These later model years are recognizable at a glance thanks to the small porthole windows in the convertible hardtop. For the next and last year of the 1st generation's production, power from the 312 was up to an impressive 245 hp, and a whopping 300 hp was available from supercharged models. In '56, displacement increased to 312 cu in, and power increased to 215 hp. The 1950s post-war economic boom brought more opportunity for youths than was ever possible before in American society. The figures on the speedometer were a bit optimistic, but the Thunderbird was able to break the 100 mph mark. 1964 Ford Thunderbird Michael DeRosear, 19 Fort Madison, Iowa Daniel Strohl In This Article Category: Classics Four or five decades ago, the world was changing. In 1955, a 292 cu in V8 producing 193 hp powered the car. The only Ford at the time with a speedo reaching all the way up to 150 mph, the Thunderbird promised to back up its good looks with great performance. Inside the gorgeously styled car, the speedometer gave a hint about its performance. Slightly smaller than later models, the 1st generation T-Bird was also the only one offered as a two-seater. Produced from 1955 to 1957, their tastefully subdued fins and hood scoop, smooth lines, and hooded headlights are distinctively beautiful. While the concept of the personal luxury car first realized in the Thunderbird was derived from the European grand tourer popular in Italy and England, it was the English who borrowed from the Thunderbird in the design of the Sunbeam Alpine, a car with styling lifted almost directly from the American car.Īlthough there were no fewer than 11 distinct iterations of the car, for a classic Thunderbird enthusiast, the 1st generation cars are the most desirable. It impacted other brands even across the Atlantic. The Ford Thunderbird was introduced for 1955 and remained in production through 1997, being revived again for 2002 through 2005. The Thunderbird's influence reached farther than Ford, though. They even used the T-Bird as the basis for the most popular Mercury model, the Cougar.
For the 1958 Thunderbird, the Ford team enlarged the car, turning it into a four-seater. To own the likes of a Ford Thunderbird is a collectors idea of heaven. The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car, that is an absolute collectors item for anyone that is into classic cars. When Ford launched the Mercury brand, it was in an effort to capitalize on the personal luxury car market that the Thunderbird had created. Ford first introduced its famous Thunderbird model in 1955. The Thunderbird's success is obvious from its long life and high sales figures, but it was also hugely influential on other models.
Bridging the gap between sports cars like the Corvette and plush sedans like the Bel Air, the Ford Thunderbird was the best of both worlds. Its combination of luxury and sportiness was a revolution that broke open a whole new market segment.
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