This nice and clean red ’55 Thunderbird brings back memories. I was a little kid in the early 1960s and remember seeing my first 2-seater Thunderbird on the road. It looked just like this one and I went ga-ga over it. I had never seen anything sporty – the vehicles in my little world were mainly station wagons, 4-door sedans, and pickup trucks. I asked my parents what it was and my dad said it was a Ford Thunderbird. Whoa. Even the name was cool! I’ve been smitten ever since and the classic ’55 – ’57 Baby Birds will always be my favorite cars. Here’s a neat and tidy, very factory correct 1955 Ford Thunderbird that’s looking for a new home. Thanks again to Curvette for spotting this little Red ‘Bird and sending it our way.
The seller is very light with its history and word count, but says it has always stayed inside and has no rust. Based on the photos, I believe that. The factory Code R Torch Red paint is very presentable and I’m not seeing issues with the chrome bumpers, trim, badging, or glass. The matching Torch Red fiberglass hardtop also looks very good and the seller says it does not have the optional soft top. (Customers could order a soft top in place of the hardtop or as a $290 cost option if both tops were wanted.) Factory options spotted include fender skirts, backup lights, and whitewall tires with full wheel covers.
A photo of the data plate verifies both the factory Torch Red paint and also the correct factory Code B red/white vinyl interior. Thunderbirds have such classy, colorful interiors and this one looks to be in great shape. The seller says this Baby ‘Bird left the Dearborn factory with a number of options including a power bench seat, Master-Guide power steering, Swift-Sure power brakes, and a Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. It also appears to have the optional radio and I bet it also has the optional $71.43 MagicAire heater. (Thunderbirds did not come from the factory fully-loaded.)
Many sellers on craigslist don’t include a photo of the trunk area, but this one does. It looks to be in tip-top shape, but you can see how much trunk space is eaten up by the full-size spare tire. That was one of the few complaints from customers that was addressed in the ’56 model year in the form of a factory-installed continental kit.
All ’55 Thunderbirds came with the 292-cubic-inch Y-Block V8 under the hood that generated 198 horsepower. It’s listed as having 27,850 on the odometer, but I’m assuming there’s a numeral one in front of it. Like the rest of the car, the engine bay is clean and tidy and was ordered with the optional Engine Dress Up Kit and Windshield Washer. This nice, straight, and “unmonkeyed with” 1955 Thunderbird is located in Gresham, Oregon, and is for sale here on craigslist for $35,000. After 70 years, the styling and proportions of the original Thunderbird still works. Quite a feat considering its compressed development time frame and how its styling had to compliment (and share some parts) with the redesigned full-size ’55 Ford. Mission accomplished!
If I were to close my eyes… And you were to tell me to “Picture” a ’55 T Bird……. This is exactly it!!! Color, whitewalls, everything. Ron, I’m sure you’re not the only kid to go Ga Ga over one of these. I remember back in the 70’s my older brother had a metal model kit of I believe a ’56 T Bird ( had portholes in the metal removable hardtop). He made it red, like this one, and as a young kid, I was smitten. This is just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Great write up Ron and thanks for bringing up some great memories for this car crazed kid.
**** drools*****
That is all.
I’ve always loved the simplicity of th 55-56 T birds. This one is a beauty and reasonably priced.
Now the price says $28,500.
These are the only T Birds I like. And dang they are beautiful. This one looks incredible. Don’t know their pricing too well, but that seems very fair.
It was overpriced by about $10k before the price cut and price cuts seem to be the norm on these as they aren’t worth as much as owners think. There’s a one-owner, well-optioned ’55 for sale locally (SoCal) for $24k, for instance. Another ’55 advertised recently (now gone) was also under $25k. The ’55s seem to be value priced at the moment but even ’57s can be found for around the mid-$20k mark or less. A lot of car for the money.
If this ‘Bird is an unrestored survivor, then I DO believe that is the actual mileage! This one deserves a top-notch appreciative new owner. What a lovely example of what in late 1954 was an astonishing car! I will never forget receiving my copy of Ford Times which featured the upcoming Thunderbird. That was a neat little magazine, and I always loved trying to identify the oddly-taken photographs near the back. Wonder why they stopped publishing it? Anyone remember the (July, I think it was?) 1953 50th anniversary (of the Ford Motor Company) issue?
I do love these Baby Birds and I agree the pricing is all over the place. But overall there seems to be several cars in this price range or less. Maybe now is the time to go shopping.
It’s a beautiful clean ‘bird! Unless it’s spent some years in a museum, it’s hard to believe it’s unrestored, especially under the hood.
The best one made. Nice!