50s Ford models

Simon sent a number  of photos of Ted and Sharon Forbes' formidable collection of 1950s North American vehicles on Vancouver Island.  Mostly convertibles and mainly Ford products, but there was a Parissienne and there was an Impala. However, it was a few Ford/Mercury cars that made me reflect on the Australian equivalents in the 50s. The Customlines of 1955, 1956, 1957 (and 1958 in Australia) shared the same body with annual trim changes.

This is Ted and Sharon's 1956 Ford Sunliner. In Australia we had that form of trim throughout 1957. For 1958 we weren't quite ready for the Barge Fairlane (which came out as a 1959 model) so we had an interim car called the Star Model Customline.

Now these two cars are Ted and Sharon's 1956 Mercuries. The Mercury wasn't available in Australia. But look! That's the side trim on the Star model.  They obviously dipped into the Mercury parts bin.