Rare Interior Color: 1956 Ford Thunderbird

The classic two-seater ’55-’57 Thunderbirds still turn heads. Especially mine. I recently spotted a gorgeous Sunset Coral ’56 T-Bird at a local repair shop and, yes, I quickly did a u-turn and went back to check it out. You just don’t see many ’56 ‘Birds that left the factory painted Sunset Coral. Another rare, new color in ’56 was Buckskin Tan. And with that color, Ford had to add a new interior color combo: brown and white vinyl. Although Colonial White was a popular exterior color choice (one T-Bird Forum estimates the percentage at 24%), I’ve never seen a Colonial White ’56 T-Bird with the Code XG brown and white interior. I’m guessing there weren’t many ordered from the factory in that particular exterior/interior color combination.

The seller doesn’t give us much information or history about this ’56 T-Bird (other than it’s a joy to drive), but at least there’s a decent amount of photos. The seller shares that he hates to sell it, but back surgery has made working on his ‘Bird, as well as getting in and out of it rather difficult. The seller also says that the car is “all original,” but the next owner will need to do their due diligence to see if this claim is true. There just aren’t that many all-original ’56 Thunderbirds in existence today. Based on the photos, the Colonial White paint looks shiny, very presentable, and I’m not spotting any rust or other imperfections. It has the factory spare tire holder (continental kit) on the rear bumper which improved trunk space from the previous year. It’s also sporting Ford’s standard full-wheel covers and wide whitewalls that look a tad yellowish in the photos. A matching white removable hardtop with portholes is included, but I don’t believe this ‘Bird came with the optional soft top.

The rare brown and white vinyl interior appears to be in very good condition with no visible wear, rips, or tears. In addition to power steering and brakes, this ‘Bird has the optional 4-Way Power Seat, Power-Lift Windows, and the $215 Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. Ford was on a safety kick in ’56, that included their new Deep-Center 3-Spoke Lifeguard Steering Wheel which is shown in the photo above.

The seller isn’t specific about what’s under the hood. For 1956, T-Bird’s came standard with a 292-cubic inch, 202-horsepower V8, or you could shell out a few more shekels for the optional 312-cubic inch, 225-horsepower V8. The seller lists the mileage at 92,371 with no mention of documentation. Currently calling Newburgh, New York its home, this ’56 Baby Bird is for sale here on eBay. As I’m writing this, 116 have viewed it in the last 24 hours and the highest bid sits at $15,100 which hasn’t met the seller’s reserve. So, what do you think of this rare ‘Bird? Have any of you ever seen a Colonial White ’56 T-Bird with a brown and white interior?