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The first Ford Thunderbird was shown at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 9, 1954, and went on sale on October 22, 1954 as a 1955 model, and sold briskly; 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale. Ford had only projected building 10,000; eventual 1955 sales were 16,155. Standard powertrain for the 1955 model was Ford's 292ci Y-Block with either a 3-speed manual with overdrive or Ford-o-matic automatic transmission. The car also included a removable fiberglass top; contrary to later practice, a fabric convertible top was an option, although commonly specified.
Created to act as a retort to the Chevrolet Corvette, it was also the first mass produced edition of all the Ford Thunderbird models. Exactly 53,166 models were produced. Another interesting group of features commonly reserved for only the finest luxury cars were four-way powered seats and pushbutton interior door handles. Unlike the Powerglide Corvette, the Thunderbird could also hit 110-120 miles per hour. It was a smaller two-seat "personal luxury car", compared to the wallowing barges that roamed all the roads in the 1950s, yet it was designed to be a brisk luxury tourer and not an out-and-out sports car.
Based on the success of the initial Thunderbird, the 1956 model brought about more trunk space, the spare wheel was mounted outside, the exhausts were moved to the ends of the bumper and air vents were added behind the front wheels to improve cabin ventilation. To improve rear-quarter visibility with the removable hardtop in place, "porthole" windows were made available as a no-cost option. An optional 312 Y-block V8 was made available for those that wanted more performance. 1956 was also the first year for 12 volt electrics. Despite the improvements, 1956 sales were 15,631, the lowest of all three 2-seater Thunderbird model years.
As one of the lowest-production year Thunderbirds, the example offered here is a prime contender for one of the best in existence. Finished in the similarly-rare hue of Sunset Coral over a Coral and White interior and featuring the optional 312ci Thunderbird V-8 engine, this particular car spent years in a museum in Germany before being repatriated to the United States. With a comprehensive body-off restoration some years ago just beginning to unwind recently, the car has been the recipient yet again of a careful top-flight application of the restorer's art by its current vendor. And so, unlike so many Thunderbirds seen the world over, this gorgeous and rare big V-8 1956 is again at its absolute prime and will be sure to please not only appreciative onlookers but also the fortunate few who have the ultimate privilege of taking it down the road again.
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Created to act as a retort to the Chevrolet Corvette, it was also the first mass produced edition of all the Ford Thunderbird models. Exactly 53,166 models were produced. Another interesting group of features commonly reserved for only the finest luxury cars were four-way powered seats and pushbutton interior door handles. Unlike the Powerglide Corvette, the Thunderbird could also hit 110-120 miles per hour. It was a smaller two-seat "personal luxury car", compared to the wallowing barges that roamed all the roads in the 1950s, yet it was designed to be a brisk luxury tourer and not an out-and-out sports car.
Based on the success of the initial Thunderbird, the 1956 model brought about more trunk space, the spare wheel was mounted outside, the exhausts were moved to the ends of the bumper and air vents were added behind the front wheels to improve cabin ventilation. To improve rear-quarter visibility with the removable hardtop in place, "porthole" windows were made available as a no-cost option. An optional 312 Y-block V8 was made available for those that wanted more performance. 1956 was also the first year for 12 volt electrics. Despite the improvements, 1956 sales were 15,631, the lowest of all three 2-seater Thunderbird model years.
As one of the lowest-production year Thunderbirds, the example offered here is a prime contender for one of the best in existence. Finished in the similarly-rare hue of Sunset Coral over a Coral and White interior and featuring the optional 312ci Thunderbird V-8 engine, this particular car spent years in a museum in Germany before being repatriated to the United States. With a comprehensive body-off restoration some years ago just beginning to unwind recently, the car has been the recipient yet again of a careful top-flight application of the restorer's art by its current vendor. And so, unlike so many Thunderbirds seen the world over, this gorgeous and rare big V-8 1956 is again at its absolute prime and will be sure to please not only appreciative onlookers but also the fortunate few who have the ultimate privilege of taking it down the road again.
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