Vehicle Description
Vehicle to be offered for Auction sale August 17th - 19th, 2017 at
Russo and Steele's 17th Annual Monterey, California Auction. Please
contact us for more information. Based on a show car debuted in
February 1954, Ford's sleek two-seater Thunderbird was introduced
during October 22, crowning a very successful year in which Ford
sold nearly 1.5 million cars, marking the second-best model year in
company history. Conceived as a sporting personal car rather than
as a sports car, the Thunderbird was a sophisticated alternative to
Chevrolets somewhat haphazard fiberglass Corvette, with its weaker
6 cylinder engine and flapping side curtains. Low slung and of all
metal construction, the T-Bird came with a powerful 292 cubic-inch
V-8, removable hardtop, and plenty of standard and optional
features. A total of 16,155 examples were sold for 1955, as opposed
to just 700 Corvettes. The 1956 Thunderbird was relatively
unchanged, though the hard top gained porthole windows, the spare
tire was changed to an external Continental mounting to gain trunk
space, and a 312 cubic inch Thunderbird Special V-8 was optional.
Curiously, sales dipped slightly to 15,631. Redesigned for 1957,
the final 2 seater Thunderbirds are considered by many today as the
most beautiful of all. The front bumper was smoothed out and
dropped down in the center, the trunk extended to accommodate the
spare wheel re positioned inside, and pair of tasteful canted
tailfins flowed back to the big round taillights. Smaller diameter
14 inch wheels lowered the car and several high-performance engines
were offered, up to a 285-hp racing special. Sales rose briskly to
21,380 for 1957, but it would in fact be the final model year for
the 2 seater Thunderbird until 2003. Benefiting from a by the book
concours caliber, frame off rotisserie restoration performed to
Classic Thunderbird Club International standards, this outstanding
1957 Thunderbird now stands ready to compete in the Excellence in
Authenticity category at any showing. Spanning a four-year period,
the Thunderbirds restoration was performed by the professionals by
AMS, which is located in Phoenix, Arizona at the former Cragar
Wheel facility. Duffee Motor Sports, working in consultation with
John Mummert, the Ford Y-Block engine expert, restored the 312
cubic-inch engine to the factory-optional E-Code 285-hp
specification. A T-85 3-speed overdrive manual transmission and
4.11:1 rear gears send the power to the road. Highly desirable
features and options include the Engine Dress-Up Kit, power brakes,
and true Kelsey-Hayes wire-spoke wheels, plus a heater, radio, and
black soft-top. The porthole hard top was professionally restored.
Having traveled less than 100 miles since completion and
accompanied by complete documentation and photographs of the
restoration process, this 1957 Thunderbird is a simply stellar
example from the historic final year of 2 seater Little Bird
production.
