1957 Ford Thunderbird Roadster

The 1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbirds is among the most recognized and iconic American cars. They've been put in television shows, movies and print advertisements, not to mention being pictured on a U.S. postage stamp. The mass media often has mistakenly called any sporty looking car, such as the Ford Mustang, a "sports car." It's given the 1955-57 Thunderbird the same description, although Ford stressed from the get-go that its new baby was a "personal car." Ford knew that the sports cars market was very limited and that calling the Thunderbird a "personal car" would give it much broader appeal.

For consignment, a personal car, (as dubbed by Ford), 2-seater adult getaway vehicle. This would be the last year for a good while for this two seat configuration, and is widely thought to be the best year of the first generation T bird. 1957 saw Ford add some extra options including power. While this car, the beneficiary of a rotisserie restoration in 2021, is presently powered by a 292ci V8, the original rebuilt 312ci V8 is included. Overall gorgeous in every aspect, it's gonna go, go GO!

Exterior
When you pen a thin bodied, long hood with a scoop, and canted tail fin 2 seater car, throw on some jet age styling for the taillights, give it a hardtop option sans the porthole option and has a convertible underneath, add on fender skirts, a wrap around windshield, and some chromed trimmings, you have this car. All straight steel bathed in Flame Red paint showing a few smudged areas but certainly not a deal breaker, and mirror like chrome bumpers, egg crate grille, and for the rear in bumper exhaust ports, this car screams steel sex. A black canvas convertible top is underneath the red body and presents as very clean and tear free with a clear rear window in plastic. With the Colonial White hardtop, convertible up and down you are basically getting 3 totally different looking cars, and the ability to use year-round. Before I move on, we need to give a shout out to the Kelsey wire wheels all wrapped in wide white radials. Suh-weeeeet!

Interior
Swing the door and be met with red panels that do not know what a straight line is as to their design. Red vinyl mixes with machined swirl pattern aluminum inserts for the door handles and power window controls. Speaking of the seat, it's a gorgeous red bench with tuck and roll inserts and smooth bolsters that curves neatly into the body styling and allows for the top to hide behind it. For the dash a big curved overhanging cowl in padded red vinyl for the topper, and more machined aluminum and a litany of round gauges and chrome bezel black knobs and pulls. An aftermarket AM/FM radio is now neatly installed and as we gaze across this big padded curved top dash, we can note temp, fan controls, and a nearly hidden glove box, but the deeply inset keyhole gives it away. We note the labeling front for the heater controls has slid askew. A metal lower dash also in painted red and some red kick side panels complimented by red carpeting with black mats, and original steering wheel, clean as a whistle. You will be left awestruck…Bee-uitfuhl!

Drivetrain
A flip of the front hinged hood and more bling with some sting with a 292ci “Y” block now occupying the space where a 312ci V8 used to reside, (don't worry, the original engine, which has been rebuilt is included). Painted a beautiful red, shoehorned into a totally restored engine bay, and topped with cast and polished winged decal valve covers and shiny chrome air cleaner. On top is a 4bbl carburetor and on the back is a 3-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. The rear axle takes the brunt of this power with a 9-inch size, and 3.10 gears. Just wonderful underneath this scooped hood. Ver-uuuuhmmmm!

Undercarriage
Completely restored, nice shiny black frame and red floors, with a new fuel tank, reworked suspension which has independent coil springs for the front, and leaf springs on the back, and they look showroom new. Drum brakes are on all 4 corners, and a very clean like new dual exhaust system is now on. Yeeeowww-za!

Drive-Ability
She fired right up with a low rumble, and it was off to the test track with a snap back of my neck. The 4bbl kicked right in and I was quickly transported to performance heaven. Great handler, smooth shifter, quick bias free stopping with those drums, and all was functioning awesomely.

1957 never looked so good with this beautifully restored and cared for Bird. Very few criticisms for this car where a nice job has been performed everywhere, even underneath. If you are in the market for a classic bird, or just want to get your wife on board to help clean out the other side of your garage, you need to see this spectacle of Ford design in its last year of the two seater until Y2K.

VIN DECODE
D7FH372588
D-312ci V8 4bb 245hp
7-1957
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
H-Thunderbird
372588-Sequential Unit Number

WARRANTY TAG
BODY 40-Thunderbird
COLOR VE-Flame Red, Colonial White
TRIM XH-Flame Red Vinyl
DATE 03W-September 3rd Build
Trans 3-Ford-O-Matic
AXLE 1-Ford 9" 3.10 Conventional

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.