Ford Customline V8 1956

[Pete05]

#32E of Ray Gibbs & Murray Carter
Driven to the Class E victory during the 1960 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island, Australia.
Probably an easy accomplishment really. They were the only car entered in the class.
The car to have in Australian Touring Car racing in the late '50's before the arrival of the Jaguar Mark II.

Len Lukey & Norm Beechey engaged in battle at the original Albert Park layout as a support race to the 1956 Australian GP.

A Customline being worked for all it's worth at Catalina Park, Katoomba, New South Wales

http://motoring.com.au/reviews/2005/classic-and-rare/ford-customline-3292

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_ford_customline.htm

http://www.uniquecarsmag.com.au/news-and-reviews/article/articleid/82143.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Customline

 

[Aero2000]

Hm, you was faster than me on this one

 

[Pete05]

OP has been updated with links to pages with detailed articles.

Enjoy

 

[Humungus]

Somebody said Econoline?

 

[CostasDrifter]

4 wheel boat! I like it! (In Greece boat we call a car with very soft suspension ).

 

[Aero2000]

Somebody said Econoline?

No, Customline

 

[Humungus]

No, Customline

Sry, can't hear you over the sound of 4000lbs of Van

 

[Pete05]

Linked below are two comprehensive articles courtesy of the Shannons Club.
The first covers the road car and the second details the Customline's
on track fortunes.

http://shannons.com.au/club/news/19...ollar-american-becomes-an-upper-crust-aussie/

http://shannons.com.au/club/news/ford-customline-1955-59-in-its-prime-before-prime-time/

 

[elwoodlt19c1]

Love the pic of it drifting . Aren't the darker ones 55s?

 

[Pete05]

Love the pic of it drifting . Aren't the darker ones 55s?

The darker ones are racing at Albert Park in support races for the 1956 Australian Grand Prix so it's possible they are indeed 55s.
Interesting to note, the Grand Prix wasn't a round of the F1 championship back then & that the Albert Park circuit ran anti-clockwise. Very little of that original circuit is used in the current version but an overlay would show some parts are the same.