1954 Ford Crestline

The Ford Crestline was introduced in 1952 and remained part of the lineup for only a few years, fading away after 1954. Ford's 1952 lineup included the 'base' level Mainline, the 'intermediate' level Customline, and the 'range topping' Crestline. They wore all-new styling, the first major update since 1949 (1949 had introduced the most changed Ford since the 1928 Model A), that was wider and lower with a one-piece curved windshield, protruding round parking lights, a simulates coop on the rear quarter panels, a round three-blade spinner in the center of the grille bar, full-width rear window, and power sourced from either a 215 CID six or a 'flathead' 239 CID V8. The Mainline and Customline came standard with the six or could be optioned with the V8, while the Crestline was solely powered by the eight-cylinder engine. The vast majority of buyers selected eight-cylinder power. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, with a three-speed manual with automatic overdrive or a Ford-O-Matic being optional. All 1952 Ford automobiles rested on a 115-inch wheelbase (an increase of an inch over the previous year) and had an overall length of 197.8 inches. 1952 Crestline body styles included a two-door Victoria Hardtop, a two-door Sunliner convertible, and a four-door, eight-passenger station wagon (Country Squire).

Minor styling updates were bestowed upon all 1953 Ford automobiles, most noticeably the front grille, which gained a large horizontal bar that now wrapped around the bodyside and had three vertical stripes on either side of the large bullet-shaped spinner. The previous round parking lights now had a rectangular shape, and the Ford crest at the center of the steering wheel hub now had the words '50th Anniversary 1903-1953.' The prices of the Crestline increased by approximately $200 over the previous year, with the Victoria hardtop now listed at $2,120, the Sunliner convertible at $2,230, and the station wagon at $2,400. A total of 105,280 Crestline models were built in 1952 and 180,164 in 1953, the majority being the Victoria hardtop. The station wagon body style was the most exclusive with 5,426 examples built in 1952 and 11,001 in 1953. The Ford Crestline Sunliner was selected as the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 race in 1953.

The 1954 Fords
1954 was the final year for the design theme introduced in 1952, and only minor revisions were made to the styling, particularly to the grille. The big news was the end of the line for Ford's long-running and beloved Flathead V-8 engine, replaced by a modern new overhead-valve 'Y-block,' nicknamed in recognition of its deep-crankcase design. It had the same 239 cubic-inch displacement as its predecessor, but the new engine developed twenty more horsepower in its basic form. Over the forthcoming years, the engine was enlarged and further developed, helping Ford overtake archrival Chevrolet in sales for 1954 and continued to power Ford's passenger cars until 1962.

Another big announcement was made on February 20, 1954, introducing the all-new personal luxury car called the Thunderbird for the 1955 model year.

Additional mechanical updates included the adoption of a new ball-joint front suspension, which greatly improved ride and handling. The 1949 to 1953 Ford automobiles used unequal-length A-arms, uprights that connect the upper and lower control arms, coil springs, and kingpins (from the beam-axle era).

The 1954 Ford Cresline
Ford's marketing and design packages declared 'Worth Still More in '54' and 'Ford Fashion Leaders for 54.' Ford models grew in popularity as the company continued to offer unique design characteristics, well-equipped vehicles, and exceptionally respectable price points. Along with the new V-8 engine, Ford added new convenience options that included power steering, power windows (Customline and Crestline only), power brakes, and four-way power seats.

Both the 'intermediate' Customline and Crestline had chrome window moldings, a horizontal chrome strip along the bodyside, a chrome stone shield near the bottom of the rear quarter panels, and a chrome horn ring. The Crestline added chrome 'A' pillar moldings, chrome trim along the bottom of the side windows, three chrome hash marks behind the quarter panel stone shields, and wheel covers. Interior features included a pair of sun visors, passenger assist straps on interior 'B' pillars, foam padded seats, and armrests on all doors.

Body Styles
Five body styles were now available on the top-of-the-line Crestline model, including one called the 'Skyliner' which Ford introduced on January 6th, 1954. It was a unique, two-door pillarless hardtop with a green-tinted Plexiglas roof insert panel that offered panoramic visuals with a decidedly futuristic twist, heightening the impression of spaciousness in a mid-size vehicle. It was a one-year-only body style and a total of 13,144 examples were built with a base price of $2,240 ($2,165 with six-cylinder). Ford's marketing materials for the 1954 Ford Crestline Skyliner proclaimed 'Skyliner… most distinctive car under the sun,' and 'it's another Ford first in styling.' It continued, 'Side windows roll down and out of sight to complete this wide-open feeling. And you can shut out the sun in a wink with easy-sliding roof curtains.' Hand-picked teams skilled in the method of installing these tops ensured the fit and weather-proofing were complete. The Skyliner was offered in only a handful of color selections; it was replaced by the Crown Victoria Skyliner in 1955.

A four-door sedan was now part of the Cresline, and it became the most popular body style within the Cresline range, with 99,677 units sold. A total of 95,464 examples were the two-door Victoria Hardtop (a two-door pillarless hardtop), 33,658 were the Sunline Convertible, and 12,797 were the four-door Country Squire station wagon with seating for eight.

Mechanical Specification
The 1954 Ford Crestline could now be powered by either six- or eight-cylinder power. The 223 cubic-inch, overhead valve, six-cylinder engine had a 3.50-inch bore and a 3.10-inch stroke. It had four main bearings, a Holley one-barrel carburetor, 7.2:1 compression, and delivered 115 horsepower at 3,900 RPM. The new overhead valve V8 engine had a 3.5-inch bore, a 3.10-inch stroke, 7.2:1 compression, five main bearings, a Holley two-barrel carburetor, and delivered 130 horsepower at 4,00 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission was standard and had a semi-centrifugal-type clutch. A three-speed transmission with automatic overdrive was part of the options list, as was a Ford-O-Matic automatic. The standard transmission had a 3.90:1 rear axle gear ratio, the overdrive had a 4.10:1 ratio, and the Ford-O-Matic had a 3.31:1 ratio.

The optional power brakes added $41 to the base price, power steering added $134, an automatic overdrive added $110, and the Ford-O-Matic transmission added $184. Power windows were $102, and power seats added $64. A total of 156 color combinations were available.

All 1954 Ford automobiles rested on a 115-inch wheelbase platform, with the station wagons having an overall length of 198.1 inches and passenger cars at 198.3 inches. Station wagons received 7.10x15 tires while others wore 6.70 x 15.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2023