Original Color and Trim

[enthusiastm]

I've never seen an original Color code AV (Raven Black/Flame Red) 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 (excluding Sunliner and Skyliner) and would like to know if anyone has, and what was its Trim code. I have an original 1957 Ford Upholstery Selections dealer book with samples of all the available Trim choices, none of which are black/red so I'd really like to determine what was offered with this color combination. I have seen photos of Raven Black/Flame Club Victoria's with Red/White trim (all Victoria's selections are shown with Colonial White Vinyl Bolster except the Gold Ripple Wave option), but I'd like to know if that was the only interior Trim available with Color Code AV. In particular, the Fairlane 500 Club Sedan is shown as available in Raven Black/Flame Red on the original Style Tone Selections chart, but the available interior colors for that model were limited to AR - Blue Basket-Weave Fabric & Blue Sculptured Fabric, AS - Green Basket-Weave Fabric & Green Sculptured Fabric, R - Gray Basket-Weave Fabric & Gray Sculptured Fabric, S - Brown Basket-Weave & Brown Sculptured Fabric and T - Gold Basket-Weave & Black Sculptured Fabric, none of which I can imagine paired with the black and red exterior.

[lalessi1]

Look at 1957Ford.com, interior code AT with color swatches. There is a red over black Fairlane 500 Club Victoria in the "A New Kind of Ford for '57" sales brochure and I have seen a black over red one in pictures. I bet Ford would have made any interior,exterior color combination. I ordered a GM car in the early 70's with a "not available" color interior for the exterior color I wanted. You should talk to LeBaron-Bonney, they can give you actual fabric samples.

[enthusiastm]

Thanks Lynn. I think you're absolutely right that one could get anything wanted in 1957 so I'm keen to find out what was standard Trim for the exterior code AV. I believe that most Fairlane 500's with the AV-Raven Black and Flame Red Style Tone exteriors would have come with red interior and white accents as standard default (as in the brochure), or possibly the AT Ripple Wave option that you've mentioned, but I'd really like to see some original Data Plates. Perhaps even more so the Fairlane 500 Club Sedans since there is no standard Trim shown for those with any red at all.
If anyone knows of a 1957 Fairlane 500 hardtop or sedan with the Color code AV on its Data Plate, I sure like to hear about it.

[enthusiastm]

I should've have probably mentioned that I have an all original un-restored Club Victoria color AE Raven Black/Colonial White and Trim AT that I'm seriously considering changing to Raven Black/Flame Red because the white just doesn't appeal to me very much. If I can convince myself that one may have come with the AT Gold Ripple Weave interior that would help. Then as I looked I became very curious about the lack of any hardtop or sedan Data Plates with the Color code AV at all.

[SkylinerRon]

Having ordered cars for dealers for years let me try to explain the process.
Back in 57 there was basicly one car series split up into four price/trim points unlike
today when you have 5-10 different bodies/models.
Buying a Custom back then was sorta like an escort today, a Fairlane 500 like a Crown Vic.
Ford wasn't putting F500 interiors in Customs ever. Defeats the purpose of lines.
Generally when you order a car the co's won't build a "mistake" like a green car with a blue interior.
Sometimes they will charge a "Special Paint" type option which tells them you really want the color combo as ordered.
I once had a customer order a silver blue car w/green interior (he was color blind and complained that he had to
pay extra $14!).

Ron.

[enthusiastm]

Makes sense Ron. So, if someone ordered a 500 Club Sedan in black and red, what color would its interior be from the factory?

[enthusiastm]

Based on the information I've been able to collect, mostly from 1957Ford.com's registry, the Trim for a Fairlane 500 Club Sedan or Town Sedan with exterior Color code AV Raven Black/Flame Red would've been "R - Gray Basket-Weave Fabric & Gray Sculptured Fabric".
Victorias with Color code AV would've been "AJ - White Vinyl & Red Silver-Shadow Fabric" or possibly "U - White Vinyl & Black Silver-Shadow Fabric", and maybe "AT - Black Vinyl & Gold Ripple-Wave Fabric", but I haven't been able to confirm the latter.