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This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
 1956 Ford Parklane station wagon |
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| Production | 1956 15,186 produced [1] |
|---|---|
| Class | Station Wagon |
| Body style | 2-door station wagon |
| Engine | 223 CID "Mileage Maker" 1bbl. 137 hp (102 kW) I6[2] 292 CID "Thunderbird" 4bbl. 200-202hp V8[3] |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual[2] Ford-O-Matic automatic |
| Wheelbase | 115.5 in (2,934 mm) [3] |
| Length | 197.6 in (5,019 mm) |
| Width | 75.9 in (1,928 mm) [3] |
| Related | Ford Ranch Wagon Ford Fairlane |
The Ford Parklane was a car produced by the Ford Motor Company in the United States for one year only, 1956. Launched to compete with the Chevrolet Nomad, it was a two-door station wagon, based on the Ford Ranch Wagon,[3] but unlike that low-end workhorse model, it was equiped with all the fittings of Ford's top-end Fairlane models of that year, including the distinctive stainless steel side 'tick' and a well-appointed interior. An AM radio was $100, while the 4-way power seats were $60.[3] Brakes were 11" drums.[2]
As a Nomad competitor, it was a successful one, since 15,186 were built in comparison to 7,886 of the competition. The problem was that neither figure was particularly impressive; the Nomad (based on a Chevrolet concept car of 1954) wasn't doing all that well even before competition came over the horizon.
Two-door wagons in general have proven rather hard to sell; those who need the carrying capacity of a station wagon normally carry passengers and want easy access to those rear seats. A low-end model like the Ranch Wagon appeals to a market segment who primarily want the vehicle for its hauling capacity but occasionally need to carry people, but a higher-specification car isn't what those buyers need.
A prototype for a 1957 Parklane was built, but instead Ford produced the slightly downmarket Del Rio as their 1957 two-door station wagon, making the Parklane a single-year only model, and quite a rarity.
The Nomad, being based on a concept car, was always better known, but its main reason for fame - its use by surfers needing a vehicle to haul their boards around - came only after both cars were long discontinued. Surfers, although the perfect market for such a vehicle, never tended to buy new.
Notes [edit]
- ^ John Gunnell, Standard catalog of American Cars 1946-1975, Revised 4th Edition, page 396
- ^ a b c "Directory Index: Ford/1956 Ford/1956_Ford_Wagons_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
- ^ a b c d e Flory, Jr., J. "Kelly" (2008). American Cars, 1946-1959 Every Model Every Year. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5.
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| LTD | LTD | LTD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station wagon | Parklane | Del Rio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ranch Wagon | Ranch Wagon | Ranch Wagon | Ranch Wagon | Ranch Wagon | Ranch Wagon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sports | Thunderbird | Mustang | Mustang II | Mustang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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