1957 Ford Thunderbird
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The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 in direct response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. Like the Corvette, the Thunderbird had a two-seat coupe/convertible layout. Production of the Thunderbird began later in 1954 on September 9 with the car beginning sales as a 1955 model on October 22, 1954. Though sharing some design characteristics with other Fords of the time, such as single, circular headlamps and tail lamps and modest tailfins, the Thunderbird was sleeker and more athletic in shape, and had features like a faux hood scoop and a 140-mph speedometer hinting a higher performance nature that other Fords didn't possess.
This Thunderbird has undergone a partial restoration, and is in very good driver-quality condition. The list of mechanicals that have been modified are: The 312 CID Ford engine was swapped out in 1974 with a 350 CID Chevrolet V8 engine to provide a little more get up and go for this classy chassis. It is paired with...