On loan from: Estate of Ken Gilson, Lincoln, NE
Original cost: $3,406
Number made: 21,380
Engine, etc.: V-8 Thunderbird Special, 312 cu. in., 245 hp; has a removable hardtop in addition to the convertible top. This car has the original engine. Ken Gilson restored this car.
The Thunderbird could hit 110 – 120 mph. It was a smaller ‘personal luxury car’, very different than the wallowing barges that roamed America’s highways in the 1950’s. It was designed more as a brisk luxury tourer than a serious sports car. They were still fast and handled better than a traditional car.
The 1957 models marked the first significant styling change for the first generation Ford sports car that entered its third year of production. This year’s model was longer and lower than the 1955 and 1956 models.
A slight sales decline in 1956 had Ford designers working on a fresher look for the Thunderbird. The new model had a restyled grill, stretched rear sheet metal, fresh bumper designs and improved seating. Other improvements included larger openings for improved cooling, revised spring rates, larger brakes, a stiffer chassis cross members, a 12-volt electrical system, and new 14-inch wheels. These changes resulted in more stable, capable handling. The spare tire moved inside the trunk which had been redesigned to allow it to be mounted vertically.
Other changes included a new dash, updated upholstery, a “Volumatic” radio that rose in volume as the car’s speed increased, and a “Dial-O-Matic” power seat that returned to its rearmost position when the ignition was turned off. It returned to its pre-set position when the car was started.
Three engines, all V-8’s, were available: the standard 312 cu. in. with 225 hp, an ‘E’ model with dual four-barrel carburetors and 270 hp, and a rare ‘F’ supercharged model with 300 hp which was available only in the 1957 model. Only 197 ‘F’ models were produced.
Thunderbirds were produced on the assembly line in Dearborn, Michigan with other Ford cars which is why the serial numbers are not sequential.
The 1957 Thunderbird was the last of the two-seat Thunderbirds which transformed into a four-seater in 1958 to improve marketability. It was discontinued in 1998 and did not return until 2001.
Some consider the two-seat 1955 – 57 Thunderbirds to be the best-looking Thunderbirds ever made, if not one of the best-looking cars ever made.
Source: http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z1639/Ford-Thunderbird.aspx
https://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Ford/1957_Ford/1957_Ford_Full_Line_Brochure/dirindex.html (Original dealer brochure, all 1957 models)