Vehicle Description
For many fans of the early Thunderbird, the '57 is the pinnacle of
evolution. Learning from the previous two years, Ford substantially
revised the T-Bird, adding some small fins, enlarging the grille
opening, and moving the spare tire back inside the trunk. This
lovely Colonial White 'Bird offers a recent paint job, great road
manners, and a true '50s feel.
You simply can't go wrong with tradition, and nothing looks better
on an early 'Bird than code E Colonial White, which is this car's
original color. Refinished in January of 2017, it's extremely fresh
and looks spectacular. Bodywork is exceptionally straight, with
super-smooth panels and plenty of attention to detail where it
matters; note how neatly the taillight end caps fit, how crisp the
character line along the side of the body appears, and the even
gaps all around. Somehow the paint shop gave the modern urethane
finish a soft shine that looks straight out of the Ford factory in
1957, but with a durability that gives it a forever shine. Other
details, such as the elegant Thunderbird badges, the cool rear
bumper with integrated exhaust outlets, and the stainless trim on
the fender skirts have all been expertly restored to new condition.
We never say a car is "perfect" but this one is exceptionally nice
and you'll never hesitate to take out of the garage knowing that
everyone will give you a "thumbs-up" out on the road.
The interior takes a slightly different turn than most white
'Birds, carrying a handsome two-tone blue interior that is correct
code XL Dresden and Starmist. Highly detailed door panels offer
machine-turned panels that extend across the dash and a stylish
armrest that gives the cockpit a wrap-around feel. The gauges are
in well-preserved original condition with clear markings and the
original Town & Country AM radio still lives in the center of the
dash. The only thing that really stands out is the steering wheel,
which appears to be original and scuffed, although restoring it
would be so easy that I wonder if leaving it alone was intentional.
Overhead there's a blue canvas convertible top as well as a
Colonial White factory "porthole" hardtop, so this T-Bird is ready
for any occasion. They've also finished the trunk with a
color-matched carpet set mat and matching full-sized spare
tire.
By 1957, Ford had upgraded the D-code 312 cubic inch Thunderbird
Special to 245 horsepower. Linked to a 3-speed Ford-O-Matic
transmission and a set of 3.10 gears out back, it's an exceptional
cruiser with moves more like a muscle car than a luxury car. Up
top, there's a traditional chrome air cleaner that inhales through
the fully functional hood scoop, Ford Red paint on the block, and
those beautiful finned aluminum valve covers. Unlike a lot of
Thunderbirds, this eliminates early carburetor problems with a
modern Holley 4-barrel that makes it easy to start and maybe even
adds a few horsepower. There's a new aluminum high-efficiency
radiator up front, a rebuilt starter and distributor to make it
fire quickly, and power steering makes it easy to handle.
Underneath, there's a rumbling dual exhaust system that sounds
appropriately muscular, but in a muted sort of way. Hailing from
the southwest, the chassis is extremely clean although not detailed
for show, and it wears 205/75/14 whitewalls on a set of flashy
chrome Cragar mags, although the original restored wheels and
hubcaps are included along with a car cover.
Iconic, fun to drive, and a still a solid investment, this '57
Thunderbird needs looks like it should cost a lot more than it
does. Call today!