1957 Ford Thunderbird

Convertible

8 - Cyl.

Manual

D7FH320338

Gasoline

1957 Ford Thunderbird The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 in direct response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. Like the Corvette, the Thunderbird had a two-seat coupe/convertible layout. Production of the Thunderbird began later on in 1954 on September 9 with the car beginning sales as a 1955 model on October 22, 1954. Though sharing some design characteristics with other Fords of the time, such as single, circular headlamps and tail lamps and modest tailfins, the Thunderbird was sleeker and more athletic in shape, and had features like a faux hood scoop and a 150 mph (240 km/h) speedometer hinting a higher performance nature that other Fords didn't possess. Mechanically though, the Thunderbird could trace its roots to other mainstream Fords. The Thunderbird's 102.0 inches (2,591 mm) wheelbase frame was mostly a shortened version of that used in other Fords while the car's standard 292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-blockV8 came from Ford's Mercury division.Though inspired by, and positioned directly against, the Corvette, Ford billed the Thunderbird as a personal luxury car, putting a greater emphasis on the car's comfort and convenience features rather than its inherent sportiness. Designations aside, the Thunderbird sold exceptionally well in its first year. In fact, the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette by more than 23-to-one for 1955 with 16,155 Thunderbirds sold against 700 Corvettes. With the Thunderbird considered a success, few changes were made to the car for 1956. The most notable change was moving the spare tire to a continental-style rear bumper in order to make more storage room in the trunk. The Thunderbird was revised for 1957 with a reshaped front bumper, a larger grille and tailfins, and larger tail lamps and that's the car for sale here. New features include:New convertible top New wide whitewall tiresNew batteryRe-chromed front and rear bumpersRear fender-skirts This is the original personal luxury car in good condition for a daily driver or a perfect start for a concourse restoration. This model features the 312 V8 Engine with a Four speed standard transmission (not stock). The Interior is in good shape with no rips or tears in vinyl. The Dashboard is in original condition with all working gauges. Minor blemishes on paint in a few areas. More pictures available on request. Car is also for sale locally. Seller reserves the option to close the auction early. I'm selling it to make room in my garage for my other toys.