An elderly gentleman purchased this 1955 Ford Thunderbird back in 1971 and enjoyed driving the car for many years. He dismantled it to undertake a restoration, but failing health saw the project stall pretty early. His grandson is now offering it for sale on his behalf, and it is a classic that holds a lot of promise for its next owner. Located in Eads, Tennessee, you will find the Thunderbird listed for sale here on eBay. The seller has set the No Reserve auction to open at $8,999, but there have been no bids to this point. However, with 58 people watching the listing, you would have to believe that the situation could change at any time.

This old Ford started its life wearing Thuderbird Blue paint, which, in my opinion, was the most attractive colors offered by Ford on the early T-birds. The elderly owner stripped this and has gone part-way through preparing the panels for a fresh coat of this color. The seller believes that all of the steel is original and says there is no evidence of prior accident damage. There is a minor repair just behind the rear wheel arch on the driver’s side, but the rest of the body appears to be straight and rust-free. It seems that all of the external chrome is present, although there will be pieces that will need to be restored or replaced. The frame for the soft-top is also present, although its pivots may require some work if it is to function correctly. The driver’s door glass is cracked, but the rest of it is in good order.

When we delve below the surface, we discover that the frame is original, it shows no evidence of damage, and it is as rust-free as you could hope to find on a Thunderbird of this vintage. Sadly, the same can’t be said of the floors. The trunk pan is sound, but someone has plated the remaining floors from above. The work looks pretty ordinary, and the buyer will undoubtedly choose to rectify this problem. Thankfully, some companies can supply the required parts at affordable prices, so replacing the floors with healthy steel shouldn’t be difficult or expensive. The seller also has a collection of parts, some of which are new, that he will include in the sale.

The engine and transmission have been removed from the T-bird, and while the Fordomatic transmission is still in one piece, the same can’t be said for the original 292ci V8. The owner dismantled this for a rebuild, but that’s as far as it’s gone. The seller says that it is essentially complete, although the crankshaft is missing. If the buyer intends to undertake a faithful restoration, this would be a chance to go to town on the motor and perform a complete refresh. Since the 292 has been dismantled for a while, it would probably be worth the time and effort to bore it, slot in new pistons and a new camshaft, and return the motor to a factory-fresh state. It should then be capable of producing its original 198hp, and it shouldn’t need touching for many years to come.

Apart from door trims and carpet, the Thunderbird’s interior appears to be complete and unmolested. The seller is including two seats in the sale. One has been reupholstered in its correct combination of Blue and White, while the other is an untouched power seat. The buyer will need to source door trims and carpet, along with the proper steering wheel. The dash is original and unmolested and still houses the factory radio. It looks like the owner has replaced the cap, but the painted surfaces would benefit from a refresh. The lens on the speedometer has begun to craze and deteriorate, but replacements are easy to find. If perfection is the goal, a complete set of reproduction lenses can be sourced for under $100, which means that with these installed and some fresh paint, the dash would look factory-fresh.

As has been the case with many classic cars, global circumstances have seen values for the 1955 Thunderbird ride a rollercoaster over the past year. They are beginning to creep up slowly, but they haven’t managed to return to the highs that we saw not that long ago. The seller quotes some potential values via NADA, but these are a touch optimistic in the current climate. However, a really tidy example will still fetch $40,000 in today’s market, while a pristine car can top $60,000. One of the attractions of this T-bird is that it appears to be a straightforward restoration, which would make it a great project to tackle in a home workshop. It could also be one that the entire family can become involved in, making it a perfect bonding exercise between generations. There have been no bids to this point, but I can’t see why that won’t change. Will you be the person who gets the ball rolling?