1957 Ford Thunderbird

312 4 BARREL

Automatic

I PURCHASED THIS THUNDERBIRD IN RESPONSE TO AN AD IN HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS. WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE WAS THE STATED LOW MILEAGE THE YEAR WAS 1968 AND THE OWNER SAID THE THE CAR HAD 26.188 MILES. I FLEW OUT TO CHARLESTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA AND DROVE IT BACK HERE TO NORTHERN WISCONSIN. THE SELLER SAID HE WS THE SECOND OWNER HAVING PURCHASED THE CAR FROM THE ESTATE OF THE FIRST OWNER. BOTH OF THESE NAMES ARE AVAILABLE TO THE BUYER I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENT MILEAGE OF 38,827 IS ACCURATE. THE VIN NUMBER EMBOSSED ON THE FIREWALL TAG IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE VIN NUMBER STAMPED INTO THE RIGHT FRONT FRAME THE BODY CODE IS 40 COLOR CODE IS AA THE TRIM CODE IS XA THE DATE CODE IS 31 G THE TRANS CODE IS 3 AND AXLE CODE IS 1. ALL MATCHING NUMBERS. THE D7FH SIGNIFIES A 312 4 BARREL CARB THE 7 DENOTES 1957 THE F IS THE DEARBORN PLANT AND THE H IS A THUNDERBIRD. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT STILL HAD MOST OF THE ORIGINAL PAINT, ALL OF THE ORIGINAL UPHOLSTERY AND DASH PAD AND CARPET. THE ORIGINAL ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE STILL IN THE CAR. I OVERHAULED THE BRAKES, INSTALLED A NEW DASH PAD AND NEW SEAT COVERS AND CARPET. THE DOOR TRIM AND KICK PANEL TRIM ARE THE ORIGINALS. FACTORY INSTALLED ACCESSORIES ARE POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING, POWER MEMORY SEAT, T&C RADIO, FENDER SKIRTS, BACKUP LIGHTS , WINDSHIELD WASHERS, PORTHOLE TOP, SOFT TOP AND TONNEAU COVER. I INSTALLED AN AFTERMARKET CRUISE CONTROL USING BOLTS AND HOLES ALREADY ON THE CAR SO IT COULD BE REMOVED WITH OUT LEAVING ANY TRACE. I ALSO INSTALLED A MECHANICAL BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC UNIT THAT KEPT FAILING. I USED THE ORIGINAL TYPE WIRING CONNECTORS TO WIRE IT SO YOU COULD CONVERT BACK TO HYDRAULIC WITH OUT LEAVING A TRACE. I ALSO REWIRED THE BACKUP LIGHTS TO COME ON WHEN THE IGNITION IS ON AND THE TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO HAVE THE LIGHTS ON. I NEVER PUT FLUID IN THE WASHERS SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WORK. IN ABOUT 1983 I DECIDED TO GET THE BUMPERS RECHROMED. WHEN THEY CAME BACK FROM THE PLATERS THEY LOOKED SO GOOD I DECIDED TO REDO THE PAINT ALSO. I REMOVED ALL THE CHROME PIECES THAT WERE BELOW THE WINDSHIELD. A LOCAL ONE MAN SHOP HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK.HE WORKED ON NOTHING ELSE. HE FOUND REPAIRED RUST AROUND THE REAR WHEEL OPENINGS. HE REBUILT THE AREAS USING BODY METAL BRAZED IN AND FORMED OUT. ALL THIS WORK WAS SANDBLASTED AND THE METAL PREPPED. HE ALSO FOUND A REPAIRED AREA ON THE FRONT PANEL THAT IS BETWEEN THE GRILL AND THE HOOD. HE REALLY DIDN'T LIKE THE LOOKS OF THAT AND WANTED TO PUT IN NEW METAL. BUT I TOLD HIM TO DO IT OVER.. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE FIVE YEARS LATER THAT AREA DEVELOPED A BANDAID SIZED PATCH OF ROUGH PAINT. THERE ARE NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE PAINT JOB. STILL SMOOTH AND SHINY. I DID NOT HAVE THE HARDTOP REPAINTED SO IT STILL HAS THE ORIGINAL PAINT AND HAS SOME SCRATCHES AND CRACKING. THE RIGHT FRONT BODY MOUNTING BRACKET IS PARTLY RUSTED AWAY BUT I DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. NOTHING ELSE IN THAT AREA IS RUSTED AHD ALL FLOORS ARE SOLID.. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK AND REASSEMBLED IT I REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER GRILL MOULDINGS, THE THUNDERBIRD EMBLEMS AND HASHMARKS, THE HOOD SCOOP GRILL AND THE DOOR HANDLES WITH NEW PARTS. EVERYTHING ELSE IS ORIGINAL ALL COOLANT HOSES ARE FRESH. ALL ENGINE GASKETS (INCLUDING THE HEAD GASKETS) ARE FRESH. WHEN I HAD THE OIL PAN OFF TO REPLACE THAT GASKET, I FOUND NO SLUDGE OR OTHER DEPOSITS IN THE PAN. THE CARBURETOR IS NEW (THE ORIGINAL IS INCLUDED). THE FUEL PUMP AND OIL PUMP ARE NEW. THE TRANSMISSION FILTER AND GASKET ARE NEW. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS NEW FROM THE MANIFOLDS BACK. THE POWER STEERING HOSES AND RAM SEAL ARE NEW ALL OF THE CLAMPS AND HOOKS ON BOTH TOPS ARE PRESENT WITH GOOD CHROME. THE SOFT TOP FABRIC AND WINDOW ARE ORIGINAL AND IN SERVICABLE CONDITION. A NEW SOFT TOP COVER AND REAR WINDOW IN THE BOX IS INCLUDED, THE HARDTOP HEADLINER IS CLEAN AND TIGHT.THERE IS NOTHING MISSING FROM THE CAR OR ANYTHING THAT IS LESS THAN EXCELLANT CONDITION A FOUR SPEAKER AM/FM CASSETTE STEREO IS MOUNTED IN THE DASH IN THE ORIGINAL HOLES USING THE ORIGINAL KNOBS. THE T&C RADIO AND SPEAKER ARE INCLUDED. ALL THE DASH KNOBS AND SWITCHES ARE PRESENT AND BEAUTIFUL AND ALL WORK. THE CLOCK WAS WORKING WHEN I DISCONNECTED IT TO PREVENT BATTERY RUNDOWN BECAUSE THE CAR WAS USED SO LITTLE. EASY TO GET RUNNING AGAIN. THE TIRES ARE FROM THE LESTER TIRE CO. 750-14 POLYESTER CORD AND ARE AT LEAST 20 YEARS OLD AND HAVE WORN POORLY FOR THE ACTUAL MILES ON THEM. THEY STILL CLEAN UP TO NICE WHITE THO. THIS A CAR THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT AND SEE HOW THEY WERE FROM THE FACTORY. THINGS LIKE THE PAINT STAMP UNDER THE HOOK AND THE STAMP ON THE GENERATOR ARE STAMPED NOT DECALS. WHENEVER I WORKED ON THE CAR I WAS CAREFUL TO PUT EVERYTHING BACK THE WAY IT WAS USING THE ORIGINAL BOLTS AND NUTS. THE 1987 SHOP MANUAL AND PARTS BOOK ARE INCLUDED,On May-22-12 at 10:51:07 PDT, seller added the following information:I JUST BROUGHT THE T BIRD TO MY HOME FROM MY PRIVATE STORAGE GARAGE WHERE IT IS PARKED ALL WINTER AND MOST OF THE SUMMER. i REALIZE THAT I DIDN'T MENTION HOW THE CAR PERFORMS. FIRST OFF, THIS T BIRD IS PROBABLY THE TIGHTEST ONE YOU WILL EVER DRIVE. EVEN WITH THE HARDTOP ON, THERE ARE NO RATTLES ON MOST ROADS, WITH THE TOP OFF ALL YOU HEAR IS THE EXHAUST BURBLE. THE POWER TRAIN IS STRONG AND QUIET. STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP AND ACCELARTING HARD IN LO RANGE SHOVES YOUR BACK INTO THE SEAT HARD! SHIFTING TO DRIVE WHEN THE ENGINE GETS LOUD ENOUGH FOR YOU PUTS YOU IN SECOND REAR AND ANOTHER SHOVE INTO THE SEAT. ( I EVEN GOT RUBBER ONCE ON THAT SHIFT). THEN THIRD GEAR COMES IN AS USUAL. I SELDOM DRIVE THE CAR THIS WAY BUT ITS THERE IF YOU WANT IT. THE BRAKES SYSTEM OPERATES AS IT SHOULD AND STOPS ARE STRAIGHT AND SMOOTH. a REAL FUN CARE TO DRIVE