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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Nice Rides


1955 Ford Thunderbird
The introductory T-Bird had style in spades, owing to its low, two-seat bodywork. (Ford pointed out in advertising that the Thun­derbird's height from the cowl to the ground was just slightly more than three feet.) It had a 102-inch wheelbase -- more than a foot shorter than a 1955 Ford sedan -- yet borrowed heavily from the many new styling touches adopted for the year's full-size Fords. The Thunderbird managed to avoid being cluttered with excessive chrome trim or outlandish two-tone paint schemes.
The power part of the equation came from the 292-cid version of the corporate "Y-block" ohv V-8 shared with Mercury. Equip­ped with a Holley four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts, it made 193 bhp at 4,400 rpm in cars built with the standard three-speed manual transmission, or 198 bhp in those fitted with the extra-cost Fordomatic automatic gearbox. Overdrive was also available for stickshift cars.

Though it was inspired by the many -- mostly foreign-built -- sports cars that were capturing the imagination of American enthusiasts in the early 1950s, the Thunderbird was built like a little luxury car. Its family car-like suspension delivered a softer ride than "pure" sports cars (and would be made softer still in 1956). Roll-up windows and the availability of a removable fiberglass top lent more all-weather comfort than the folding tops and snap-in curtains associated with most other two-seaters. A standard telescoping steering column helped drivers find an optimal position behind the wheel. Optional power assists cradled passengers in the lap of luxury.
Story via How Stuff Works

2 comments:

  1. My first car was a 1956 T-Bird, which I believe was the prettiest year (and, no - I didn't buy it new - heh) I loved that car! Built like a little tank.

    I paid about $1000.00 for it, drove it for about 12 years, sold it for $15,000.00, and bought my first house with the profit.

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  2. Very Nicely Done Miss Adrienne. Never owned one myself. My neighbor owned a pair of 56 T-Birds that I lusted over as a teenager. My Dad had already shot down my attempt to purchase a 66 Mustang as he was convinced was a death trap. There was absolutely no talking him into a T-Bird. It wasn't till the Navy before I scored my first car. A 62 Falcon.

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