For Sale: 1957 Ford Thunderbird in O'Fallon, Illinois

Gateway Classic Cars of Charlotte is proud to digitally present this 1957 Ford Thunderbird from the Kyle Busch Motorsports Collection.The first generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a two-seat convertible produced by Ford for the 1955 to 1957 model year, the first 2-seat Ford since 1938. It was developed in response to the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, which showed the Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette, in turn, was developed in response to the popularity of European sports cars among Americans.Dubbed a "personal car of distinction" by Ford, this appellation was also used by the motoring press at the time. The car was built upon the heritage of the bespoke roadsters of the 1930s yet was constructed mainly of existing components, marking the first step toward the evolution of the personal luxury car as a mass market segment in the United States. While lightweight for its era and fitted with a standard V8 engine, the Thunderbird focused more on driver comfort than speed and was not a direct rival to the Corvette or European sports cars. The Thunderbird proved more suited to the American market than the Corvette, with sales of 16,155 versus 674 Corvettes in 1955.This stunning example of the 1957 Thunderbird is finished in a lovely factory color Dusk Rose, a new color for 1957, with a crisp White interior is a Gold award winner at the San Jose California Concours event. The color-matched iconic port-hole hardtop is included, allowing you to enclose the seating compartment if desired. Whether you have the top down or up, you can enjoy your favorite music via the modern RetroAudio stereo, complete with AUX input, so you can listen to all your favorite classics while you cruise around town. On those days of driving the winding backroads or parked upfront at your local event, the clean white soft-top is stowed away, ready to be deployed should the sun or wind be too much for your liking. Speaking of driving, you will be propelled along the twisting and undulating roadways via the recently rebuilt 312ci V8 hooked to a silky shifting automatic transmission. The engine bay is just as clean if not cleaner than the exterior, truly one of the finest examples you will come across. Everything is finished neatly and is a feast for the eyes. Whether you are a long-time Thunderbird fanatic or admire quality craftsmanship, you will assuredly appreciate the level of detail and care that has gone into this classic representation of what driver freedom and the carefree mobilization of the population for recreational enjoyment during the 1950s is truly about.Contact the Gateway Classic Cars - Charlotte Showroom today for more details on adding this epitome of automotive history into your garage before it flies away!