Vehicle Description
1956 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
A young Ford designer won $250 when his idea for naming the car was
selected over Hep Cat, Flag-liner, and Beaver. He was inspired by
the image on a mug he had from New Mexico which depicted a Native
American mythological bird that created thunder, lightning, and
rain.
For consignment, a 1956 Ford Thunderbird convertible that was the
recipient of an older restoration. 15,631 Thunderbirds were
produced in 1956, their second year, and about 3,800 of them were
painted black.
Exterior
Our car and its hardtop are painted Raven Black which is contrasted
nicely by the 15-inch wheel covers, each branded with the Ford
shield. That hardtop represents the only top the car comes with and
of course, contains that legendary porthole added in 1956. Other
design cues that make these early Thunderbirds special include the
front fascia with torpedo-like bumper guards, inset headlights, and
a rising air scoop on the hood. Side gill trim mimics fender vents
and the straight shoulder line of the car terminates at the top of
a rear fin over round taillights. Fender skirts obscure part of the
rear wheels and were originally conceived as a streamlining tool
but probably do more for the style profile of a car. A spare tire
is encased in a hard cover as part of the Continental kit, which
debuted on the Edsel. Metal work is a mix of very good and some
that need some more polishing, while one bumper has some surface
rust in place of some missing plating. Imperfections in the paint
include various cracks and scratches, touched up scratches, and a
rust through under one of the exhaust outlets, which are embedded
in the rear bumper.
Interior
White vinyl panels with black painted headers and black armrests
are enhanced by a patterned aluminum panel on the door cards, an
interesting and artful design that shows a bit of wear but is
intact. As always with the early Thunderbirds, the color and
material patterns flow to the dashboard and a rising windowed
speedometer arches over the driver's side, flanked by a round clock
and tachometer. An AM/FM/Cassette radio is under the dash courtesy
light and climate controls are to the right of center, but still
reachable by the driver. The bench seat has connecting white
pleated inserts connected in the middle and defines the two seats,
also showing some wear here that could benefit from a detailing. A
floor mounted shifter has a loose and somewhat tattered boot,
situated amongst black loop carpet, looking just a bit tired but
protected by older floor mats. The white perforated headliner of
the hardtop is intact but could use a good cleaning.
Drivetrain
Lifting the reverse opening hood we note some bubbling on the
underside and possibly some repair filler. The engine itself is in
driver quality condition and consists of a 292ci V8 rated at 202
horsepower and fueled by a 4-barrel carburetor. The 3-speed manual
transmission sends power to the rear wheels and a Dana 44 with 3.73
gears. Drum brakes are found front and rear.
Undercarriage
More driver quality conditions prevail underneath with surface rust
on the exhaust, driveshaft, and other components, oil on the rear
differential, and slight build up on the steering knuckles and
suspension components. The dual exhaust travels into a pair of
stock style mufflers before exiting through the rear bumper ports.
Suspension consists of coil springs in front and leaf springs in
the back. Some invasive rust is noted in the flooring in a few
areas.
Drive-Ability
It was recommended by our consignor to let the car warm up which we
did and still noted some exhaust leaks and immediately noticed a
soft brake pedal. That being said, the car ran fine with the
unsurprising power offered up by the V8. The portholes help with
blind spot visibility and the hardtop otherwise feels like a cocoon
and is ready for foul weather. For functionality, only the horn and
clock were not working. While Classic Auto Mall represents that
these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we
cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of
your purchase.
Here's a baby bird that needs a little TLC and one you can drive
without worrying about a concours level restoration. It's also a
great start if you want to be the one to take it to the next level,
it's got great bones and unlike true bird bones, these are not
hollow! One of the quintessential classic cars in black is ready to
find a new nest to roost in.
M6FH286657
M-292ci 4bbl 202hp V8
6-1956
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
H-Thunderbird
286657-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY PLATE
BODY 40H-Thunderbird
COLOR A-Raven Black
TRIM XA-Black & White
PRODUCTION CODE 7EDC109-May 7th, Washington DC District
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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