![]() Total sales figures for the year were 37,892, which was more than double sold in 1956. 35,758 hardtops were sold versus 2,134 convertibles. With the top down and the trunk lid closed, the appearance was clean and required no top boot.Īlthough the Thunderbird began life as a convertible, drop-top Birds accounted for less than a quarter of production in 1958. The soft-top was also hydraulically operated, and when lowered, hid completely in the trunk. What Ford engineers came up with instead was a rear-hinged trunk lid that raised and lowered with hydraulic cylinders. This initially two-seat luxury car was actually. However, engineering issues with the retractable roof prompted the decision to reinstate the convertible. Ford created the Personal Luxury Car segment in the United States when it launched the Thunderbird in 1955. In its place, a power-retractable hardtop, like Ford's Skyliner, was slated for the Thunderbird. With limited funding available, the convertible body was to be discontinued. A 3-speed manual transmission was standard with an automatic transmission optional. Powering the T-bird was Ford's new FE block, a 352ci V8 producing 300 horsepower. Another leading feature of the 1958 Thunderbird was unit frame construction, and the car boasted more room per passenger that any luxury car. To accommodate the back seat, wheelbase was stretched to 113-inches.Ĭonceived as a personal luxury car with distinctive style, Thunderbird interior had bucket seats in front with a full-length center console running into two rear buckets. Sales were good until the 1990s, when large 2-door coupes became unpopular production ceased after 1997. Succeeding generations became larger and more luxurious, until the line was downsized in 1977 and again in 1980. ![]() ![]() A solid rear axle used coil springs, and front independent suspension used control-arms and coil springs. In 1958, the Thunderbird gained a second row of seats for greater practicality. The unit construction process allowed the second-generation T-birds to sit long and low. The majority of today's modern cars are based on a unibody structure, but in 1958 it was new technology. Along with the convertible, a hardtop coupe was also offered, whose boxy lines and wide-pillar roof earned it the nickname "Squarebird." ![]() Distinctive styling featured quad headlights, a large chrome grille, and prominent tail fins. The Ford Thunderbird went on to great heights with its evolution, sales, and success becoming an integral part of American automotive history.īut, over the years, the T-Bird lost its wings and transitioned from an icon to just another average car, eventually getting discontinued in 2005.The Ford Thunderbird was now a four-seater, measuring eleven inches longer and weighing nearly 1,000 pounds more than the original two-seater it replaced. ![]() Ford called it a "personal luxury car" and although it was a competitor to the established Chevrolet Corvette, the T-Bird took a different approach and was more of a luxury grand-tourer than an outright muscle car.įord actually pulled a masterstroke with the car as it was a luxury car with all the bells and whistles along with enough muscle to keep you happy. There were a plethora of muscle cars, but the choice was unequivocally the Ford Thunderbird, if you wanted an outright luxury offering. The year is 1955, and you want to buy an all-American car. ![]()
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