In the 1950s, the race for the most appealing American-made “gentleman’s car” was underway. Chevrolet debuted the almighty Corvette at the 1953 New York Auto Show. In turn, Ford unveiled the first generation Thunderbird. Designers took a page from the “bespoke roadster design language” of the 1930s. More specifically they were directly inspired by the Auto Union (Audi) 1000 Sp, to create what Ford called the “personal car of distinction”. In fact, 1938 was the last time Ford built a vehicle with the 2-seater configuration. Following this generation, the only other 2-seater roadster built by Ford is the last generation Thunderbird.

While being built on a lightweight chassis and equipped with a V8 engine, Ford focused on ride comfort rather than straight-line speed. Rather than competing with European carmakers or the Chevrolet Corvette, FoMoCo intended the Thunderbird to be an evolution of the “personal luxury car” segment for the United States. In 1955, the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette 24 cars to 1.

This specific model is equipped with an engine dress-up kit, wide whitewall radial tires, and fender skirts. One can’t help but be impressed with the deep shine of the gleaming black paint. The chrome accents and interior quality are in remarkable shape for a survivor car.

Here is your chance to own one of the most pristine examples of a Thunderbird survivor car!