Meet the car that either nearly killed the Corvette – or made it better. It was the golden era of V8 motors, and every maker was offering one somewhere in its lineup. But the Corvette, which as a sports car should certainly have been graced with an eight-cylinder, was introduced in 1953 with Chevy’s Blue Flame straight six. That six remained in the Corvette’s engine bay while Ford was busy plunking a V8 into its newest car – the Thunderbird. The car-buying public, exposed to the T-Bird in early 1954 at the Detroit Auto Show, knew it would offer a V8 so there was every incentive to wait for its arrival. Of course, we all know what happened after that. But in the meantime, the T-Bird created a new segment – the personal luxury car. It was billed as sporty, but comfortable. It was a two-seat convertible with a removable fiberglass hardtop, just like the ‘Vette. It sold better than the ‘Vette. but not well enough to satisfy Ford. Its best sales arrived when it was redesigned as a four-seater. Here on eBay is a first-generation 1957 Ford Thunderbird owned for 47 years by the consignor, bid to $20,000, reserve not met. The car can be collected from Georgetown, South Carolina.
By 1957, the T-Bird could be ordered with a 292 cu. in. rated at 212 hp, or a 312 V8 – and that’s where the excitement was. The 312 could be configured with multiple carburetors, a supercharger, hot cams, or normal cams. The VIN would tell us which motor this car came with but for the fact that the first letter in the VIN quoted in the listing is incorrect: there was no “A” code ’57 T-Bird. Our seller indicates that the car has numbers matching components, but there’s also no “numbers matching” determination for a ’57 T-Bird – the best that can be done in that regard is a range of dates that would be correct for the car’s date of manufacture. We also don’t know if this car runs, though it is said to have been well-maintained. We do know it comes with the Ford-O-Matic floor-shift automatic, and the odometer reads 28,444 – claimed to be the original mileage.
The interior, like the engine bay, could use a few hours of work, but the upholstery is intact and all its trim appears to be present. The ’57 saw a redesign of the gauge arrangement. Now clustered into a pronounced half-round hood, with round faces, the layout was a near-copy of the Corvette’s hooded speedometer. The car has an after-market radio.
The trunk is spiffy – more so than the cabin. The seller notes that the Sea Mist Green paint is a 1958 color, but we don’t know who painted it, when, or what the original color was. These early T-Birds have gained favor in the last few years, and the ’57 with its pronounced one-year-only fins can be particularly expensive. Research turned up plenty of cars in the $50k to $100k range – even automatics. The bidding is frisky on this one and time is short – what should this one sell for?
Not to be disrespectful but “numbers matching,” VIN incorrect, noted as incorrect paint, non-detailed engine bay, aftermarket radio, and who knows what else? What will it sell for? 40-50K max.
I forgot to mention and also ran out of room, there’s a patch of bondo on the right side.
Where is this bindi that you have referenced?
Sorry, per the seller’s description the bondo is on “driver’s front about the size of a hand”, not on the right. I cannot see it either but the photos are grainy.
I can nit see the bondo referenced by Michelle rand?
These are $30k cars these days and this one would struggle to get even that with all its flaws — what’s with the rubber porthole trim and why paint those beautiful alloy valve covers and chrome air cleaner? Add the sagging rear springs, non stock color and worn interior. They just don’t bring the big bucks you would expect even in better condition, mainly because younger collectors don’t fancy them and I suspect they don’t drive all that well in stock form. The market for these — older boomers — is aging out of the classic car game so the demand just isn’t there anymore, IMO.
I’ve seen the round porthole rubber gaskets in the aftermarket tops made for these cars in the 1970’s
I owned an 57E bird.
If this person gets a offer close to 30k, he better jump on it.
I see many hours of time and money getting this bird ready for the road.
Nice car and I remember this when it first came out… but I was in love with the 53 Vette, then the 54 Vette, et al… but I lost interest in the Vettes around 1965.
I can’t see the loose Bondo mentioned in the description but most of these Thunderbirds of this vintage have had rust repaired by now. The most glaring problem I see is that rattle can paint under the hood. Those engines look great when they are the original red and the valve covers are polished, and it makes me wonder why someone did this to it. It’s not a big problem though as a little cleaning could make it look good again. Bid is still at $20K so GLWTS.
Where’s the weather stripping around the trunk opening? Or did that get painted too.
The weatherstripping is attached to the deck-lid, and it is painted on this one, along with the sound deadening panels in the deck-lid (must have run out of masking tape).
The adjusting collar for the steering column should be bright chrome, but appears to be rust in the photos.
The funky portholes are either an aftermarket repro (JCWhitney style, available at the time so you could add them to any car), or it is a full repro ‘glass top, which were also available in the era.
I have a friend with a ’57, similar in color. It’s called Willow Green, a factory color THAT year. I can’t speak for all, but I bought my ’57 (torch red & white) restored. Had I bought mine in this shape, by the time I had had it completed, I would have had well over 50k in it. Paid 38k for mine. Over 8 years I’ve easily put another 12k in it. Guess the moral is, if you don’t have the “gift” of going it yourself, or at least some of it, you’re gonna pay. It’s really the only car I ever wanted, so in that sense, I got what I paid for . Thanks for letting me share
This ain’t any $50-100k T-bird. Those prices are for fully restored immaculate specimens. $20k is probably too much.
I like them so much better in either solidi white or black. Not fond of mint green.