This 1955 Ford Thunderbird was the 115th unit to come off the assembly line on September 23, 1954, but it has since undergone many changes as it was transformed into a street rod T-Bird. A 428 CobraJet FE V8 replaced the original 292 "Y" block and the suspension/braking components were upgraded. Mustang Yellow paint (circa 1999) now covers the originally Thunderbird Blue body. A three-year restoration/modification was completed in 2000 and several updates were completed between 2020 and 2023.
Performance parts include an Edelbrock Performer camshaft and lifters, an Edelbrock F427 intake manifold, Holley 750-cfm carburetor, Hedman headers, a Mallory dual-point distributor, and an aluminum radiator, high-flow water pump, 190-degree thermostat, electric fan, and a Corvette expansion tank to help keep the engine cool. The battery was relocated to the trunk. Cold starts take a couple throttle pumps. Blue smoke is evident when starting if the car sits longer than 48 hours and there is a minor oil leak from the rear main seal. The transmission is a rebuilt 1968 C-6 automatic that shifts smoothly through all gears, although reverse can "clunk" when cold. The transmission has a 12-inch Continental torque converter and a floor shifter from a '72 Mustang. The rear end is a narrowed Ford 9-inch from a '67 Galaxie with a 3.25:1 limited slip center section and 31-spline axles. There is minor seepage from the transmission.
The body and frame are original to the car although the data plate color code "T" indicates the car was originally Thunderbird Blue. The current color is 1999 Mustang Yellow basecoat/clearcoat with a Snowshoe White removable hardtop and a black canvas soft top. The hardtop was restored and installed in 2020 and is actually a '56 top, as identified by the portholes. The hood has four rows of louvers. The seller classifies the paint condition as "generally good" as there are minor scratches on the left rear quarter panel and the passenger’s door. There are no dents and any scratches have been touched up. All the glass was replaced during the restoration along with the rubber seals.
The firewall data plate lists "C" for the interior code which translates to Turquoise and White vinyl upholstery. It has since been replaced with black and white vinyl in the original pattern. The driver's side could use some extra foam padding. The power seat works correctly in the vertical mode but not the horizontal mode and the black carpet was replaced during the restoration. The traditional-style gauges are from Classic Instruments. The car has aftermarket air conditioning and a functional heater. The steering wheel is a Grant "Classic Nostalgia" model that was added in 2020.
The original frame was modified to accommodate the Mustang II front suspension and the narrowed 9-inch rear end, and the front springs have been shortened and the rear end is located via a two-link system and parallel leaf springs. The 11-inch front disc brakes were upgraded with new discs, calipers, and pads in 2020. The master cylinder is from a '76 Pinto and the rear brakes are drums. The wheels are rare Mehelich slotted alloys with three-wing knock off centers. The front wheels are 14x6 inch with P195/70R14 BFGoodrich Radial T/As and the rear wheels are 15x7-inch with P225/60R15 Radial T/As that were original to the restoration, according to the seller, which makes them over 20 years old.
DATA PLATE
ENGINE
TRANSMISSION & REAR END
SUSPENSION
EXTERIOR
INTERIOR
ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE/UPGRADES
