Chuck Gardiner
Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
Tel 250 897 5111
I am a member of the Crown Victoria Association, an international car club,
for the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of 1954, 1955 and 1956 Ford automobiles.
MY 1956 FORD FAIRLANE CLUB SEDAN
See photos and restoration details at
Lemonade's own website, www.chuckgardiner.net.
This 1956 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan "collector plate" car has had a body-off-frame restoration to match it's data plate
codes. Most components have been rebuilt with new, new reproduction, new-old-stock (NOS) or new-old-reproduction-stock
(NORS) parts. All components are functional - including the "Console Range" Motorola tube-type AM radio, the electric clock
with sweep-second hand, and the "automatic pop-out cigar lighter." Two "factory accessory" door mounted side-view mirrors
were added for improved visibility. The stock body is complimented with new reproduction period-correct fog lights, new
reproduction 1962-64 Thunderbird-style (Kelsey-Hayes) wire wheels, and new correct-size wide white side-wall radial tires
for modern-car traction. The car is named "Lemonade 10¢."
The "Ford Crestmark" body colours are "Style-Tone" M Code Goldenglow Yellow and E Code Colonial White.
The "Fairlane Luxury Lounge" is "color-harmonized" L Code "Cloth Gray Interior Trim" of "gray metallic" paint,
and vinyl and "random dot nylon cloth with interwoven silver yarn" upholstery. The front seat is manually adjusted.
Steering is manual. The "Lifeguard Design" 18-inch 3-spoke deep-center steering wheel requires 4-3/4 turns lock-to-lock.
The car has a 41-foot turning diameter. Brakes are manual "double-seal hydraulic" with "king size" 11-inch drums.
The 1956 Fairlane's M Code engine was the famous 2-overhead-valve 292-cubic-inch Y-block "Thunderbird V-8"
producing 202 horsepower and 289 foot-pounds of torque (with Fordomatic transmission). It was the standard engine in
1955 Thunderbird's and 1955 Mercury's. As well, only Fairlane models had dual exhausts "ported through the rear bumper."
DATA PLATE CODES VIN M6FT332131 70C ME L 13 G 493
M = 292 CID V-8 Engine
6 = 1956-Model Year
F = Dearborn Assembly Plant
T = Fairlane (Tudor/Fordor)
332131 = Consecutive Unit Number
(Starting at 100001 = 232131st 1956 Ford vehicle scheduled for production at Dearborn Plant)
70C = Fairlane Club Sedan Body
ME = Goldenglow Yellow/Colonial White
L = Cloth Gray Interior Trim
13 = 13th Day of the Month
G = Month of the Year (July)
493 = 493rd Unit Produced
(493rd Ford vehicle produced at Dearborn Plant on July 13th, 1956)
Suggested New Retail Price (Delivered Eastern US) = $2,555.00 USD
This stunning, driven, show car has won many awards in the Greater Vancouver area, Vancouver Island and
Washington State, including: "Best of Show," "Best Restored," "Best Ford," "Best Engine Bay" and "People's Choice."
See photos and restoration details at Lemonade's own website, www.chuckgardiner.net.