It always interests me to see or hear about an antique vehicle that was bought new, then passed down to one or two (or more) generations of family members. I’ve written about several old cars that are not highly collectable, but have been kept in the family clearly for sentimental reasons. Then there’s this 1955 Thunderbird. I’m not sure how many of these classics are still owned by the same family since new, but I can understand why they’d hang on to them. People have been drooling over the two-seater Baby Birds ever since they were new. Occasionally, one-family-owned collector cars do come up for sale, and in many cases it’s because a family member inherited it. I’m not sure if this is the case here, but after 68 years, this ’55 T-Bird could be a owned by a second family. It’s currently not running, but is in a garage in Carson City, Nevada, and is for sale here on eBay. As of this writing, five bids had been submitted with the highest being $10,800. 

Not to jump to conclusions, but based on the quality of the photos and the skimpy description and history given, one could assume that the family member currently owning this T-Bird isn’t a “car person.” I’m also guessing the phone number listed in the ad is getting a lot of calls from people asking lots of questions. It’s listed as a “California and Nevada 1-Family Car,” which is a plus, and could explain the lack of visible rust on the car.

The Torch Red paint looks presentable and has a shine, the chrome looks good as well as the glass, and the trim appears to be all there. The panels look straight but the seller states, “door cars warped” but doesn’t go into detail and no photos were taken of the passenger’s side. It comes with a Tonneau cover, the optional white or black convertible top (whose fabric is described as in poor condition), and a white removable “Glass-Fibre” hardtop. It might be a 1956 hardtop since porthole windows that were not available from the factory for the ’55 model. (According to portholeauthority.com, many hardtops for ’55’s were converted to porthole tops once the ’56 T-Bird was introduced.). The fender skirts also come with the car.

There are only two photos of the T-Bird’s stylish, classic black-and-white interior, but it appears to be in good condition (except for the carpet that is described as being “very worn.”) The dash, instrument panel, and flat, two-spoke adjustable telescopic steering wheel look to be in great shape. There’s one photo of what we’re told is the original bench seat. If it is, it’s in very good condition with no rips or signs of major wear and only needing a good cleaning of the ribbed vinyl upholstery. The passenger door panel is also visible in the photo and looks very good as well.

Mechanical details are, like I said, skimpy. All I know is that the car isn’t currently running, it has a manual transmission with Overdrive (which was a $110 option), and mileage is listed at 78,086. There’s only one distant photo of the engine bay, but it looks clean and houses a 292-cubic inch Y-Block V8 that was rated at 193 horsepower. Sure, there are lots of unanswered questions about this ’55 Thunderbird, but at least you know the car’s history and there’s probably a family member who can answer those questions. And, hopefully, the second family to own this iconic classic will get it roadworthy again and enjoy driving and showing it for many years to come.