When Ford Motor Company began the design of the first generation of Thunderbird in early 1953, Chevrolet had just unveiled their Corvette dream car at GM’s Motorama auto show in Detroit, which was then rushed into production. While the Thunderbird’s production schedule was not a knee-jerk reaction to Chevy’s new Sports Car, it without a doubt lit a fire underneath FoMoCo to get the T-Bird into showrooms. The Ford Thunderbird was not itself a “true” Sports Car, learn why below.
Ford marketed their new two-seat convertible as a “personal” car, a luxurious sports coupe rather than a bare bones Sports Car like the ‘Vette. The first generation Thunderbird was a fresh and exciting to US car buyers, though they didn’t sell nearly as well as Ford Executives would have liked. So when the T-Bird got completely redesigned for the ’58 model year, the car had grown substantially and gained itself a back seat in the process. The Thunderbird would remain a 4-seater until the 11th and final generation of the model when Ford designed and built a retro-futuristic homage to their 1955-1957 cars.
The first iteration of Ford’s Thunderbird has become an icon of 1950’s Automobile design, garnering the love and admiration of generations of fans. The car has become a genuine collector’s item, the value of which has been steadily rising for several decades. Because of the value of these cars, it’s rare that they get modified these days. So when they do, it creates a bit of a stir!
This particular ’55 has been done just right, fully restored from the ground up, with the few modifications made in the name of dependability and functionality. The drivetrain has been subtly modernized to make this a true driver’s car: front disc brakes, upgraded power steering, 5-Speed manual transmission and air conditioning, just to name some of the major upgrades. The 312ci Y-Block V8 under the hood has been completely rebuilt and topped with chrome trimming and a Holley 4-barrel. Coupled with the modern 5-Speed, this old Thunderbird must be an absolute joy to drive. Covering the fresh bodywork is an amazingly applied coat of two-stage Raven Black paint. This car is an all around impressive build, and considering how much other ’55-’57 T-Birds are currently going for, the price tag is not at all unreasonable. For more information, visit RK Motors website.