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, and went on sale on October 22, 1954 as a 1955 model, and sold briskly; 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale. While only 10,000 were planned, 16,155 were sold in 1955. As standard, the 1955 Ford Thunderbird included a removable fiberglass top; a fabric convertible top was an option. The engine is a 292 Y-block V8, which got 18MPG. The car has fender skirts. The exhaust pipes exites through twin bumper guards, which are bolted to the rear bumper.
