The Continental MK II was discontinued at the end of '57 and the Continental became the top of the line Lincoln. All Lincoln's in '58 were built on the same new unibody, so the increased Continental sales would reflect a lower price and the desire for Lincoln buyers to buy the top shelf model.

Marc

'54 Merc ragtop

Pt Townsend, WA   

                                                                                                                                   

In '58 we were in the midst of a recession. Probably why Rambler (small, inexpensive cars) increased in sales, can't explain the Continental.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

What was going on in 1958, most sales were down except Rambler and continental!

Gary Ryan San Antonio.TX.

Thanks, JIm. So, 76 out of every 100 people who bought new cars in 1957 didn't buy a scrub. These numbers also don't include Volkswagen, Fiat, MG, Triumph, Porsche, a handful of Toyotas and our neighbor even had a pair of Issetta's back then. So the number of misguided individuals who didn't have the foresight to buy an icon is even higher. I do remember going to visit a great uncle who just bought a new 57 bel air he was quite proud of. Even at 6 years old I thought it was the ugliest car I had ever seen. Until I saw the 58's.

http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

Here is 54-59, because it is easy to cut and paste from wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Automobile_Production_Figures

For 1957, 26.7% of American car production was Ford and 24.0% was Chevrolet.

Production Figures for 1954			Production Figures for 1955			Production Figures for 1956
Ford	1,165,942		Chevrolet	1,704,667		Chevrolet	1,567,117
Chevrolet	1,143,561		Ford	1,451,157		Ford	1,408,478
Plymouth	463,148		Buick	738,814		Buick	572,024
Buick	444,609		Plymouth	705,455		Plymouth	571,634
Oldsmobile	354,001		Oldsmobile	583,179		Oldsmobile	485,458
Pontiac	287,744		Pontiac	554,090		Pontiac	405,730
Mercury	259,305		Mercury	329,808		Mercury	327,943
Dodge	154,648		Dodge	276,936		Dodge	240,686
Chrysler	105,030		Chrysler	152,777		Cadillac	154,577
Cadillac	96,680		Cadillac	140,777		Chrysler	128,322
Nash	91,121		Studebaker	116,333		DeSoto	109,442
DeSoto	76,580		DeSoto	115,485		Nash	83,420
Studebaker	68,708		Nash	96,156		Studebaker	69,593
Hudson	50,660		Packard	55,247		Lincoln	50,322
Lincoln	36,993		Hudson	45,535		Hudson	22,588
Packard	31,291		Lincoln	27,222		Clipper	18,482
Metropolitan	13,162		Imperial	11,432		Imperial	10,684
Willys	11,856		Willys	6,565		Packard	10,353
Kaiser	8,539		Metropolitan	6,096		Metropolitan	9,068
Henry J	1,123		Kaiser	1,291		Continental	2,550
Production Figures for 1957			Production Figures for 1958			Production Figures for 1959
Ford	1,676,449		Chevrolet	1,142,460		Chevrolet	1,462,140
Chevrolet	1,505,910		Ford	987,945		Ford	1,450,953
Plymouth	726,009		Plymouth	443,799		Plymouth	458,261
Buick	405,086		Oldsmobile	294,374		Pontiac	383,320
Oldsmobile	384,390		Buick	241,892		Oldsmobile	382,865
Pontiac	334,041		Pontiac	217,303		Rambler	374,240
Dodge	287,608		Rambler	162,182		Buick	285,089
Mercury	286,163		Dodge	137,861		Dodge	156,385
Cadillac	146,841		Mercury	133,271		Mercury	150,000
DeSoto	126,514		Cadillac	121,778		Cadillac	142,272
Chrysler	122,273		Chrysler	63,681		Studebaker	126,156
Rambler	91,469		Edsel	63,110		Chrysler	69,970
Studebaker	63,101		DeSoto	49,445		DeSoto	45,734
Lincoln	41,123		Studebaker	44,759		Edsel	44,891
Imperial	37,593		Lincoln	17,134		Lincoln/Continental	26,906
Metropolitan	15,317		Imperial	16,133		Metropolitan	22,209
Nash	10,330		Metropolitan	13,128		Imperial	17,269
Packard	4,809		Continental	12,550		Checker	1,050
Hudson	4,180		Packard	2,622
Continental	462

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

I get the same response with the '57. I really enjoy the Pure stock Drag Races, most of the audience has never seen a '57, let alone an F code. I get a lot of questions, and many are from guys wearing some kind of a GM shirt. They are astounded that any '57 is a match for GTO's and SS's that are ten years newer and 100 ci's smaller than their favorite brand whatever. The same thing applies to the R2 and R4 Studebakers that Ted Harbit or George Krem own. They've never heard of those cars, which is what makes it fun.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

John from the facts as I know them there were indeed more FOMOCOs but IMO because the "C" brand never changed there basic engine more had an opportunity to live on. I've had a few of them and when they recieved the same non-care as a Ford they were just as gummed up.

Today it's just different. As you know you can buy almost everything for a tri5C including frames and bodies. The difference I see is when I take my 56 Victoria to a cruise there are more folks with rememberance stories than for the others. Rarely has anyone said anything bad most wishing they had them back. Whether they be modified or stock when you are the only one and there are 10 of the others you get the attention even if you don't want it....Also many offers $$$$................JD

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

O.K. Guys I can use a little help, there was an article in a car mag. in 57 that shows the building of the 57 Ford that Smokey Yunik built for Curtis Turner to run at Darlington. I have part of it but have lost the rest and there is no name of the mag. on any of the pages. Has any seen this article? Thanks Tom

  JUST A MIDNIGHT CRUISE DOWN THUNDER ROAD!!! TOM DRUMMOND MIDWEST DIRECTOR 57 FORD INTERNATIONAL

Sometime in 1957 Hotrod Mag did a whole article on Jerry Unser's 57 stockcar. It has pictures of the dual shock set-up. I have the issue somewhere, but like Frank, I don't know where I left it.I would guess it was later in the year, after Jerry won Pikes Peak.
How in the world did a Ford beat those fabulous 57 scrubs?????
From the articles you see today you'd think scrub was the only car company in the late 50's.

Maybe someone with more time than I have could look up production numbers for 55-56-57. The point is, in 1957 about 85 out of every 100 people who bought a new car DIDN'T buy a scrub. That's a bit of a guess. The accurate numbers would be interesting.

http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

P.F.There was an organization in Indy called the Society of Autosports,Fellowship and Education or (S.A,F.E.) for short. Don Oldenberg was the S.A,F.E. Convert. champ in 1955 . Bill France merged SAFE and NASCAR in 1956 creating the NASCAR ragtop Division

  JUST A MIDNIGHT CRUISE DOWN THUNDER ROAD!!! TOM DRUMMOND MIDWEST DIRECTOR 57 FORD INTERNATIONAL