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1956 Ford Sunliner Drop Top Is A Gorgeous Custom

Typically when we talk about a Ford Sunliner Convertible, we’re talking about a car that’s been painstakingly restored to near mint condition. That’s not what Dave Larson did with his 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible. Instead of turning up with the car, he commissioned an artist to create a concept that met a list of expectations. Those expectations included that the car had to be timeless, elegant, gorgeous, and curious.

Larson wanted the fit and finish to be stunning, and the curious part meant people had asked themselves how humans achieved such perfection. After the concept was approved, the next step was to find the car, and Larson first looked at a red and white 1955 Ford Sunliner, but the crew deemed to be freshly restored car too nice to customize. The next car was a 1956 Sunliner, but it was deemed unrepairable.

The first car chosen for the project turned out to be nothing but a parts car with only the convertible top bows and stainless steel trim taken from the car. Ultimately they ended up buying the first car they looked at and disassembling it for the customization. To get the right height just right, the team completely cut out the floor and channeled the body six inches over the frame rails. The car received an IFS front end, adjustable coilover shocks, sway bars, and Wilwood front spindles and disc brakes.

The rear suspension is a triangulated four-bar set up with a nine-inch rear end and 3.73 gears with a limited-slip diff; the rear received disc brakes as well. The wheels are a one-off design measuring 18 x 8-inch front and 20 x 11-inch rear. The 1956 Ford Sunliner received numerous chassis braces to make the car stiffer.

It was painted in Sherwin Williams Raven Black and received a completely custom interior. A Dashboard swap from a 1955 Mercury gives the car a unique look, and it has custom Classic Instruments and a Dennis Crooks shrunken 1961 T-Bird steering wheel. Power comes from a Proformance Unlimited 351 Windsor that was punched out to 408 cubic-inches paired up with an AOD-E/4R70W automatic transmission. We likey!

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Source: Hot Rod

Shane is a car guy with a fondness for Mustangs and off-roading.

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