A friend of mine had a '57 convertible back in the day that was a 6. Thought that was an odd one at the time. I have a '55 44 barrel intake and carb that needs to be rebuilt that I would part with if anyone is interested.

most likely the same car i am thinking of! I remember hearing it was the only one ever produced!! Im a Y-Guy but would have left the six for sure!! As for the 182HP option and what FORD called it I dont have a clue! Hopefully Someone with more info will chime in soon!! Its been several years but I think I recall the car being Automatic with the six and ZERO OPTIONS! no heater, no radio, clock. Doesnt really matter! the owner had a CROWN VICTORIA!!! Cool in my book!

I remember seeing a convertible that came with a six.


Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio

That 55 Crown 64B with the 6 cyl I tried to buy about 20 years ago, only 64B with a 6 cyl ever built, I wanted to restore it (talk about rare) Someone beat me to it, several years later at the Ford Nationals In Carlisle I heard the guy who bought it put a V8 in it. I don't know who the guys talking about it were as I was eavesdropping but the general idea i got was they thought putting a V8 in was a really dumb move.
I have to agree. 

I am almost certain dad told me he had to order a automatic to get the 4 bbl motor but the salesman could of told him a bunch of b/s and this has been a long time ago so my memory of what he said could be wrong,to be honest I never seen very many 4 bbl motors and if I did I think all were automatics and when I did see a manual trans it was usually a 2 bbl motor. I do know someone with a 55 sunliner with a 4 bbl motor and 3 speed o/d but I think he built it that way. So just what did Ford call the 4 bbl option.


Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio

Drylakes Racer. 182HP is what i recall my car came factory rated at. in my previous post i was suggesting that a person could pretty much order what they wanted in 1955. I did install an overdrive in my crown and IT WILL RUN 110 MPH in second gear overdrive!  the car looks to have never been touched but who knows over the years! Not trying to get off topic with the power pack post guys. I have seen a tropical rose and white 55 crown with a straight six!! lots of combinations in those days! 

Opps both were automatics. The power kit was recommended for 312 manual and manual overdrive transmissions only, but once you bought it who knows here they went plus the ones left over into 1957 which they did not could not sell. I heart that some were advertised at $200.00 in 57. That kit was rated at 260 hp when installed.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

This is how I remember it. My dad bought a 55 Sunliner new not long after Christmas from George M. Sutton Ford in Inglewood, Ca. It had a 272 4 barrel engine rated at 182 hp. The 2 barrel engine was rated 160 or 162 as I remember. The Thunderbirds had a 292 4 barrel rated at 198 hp; I personally never saw a 292 in a passenger car but many here say they were available. In 1956 he bought a Victoria with a 202 hp 292 4 barrel. It was before Christmas and there were no 312's available yet or he would have bought one. I never ever saw a 312 2 barrel in a passenger car but I would eliminate one in a truck. I personally never saw a 4 barrel y in a pickup up thru 1956.
The true 1956 "high power engine kit" (B6A-9000-B) was dealer installed or bought over the parts counter. As far as I can research none were ever installed at the factory dirty on a passenger car or Thunderbird, I am no expert but I dig as deep as I can just because it's interesting. Good Luck.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

I have a 55 crown victoria that came with a 4 barrel teapot. we call the teapot a (cabbage head) around here. Its a stick shift car that also came with power steering. First four of the VIN is M5DW. paint code is AES. AE stands for black and white exterior and S stands for special which is for the interior. it is red and white. S means you could chose any color you wanted for the interior. I have owned this car for at least 20 years and its always run very strong. my research in the past shows this car to be a factory 4 barrel car with a stick. hope to shed some light. Marlon.

For 1956 4v 292 Tbird engines had B heads and some stick shift 312s also had ECZ-B heads as well. Most 312s with the automatic transmissions had the C heads. All 56 mercs had 312s but all did not have C heads.


-Gary Burnette-