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Topic starter
02/03/2021 6:40 am
FRANKLIN MINT vs. DANBURY MINT: 1955 FORD CROWN VICTORIA!
Without looking it up, I'm not sure which Mint gave us the "Crown Vic" first, sort of a "Which came first the Chicken or the Egg question", but I believe it was Franklin's version. However that doesn't matter for this "HEAD to HEAD" MAIN EVENT between the two cars that gave the public one of the most unique and different roof-lines of any automobile to that point in time.
Each Mint in my opinion gave us an outstanding 1:24 scale diecast of an attractive eye-catching car from the Fabulous Fifties. And what was interesting is that though they were each replicated very well, they were different in their own respective ways.
Franklin attached a Continental Kit on the rear of theirs and their roof-line appears to be a slightly lower and sleeker. While Danbury left off the Continental Kit and it's roof-line was less angled forward and appears to be slightly higher in stance. Regardless of these differences, both were then, and I think still today, a representation of one of Ford's most collectible cars ever.
Should also be pointed out, that both Mint's gave us two additional repaints of these cars that were equally "Must Have" if you love Cars of the Fifties. I am in this "Must Have" group and I proudly display all of them on my shelves.
It was the flashy restyle that gave the '55 Ford's their iconic look. They were attractive with their peaked headlight bezels, small tailfins, and a wraparound windshield. The Top-of-the-line Ford's were now called Fairlane's and the Crestliner name of by-gone years was dropped. The Fairlane models bold "checkmark" side body chrome lent itself to beautiful two-tone paint combinations, with vibrant pastel colors such as Goldenrod Yellow, Neptune Green, Tropical Rose and several others.
The most intriguing model was the Crown Victoria with its "Basket-Handle" chrome roof trim. It was the flagship of the Fairlane line. For an additional $70 over the Crown Victoria's $2,220 base price, buyers could choose a "Plexiglass" roof insert, but only 1,999 were so equipped, making them extremely rare today and desired among collectors.
VOTE ABOVE! Which Mint offered the better replicated model?
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
02/03/2021 9:03 am
George, again thanks for the literature. I have both, and a couple of the repaints as well. I was not a real fan of the Rose/White from Franklin. I don't remember seeing very many in this color.
George Schire and George Schire reacted
02/03/2021 9:45 am
I'm going with the Danbury. I am not a fan of continental kits except on very, very few automobiles. And although I dislike fender skirts on most cars, not all, of course, they are not as prominent on the B&W DM model.
And like John, above, I like the DM color choice a little better.
George Schire and George Schire reacted
02/03/2021 9:49 am
I picked the DM version as well. Overall, I believe it just looks a bit better. Now, I still like the FM versions and have all of the colors they issued.
John Merritt
South Lyon, Michigan - USA
George Schire and George Schire reacted
Topic starter
02/03/2021 10:03 am
George, again thanks for the literature. I have both, and a couple of the repaints as well. I was not a real fan of the Rose/White from Franklin. I don't remember seeing very many in this color.
We have a local guy here in the Twin Cities who owns a PINK & WHITE '55 Crown Victoria that is an excellent example of the car. He hangs a White Sport Coat with a Pink Carnation in the drivers side rear window when he attends old car shows.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
02/03/2021 10:58 am
I don't own either model but I choose the DM because it doesn't have the continental kit. I'm not a fan of c-kits in general and especially where the entire bumper is extended. FM did make a cool purple & white version of the '55 Crown Vic which I would have bought if not for the growth on the rear end. 😉
George Schire and George Schire reacted
Topic starter
02/03/2021 12:09 pm
@al_dorado, I hear you friend. However, I learned early on in my diecast collecting that if I waited for the mints to give me every car exactly as I'd like it and in the colors I wished they would be, I'd have far less cars. And sometimes only one mint did the car and maybe only in one color, so I would pass on it, I wouldn't have that particular car represented in my collection.
But hey, I'm with on the extended bumper and connie kits. For my taste they more often than not make a beautiful car far less appealing.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
02/03/2021 12:29 pm
I love both and have every color. By the way, the glass top Fords from 54 through 56 are called Skyliners. In 1957 through 1959 the name was then used on the retractable hardtops.
George Schire and George Schire reacted
02/03/2021 2:58 pm
Danbury mint for me too, and I like the black and white color combination.
David Vandermeer
Corinth, Texas