Vehicle Description
This 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible would make a great summer
driver and comes loaded with options! In the early-1950s, America's
car manufacturers began to recognize a hole in the market for an
American-made sports car. At the time, Americans were buying sports
cars but most of them were European imports. In 1954, Chevrolet
debuted its sports car, the Corvette, and independent American
automaker Kaiser-Willys debuted its version, the Kaiser Darrin. On
October 25, 1954, the Ford Motor Company introduced its sports car,
the Ford Thunderbird. Considered by Ford as their flagship
"personal luxury car" it was touted as being more luxurious and
feature-rich than its chief rival, the Corvette. While the Corvette
began to get garner some sales traction, critics lamented it for
its lack-luster performance due to the lack of a V8 engine, stiff
riding suspension, and its meager creature comforts. Ford's
approach to the Thunderbird sought to alleviate those concerns.
First, Ford put an overhead valve V8 in the T-Bird which provided
better, and much-desired performance. Second, Ford equipped the
Thunderbird with a smoother riding suspension to give the T-Bird a
"personal luxury" feel while cruising down the road. Last, the
T-Bird was offered with numerous add-on creature comforts such as
power steering, power brakes, power seats, and power windows. With
a Corvette-beating strategy coupled with a gorgeously designed
automobile, the Thunderbird was an instant hit. The '55 T-Bird was
a status symbol among high society and Hollywood's elites, and it
even out-sold the Corvette in its respective debut by a significant
margin. With only a few refinements, the '56 Thunderbird was
largely unchanged from the '55 model. While the Thunderbird still
sold particularly well in 1956, there was a minor sales dip and it
became evident that the public was hungry for a new design. In
1957, the Ford Thunderbird underwent its first major stylistic
redesign in the car's short history in what became a one-year only
body. Up front, the '57 Thunderbird retained the iconic T-Bird
style so the majority of the redesign occurred in the car's rear.
Perhaps most noticeable were the rear quarter panels, which were
now adorned with sleek, slanted fins that gave the 1957 Thunderbird
its futuristic and ultimately iconic design. The trunk on the '57
T-Bird was also elongated so that it had enough space to store a
spare tire along with some groceries and perhaps a set of golf
clubs. The interiors were also updated including a redesigned,
wraparound padded dash complete with a more performance-oriented
instrument cluster. In total, Ford produced 21,380 Thunderbirds in
1957 which makes them highly collectible convertibles today. Under
the hood of this '57 T-Bird is a 312 Cubic Inch V8 engine fed by an
upgraded Holley single 4 barrel carburetor. This Thunderbird's V8
is backed by an automatic transmission that makes this 50s
convertible an easy car for anybody to drive. Exhaust leaves this
Baby Bird's powerplant via a dual exhaust setup that generates a
wonderful throaty sound from the through-bumper tailpipes. This
1957 Thunderbird is loaded with fantastic options! With power
brakes, bringing this early Ford sports car to a complete stop is
made much easier. Power steering is another wonderful option on
this T-Bird since it makes squeezing into a tight space at the
local car show or ice cream parlor almost effortless. A driver's
side chrome mirror is another great add-on to any classic car since
it greatly improves visibility. This '57 Thunderbird also comes
equipped with a manually-operated white vinyl convertible top
should you get caught in the rain or better yet, need a bit more
shade from the sun on hot summer day. Riding on a set of wide
whitewall bias-ply tires accented with turbine-style wheelcovers,
this Thunderbird has a truly upscale look whether you've just
parked or you're cruising down the road. The body of this T-Bird
Convertible has been correctly finished in Thunderbird Bronze, just
how it came when it rolled off the Dearborn, Michigan, factory
floor back in 1957. The interior of this 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Convertible looks classy! The bench seat has been correctly
upholstered in Copper vinyl. The driver and passenger power side
windows go up and down with ease as they are operated with a simple
flick of a switch. The copper upholstered door panels, carpeting,
padded dash, and steering wheel all appear to remain in their stock
configuration, exuding this T-Bird's originality. The engine-turned
trimmed instrument cluster is equipped with a 140 MPH speedometer,
5,000 RPM tachometer, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and clock. The
dash is completed with a push-button AM radio, climate controls,
and a locking glovebox. Whether you're adding to your Blue Oval
collection or you're buying your very first classic car, this 1957
Ford Thunderbird would make a fantastic addition. Give Ellingson's
a call today at 763-428-7337!
*312 Cu. In. V8
*Holley Single 4 Barrel Carburetor
*Automatic Transmission
*Power Brakes
*Power Steering
*White Vinyl Soft Top
*Correct Thunderbird Bronze Exterior
*Correct Copper Vinyl Bench Seat
*Power Windows
*Wide Whitewall Tires
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 88,042 Miles
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price.
For more information and a current list of vehicles, call
763-428-7337.