The 2-seater 1955-57 Thunderbirds will always be my favorite car. Some of it is sentimental since my parents bought an attractive Meadowmist Green and Pinetree Green 1956 Ford Parklane station wagon when I was but a youngster. I remember sitting on the front seat on my knees with both hands on that big light green “Deep-Center Lifeguard Steering Wheel” (Ford was on a safety kick in ’56) and pretending to drive. That steering wheel, along with some other parts from the full-size Ford parts bin, were also used on the ’56 Thunderbird. Here’s one of the 15,631 Thunderbirds produced for model year 1956 that’s been off the road since 1991. The seller claims that it’s a “legit barn find,” but is very lean with details and its history, so a long list of questions remain about this classic Baby ‘Bird.

The T-Bird is dusty inside and out, but we don’t know where it’s been the past 34 years or how long it called a barn its sleeping chamber. The seller doesn’t say if it runs or stops, but I’m assuming since it’s been off the road that long and on a trailer, it’s not currently running. The seller also says “looks like everything is there to restore it” but doesn’t say anything about the missing continental spare tire kit, rear taillights, or the fiberglass removable hardtop that was standard equipment and available with or without the porthole windows. It does have the optional soft top which is a plus. Based on the limited photos, the body looks pretty solid (there are no photos of the undercarriage), but more detailed photos or an in-person inspection would be advised. The seller lists the exterior color as white, but it is obviously red, so we don’t know if it left the factory painted Colonial White or Fiesta Red.

The interior is dusty and dirty but appears to be all there and in pretty good condition. The Code XA black and white vinyl seats are correct with no rips visible and the door panels look good as well. It’s hard to tell what kind of condition the carpet is in, but the instrument panel and dash look good. Although it’s listed as having a manual transmission, it looks like it left the factory with the T-Bird’s most expensive option in ’56, the $215.00 Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission.

We see lots of head-scratching, incomplete ads here on Barn Finds and you can add this one to the list as there aren’t any photos of the T-Bird’s engine and engine bay. The mileage is listed as 59,830, but we don’t know if it’s original or if the ‘Bird left the factory with the standard 292-cubic-inch, 200 horsepower Y-Block V-8 or the optional Thunderbird Special 312-cubic-inch V8. This ‘Bird project is currently in the Binghamton, New York area and is for sale here on Facebook Marketplace for $16,500. On the surface, this Thunderbird looks like a good candidate for restoration, and I hope the next owner has the moolah to return this ’50’s automotive icon back to its original head turning glory.