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Vehicle Description
1957 Ford Thunderbird Roadster
The 1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbirds is among the most recognized
and iconic American car. It's been put in television shows, movies
and print advertisements, not to mention being pictured on a U.S.
postage stamp. The mass media often has mistakenly called any
sporty looking car, such as the Ford Mustang, a "sports car." It's
given the 1955-57 Thunderbird the same description, although Ford
stressed from the get-go that its new baby was a "personal car."
Ford knew that the sports cars market was very limited and that
calling the Thunderbird a "personal car" would give it much broader
appeal.
For consignment, a personal car (as dubbed by Ford) 2-seater adult
getaway vehicle. This would be the last year for a good while for
this two seat configuration, and is widely thought to be the best
year of the first generation T bird. 1957 saw Ford add some extra
options including power which this one has been bored to a 312 ci
for this "C" series which came with a 2-barrel carburetor, 3-speed
stick shift and retains its larger "G" heads in this engine during
its total rebuild. Overall gorgeous in every aspect, it's gonna go,
go GO!
Exterior
When you pen a thin bodied, long hood with a scoop, and canted tail
fin 2 seater car, throw on some jet age styling for the taillights,
give it a hardtop option complete with a porthole window and has a
convertible underneath, add on fender skirts, a wrap around
windshield, and some chromed trimmings, you have this car. All
straight steel bathed in Flame Red paint showing a few smudged
areas but certainly not a deal breaker, and mirror like chrome
bumpers, egg crate grille, and for the rear in bumper exhaust
ports, this car screams steel sex. A white canvas convertible top
is underneath the red hardtop and presents as very clean and tear
free with a clear rear window in plastic. With the hardtop,
convertible up and down you are basically getting 3 totally
different looking cars, and the ability to use year-round. Before I
move on, we need to give a shout out to the Kelsey wire wheels from
a 1962 Thunderbird, and all wrapped in wide white radials.
Suh-weeeeet!
Interior
Swing the door and be met with white panels that do not know what a
straight line is as to their design. White vinyl mixes with
machined swirl pattern aluminum inserts for the door handles and
power seat controls. Speaking of the seat, it's a gorgeous white
bench with tuck and roll inserts and smooth bolsters that curves
neatly into the body styling and allows for the top to hide behind
it. For the dash a big curved overhanging cowl in padded white
vinyl for the topper, and more machined aluminum and a litany of
round gauges and chrome bezeled black knobs and pulls. An
aftermarket radio is now neatly installed and as we gaze across
this big padded curved top dash, we can note temp, fan controls,
and a nearly hidden glovebox, but the deeply inset keyhole gives it
away. A metal lower dash also in painted white and some white kick
side panels contrasted by red carpet, and original steering wheel
clean as a whistle, and you will be left
awestruck...Bee-uitfuhl!
Drivetrain
A flip of the front hinged hood and more bling with some sting with
a 292ci "Y" block now bored to 312 cubes. Painted a beautiful red,
shoehorned into a totally restored engine bay, and some "G" code
bigger heads now strapped on and topped with cast and ribbed
polished winged valve covers. On top are now dual 4-barrel carbs
and on back a 3-speed manual tranny. The rear axle takes the brunt
of this power with a 9-inch size, and 3.56 gears. Just wonderful
underneath this scooped hood. Ver-uuuuhmmmm!
Undercarriage
Completely restored, nice shiny black frame and underpants, with a
new fuel tank, reworked suspension which is independent coil
springs for the front, and leaf springs on the back, and they look
showroom. Drum brakes are on all 4 corners, and a very clean like
new exhaust system is now on. Yeeeowww-za!
Drive-Ability
She fired right up with a low rumble, and it was off to the test
track with a snap back of my neck. Those dual 4bbls kicked right in
and I was quickly transported to performance heaven. Great handler,
smooth shifter, quick bias free stopping with those drums, and all
was functioning awesomely.
1957 never looked so good with this beautifully restored and cared
for Bird. Very few criticisms for this car where a nice job has
been performed everywhere, even underneath. If you are in the
market for a classic bird, or just want to get your wife on board
to help clean out the other side of your garage, you need to see
this spectacle of Ford design in its last year of the two seater
until Y2K.
VIN DECODE
C7FH315042
C-292ci V8 2bbl
7-1957
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
H-Thunderbird
315042-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY TAG
BODY 40-Thunderbird
COLOR VE-Flame Red/Colonial White
TRIM XH-Flame Red Pleated Vinyl
DATE 18F-June 18th
TRANS 1-3 Speed Manual
AXLE 2-3.56 Gears
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
