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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: California/Wisconsin | We just got the car out of the restoration shop and are breaking it in and fine tuning it! This car was found in a Hemmings ad and was essentially a one owner barn find. It was sold new in Denver at Thomas-Hyer dealership and resided on a farm in dry eastern Colorado. She got the La Femme with it's regal and misty orchid paint (only available on La Femme) and he the D500 engine, which must be an unusual build. Chrysler Historical confirmed this build. The car's last license plate was 1973. It was quite solid with no need for floor or trunk work. It had a couple small dents, a broken headlight ring and trunk "V" and wasn't running. That's it! We did a frame off rotisserie restoration, with redone chrome, stainless, interior, and engine and transmission rebuild this past year. She drives like new. We added a record player and rear antennas. The only thing we could not duplicate was the purple and white (yes) tuxedo carpet but ACC had a nice plum carpet. Attached are some before pictures as well as the finished product! We will take it to Iola later this week.
Edited by PolaraPaul 2012-07-08 5:57 PM
(003 (Medium).JPG)
(011 (Medium).JPG)
(019 (Medium).JPG)
(Dec cars 004 (Medium).JPG)
(Dec cars 008 (Medium).JPG)
(la femme build sheet 002 (Medium).JPG)
(Clear Lake 2-7 008 (Medium).JPG)
(Clear Lake 2-7 001 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 001 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 006 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 007 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 011 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 014 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 019 (Medium).JPG)
(1956 Dodge La femme 023 (Medium).JPG)
Attachments ---------------- 003 (Medium).JPG (134KB - 945 downloads) 011 (Medium).JPG (195KB - 552 downloads) 019 (Medium).JPG (187KB - 489 downloads) Dec cars 004 (Medium).JPG (149KB - 490 downloads) Dec cars 008 (Medium).JPG (128KB - 501 downloads) la femme build sheet 002 (Medium).JPG (97KB - 572 downloads) Clear Lake 2-7 008 (Medium).JPG (165KB - 579 downloads) Clear Lake 2-7 001 (Medium).JPG (107KB - 469 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 001 (Medium).JPG (137KB - 5397 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 006 (Medium).JPG (124KB - 935 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 007 (Medium).JPG (118KB - 596 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 011 (Medium).JPG (159KB - 1545 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 014 (Medium).JPG (139KB - 770 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 019 (Medium).JPG (131KB - 3138 downloads) 1956 Dodge La femme 023 (Medium).JPG (135KB - 2467 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 466
Location: Vancouver, Washington | That car is absolutely fabulous. I love 56 Dodge's and this one is certainly extra special. Absoultely impressive results. Thanks for posting pics. My uncle has a 56 Royal he is restoring. These pics are just the motivating push to get him on the move. |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13049
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Fabulous car, a pice of history saved!!!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1115
Location: CA | That is one fantastic machine. Great job! |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | ...Might just win something, there, Paul!
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Expert
Posts: 3480
Location: Montreal, Canada | Superb! What a wonderful car and great restoration! |
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Expert
Posts: 4040
Location: Connecticut | Chrysler Corp should have marketed this car as: "56 Dodge LaFemme D-500. For fast women !" LOL Ron Beautiful job, BTW.
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7207
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | Very Nice ! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 496
| The car looks great!! So odd that it's a La Femme with the Hemi... AND no power steering or brakes!
Love it!
Aaron |
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Regular
Posts: 75
Location: Wilkinson, Indiana | What an great find and a fabulous restoration on such a rare car!!! OUTSTANDING!!!
John |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7207
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | You would have thought that the LaFemme would have had at least Power steering as standard equipment, being marketed to the ladies! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 802
Location: Norcross (Atlanta area), GA | Did your LaFemme have all the fashion accessories with it when you bought it?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 957
Location: Signal Mountain, TN | Beautiful job, they did... I love the La Femme cars... My wife has said on multiple occasions how she'd love to own one.
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Expert
Posts: 2788
Location: USA - KY |
Fabulous car! Another great car saved and so very well presented!
Beautiful job.
Thumbs WAY up.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1053
Location: Ny | I've always wanted a La Femme! Yours is such a beautiful specimen-- that interior is to die for. Congrats on such a fabulous restoration! |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Hey, paul; I think that we may have PM'ed about this, already, but does your Macho-LaFemme have the extra rear
leaf springs and/or the 12" x 2 1/2" brakes on it?
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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Alberta, Canada | Congratulations on a great looking restoration. Is the interior to original? I don't recall ever seeing the interior on one of these before. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1120
Location: Brisbane, Australia | Congratulations! what a wonderful looking and rare car. Very forward looking for 1956!
Love the colours and the upholstry.
Bob |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1107
Location: Arvada, Colorado (NW Denver Metro Area) | Outstanding find and restoration (Also stay out of my state and scooping up cars that were meant for me! LOL)
Very Nice! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1115
Location: CA | That original carpeting is really something! I thought the Desoto Adventurers got some really fancy carpeting but these cars are even better. I've never seen that before! What a car. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 608
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | When you switched to the rear antennas, did you fill the hole from the original front antenna? |
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Veteran
Posts: 259
Location: Hinnerup, Jylland (Jutland), Denmark | Hi PolaraPaul !
That is a beautiful car, I love these special Chrysler Corp. models, like the "Le femme",
"Windsor Dartline, "Custom Regal Lancer", also detail's lke the crazy/greate color's
from the late 60's early 70's, and what abouth the "Mod Top" roof's from that period.
The "La femme" has a lot of greate detail's, like a greate color combination,
a greate interior and a lot of realy weird/nice accesories, I have read so many
different version's of what accesorie's was standard, so does annyone know
realy know ???
Torben
58WindsorDartline |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1172
Location: Georgia | What a beauty! Well done, Paul!
Could anyone answer if those wheelcovers are just regular '56 Dodge with the black-out center not painted black? Is that a
La Femme trait? I've never seen that before.
Beautiful car!
Pete |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: California/Wisconsin | Thanks for all the positive comments...much appreciated. I suppose it wasn't ordered with PS and PB because it was not going to be a city car, but rather a farm country car. The interior duplicates the original (but unusable moused-out interior) with fabrics and vinyl from SMS (thanks Chuck) and steering wheel recast by Quality Restorations (thanks Dennis). The wheel covers are the standard original, polished, without the black centers and white outer boxes painted yet. The wheels are original and the D500 5 1/2 by 15 size. We do not have the 56 La Femme accessories (raincape, umbrella, and rainhat in "the lovely Orchid Jacquard fabric"). Yes, we filled the front antenna hole when we switched to the dual rear antennas. Paul |
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Veteran
Posts: 259
Location: Hinnerup, Jylland (Jutland), Denmark | Hi Paul !
Regarding the accesories, I think I have also heard abouth, rain boots, a shopping bag, and a small beauty box,
has annyone els heard of that, or maby more.
Torben
58WindsorDartline
Edited by 58WindsorDartline 2012-07-11 10:32 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1053
Location: Ny | This details the 55 and 56 accessories...
http://www.dodgelafemme.com/access.htm |
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Veteran
Posts: 259
Location: Hinnerup, Jylland (Jutland), Denmark | Hi Jessica !
Thanks a lot for your link, it gave us or at least me some got info,
I was partly right then, I just love these accesories, they are crazy/nice.
Torben
58WindsorDartline |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: hampton mn | What a nice car! I jealous with your minimal rust repair. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1053
Location: Ny | Hi Torben,
Yes, it's a shame they discontinued the hand bag after '55. If someone had the right fabric and knew a decent seamstress/tailor, they could probably make a replica of the rain cape and umbrella.
Edited by Jessica 2012-07-14 1:32 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 259
Location: Hinnerup, Jylland (Jutland), Denmark | Hi Jessica !
That could be nice, there might be some owners of "La femme's,
that don't have the original accesories, but would like to.
Torben
58WindsorDartline |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1053
Location: Ny | I used to own a 60 Rambler wagon and always wanted to make a set of the mosquito nets I saw in the accessories brochure. I always thought these fun little accessories added such character to a car, plus.. the umbrella/rain cape could come in handy if caught in a rain storm! If I owned a La Femme, I would certainly attempt it. Who knows, once my 55 Fireflite is finished, I might have to make/find some accessories to wear that reminisce the time period.
Edited by Jessica 2012-07-17 12:28 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: California/Wisconsin | bump for Scott to see. |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Dorset, England | Hubba hubba!!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 907
Location: Magra, Sweden | Faboulus La Femme! Love it
Did the D-500 originally come with single exhaust? I see a heat shield only on the right side of the floor pan. I would expect dual heat shields on a car with dual exhausts. |
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Regular
Posts: 68
Location: Mitchell Nebraska | Paul,thanks for posting.Beautiful car .Hope mine looks 1/2 that good someday.
(image.jpg)
Attachments ---------------- image.jpg (38KB - 402 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: California/Wisconsin | Car is shown at the Concours de Elegance at St Johns in 2014, winning" Best Use of Color." Left is Vigil Exner Jr., who judged the foward look display. Virgil related how his father worked with a rather busty and attractive women to pick out the fabrics,colors,and accessories for the car.
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Attachments ---------------- 1-29-15 ALL PHOTOS 1026 (Medium).JPG (206KB - 416 downloads)
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: California/Wisconsin | Chrysler had a show car in 1954 called the La Comtesse. Based on a Chrysler Newport, it had a clear plastic roof and was painted Dusty Rose and Pigeon Gray with tapestry fabric, conveying femininity. Car was at the same show Concours de Elegance of America at St John's in Michigan 2014.
(1-29-15 ALL PHOTOS 1018 (Medium).JPG)
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Attachments ---------------- 1-29-15 ALL PHOTOS 1018 (Medium).JPG (178KB - 542 downloads) 1-29-15 ALL PHOTOS 1015 (Medium).JPG (187KB - 430 downloads) 1-29-15 ALL PHOTOS 1014 (Medium).JPG (231KB - 415 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 907
Location: Magra, Sweden | Both the La Comtesse and a 55 La Femme was restored by Chrysler Historical Collection and are displayed at the W.P.C. Museum. |
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Expert
Posts: 2308
Location: The Bat Cave, Fairborn, OH | La Comtesse is at the WPC Museum. I saw it last year (2014) when the WPC Club had its national meet in Auburn Hills. I thought it was a static display but it seems it runs and has been out to the car shows now and then. It is a very cool car in concept, but a very hot one with that plexiglas roof I expect. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 907
Location: Magra, Sweden | When Ferd offered the Skyliner with plexi glass roof 1954-56 they got problem with cars building up terrible heat inside so customers lost interest in them.
A lot of them ended up in Sweden where we don't have too hot in summer. |
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Regular
Posts: 66
Location: Washington,DC | Nice Car. Love the 56 La Femme. |
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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Somewhere between here and there... | The original carpet was more of a purple and pink, not purple and white. I have an unfaded example here:
http://www.dodgelafemme.com/images/carpet.jpg |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335
Location: California/Wisconsin | got it. |
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