As time goes on, your chances of finding a largely original car become slimmer by the day.  Why is this important?  The clues left behind on an original car, such as finishes, casting numbers, date stamps, etc…, tell the story of the car and cars like it.  If you value automotive history, then cars like this 1957 Ford Thunderbird being sold on eBay out of Jacksonville, Florida are very special things.  Garaged and pampered all its life, this gorgeous Thunderbird with a rare manual transmission has just 39,305 miles and is largely untouched except for a professional repaint and the addition of air conditioning.  Does all this originality justify the $39,500 asking price, or would a lower offer be more reasonable?  Thanks to Pat L. for this great find!

You can’t help but be impressed with the pictures of the car and the presentation in the ad.  So many times we see nice cars that should go for higher prices either not selling or reaching their potential because of a lack of quality and/or quantity of pictures and the usual terse, poorly worded description.  A family member of the owner is actually handling the sale of this car.  As you can see, it isn’t this person’s first rodeo.

Regardless, this car does a good job of selling itself.  The Thunderbird Bronze paint, which the seller tells us has been refinished some time in the past, still looks great.  A closer look at the chrome and trim reveals nothing that would suggest rust and/or pitting. The wide whitewall tires contrast well with the paint and the top.  Unfortunately, there is no mention of a hardtop coming with this car.  It appears that this is a soft top only ‘Bird.

A look inside reveals an interior that has the look of a used but well cared for car.  There is some lumpiness in the dash pad, and the driver’s seat foam appears to be a little soft in the center.  The air conditioning unit is designed like the aftermarket systems that were popular in the sixties and seventies.  It is said to blow cold, and must be nice to have on days when dropping the top just doesn’t get the job done when it comes to comfort.  The biggest standout in the picture is the manual shifter.  It is connected to the three speed transmission that was paired with the base engine.  I wasn’t able to find any production figures, but a manual transmission is a rare sight in a first generation Thunderbird.

The car’s originality shows through when the trunk is opened.  The vinyl used to protect the trunk surfaces is obviously original material, and hasn’t been treated as carefully as the rest of the car.

Looking underneath, the sellers claim that this is a well cared for and rust free car is proven.  I’d venture a guess that some detail work has been done underneath.  Original cars rarely look this good after even the occasional splashing of water, dirt, and grime.

Under the hood is the base 292 cubic inch Y-block engine.  It put out 212 horsepower, and that was certainly enough to get a small car like this moving along briskly.  The engine almost appears too clean and tidy to be original.  We are told, and there is evidence in other photos, that date codes for some parts are still present.

All and all, this is a very impressive car.  Being a base model and having a manual transmission may hurt the eventual selling price.  However, the condition and mileage will likely greatly offset any issues.  You couldn’t ask for a nicer driver to enjoy.  I just wonder what the final selling price will be.

What do you think it will sell for?