What Makes It Special? This Thunderbird Convertible is a beautiful driver that has some great custom touches and has been stored indoors all of its life. It rides on custom wire wheel rims and wide white wall tires. Has fender skirts, AM/FM radio cassette, AC, 12-volt electrical system, a 312 V8, dual exhaust, Candy Apple red paint, vinyl red interior, and a continental kit. This is a show car and has been displayed in parades and has frequently been requested for use in ceremonies for VFWs. Mileage on car is original (60K) but the original 292 V8 engine has been replaced with a 312 V8. Powerful and fast on the road, and turns heads everywhere it goes.
Body Condition: No rust exhibited and wheel alignment is perfect. The body is in excellent condition, with a few spots needing repainting but nothing major.
Mechanical Condition: In excellent condition. The 312 V8 has less than 1000 miles on it.
When the Thunderbird was introduced in 1955, it was Ford’s answer to the Corvette, but rather than focusing on performance Ford went for a mixture of comfort and speed. Reader Louis P’s car in a beautiful machine and while it’s not original, it sounds like it’s a great car to drive! If you’ve been hunting for a nice Thunderbird to drive and show off, this one is definitely worth a look.
- Asking Price: $35,000 OBO
- Location: Inverness, Florida
- Mileage: 60,000
- Title Status: Clean
- VIN: P5FH165126
List your car here on Barn Finds for only $50!
Wow, that’s nice!
It is a gorgeous car. Only real negative IMO is the continental kit. I’ve never been big on them as I can only remember 1 or 2 that really looked good on the car. No offense meant, but this one looks very out of place on an otherwise beautiful car.
I had one of these several years ago with that continental kit.
If it is original it was reported at the time that fewer than 100 were made.
which could make this car extremely rare.
The continental kit is a huge wart on an otherwise beautiful car. I’ve heard they make the steering wonky as well.
Sorry but this continental kit does look out of place. I don’t know if its original. It the one that sticks way too far out. The normal one looks a lot better. Great car for the price but dump that kit and go nothing or with the original look
Nice looking car and it looks like it has a 1960s aftermarket A/C unit…although I’m guessing it is still R-12 and doesn’t work or it would have been mentioned in the listing. The Kelsey-Hayes wheels look nice, too. This car should have a 292 in it, I think, so the engine is not original but perhaps from a later T-bird. The bizarre looking continental kit was only needed in 1955, because the tire was moved to the rear bumper in 1956 and then back into the trunk in ’57, I think. Good luck!
Reader/seller is pretty clear on that point, Skippy. The 312 is not original, rebuilt with less than 1000 miles on it. More importantly for a Florida car is DOES THE UNDER DASH AIR WORK? Just like any consumable item like tires, batteries and wipers I wish more sellers would go to the trouble of “charging their air conditioning” instead of mentioning the components are there but air doesn’t blow cold, etc. These days, Vintage Aire can make an uncomfortable 1940-50s car tolerable with easy to install well-engineered upgraded compressors and evap units.
Great car!! I agree with 86 Vett though the continental kit on a sports car doesn’t look good to me!! IMO!! This is something you put on a big boat not a T-bird, corvette or any other sport car!! I actually like the way they look on Cadillacs, Lincolns and some older impala’s!!! Just not on this car!!!
Checked several ’55 Thunderbird brochures, and none show a continental kit. Agree that this one is quite ugly, and appears to be aftermarket.
Yes you are right But I believe they added this as an option in 1956. Not that ugly long one
In the pictures it looks more orange than candy apple red IMO. The continental kit sucks.
It’s a nice car at a good price. I prefer a ’55 without the Continental Kit, and the ’56 with it’s factory tire where it belongs. It’s a period correct detail, but I’d lose it.
I went thru some of my notes and it seems about 12 were built at a price of $495. at the time which was quite a lot. probably built as a test for the 56 models.
The 56 models came with the mounted rear spare tire to add weight to the rear. The 55 did not have a Continental Kit or sun visors. But it would be easy enough to remove the kit and you would have one beautiful car. I have seen nice ones around $25K lately. Is this one worth $35K? Perhaps to the right person.
And to make more room in the small trunk