The chrome both on the body and in the interior is in an exceptionally beautiful condition. The highly desirable Kelsey Hayes chrome wire wheels and the whitewall tires clearly emphasize the luxurious style of the 1950s. The hardtop has the characteristic porthole windows. The bodywork is finished in the original colour Peacock Blue and makes the car gleam, especially in combination with the removeable hardtop in the contrasting colour Colonial White. Underneath the body and the chassis are in a very good condition as well. The sheet metal is completely smooth and even and absolutely rust-free, the panel gaps at the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid are consistent and tight.

The car was thoroughly restored several years ago. The Thunderbird we offer for sale is in a very desirable colour scheme and is equipped with the right accessories. Options at an extra cost were a fully retractable soft top, automatic transmission and a more powerful V8 engine with 5.1 litre (312 cu in) displacement. Porthole windows became available for the hardtop to improve rear view. Other refinements were for example the integration of the exhaust outlets into the rear bumper and controllable air vents in the front wings which significantly improved ventilation inside the car. More luggage space was created by placing the spare wheel outside the boot on the back of the bumper, the same way as with Ford’s luxury flagship, the Lincoln Continental. For the 1956 model year, numerous improvements were made. The Thunderbird immediately became a sales success, in its first year it sold 24 times better than the Corvette! In its second year, 1956, it was named “America’s Most Exciting Car”. It is, without any doubt, one of the most stylish and iconic cars ever enchanting the American automobile buyers. Unlike the first Corvette which had six-cylinders, the Thunderbird was fitted with a V8 straight away. Ford was thus targeting a wider public then Chevrolet with the sports- and performance-oriented Corvette.

Although the Thunderbird has the same wheelbase (259 cm) as its competitor it was designed to be more practical and more luxurious than the Corvette. Introduced in 1955, the Thunderbird was Ford’s response to the Chevrolet Corvette. Wonderful condition, restored several years ago.Fitted with the optional more powerful 5.1 litre engine.

Ford tbird for sale