Vehicle Description
1957 Ford Thunderbird Roadster
The 1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbirds is among the most recognized
and iconic American cars. 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 upgraded from
the original D-code single 4bbl to an E-code spec dual 4bbl
carburetor arrangement, 3-speed stick shift and retains both of
it''s tops. A photo documented frame off restoration completed in
2012 using many rare parts and still looking gorgeous in every
aspect, along with many Best Of Show wins, 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
black canvas convertible underneath, add on fender skirts, a wrap
around windshield, and some chromed trimmings, you have this car.
All straight steel bathed in a rarely seen color change of Sunlit
Gold paint showing nearly no flaws in the miles deep finish and
mirror like chrome bumpers, egg crate grille, and for the rear in
bumper exhaust ports, this car screams steel sex. A black canvas
convertible top is underneath the body matching Sunlit Gold 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 highly polished turbine style wheel covers, all wrapped in wide
white radials. Suh-weeeeet!
Interior
Swing the door and be met with cream white panels that do not know
what a straight line is as to their design. Cream white vinyl mixes
with machined swirl pattern aluminum inserts for the door handles,
window cranks, 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 bezel black knobs
and pulls. An aftermarket AM/FM/Cassette 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 black
carpet, and a smaller diameter heavily padded steering wheel, (the
original wheel is included), 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 312ci "Y" block. Painted a beautiful red, shoehorned into a
totally restored engine bay, 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 with overdrive transmission. The rear
axle takes the brunt of this power with a 9-inch size, and 3.70
gears. Just wonderful underneath this scooped hood.
Ver-uuuuhmmmm!
Undercarriage
Completely restored, nice shiny black frame and clean pale yellow
underpants, with a new fuel tank, reworked suspension which has
independent coil springs for the front, and leaf springs on the
back, and they look showroom. Power drum brakes are on all 4
corners, and a very clean like new exhaust system with Cherrybomb
mufflers and resonators 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 power 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
D7FH250234
D-312ci V8 4bbl 245hp
7-1957
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
H-Thunderbird
250234-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY TAG
BODY 40-Thunderbird
COLOR NN-Gunmetal Gray
TRIM XH-Flame Red
PROD CODE 20C-March 20th Build
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 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.
