1955 Ford Thunderbird

This Thunderbird is the recipient of a complete frame on, door off, engine out restoration, and it shows. Between September 2017 and April of 2021, the car received the following: new bumpers, bumper guards, front and rear attachment frames, 5 factory Coker Classic tires, 5 factory hub caps, hard top headliner, lock down latches, weather strip molding, hard top roller storage cart, top cover radiator and cap, all new engine hoses, generator, a completely new exhaust system from front to back, chrome exhaust tips, intake manifold, carburetor, air cleaner, front and rear housing shocks, seat cover, seat belts, carpet, 2 sets of logo floor mats, windshield and windshield weatherstrip molding, body emblems, chrome hood grille, antenna, trunk liner, jack stand, assembly parts, trunk separation board, gas door, gas tank and attachment, door panels, door and window handles, chrome shifter box, steering wheel, chrome insert wheel with emblem center cap, glove box, front and real kick panels, drop curtain, chrome rear deck hard top receptacles, rear deck stainless trim, custom fit car cover, and factory correct engine decals. Whew. Try typing that five times fast.

While the Thunderbird was light weight for its time and the V8 was standard equipment, the Thunderbird focused more on driver comfort than speed, and thus, never truly rivalled the Corvette or other European sports cars. This led the Thunderbird to be better suited for the US market than the Corvette. In 1955, 16,155 Thunderbirds were sold compared to only 674 Corvettes.

The exterior to this Thunderbird is finished in a brilliant shade of red. The car is showroom quality, flaws on the outside of this vehicle are almost impossible to spot if there even are any. The chrome around the car has no wrinkles or warps, and the paint looks evenly applied throughout the entire vehicle.

The red outlined wheels add a brilliant pop of color next to the white wall tires, and the rear wheel half-covers are perfectly straight. The removable hard top is in remarkably good condition, and the hood scoop shows no flaws.

The inside of this Thunderbird is just as red as the outside. The red leather dash is in excellent condition, not a single crease in sight, and all the gauges and knobs are spotless.

The Bakelite steering wheel shines as if it just left the production line, and the chrome it’s attached to practically shimmers in the light. The two-tone red and white leather seats look wonderful as do the red seat belts. The shifter is in proper order and the carpets around it are fit perfectly. They almost look as if shoes have never actually touched them. The trunk is tidy, and the spare wheel fits snugly inside.

There are some miniscule hairline scratches around the odometer and fuel gauge, but all in all, this interior is practically spotless.

Based on the age of this Thunderbird, it could be safe to assume that there is only minor surface corrosion at worst. Based on the condition the rest of this car has been kept in, the underside of this Thunderbird is likely spotless.

This Thunderbird was assembled at the Dearborn Assembly Plant in Michigan. It was delivered via a Dealer Order to Boston, Massachusetts on December 2nd, 1954. It had a base price of $2,944, and eventually made its way out to Brandon, Mississippi, where it currently resides today.

The car comes with a full list of all the parts added during restoration, and all memorabilia such as the posters and scale model are included as well.

If you want a classic American luxury car that is turn-key ready to go, look no further. This T-Bird has essentially been rebuilt from the ground up. It is in stunning condition for a car quickly approaching 70 years of age. It would be a tall order to find even a speck of dust on this car from the look of it. The Thunderbird is essentially the first modern American luxury car, and this beast is ready to cruise.