This one is going to start a discussion! It is a 1956 Ford Thunderbird that, at first blush, looks to have undergone an unusual modification and it is the first car, from Mexico, that I have reviewed for Barn Finds. The listing is in Spanish but I’ll try to translate it so we can understand what we have here. This ‘Bird is located in Santiago de Querétaro, QRO (130 miles NW of Mexico City), Mexico and is available, here on Facebook Marketplace for about $650,000 MXN (peso) or $30,000, U.S.
The listing, loosely translated, reads as follows: Unique owner, standard with overdrive, original 312 machine (engine?), original refractive rim(?), original paint, none like this, any mechanical and legal evidence (legal for registration/export?), and 1956 Barn Survivor. I encourage any bilingual readers to help refine my poor translation.
The exterior, or original paint, looks good! The images taken outdoors show a brighter, deeper shade of red than do those taken inside but the finish is not wanting for attention. The chrome bumpers may be a bit dulled from age but that’s to be expected at this point. Best of all, the trim is complete, there appears to be no rust and the body panels are straight and aligned. The mileage is listed as 82,000 KMs (51K miles) and if that’s accurate, it helps explain this T-Bird’s original looking appearance. Starting in 1956, “portholes” became available on the Thunderbird’s removable hardtop but research indicates that it was not a standard feature and this example does not possess them. Any clarity around Thunderbird portholes would be appreciated.
Here’s where things get really interesting, under the hood, there should be a 225 HP, 312 CI “Y” block V8 engine, and the listing translates as such. Well, I know a Chevy small-block when I see one and that’s what’s cooking in the engine room. Has the engine been swapped? That’ll get some knickers in a twist! What a minute, the engine compartment pictured looks like that of a C2 Corvette, and not a T-Bird, that explains the bow-tie powerplant. The listing states “overdrive” so that’s indicative of a three-speed manual and the reason for the 225 HP rating instead of the 312’s 215 HP rating with an automatic. There are no words, at least that I could discern, regarding this Ford’s running and driving qualities but then who knows if the seller would be referencing this ‘Bird or a ‘Vette.
The interior is standard fare for a ’56 T-Bird, it’s a typical 1950’s color combination and appears to have held up very well over its 65-year long haul. There are three different images included but I can’t find anything to nit-pick. The driver’s foot-well carpet is a bit worn and wrinkled, but that’s to be expected and is a minor matter. As I have commented before, I like original radios (yes, I know they usually sound terrible compared to a modern unit) and that’s what appears to still be installed here. The interior, overall, needs nothing.
I did some internet searching and $30 large for a ’56 Thunderbird, in this condition, is reasonable. I found a few for less but most were more, many, considerably more. Of course, in this case, you would have to essentially import this car and DirtLegal can give a prospective buyer what that would entail. Hopefully, the engine image switcheroo is just a simple error but nevertheless, one term, owing to its Latin origin, that is the same in Spanish as it is in English is Caveat Emptor, appropriate in this case, don’t you think?
It takes about 10 minutes to import a classic at the border. I’ve done it twice. This from 8 months ago bring ginger my 1978 Rambler American Into Texas from Mexico
Rambler American? Looks like a Hornet to me.
Cars for other markets do not always carry the same names as the ones on THIS side of the border. It could very well be that, for the Mexican market, the ‘American’ name was continued instead of using ‘Hornet’.
It is actually a VAM American. The US had AMC and Mexico had VAM. The name Hornet was gone by this time.
What papers did you get so you could title it in the US, if I may ask?
It’s not automatic. Overdrive is an additional gear to reduce rpms . It’s a low ratio gear, electrically to engage in most of the cars. I owned a 55 Coronet with Overdrive.
Manual 3 speed + Overdrive
Got it, fixed, thx!
JO
T-Bird 1956 engine bay….
So many red flags , no thanks
What red flags would those be?
That first picture of an engine compartment is a C2 Corvette.
You are right that is a corvette 327 engine funny
Showing the photo of a Corvette engine (in a Corvette) on an ad for a Thunderbird? That’s reason enough to stay away from bidding. (the second reason is it’s on Facebook.)
The engine shot shows a hump ahead of the windshield, not on the others. Assume that’s from another car. Now, I’m not sure on this but were T-birds in that timeframe available with a manual tranny? Interior shot shows 3 pedals and what looks like a manual shifter.
Just some thoughts.
The photo is showing definitely a Corvette’s engine in a Corvette C2
I had a ’55 TBird with the manual transmission … only about 20% had the manual and the shifter had a big wooden knob … traded a ’61 Vette 283/2-4bbl/4-speed for it … should have kept the Vette …
Where’s Miguel when you need him? He probably worked on this car at some point.
Thank you Ikey, I was thinking along those lines. I like Miguel’s posts, always concise and informed.
Sorry I didn’t see this posting until now.
I can translate the ad though.
Único dueño – One Owner
Standar con over drive – Manual with over drive
Máquina 312 original – Original 312 Engine
Llanta de refacción original – Original Spare Tire
Pintura original – Original Paint
Ninguno como este – None Like This One
Cualquier prueba mecánica y legal – Whatever mechanical or legal test.
Sobreviviente de granero – Barn find
I don’t see any plates or stickers for the plates and that would concern me.
Sorry but I believe you are wrong on the value, this car is way overpriced based on what I see. You can find nice drivers in the upper teens with a little looking and a few good connections. The market for these cars prefers automatics over manuals, and they want power windows, power seat, and power brakes and steering. This car has none of those that I can tell. Add the cost of chrome work, a new interior, and probably paint by the time you are done and this car is well above top dollar value and that’s without seeing the engine compartment(their photo is of a Corvette) and underside. I admit I am not a T-Bird expert but I have spent plenty of time with a good friend that is and he is certified as a judge for the national Thunderbird club. If you want a good T-Bird reference source email me and I’ll put you in touch with him.
To be fair, this car was advertised inside Mexico and he is asking all the money because there is no competition for it. I have seen maybe 2 other cars for sale like this in a long time.
Maybe somebody will be dumb enough to pay him what he is asking.
You have to keep in mind the border is not open to cross cars right now and if it was the taxes they charge on a car like this to get it legal in Mexico is outrageous, so if somebody wants this car, they have to pay.
Maybe it is the same people as the 59 Impala, best to just run a way quickly
I agree with above… I’ve been following 55/56 asking prices for quite awhile, with possible interest. The price on this one, IMO, is out of line. And, that’s not even addressing the ‘issues’ that I see with this one.
Yes, $30k in North America is pricy, but south of the border that’s another story, depending on what country a new buyer resides in. It’s all about taxes.
For example, any country in the CariCom [Caribbean Community] can import items [including vehicles] without paying import duties, IF THE ITEM IS IN ANOTHER CARICOM COUNTRY. If I remember from my time working in Barbados about 30 years ago, Mexico is part of the CariCom, and the US is not.
If the car is in the USA and a buyer in a CariCom nation wants to buy it, he has to pay up to 162% [yes, 162%] of the purchase price, *.
So someone in the CariCom who wants a 1955 T-bird, has few choices. Either find one there, or pay a heavy import tax. So this could be a very good financial deal for anyone south of the border, desiring a 1955 T-bird.
*Or the value of the vehicle based on what their government declares is it’s true value. Yep, that’s a slippery slope if I’ve ever heard one, for a worse tax system. They decide the value once the car is in their hands.
In 1978, while working for a vintage vehicle dealer in Virginia, I sold a restored 1929 Roosevelt Convertible Coupe with rumble seat. It was a nice car, but not a national 1st prize winner. I sold it to a collector in Germany for $18,000. On arrival in Bremerhaven, the German government declared it’s true value was $150,000. Import tax was declared to be $45,000.
When the new owner appealed the decision, the German government declared they had found 5 other 1929 Roosevelt convertible coupes with rumble seats, all restored cars worth at least $150,000 each. Problem was, the Roosevelt car was only in production for less than one year, and at that time only 4 Roosevelt cars were known to exist in the entire world, and none had been sold overseas when new. This example was the only convertible coupe known to exist.
The German government refused to back down, or even produce their findings on the other Roosevelt cars, saying they were not required to produce the data. So the owner paid to have the car shipped back to us, and we later sold it for him on consignment.
And here’s another ‘gem’ of a tax deal . . .
About 1992 I advertised a very rare RHD 1952 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn in Hemmings. A man in England called me about the car, I sent him details with photos and a copy of the original chassis card from Rolls-Royce for this specific car. He flew over to Baltimore and I picked him up in the car. He made me a good offer and I accepted. We drove to my bank and he arranged for a direct payment from Barclay’s bank in England [I had an account there as well], and a few minutes later I had the money sitting in my bank here in the USA. We drove the car to the shipping agent in Baltimore, and that was the last I heard of it.
Until 2 months later when I get a frantic call from the man. He was calling about the UK government wanting huge amounts of import tax dating back to 1952. They said the car had never been sold in the UK before, and it now had to have all that tax paid, with interest! He asked me where the car was sold new, and I directed him to look at the chassis card I had sent him. It said the original destination was Switzerland! It was probably sold in the Italian sector of Switzerland, as most cars in Italy were RHD. He was faced with paying taxes that were near what he had paid for the car. He said the car was sitting in a bonded area and could not be sent back to the USA, I guess he paid a hefty price for not reading all the info I sent him.
If you’re importing an older vehicle into the USA, the customs tax is only 2% of the declared purchase price [with paperwork]. But if you are dealing with other countries, it’s best to know what is involved before buying a vehicle! Some countries even have export restrictions for unusual and/or rare vehicles. In 1990, right after the iron curtain fell, I found a great deal on a 1949 Tatra T-87, but quickly discovered the Czechoslovakian government would not allow it’s export. Oh, well . . . That was my only possibility of owning one of those, as the prices quickly went thru the roof! I ended up buying a couple of later Tatra T-603 V8 cars instead.
Bill, you never cease to amaze!
Steve,
Thanks!
For half a century I specialized in rare and unusual vehicles, American and European. The more unusual, the better! I’ve owned and worked on cars that most Americans have never heard of! Cars like that tend to attract unusual clients as well! And when you become known as someone willing to tackle the jobs no one else wants, you won’t want for work.
So it’s no surprise I’ve got unusual stories to match!
Wow! You could write a great book with your experiences!
VHR,
Thanks for the compliment.
For most of my life working on cars, I focused only on making them as original as possible. But for the last few years, when I walk the lines of vintage tin, I’m often bored at the rows of identical [except for color] T-birds, ‘vettes, etc. Today I’m finding myself drawn more to the hot rods and custom cars, because I understand and appreciate what the builder has created.
Bill, all of North America is covered under NAFTA so it is legal to import a car into Mexico from the US and vice versa.
Mexico decides how much to charge for the taxes, however, and lately they have been charging $5000 USD to bring a car in so not many cars have come in here.
As far as I am concerned, a Chevrolet engine in a Thunderbird drops the value to about $500.00.
This car has the original 312 Ford in it, as the ad says.
The ad’s photos say otherwise.
You are correct! The photo is definitely that of a Chevy small-block, no doubt about it.
I think what happened is that the seller has more than one red car for sale and he mixed up the photo of the engine compartment of a red C2 Corvette with that of this red T-Bird. At least I hope, for the sake of a prospective buyer, that’s all it is…
JO
Jim,
Either that, or he was trying to get away with something. (I’m not as forgiving as you are…LOL)
Steve, if you look, the engine photo is of another car, so we don’t have a picture of the engine in this car.
Miguel, That’s why I posted this above…
“Showing the photo of a Corvette engine (in a Corvette) on an ad for a Thunderbird? That’s reason enough to stay away from bidding. (the second reason is it’s on Facebook.)”
1956 ‘Truenopájaro’. (Or is it ‘Pájaro de Trueno’?)
The cowl vents are Vette, that’s the wrong picture
I bought a custom-bodied fiat from Canada; the u.s. government claimed I didn’t exist–I was 82 at the time…it took most of a year to get the importation done–went through 2 ‘importers’, the 3rd one finally got the job done. and the car was well under $30k u.s. absolutely ridiculous!
Looks like a 292/312 FORD engine to me.
“South of the border,
down Mexico way.
There’s a classic T-bird
some people say…”
Portholes were avalable on later year model 56’s. I own an early production with non porthole top. By mid 1956, you could order them either way and Ford offered a porthole kit as well. #DerikLattig
One thing not shown or mentioned is the convertible top frame. This is a major expense during restoration if not on the Birds.
Speaking of mi amante la Mexico a lot of people are unaware that a few T birds were built in Mexico; 197 1955-1957 Thunderbirds were assembled in Mexico City for Ford in their La Villa plant. !Horale!
Órale car cuates.! Thank you all for your input. A car like this in México is considered extremely special being that this hobby is only for a select few. The economy there does not allow your average person to own classic oldies like we do here.! Having said this…you can see many old vehicles circulating daily in all Mexican cities and towns, some in incredible disrepair, which we could consider classics in the US.!
For most Mexicans, driving an old car is a matter of economical need, since prices for new cars are through the roof expensive.!!
It is often said that those “crazy gringos” will pay ridiculous prices for literal junk.!! Well…
I can’t blame this guy for trying!
Thank you BF for edumacating us (very) lucky Americans.!! Viva América..Óoooraleeee..!!
…and then there’s Cuba.
You are right Steve.! Those poor Cubans on the island are such ingenious people…
their cars run on tin cans and wire.!
And some are true classics….
Like I said, my friend, we are soo lucky here.!
Hope it lasts….
Fran….I know what you mean.! God help us….