For Sale: 1955 Ford Thunderbird in Hilton, New York for sale in Hilton, NY
Vehicle Description Beautifuly Restored with attention to detail This 1955 T-Bird has the right looks and feel sure to impress and delight 292ci Thunderbird V8 Rebuilt in 1996 and only 3880 miles have been driven since New Clutch and Pressure Plate as well as Hardened Valve Seats for Everyday Gasoline Use.
New Holley Carburetor with Manual Choke New Suspension, Front and Rear 12 Volt Conversion Electronic Ignition Radial Tires Wire Spoke Wheels New Radiator New Power Brakes Old Look but New Modern Radio by Custom Sound White Wall Radial Tires New Soft Top This Bird Runs Every Bit As Good As It Looks! At GLCC now! Ah, the mid-fifties.
Mid-century.
A great time in America's history.
The war was over and people were putting it behind them, looking forward to the 1960's, a decade of hope.
1955 was a time of sleek, modern, contemporary houses and furnishings.
People were shedding the stuffy, busy decor of the past and embracing sleekness, more minimalist designs.
Cars were getting bigger and more advanced.
They were more comfortable, easier to drive, required less maintenance, and were more dependable.
And in the midst of all this, one car stood apart from all others.
It could immediately be identified as a Ford, but it was unlike any other Ford ever made.
It was a personal car, sporty in appearance but with most of the luxuries people had come to expect in fine automobiles.
The Thunderbird was named after the mythical bird known as a good luck omen to the American Indians.
Displayed with outstretched wings, the Thunderbird is seen frequently in Southwestern Indian art, and is believed to have the power to bring thunder, lightening, and rain to the parched desert in the Southwest by flapping its wings.
The Thunderbird was said to be invisible to man, except in flashes of lightening as it soared through the skies with lightening bolts tucked under its wings.
The closest thing to the Thunderbird in 1955 was the Chevrolet Corvette, which was taking steps to improve its car, perhaps because it knew Ford's T-bird would be a worthy competitor.
A new small block V-8 engine debuted in the Corvette this year, rated at 195 horsepower.
Most Corvette's produced had the V-8, but the six cylinder engine was still standard and seven cars were thus equipped.
A 12-volt electrical system was provided on the V-8 cars and the old 6-volt system came on six cylinder cars.
New paint colors dressed up the Corvette, and 700 were sold in 1955.
Of course, this was a poor showing considering the Thunderbird sold over 16,000 cars that year, and it's likely that the introduction of the T-bird saved the Corvette from extinction.
Chevrolet did not want to concede failure in the two seater market to Ford, so it poured money and resources into the Corvette to make it more competitive.
Had the little Bird not come along when it did, it's possible Chevrolet might have cut its losses and abandoned the Corvette.
Ford's marketing department determined that there was a market for a two passenger personal car, and that Ford could expect to sell around 10,000 of them per year.
Plus, the new sporty car would draw more people into dealer showrooms and some of them would buy another Ford model, so there were additional benefits to having such a car in the line, even if they weren't actually selling in big numbers.
First year production exceeded the forecasts, but there were those within Ford who wanted to see a profit from the Thunderbird, and even as the very first little Birds were hitting the streets, changes were underway to totally change the car.
Surveys were done to find out what people really wanted and needed, and in the responses, lots of people indicated they would purchase a new Thunderbird if it retained its unique styling and more compact size, while providing room for four people and enough luggage space to accommodate things like golf clubs, and luggage for four people taking a trip by car.
The new larger Thunderbird would debut in 1958, which meant the ori.
New Holley Carburetor with Manual Choke New Suspension, Front and Rear 12 Volt Conversion Electronic Ignition Radial Tires Wire Spoke Wheels New Radiator New Power Brakes Old Look but New Modern Radio by Custom Sound White Wall Radial Tires New Soft Top This Bird Runs Every Bit As Good As It Looks! At GLCC now! Ah, the mid-fifties.
Mid-century.
A great time in America's history.
The war was over and people were putting it behind them, looking forward to the 1960's, a decade of hope.
1955 was a time of sleek, modern, contemporary houses and furnishings.
People were shedding the stuffy, busy decor of the past and embracing sleekness, more minimalist designs.
Cars were getting bigger and more advanced.
They were more comfortable, easier to drive, required less maintenance, and were more dependable.
And in the midst of all this, one car stood apart from all others.
It could immediately be identified as a Ford, but it was unlike any other Ford ever made.
It was a personal car, sporty in appearance but with most of the luxuries people had come to expect in fine automobiles.
The Thunderbird was named after the mythical bird known as a good luck omen to the American Indians.
Displayed with outstretched wings, the Thunderbird is seen frequently in Southwestern Indian art, and is believed to have the power to bring thunder, lightening, and rain to the parched desert in the Southwest by flapping its wings.
The Thunderbird was said to be invisible to man, except in flashes of lightening as it soared through the skies with lightening bolts tucked under its wings.
The closest thing to the Thunderbird in 1955 was the Chevrolet Corvette, which was taking steps to improve its car, perhaps because it knew Ford's T-bird would be a worthy competitor.
A new small block V-8 engine debuted in the Corvette this year, rated at 195 horsepower.
Most Corvette's produced had the V-8, but the six cylinder engine was still standard and seven cars were thus equipped.
A 12-volt electrical system was provided on the V-8 cars and the old 6-volt system came on six cylinder cars.
New paint colors dressed up the Corvette, and 700 were sold in 1955.
Of course, this was a poor showing considering the Thunderbird sold over 16,000 cars that year, and it's likely that the introduction of the T-bird saved the Corvette from extinction.
Chevrolet did not want to concede failure in the two seater market to Ford, so it poured money and resources into the Corvette to make it more competitive.
Had the little Bird not come along when it did, it's possible Chevrolet might have cut its losses and abandoned the Corvette.
Ford's marketing department determined that there was a market for a two passenger personal car, and that Ford could expect to sell around 10,000 of them per year.
Plus, the new sporty car would draw more people into dealer showrooms and some of them would buy another Ford model, so there were additional benefits to having such a car in the line, even if they weren't actually selling in big numbers.
First year production exceeded the forecasts, but there were those within Ford who wanted to see a profit from the Thunderbird, and even as the very first little Birds were hitting the streets, changes were underway to totally change the car.
Surveys were done to find out what people really wanted and needed, and in the responses, lots of people indicated they would purchase a new Thunderbird if it retained its unique styling and more compact size, while providing room for four people and enough luggage space to accommodate things like golf clubs, and luggage for four people taking a trip by car.
The new larger Thunderbird would debut in 1958, which meant the ori.
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