The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 as a 2-seat personal luxury car. Because of its passenger configuration, it’s often lumped in with the Chevrolet Corvette of the same era as a sports car. But they really didn’t go after the same audience. After three years, Ford changed direction, added a back seat, and found more buyers. Located in a backyard in Aberdeen, Washington, this Ford is a project looking for a start. It’s available here on craigslist for $7,000. And it’s another tip brought to us by “Curvette”.
First-generation T-Birds were far more successful than the Corvette. 53,000 buyers took one home between 1955 and 1957, compared to less than 5,000 ‘Vettes in 1953 to 1955. The Thunderbird always had a V8 engine, and in 1956, the choices were a 292 or 312 cubic inch eight-cylinder, and you could get a manual transmission, unlike the first two years of the Corvette. 15,600 T-Birds found homes in ’56, the same year as the seller’s.
The seller provides little info on this car other than that his/her father bought it a couple of years ago. The plan was to do a restoration that never happened, but there is a new soft top (which doesn’t look very new in the few photos provided). The mileage listed is 18,000, but 118,000 would be more probable. And we don’t know which motor lies under the hood, but it’s paired with an automatic tranny.
We’re treated to no pics of the interior, just four angles of the body, which present some badly worn black paint. Rust is likely a problem, and the chrome pieces show more corrosion than shiny stuff. Since the car isn’t priced as cheap wheels, a better description and more complete photos would surely help the seller find a buyer. When they don’t, they’ll blame craigslist.
LAME seller. Craigslist doesn’t charge by the word, though I recall Pennysaver used to. Fog of War.
And I think that’s a hardtop on it now; might be worth something if just for the new soft and reconditioning the hard?