1955 Ford Thunderbird

Description

There are a few well-loved cars that you should have in your collection if you're a legitimate car guy. One is a Model A Ford, and the other is an early 2-seater Thunderbird. We would like to recommend this 1955 Thunderbird as a candidate for your garage, with its classic color combination and a restoration that's accurate but not too nice to enjoy as intended.

You can spend more for a trailer queen, but the real appeal in the early 'Bird is getting in and having an adventure. It's what sold them when they were new and their V8 power and comfortable suspension make them outstanding road trip candidates. And when they're painted Thunderbird Blue (which is this car's original color, by the way), they have a timeless appeal that looks right and never goes out of style. As I said, the work is a few years old, but it's holding up quite well thanks to quality work and excellent care since it was completed. For many, the simplicity of the first-year Thunderbirds is immensely appealing, and the even gaps and straight panels on this one certainly emphasize the clean design. Interestingly enough, fender skirts were optional, and without them, this car takes on a sporting look that's very Continental. However, as a product of the '50s, there's still plenty of brightwork that was thoroughly restored with the rest of the car. It's not perfect, but it's extremely nice throughout with nothing jumping out as either too old or too nice.

It also carries a correct code C turquoise and white interior that adds plenty of flash, but in a traditional Thunderbird style. The interior is quite stylish, with a power bench seat that loosely emulates a pair of buckets, and it's quite good overall, needing little more than a good deep cleaning to be ready to show at almost any level. The instrument panel shows off the "anything goes" optimism of the 1950s, with a wide band of bright engine-turned metal, a speedometer backlit by a clear plexiglass panel, and a tachometer, all of which are in good condition with clear markings. The original AM radio is still in the center of the dash, and remarkably enough, it remains fully functional. You may also be interested to learn that a soft top was a no-cost option over the hard top in 1955, and this one wears a snug-fitting white folding top that looks great and vanishes behind the seat for a clean look. The trunk is outfitted with a correct mat and reproduction jacking label.

All Thunderbirds in 1955 used a 292 cubic inch V8, and while the dress-up kit was a dealer-installed option, I can't recall ever seeing one without it, probably because it looks so good. Combined with the bright red engine enamel, the finned valve covers and chrome air cleaner make the engine bay really sparkle. Correct reproduction hoses and proper clamps add a period-perfect look and it runs extremely smoothly, as you'd expect for a luxury-oriented cruiser. Even the exhaust manifolds are in reasonably good shape, feeding a dual exhaust system with a muted V8 hum. The 3-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission shifts well and with 3.00 gears, it's a great cruiser in the city or on the highway. Proper 6.70-15 bias-ply wide whites look right and the shiny wheel covers give it an authentic look.