Vehicle Description
1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
The 1955-57 two seat Ford Thunderbird is among the most recognized
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, a 312ci for this
always garage kept example that has been owned by our consignor
since 1987. Showing with a restoration completed in the 1990's, a
good looking paint job, and 12,500 non verifiable miles, now talk
about suburban driveway jewelry envy!
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 tail
lights, give it a hardtop option complete with a porthole window
and has a convertible underneath, add on fender skirts, a wrap
around windshield, and some chromed trimmings, you have this car.
All straight steel bathed in Colonial White paint showing very
nicely but not without a few chips, scratches, mars, cracks and
areas of paint chipping off. 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 white
porthole fiberglass hardtop and presents with a few seamseparations
and a slightlyyellowed plastic rear window. 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 Ford dish styled ribbed
wheel coverings wrapped in wide whites. Suhhh-weeeet!
Interior
Swing the door and be met with Raven Black and Colonial White
panels that have no idea what a straight line is as to their
design. White vinyl mixes with machined swirl pattern aluminum
inserts for the door handles and actuator and black takes over for
the long arm rest and padded upper sill. Some slight smudging and
light dirt are seen on this door panel. Speaking now of the seat,
it's a gorgeous black bench with white 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 black vinyl for the topper, and more
machined aluminum and a litany of round gauges and chrome bezel
black knobs and pulls. A town and country radio is neatly installed
and as we gaze across this big padded curved top dash we can note
temp, fan controls, and a nearly hidden glove box, but the deeply
inset keyhole gives it away. A metal lower dash also in painted
black and some white kick side panels contrasted by black carpet,
and original steering wheel 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
312 cubes of "Y" block power. Painted a beautiful red, shoehorned
into a well restored engine bay, and topped with cast and ribbed
polished winged valve covers. On top is a 4-barrel carb and on back
a 3-speed automatic Ford-O-Matic tranny. The rear axle takes the
brunt of this power with a Ford 9 inch sporting 3.10 gears. Just
wonderful underneath this scooped hood. Noted is a chromed
"spaceship" styled air cleaner covering floating over the
carburetor. Ver-uuuuhmmmm!
Undercarriage
Showing nicely and original, rust free X framing and floor pans,
reworked suspension which is independent coil springs for the
front, and leaf springs on the back, and they are in good
condition. Power drum brakes are on all 4 corners, and a solid dual
exhaust system is now on. Clean white steel makes up the flooring
and shiny black takes over for the frame and suspension.
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 4 barrels kicked right in,
and I was quickly transported to performance heaven. Great handler,
smooth shifter, quick bias free stopping with those drums, and all
was functioning awesomely save for the radio not belting out any
tunes and the reverse lights not illuminating. 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.
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. Ripe for the picking!
D7FH169113
D-312ci 4bbl V8
7-1957
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
H-Thunderbird
169113-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY PLATE
BODY 40-Thunderbird
COLOR EE-Colonial White
TRIM XA-Raven Black & Colonial White Vinyl
PRODUCTION CODE 17M230123P-December 17th
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.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
