1958 Ford Thunderbird

Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

H8YH101116

Gasoline

THE "SQUARBIRDS" 1958-1960 THE UPPER MANAGEMENT AT FORD HAD TO MAKE A HARD DECISION ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE THUNDERBIRD. CLEARLY THE LITTLE BIRDS HAD DONE WELL IN THE MARKET PLACE, BUT DEALERS WERE ALREADY TELLING FORD THAT OWNERS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT LIMITED TRUNK SPACE AND THE LACK OF A BACK SEAT. THE BEAN COUNTERS AT FORD URGED A 4-SEATER TO REPLACE THE BELOVED 2-SEATER. SOME WANTED TO OFFER BOTH, BUT IT WAS DECIDED BY ROBERT S. MCNAMARA (THEN CEO AT FORD) THAT THE 2-SEATER WAS DEAD AND THAT WAS THAT! MCNAMARA WAS AN EXCELLENT ACCOUNTANT BUT IN NO SHAPE OR FORM A "CAR MAN." THIS EVENT MARKED FORD'S DECISION NOT TO COMPETE WITH CHEVROLET'S CORVETTE AND BOTH CARS DEVELOPED ALONG COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PATHS. THIS DECISION ALSO REVIVED PLANS BY CHEVROLET TO CONTINUE PRODUCTION OF THE CORVETTE WHICH VERY NEARLY WAS DISCONTINUED. THE 1958 THUNDERBIRD WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A COMPLETELY NEW CAR. IT WAS BUILT ON A UNITIZED BODY INSTEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL BODY ON FRAME AND WAS OFFERED IN BOTH HARDTOP AND CONVERTIBLE. IN FACT A COMPLETELY NEW ASSEMBLY PLANT HAD BEEN BUILT IN WIXOM, MICHIGAN FOR CONSTRUCTION. BOTH THE THUNDERBIRD AND LINCOLN WERE BUILT ON THE SAME ASSEMBLY LINE. IT WAS POWERED BY AN ALL NEW V-8, THE 352. "PERSONAL LUXURY" WAS THE PHRASE COINED BY FORD TO DESCRIBE THIS APPROACH AND IT SOLD WELL. THE 1958 FORD THUNDERBIRD WAS NAMED "MOTOR TRENDS CAR OF THE YEAR" AND WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE "SQUAREBIRDS". THE BELOW DESCRIBED T-BIRD WAS A "NATIONAL SHOW AND SENIOR AWARD WINNER PLUS PLACED SECOND IN THE CONCOURS 1 AT "HEARTLAND NATIONAL THUNDERBIRD CLUB" IN KANSAS CITY, MO. PLUS WAS A SHOW WINNER IN MULTIPLE OTHER SHOWS. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: YEAR: 1958 MAKE: FORD MODEL: THUNDERBIRD SERIAL NO: #H8YH101116 BODY STYLE: 2 DOOR HARD TOP ENGINE TYPE: 352 CUBIC INCH 8 CYLINDER COLOR INTERIOR: BLACK/WHITE COLOR EXTERIOR: BLACK/WHITE MILEAGE: 3,000 SINCE RESTORATION SINCE PURCHASE, WE HAVE INSTALLED NEW SPARK PLUG WIRES, INSTALLED NEW MUFFLERS AND EXHAUST TIPS, INSTALLED AFTERMARKET RADIO WITH CLASSIC STYLING. ALSO HAVE INSTALLED NEW HUB CAPS. VEHICLE DOES COME WITH ORIGINAL RADIO AND ORIGINAL HUB CAPS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES. WE ALSO HAVE AN AFTER MARKET ENGINE AIR CLEANER THAT COMES WITH VEHICLE, BUT IS NOT PRESENTLY INSTALLED. CAR ALSO WILL BE COMING WITH WIRING DIAGRAMS AND SCHEMATIC MANUALS. COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF EVERYTHING DONE DURING RESTORATION WILL BE INCLUDED ALONG WITH TROPHY'S VEHICLE HAS WON IN SHOWS. BEING A 1958 CAR THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SCRATCHES IN THE PAINT. INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE DUE TO POSSIBLE BLOWN INLINE FUSE, AND THE TRANSMISSION CLUNKS ONCE IN AWHILE INTO GEAR BUT DRIVES FINE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE EMAIL ME.