The early T-Birds have never taken off in value, which might explain why this 1956 sits at a relatively low $17,200 here on ebay with a few days to go in the auction. Or maybe people are just pacing themselves on this 1956 Thunderbird, which presently awaits new ownership in Cambridge, Minnesota. Is that you? If the numbers don’t go way up, and you’ve been wanting one of these, this is your target. But you’ll have to settle a couple of vexing questions on your way to withdraw the cash to make it yours.
The seller provides very little information, leaving us to do some sleuthing ourselves (though note that he provides a phone number should you want direct access to info.). The car is selling at no reserve, leading one to speculate that the seller is confident that it will ride up to the appropriate dollar amount. Perhaps substantiating that hope, the mileage is noted as what the odo says: 16,667. However, we all know that there’s no sixth digit in a car this old. Should there be, would this one read 116,667? Likely. But the point is left perhaps purposely vague. The rear spare tire over shows some wear and tear, and the photo of the top shows a couple of holes, so it looks like the car is well used, though perhaps gently so.
The claim is made that the car is in its original paint. That’s not original color, but original spray, as it reads. How could that be substantiated? By careful inspection, most probably, maybe by providing old photos or a magazine story that showed the car decades ago looking like it does now? Or by more generous photography which showed the door jambs or other places where original paint would be in evidence.
What else don’t we know? What’s underneath the car, most importantly. No, there’s no monster under the bed, but the right rear wheel well shows some suspicious bubbling, possibly, or at least deterioration of some kind. Is there any chance that that is rot, and if so, where else it might appear? It would be an easy thing to crouch down for a peek, and a photo, it would seem. We also don’t have any real idea about the engine aside from a couple of photos (in which it looks clean), the indication that it’s a 312-CID V8, and the claim, “Runs and drives great.” Would it be terribly inconvenient to substantiate that claim? Maybe the seller is not anxious to make a statement that would be action-able should the engine not live up to the hope that the car can be used. If you can solve these questions, or aren’t afraid to call the seller and see what’s claimed, you might have the chance for a gem in this early T-Bird convertible.
The only times I have purchased lemons was when I bought a car from a seller who was “vague” in his description of the car. I went ahead anyway both times because they were specific models I had been looking for and was having trouble finding what I wanted, so was looking through rose colored glasses. There are plenty of these. Run
Oh, and both times the sellers were very convincing over the phone. But this isn’t the same as putting statements in writing
Read the review on this seller! Buyer beware.
Most vehicles seen here have pretty vague descriptions, not sure what’s so different about this one. Like anything else, if one is interested, then one should make the trip to check it out.
Thank you for not mentioning Suzanne Somers.
I don’t disagree- many featured cars have vague descriptions, but this one seems especially sparse in detail. A half dozen bullet points stating the year, engine, transmission. Nothing about function or potential issues. And the “call for details” rather than putting things in writing is a red flag to me. You make a solid point that you should always go look yourself (or have someone you trust check it out), especially when you see an ad like this.
Never been a Ford fan, but I did like this model.
If you see rust on one of these, what’s under can be a nightmare.
No more than any other car, rust isn’t biased.
Time Capsule. Would love to know more on the maint. history/ownership, etc. How much is actually original paint?
Assume it needs everything to restore.
‘56 had the Continental Kit standard.
Very nice color/ optioned car.
I purchased a 57 T-Bird back in the early ’80s
It ran, barely. Price was $750 with a hard top. When we got it back to my dad’s gas station and shut it off for a while we couldn’t get it started. Popped off a valve cover and found missing pushrods. Hey what do you expect for $750. We yanked the motor out sent it to get rebuilt, the block was junk. Fortunately we found a complete 292 in the local junkyard that was good except for the heads which I pulled off a 57 Ford abandoned in the woods. With a new motor, brakes, and tires it was a fun car. The dream was to restore it. I should have left it alone and enjoyed it as is. My local body man called it a refugee from the junkyard. So much plastic everywhere that he could tell the time frame by the body putty they used. It did get restored quite nicely and won a few trophies at local car shows. I traded it for 69 Corvette.
Beautiful cars those early Birds. This one looks to need some work though. Gonna pass on it.