydra-Matic.  Roughly 90% of the vehicles sold were equipped with Hydra-Matic transmissions.

Approximate sales: 554,000; change: +93%; industry rank: 6^th.

I’ve always loved Pontiacs, but I never really got into the ‘Silver Streak’ thing.

Both views of this car show the ‘Silver Streak’ styling cues well.

Strato-Streak V8; “…all the power you’ll ever need.”  Well, given that the horsepower rocket fuse had been lit, this 180hp wouldn’t satisfy for long.

Also, given that Pontiac would enlarge the 287 to 317 cubic inches and 227hp the very next year, you have to wonder.  Did the ad guys have any clue about Pontiac’s future plans?

The new Pontiac OHV V8 had stamped-steel, stud-mounted rocker arms, which was a much less costly method than shaft-mounted rockers.  Pontiac was forced to share this with Chevy and their new 265cid V8.

(You can read all about the first Pontiac V8 engines in the 1946 through 1963 Engine Development by Automaker section of Early US Automotive History)

I’m not sure what they mean by “…is a true 180 horsepower…”.  Are they casting dispersions at other V8 engines?

First Pontiac V8?

Well, mostly “yes”, but not entirely. Pontiac had a V8 in 1932, which it had inherited from its parent Oakland. The 251cid engine made 85hp, breathing through a 1bbl Marvel carburetor. The engine didn’t last to see 1933.

In case you were wondering what the 1932 Pontiac V8 looked like, here’s a picture. A bit strange, I’d say.

Strato-Streak

Many automakers at this time were embracing elements of high-technology that had captured the public interest- jet aircraft and rockets/missiles.  You could see it in the car styling, as well as some of the names chosen for engines and other auto-related things.  ‘Strato-Streak’ was definitely an example of this.

The choice of this name was very likely influenced by the latest US heavy bomber, the B-52 Stratofortress.  This bomber program was all over the news and print media at this time.  The B-52 was designed to fly in the stratosphere, as all jet aircraft do today.

Red Buttons

This actor and comedian was born in Manhattan in 1919 as Aaron Chwatt.  (You didn’t think his name was really ‘Red Buttons’, did you?)  As a sixteen-year-old bellhop, his red hair and his uniform’s red buttons earned him this nickname.

His show debuted on CBS in 1952 and ran for three years.  Red was an Oscar winning actor.  He had an early Borscht Belt routine that featured Robert Alda as his straight man.  Robert was the father of Alan Alda of M*A*S*H fame.  Interestingly, Robert Alda was born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D’Abruzzo.

The plane flying the Pontiac ad above is a Lockheed Constellation.

The Constellation is not only a landmark plane, but also one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. It had a porpoise shaped fuselage, and the large propellers required a tall landing gear. It was powered by four Wright R-3350-DA Duplex Cyclone radial engines, each with 3,350 cubic inches displacement and making 3,250hp. The pressurized fuselage was a first for a passenger aircraft and the Constellation was instrumental in making air travel less expensive and more widespread.

Pontiac had already been using their ‘Silver Streak’ theme for years now, but with the arrival of their V8 engine in ’55, they were able to use the same ‘Streak’ verbiage with ‘Strato Streak’, their engine marketing name.

Dual-Range Hydramatic

This version of the GM Hydramatic was introduced in 1952.  The basic design of Hydramatic was a dual planetary gearset, four-speed transmission with a fluid coupler rather than a torque converter.

The dual-range version had two drive ranges, D3 and D4.  In D3, the upshift to 4^th was held off until the maximum 3 – 4 upshift speed was reached, generally between 67 and 72 mph. Dual range was but one version of this popular early automatic trans.

A Pontiac is more than a car, it’s an investment! Hasn’t every single auto company used this tired old theme at least once?

Chrysler

The ’55 Chrysler models were fabulous!  Over 50,000 FirePower equipped New Yorkers and 300’s rolled out the door.  For the first time all engines were OHV V8s; no more sixes!  The base Windsor Deluxe got a new 301cid V8, which had polyspherical combustion chambers.

The 331cid Firepower was available in 250hp and 300hp versions, the former for the New Yorker Deluxe and the latter for the New 300 series.  The 300hp engine had 2 x 4bbl induction and a higher, 8.5:1 compression ratio.  The 300 would one day be looked back upon as a landmark automobile. 

Chrysler 300

The new 300 was a member of the New Yorker series, but was special in many ways.  The front grille was from the Imperial and the interior featured full leather.  The dual 4bbl hemi was as hot as Chrysler could make it, and it very easily out-muscled the more common version of the engine, found in lesser Chrysler models.  Subsequent 300 models would have sequential letters of the alphabet appended to the model number, with the 300B appearing next year.

Approximate sales: 153,000; change: +44.8%; industry rank: 9^th.

The grille of 300 was unique and had a real presence. I really like the unique front look of this car.

New Yorker had just enough 300 styling in it.

New Yorker’s rear view was fairly uncluttered, as well as elegant.

100-Million-Dollar-Look

I can’t say that I’m a fan of the ‘100-Million Dollar Look’ advertising campaign.

The ’55 Chryslers were indeed nicely styled and much different than the ’54 models.  This was also the year that the great 300 series started.  But $100M?  That’s like, what, $1B today?  Sorry, I just don’t see it.

Seriously, though, this was the beginning for some exciting new styling from Chrysler, styling that influenced the entire US auto market.

We owe Chrysler thanks for those wonderful iconic fins that we enjoyed then, and still enjoy today.  Yeah, maybe Cadillac kinda made it their own, but Chrysler started it all.

A Chrysler 300 C won both the beach race and the track race at Daytona in 1955. Unlike today, these stock cars were truly stock cars.

This advertisement is interesting, as well as a bit different. Dad is preparing to take a photo of Mom and the kids with the sweet three-tone car as the backdrop.

Now I’m not a photographer, but isn’t Dad real close to take a photo like this?

Well, here’s another automaker claiming that their new engines are ‘airplane-type’. Oldsmobile would make the same claim. What exactly does that mean? Actually, not much. I’m a former runner, and I guess that makes me ‘Olympian-like’, doesn’t it?

1955 Chrysler 300 Brochure

Dodge

Dodge models got a new body for ’55, and were well received by the public.  Royal had been the top trim level, but now became the intermediate trim level in ’55.  Sales were split somewhat equally among all three series, with Coronet leading with 40%.

The new styling was referred to as ‘Flair-Fashion’, and simulated hood scoops were featured on all models.

The Red Ram had its bore increased by 0.19” and picked up an additional 29cid, putting it up to 270cid.  It made 175hp at 4400 rpm. This engine had polyspherical combustion chambers.  The Super Red Ram had the same 3.63” x 3.26” dimensions and 7.6:1 C/R and both breathed through 2bbl carbs.  This engine made 183hp at 4400 rpm, and 193hp at 4400 rpm with a 4bbl.  Transmissions were the standard 3-speed manual and the PowerFlite two-speed automatic. 

Approximate sales: 277,000; change: +79.9%; industry rank: 8^th.

Polyspherical Heads

The story of the polyspherical head is an interesting one.  Chrysler had a wonderful design in the hemispherical head engines (I’m resisting using ‘Hemi’!).  They were efficient and could make a lot of power.  However, they were expensive to manufacture.  Chrysler, probably like most other car makers, greatly underestimated the market attraction of V8 engines.  So, they were stuck with great V8 engine designs, all of which were more expensive to make than their competitor’s V8 engines.

What they did was kind of brilliant.  They narrowed the angle between intake and exhaust valves, changed the combustion chamber to a “canted valve” design, and were then able to mount both intake and exhaust rocker arms on one shaft, as opposed to two.  Also, the combustion chambers did not need to be machined.  This put the Chrysler V8s in a more competitive position and still provided some of the benefits of the true hemispherical head engines.  See the 1946 through 1963 Engine Development by Automaker section of Early US Automotive History.

I’ll see your two colors and raise you a color!

I always struggled with the continental spare look. It looks okay on some cars and horrid on others. Am I wrong?

It seems that there were a lot of players fighting for market share in the low-priced field.

Everyone jockeying in this market was pushing value and styling, as Dodge was here.  I guess that’s what it was all about—driving a low-priced car that didn’t look like a low-priced car!

Hardtops and convertibles in all lines were named ‘Lancers’. A mid-year addition to the lineup was a four-door Lancer.

La Femme was an option for the Custom Royal Lancer. It was an unusual effort by an automaker to appeal specifically to women. Looking back over the decades, it’s a bit interesting to see just what options and features the designers felt would appeal to the ladies back in ’55.

Plymouth

Plymouth products got the same redesign as their other Chrysler stablemates.  Bodies were longer and lower, with sweeping roof lines.  Plus, Plymouth finally got a V8!  The 241cid Hy-Fire made 157hp @ 4,400 rpm, with a 7.6:1 compression ratio and a Carter 2bbl carb.  This engine was a polyspherical version of the Dodge 241cid hemispherical head engine, sharing the 3.4375” x 3.25” bore and stroke.

The series were Plaza, Savoy and Belvedere.

The optional 259.2cid V8 was a 0.12” stroked 241, with the same compression ratio and carburetor.  It made 167hp at the same rpm.  A 4bbl version made 177hp.  Going into calendar year 1955, the smaller engine was dropped so Plymouth could advertise the highest Horsepower base engine in its class.  This was a smart move.

The transmission choices were the standard 3-speed manual, with optional overdrive and the optional PowerFlite automatic.  The fluid coupled semiautomatics were history. 

Approximate sales: 705,000; change: +52%; industry rank: 4^th.

Now this is a nice two-tone look! I love those wheel covers, too.

The design of the Belvedere trunk and rear is kind of cool. I like the way the trunk deck folds like it does, and the second color (black) just above the rear bumper.

Here Plymouth is advertising the largest car in the low-priced field.  ‘17 feet of beauty’!

I have to say that this rear view of the car is clean and stylish.  So is the redhead…  Wait; did I say that out loud?

This is a bit of an odd angle, but it seems to work well here. I see gobs of chrome. And an attractive lady. Uh–is that a pink sweater?

Here’s yet another Plymouth “Young at Heart” themed ad. I’ve always considered myself ‘young at heart’, but my wife pointed out that it’s just immaturity!

Ford

Ford was a main participant in the excitement of the ’55 auto market.  As with the other automakers, Ford products got new styling inside and out.  Series were Mainline, Customline and Fairlane, with the Fairlane replacing the Crestline of last year.  Of course, the Thunderbird was a new series, consisting of a 2-door, 2 seat convertible.  It was drop-dead gorgeous and aimed squarely at the niche occupied by Chevy’s still-new Corvette. 

All models received new front-end treatments, with attractive new grilles and bumpers and flat hoods that no longer rose appreciably above the front fender lines.  Rear windows were larger and trunks were flatter.  These were nice looking cars!

The Fairlane side sweep-spear treatment was attractive, with a trim line running from the top of the front fender, back, and arcing down at the windshield post, then arcing back up slightly and continuing horizontally to the taillights.  When highlighted with a two-tone color scheme, it was a damned attractive look. This new model had been announced on Feb. 20, 1954.

Fairlane was a hit with the buying public, with over 600,000 cars sold, accounting for over 40% of Ford’s sales.

Thunderbird

The new T-bird was a convertible, with a removable hard top being available for just short of 300 bucks.  This was one car that everyone noticed. 

The Thunderbird V8 had 292cid and made 193hp with an 8.8:1 C/R and 198hp with an 8.5:1 C/R.  Both versions had a Holley 4bbl.

The new-in-’39 239cid V8 was gone, replaced by a 272cid engine that made 162hp on a 7.6:1 C/R.  A 4bbl “Power Pack” added 20hp. 

Ford advertised their ‘Automatic Power Pilot’, which was “Ford’s exclusive carburetion-ignition-combustion system that makes sure just the right gas mixture is ignited at just the right instant and burned completely to give you the most ‘go’ from every drop of gas.” Ford, Ford, Ford… Why do you make up so much crap?

Approximate sales: 1,451,000; change: +24.5%; industry rank: 2^nd.

Striking Two-Tone!

Now this is an interesting two-tone look! Red and white work so well together, and I really dig the ‘top half – bottom half’ color delineation that goes all of the way around the car. The treatment around the headlights is just too cool.

Round tail lights and tasteful fins! And just look at the ‘C’ pillars- there hardly are any! This, friends, is one superbly designed car!

You’re looking at an iconic car that represents an all too rare moment in time, when something entirely new and refreshing and exciting comes along! Thunderbird had all of the options you could want and Ford didn’t mess around with a six cylinder as the base engine. If Corvette had come out of the gate like this, there never would have been a time where Chevy was questioning its continuation.

This ’55 Thunderbird is sporting the iconic porthole windows.  But, wait!  The ’55 didn’t have these, as they arrived in 1956!  What gives?  The ’56 look was so desirable that many owners of ’55 T’Birds had their tops converted to the porthole type. Or, maybe just bought a ’56 hard top?

Thunderbird

This was the most significant post-war car to date.  The concept was similar to what Chevy had recently started with their Corvette—a two-seat, sporty, attractive, lighter convertible that was a ‘toy car’, in that it was not terribly practical as an only car.  As a second, fun car, it was unrivaled.

Ford gave the Thunderbird both a removable hard-top and an available soft-top, as well as the horsepower the Corvette lacked.  They also made plenty of desirable options available, in stark contrast to the austere Corvette.  This was a ‘personal luxury’ car, not a ‘sport car’.  The distinction was important, in that Ford sold 16,000+ copies in this first year, compared to just 700 Corvettes sold in their third year.

Corvette . . . ?

Was the Thunderbird a response to the Corvette, even though the ‘Vette had not yet sold well?  The short answer is ‘Yes’, it was.  The story told is that the T’Bird was a fast-tracked project, using pre-existing components where possible.  I don’t know what Ford thought of the Corvette, given that their product was presumably aimed at the same demographic, yet was substantially different in nature.

The Thunderbird was certainly big news in ’55.  Ford made good use of tie-ins to their other models, too.

Note the lack of the iconic port windows; the ’55 didn’t have them, though many ‘55 removable hardtops would later be ‘upgraded’ to port windows.

1955 Thunderbird Brochure

Cross-Marketing

Here’s Ford making good marketing use of Thunderbird to sell other Ford models. Maybe just a bit unusual, in that this was the first year for Thunderbird. More marketing fluff with the ‘Trigger-Torque’ crap.

Fairlane was the new top-of-the-line for 1955, and this advertisement for the Fairlane Crown Victoria shows how striking the styling was.

‘Speed-Trigger Fordomatic Drive’, Trigger-Torque power, Master-Guide Power Steering, Swift Sure Power Brakes, not to mention Power-Lift Windows! How could you go wrong?

Check out the text below the car: “It now includes a new, extra get-away gear for lightning pickup.”

Mercury

Mercury had three series this year, Custom, Monterey and Montclair.  As with Ford, the models were nicely restyled.  There was a new bumper and grille, the bumper having two large horizontal pieces, with three thinner vertical pieces between them.  It was clearly an adjustment to the ‘54 bumper/grille, but more pleasing to the eye.  Headlights were hooded and wraparound windshields were used.  The fake rear quarter scoops remained, now with a horizontal trim piece that ran to the rear of the car.  Mercury became their own division in ’55, no longer being paired with Lincoln.

The sole engine was a new 292cid V8 making 188 or 198hp.

The 3-speed manual was still the standard transmission, with Touch-O-Matic overdrive optional.  The Merc-O-Matic two-speed automatic was available optionally.

Approximate sales: 330,000; change: +27.4%; industry rank: 7^th.

Upscale?

It might be accurate to say that Mercury fulfilled its position as being ‘upscale’ compared to Ford, but at least this year I greatly prefer the Ford look over Mercury. I’m not sure how well this ‘minimalist’ two-tone color scheme works here. The red bits by the side window look a bit out of place. The rear fender protrusions are apparently faux intakes, but they harken back to the recent look of separate rear fenders, which I don’t think is a plus.

Note how the Merc headlights are shrouded all around, versus the Ford’s just on the tops.

The styling concept of a two-tone, with just a bit of the color of the top brought down to the body, was kind of interesting.  I can see its appeal, but I rather prefer the way Ford implemented their two-tone scheme.

The tail light treatment here is certainly attractive, but Ford has those wonderful large, round taillights!

Kind of a cool ad, with the ‘look twice’ and the twin ladies.  The ‘55’s certainly had nice styling and were attractive.  Naturally, many of the styling elements were indeed shared by other cars, but that’s almost always the case.  Still, I really do like the look of the hardtop coupe here, with the rear fender and front end/bumper treatments.

This is half of an advert, the other side being the body of the car.  The engine features list is interesting, with common marketing department benefits.  I’m not aware that the 18mm spark plugs would “…overcome troublesome spark plug fowling…”.

Super-Torque?

The ‘Super-Torque’ seems to be just so much marketing department fairy dust.  If you look at the 1958 V8 Engines table, the Mercury 292 is reasonably competitive in torque, but certainly does not excel.  There are other engines, such as the Chrysler 331 that make more lb.-ft. of torque than they have cubic inches displacement.

I have always liked the engine pictures, like the one here.  I don’t know how effective it is in marketing, but I sure like it.

You can’t blame Mercury, though.  Everyone else was busy making up ‘benefits’ from features, and it started long before 1955 and continues to this day.  Still kind of amusing.

The two-tone treatment here is certainly subdued, isn’t it? Other than the white top, just a bit of white adjacent to the side windows. I might have preferred more of the accent color, but this really works!

Mercury featuring value. I wonder what the lady is thinking as she looks at the orangish Mercury? If a woman is driving it, she’s probably thinking “This a$$h@!e husband of mine never lets me drive!” Or maybe “Yeah, the idiot had to have pale yellow, didn’t he? That orange color just snaps!”

1955 V8 Engines Specs

A word of explanation is in order. We dropped all but V8 engines from our engine table and averages from ’55 forward, so the changes here are a bit inflated. Nevertheless, 1955 was a year of huge change in the automotive field, very much including the engines offered.

1955 Newspaper Ads

Here’s the time-honored sales approach of “We have to make room for new cars coming from the factory!”