Vehicle Description
Vehicle to be offered for Auction sale January 19th - 22nd, 2017 at Russo and Steele's 17th Annual Scottsdale Arizona Auction at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Please contact us for more information.
Immaculately restored in its correct Raven Black, this numbers-matching 1955 Thunderbird impresses with every detail. There's nothing more beautiful than Ford's personal convertible in black and chrome. Code A Raven Black paint covers every square inch of the body to great effect. It's part of a painstaking restoration that brought this car back to the day it left the Dearborn factory. Fit and finish are extremely good, with doors that close with authority. It's the kind of panel fit that when the black hard top is removed, the car has that clean, unbroken lines front to rear that have made these cars an icon. It is truly a grand touring car with hood scoop in front and the optional fender skirts in the rear. All the chrome and bright trim is in place, which looks fantastic against the black. This is especially true for the mirror-like wraparound chrome front bumper, and in the rear the twin tailpipes poking through the rear bumper guards was truly a designer's touch. Correct bright factory hubcaps set with genuine Bedford whitewalls complete this timeless classic.
The interior black is joined by white for a striking two-tone combination. While it came from the factory this way, many will swear it's a custom creation. Style and luxury are the true hallmarks of this classic, and that's why it came with rare features for its time like the power seats and power windows. The heat/defrost sliders and original AM radio are all displayed in a machine-turned panel that flows across both the doors and the dash. The speedometer is functional and is lit from behind by a Plexiglas panel viewed through the windshield. Just to the left is the large tachometer, so while this is a luxury cruiser, you do get a few reminders of the powerful V-8 under the hood.
This car carries its original block with the same clean and authentic style as the rest of the car. The "Thunderbird Special" 292 cubic-inch V-8 looks authentic right down to iconic Thunderbird logo valve covers and hood-fed chrome teapot air filter. The original 292 V-8 has been completely rebuilt and the entire engine bay has been detailed. As the correct motor for the car, it is the higher compression 8.5:1 that came with the automatic transmission and the correct Holley four-barrel carburetor. It's a powerhouse of a V-8, but it doesn't lose its luxury-minded attitude as it sweetly purrs through its dual exhaust system. The aforementioned Ford-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission stays comfortable as it clicks through the gears without a fuss. You can see from the undercarriage that the restoration extends to the places most people don't see, so the ride is truly as luxurious as Ford intended for their sporty personal convertible.
