The Ford Parklane was a station wagon produced by Ford for the 1956 model year only. In line with the Chevrolet Nomad, it was a premium two-door wagon combining the body of the two-door Ranch Wagon with trim elements of the Fairlane sedan.
Ford Parklane at a glance
| Maker | Ford Motor Company |
|---|---|
| Model year | 1956 only |
| Type | premium two-door station wagon |
| Base body | Ford Ranch Wagon |
| Trim from | Ford Fairlane sedan |
| Signature | stainless-steel Fairlane bodyside stripe |
| B-pillar | stainless steel, adapted from the Fairlane Crown Victoria |
| Interior | fully carpeted, including the cargo area |
| Extra | privacy cover for the cargo area |
| Option | four-way power front seat, US$60 |
| Engine | 223 cu in six standard, 292 cu in V8 optional |
| Successor | Ford Del Rio, 1957 |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only.
History of the Ford Parklane
A wagon to match the Nomad
The Parklane shared its bodyshell with the Ford Ranch Wagon, though by contrast the rival Chevrolet Nomad shared very little with other Chevrolet wagons from the cowl back. To set the Ford apart, it received the stainless-steel bodyside stripe of the Fairlane, normally reserved for the three-row Country Sedans. The roofline came straight from the Ranch Wagon, but the B-pillar was trimmed in stainless steel, a design loosely adapted from the Fairlane Crown Victoria.
Comfort features
The Parklane introduced several advanced features for its time, among them a fully carpeted interior including the cargo area and a privacy cover for the load space. A four-way power front seat cost US$60 extra. Like other Ford station wagons, its rear seat folded completely flat to make a single load surface. The engine range was shared with the rest of the wagon line: a 223 cubic inch inline six as standard and a 292 cubic inch V8, the Thunderbird unit, as an option, with the 11-inch drum brakes introduced for 1955.
One year only
Although a 1957 prototype was assembled, Ford withdrew the model after a single model year. With the 1957 range it repackaged the Parklane as the Ford Del Rio, similar in concept but more closely integrated into the Ranch Wagon line. The name came back, as two words, in the Mercury division for 1958, where the Mercury Park Lane was its premium sedan line until the end of the 1960s.
Design and features
- Premium two-door wagon: Ranch Wagon body with Fairlane trim.
- Fairlane stripe: the stainless side trim normally reserved for Country Sedans.
- Carpeted throughout: including the cargo area, with a privacy cover.
- Flat-folding rear seat: a single load surface, as on other Ford wagons.
Ford Parklane versions
- Parklane six: with the 223 cu in standard engine.
- Parklane V8: with the optional 292 cu in Thunderbird engine.
- Power-seat cars: with the US$60 four-way power front seat.
- Mercury Park Lane (1958): the later, unrelated Mercury sedan line.
The Parklane was the premium wagon companion of the Fairlane and was replaced by the Del Rio on the Ranchero-era Ford wagon range. More Ford vehicles are in the Ford collection.
Sources
- Ford Parklane, English Wikipedia: body, trim, features, replacement
