Vehicle Description
While it handily trounced Chevrolet's Corvette by more than 15,400
copies in 1955, not every Ford Thunderbird left the assembly line
fully equipped to completely fulfill its mission as a 'personal
luxury' vehicle. This car is consigned by a local family.
Made in Ford's Detroit, Michigan factory (VIN code F) on January
15, 1955, this example is the 52nd unit off of the production
line.
Finished in Torch Red (code R), the car's paint and trim are in
overall fair order. However, the contrasting white, power rayon
canvas top has some blemishes that should be repaired. The body is
straight and solid, the car's chrome wraparound bumpers fit tightly
to the body and the engine bay is clean. There is a bumper jack in
the trunk.
This T-Bird rolls on Coker Classic wide whitewall tires. Each one
is mounted on a steel wheel and topped with a factory metal wheel
cover. The tires and wheel covers are all in good order, except for
the left rear tire, which have caps.
Beneath the forward-hinged hood is Ford's 292 CID Y-block V-8
engine with a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts. Backing
this motor is Ford's three-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic
transmission and a 3.31:1 final drive. Ford's Master Guide Power
Steering is a driver convenience feature.
This locally consigned T-Bird was handed down through an estate. It
is a nice solid car that has numerous imperfections in the paint as
seen in the photos. Further, the left rear wheel cover is missing.
Wear on the seat, temp and fuel gauge is inop. Brake lights and
turn signals are inop. Left side door glass has a crack. The car
runs and drives out nicely but does have its needs.
Items that are non-operational include the engine temperature
gauge, the fuel gauge, the brake lights and all of the turn
signals. The windshield wipers only operate on 'slow' speed.
Inside, the bench seat, upholstered in red with white trim (code
XB), is in good, original condition with flaws, as is the red
carpet. Some parts are original, like the dashboard, bench seat,
floor-mounted shifter, inner door panels, while other components,
such as the rim of the two-spoke steering wheel, is repainted, as
is the lower dashboard and inner door panel trim. There are also
new lap belts. A factory AM radio completes the interior.
Ford unveiled the Thunderbird at the Detroit Auto Show on February
20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September
9, 1954, went on sale on October 22, 1954, as a 1955 model, and
sold briskly; 3,500 orders were placed in the first 10 days of
sale. While only 10,000 were planned, 16,155 cars were sold during
the debut year.
The Thunderbird came with a removable fiberglass top as standard
equipment, with a fabric convertible top as a commonly specified
option. The engine was Ford's 292-cubic-inch OHV Y-block V-8. The
exhaust pipes exited through twin bumper guards bolted to the rear
bumper.
The car used existing chassis and suspension design and
off-the-shelf Ford mechanical components. It was constructed using
a body-on-frame technique utilizing a version of the standard Ford
design cut-down to a 102-inch wheelbase, identical to the
Corvette's. The engine was paired either with a Ford-O-Matic
automatic or manual overdrive transmissions, and the car featured
four-way powered seats and pushbutton interior door handles. Other
unique features were a telescoping steering wheel and a
tachometer.
Convertible competition to the Thunderbird included AC's Ace, Aston
Martin's DB2-4 Mark II Drophead Coupe, Austin-Healey's 100,
Chevrolet's Corvette, Jaguar's XK-140 and Morgan's Plus 4 TR.
If you're a Ford fan, a Thunderbird collector or if you seek a
foothold in the collectible car universe, this T-Bird is an
entry-level ticket.
VIN: P5FH138103
This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis,
Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 19.039 miles. It is
sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title.
GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!
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pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.
