Mine are all sculpted.The only difference is the ones from Fairlanes are chrome and the Customlines are all painted.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Yup, sorry - forgot to mention the trim went all the way across.

About the mirror, i always thought they were the same.  However, when we first got our car, the rearview mirror arm was a sculpted/molded piece.  The replacements available have just a bent tube for the arm.  I always thought that the sculpted arm was for the fairlanes.  However, ive had 2 different people (who should be knowledgeable) tell me that the sculpted one is from the "safety package" cars (not sure why they would be - no safety advantage) and that the repro type (bent tube) are for non safety cars.  Can anyone clarify?  Are yours sculpted or bent tube arms?

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

The stainless trim went all the way across the dash just below the padding.I removed the pad and painted the dash and put the trim pieces back on.I think it looks good

We have 6 56s,2 with padded dashes,4 without.The rear view mirrors are all the same.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Padded dash was part of an optional safety package on the 56 fords.  Was a padded dash & padded sunvisors, and the mounting arm for the rear view mirror was different (or so ive been told about the mirror - im skeptical but folks wiser tham me have insisted).  Padded dash is the same as regular except that there is stainless trim around the edge of the padding over the instrument binnacle visor.  I believe that there will be screw holes from the stainless trim (assuming that it was OE) that will have to be filled/painted as well.

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

I lived through those days when a padded dash was considered a big safety feature. They compared Chevy steering wheel to a harpoon. I might be wrong, but it seems like 57 was the ad with the doors that wouldn't fly open and the hood that wouldn't fly open and wrap around the windshield. The first time in my life I ever saw a seat belt was in 1962 in a DC3. I still haven't seen the car I bought in Oregon. I spent 3 weeks screwing around with the carrier that eBay linked to and never got the car moved. I then spent another week with another company for another 2 weeks. I never realized that there are hundreds of brokers that just post cars on a load board and hope for a miracle. I finally found a carrier in Dallas that actually owns trucks. They will have a wrecker service move it to Portland, then haul it to a storage lot in San Antonio where I will pick it up. I have been tempted to fly to Oregon just to look at the darn thing. I still am amazed that a 4 door Customline had a padded dash. I have 3 runners and a half a dozen parts cars and none have a padded dash. I spent hours on end in the 60's in salvage yards looking for OD transmissions. A padded dash usually meant lotsa chrome/. and a Fordo transmission.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

seems i remember ford was on a 'safety kick' in 56 and changed a few things about their cars to be more safe---such as a 'deep dish' steering wheel, improved door latches (that did not 'pop open' as easily in a collision),seat belts available for the first time, and padded dashes,(so you didn't get so hurt hitting it)...i used to have a photo ( i can't find it now)somewhere that shows lee ioccoca in 1956 on a step ladder letting go of a egg down to a padded dash to show it would not break.--i had no text with the photo so i do not know if the egg broke or not..(anyone out there know if it did????).......later....ed in toledo

My ash tray fits flush after removing the pad, I have no way of knowing if it is the original ash tray or if the dash pad was dealer installed and they kept the non padded ash tray.

Never can tell what went on with previous owners of a 50+ year old car.

Chuck i might have an extra one,i will check the barn tomorrow and see if i have   Carl

As a bit of an aside,that is an unusual car.I've had several 56s and been around dozens of them and I don't believe I've ever seen any thing except Fairlanes with a padded dash.Apparently most Customline and Mainline buyers didn't want to spend the money for the dash.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Thanks for all the responses. I have a parts car with a blue ash tray that hasn't faded because they are protected from the sun. In fact I will probably use it as a paint chip to match. Originally I used a metallic lacquer and I may still have the DuPont number somewhere. I use a MBX blaster to remove glue and undercoating. Dashes come out, but I sure wasn't looking forward to that. My wife and I want to drive it.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas