292ci Bored To 312ci/Dual 4 BBL’s/Both Tops/Straight Rust Free Steel

1957 Ford Thunderbird Roadster

The 1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbirds is among the most recognized and iconic American car. It's been put in television shows, movies and print advertisements, not to mention being pictured on a U.S. postage stamp. The mass media often has mistakenly called any sporty looking car, such as the Ford Mustang, a "sports car." It's given the 1955-57 Thunderbird the same description, although Ford stressed from the get-go that its new baby was a "personal car." Ford knew that the sports cars market was very limited and that calling the Thunderbird a "personal car" would give it much broader appeal.

For consignment, a personal car (as dubbed by Ford) 2-seater adult getaway vehicle. This would be the last year for a good while for this two seat configuration, and is widely thought to be the best year of the first generation T bird. 1957 saw Ford add some extra options including power which this one has been bored to a 312 ci for this "C" series which came with a 2-barrel carburetor, 3-speed stick shift and retains its larger "G" heads in this engine during its total rebuild. Overall gorgeous in every aspect, it's gonna go, go GO!

Exterior
When you pen a thin bodied, long hood with a scoop, and canted tail fin 2 seater car, throw on some jet age styling for the taillights, give it a hardtop option complete with a porthole window and has a convertible underneath, add on fender skirts, a wrap around windshield, and some chromed trimmings, you have this car. All straight steel bathed in Flame Red paint showing a few smudged areas but certainly not a deal breaker, and mirror like chrome bumpers, egg crate grille, and for the rear in bumper exhaust ports, this car screams steel sex. A white canvas convertible top is underneath the red hardtop and presents as very clean and tear free with a clear rear window in plastic. With the hardtop, convertible up and down you are basically getting 3 totally different looking cars, and the ability to use year-round. Before I move on, we need to give a shout out to the Kelsey wire wheels from a 1962 Thunderbird, and all wrapped in wide white radials. Suh-weeeeet!

Interior
Swing the door and be met with white panels that do not know what a straight line is as to their design. White vinyl mixes with machined swirl pattern aluminum inserts for the door handles and power seat controls. Speaking of the seat, it's a gorgeous white bench with tuck and roll inserts and smooth bolsters that curves neatly into the body styling and allows for the top to hide behind it. For the dash a big curved overhanging cowl in padded white vinyl for the topper, and more machined aluminum and a litany of round gauges and chrome bezeled black knobs and pulls. An aftermarket radio is now neatly installed and as we gaze across this big padded curved top dash, we can note temp, fan controls, and a nearly hidden glovebox, but the deeply inset keyhole gives it away. A metal lower dash also in painted white and some white kick side panels contrasted by red carpet, and original steering wheel clean as a whistle, and you will be left awestruck...Bee-uitfuhl!

Drivetrain
A flip of the front hinged hood and more bling with some sting with a 292ci "Y" block now bored to 312 cubes. Painted a beautiful red, shoehorned into a totally restored engine bay, and some "G" code bigger heads now strapped on and topped with cast and ribbed polished winged valve covers. On top are now dual 4-barrel carbs and on back a 3-speed manual tranny. The rear axle takes the brunt of this power with a 9-inch size, and 3.56 gears. Just wonderful underneath this scooped hood. Ver-uuuuhmmmm!

Undercarriage
Completely restored, nice shiny black frame and underpants, with a new fuel tank, reworked suspension which is independent coil springs for the front, and leaf springs on the back, and they look showroom. Drum brakes are on all 4 corners, and a very clean like new exhaust system is now on. Yeeeowww-za!

Drive-Ability
She fired right up with a low rumble, and it was off to the test track with a snap back of my neck. Those dual 4bbls kicked right in and I was quickly transported to performance heaven. Great handler, smooth shifter, quick bias free stopping with those drums, and all was functioning awesomely.

1957 never looked so good with this beautifully restored and cared for Bird. Very few criticisms for this car where a nice job has been performed everywhere, even underneath. If you are in the market for a classic bird, or just want to get your wife on board to help clean out the other side of your garage, you need to see this spectacle of Ford design in its last year of the two seater until Y2K.

VIN DECODE
C7FH315042
C-292ci V8 2bbl
7-1957
F-Dearborn, MI Assy Plant
H-Thunderbird
315042-Sequential Unit Number

WARRANTY TAG
BODY 40-Thunderbird
COLOR VE-Flame Red/Colonial White
TRIM XH-Flame Red Pleated Vinyl
DATE 18F-June 18th
TRANS 1-3 Speed Manual
AXLE 2-3.56 Gears

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.