1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible

Ford s 57 Thunderbirds have proven so popular that many have been restored more than once or at least carefully upgraded over the years. That care and joy of ownership has kept many classic 'Birds on the road and at car shows, where they continue to draw admirers. The seller of this red 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible bought the car from a dealer who bought it from the previous owner who performed the body-off part of the restoration. The seller is a former Industrial Arts teacher who completed the work during his 15 years of ownership. Among the unseen upgrades are a dual master cylinder for the brakes, improved transmission, an electronic ignition, extra cooling, and a satellite-radio-capable stereo. - the car drives very well and has always been kept covered in a heated garage. This '57 T-Bird is powered by a D code, 245-horsepower, 312-cu.in. Y-block V8, fed by a single four-barrel carburetor. - the engine was rebuilt approximately 5,000 miles ago and a Pertronix ignition and an extra capacity radiator were added. New wiring, a new exhaust system, an electric fuel pump, and a new gas tank were also installed. Cold starts take five accelerator pumps and then the engine starts right up and idles fine, with only a little initial smoke, but none after the engine is warm . A few fluid drips have been reported from the rear main seal and the transmission. The three-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission shifts smoothly but has a slight clunk when first put into gear. The transmission was modified so the car can be started in park instead of just neutral. The 3.10:1 differential was rebuilt.- this T-Bird received a body-off restoration in 2007-'08 and notes a few very small rust blisters. He rates the paint quality as very good to excellent except for these noted spots. The data tag specifies E as the paint color, which means it was originally Colonial White. The car has a tan aftermarket convertible top and a white removable hardtop that the seller calls incomplete, without any further explanation. A new tinted windshield was installed and the side glass is rated as good , who adds that the seals are all good, with no leaks. New chrome was installed during the restoration. - The trim code on the data tag is XH which translates to Flame Red pleated vinyl. That is the current upholstery color, and the seller describes its condition as good. The carpet condition is very good, in the seller's opinion. The speedometer and clock were rebuilt and the tach was replaced with a new electronic one. The original Town and Country radio was converted to AM/FM/XM functionality. The steering wheels appears stock but is a custom smaller-diameter one. The horn doesn't work. The car has a working heater but no air conditioning. - The car received a wheel alignment approximately 5,000 miles ago. The control arm bushings have been replaced and the shocks have approximately 10,000 miles on them.- the car drives straight down the road with a little play, but no power steering leaks. The brake system was upgraded to a dual master cylinder and the brakes work fine, . A few small rust spots have been noted on the wire wheels, which are wrapped in P205/75R14 BFGoodrich Silvertown wide-whitewall tires with about 10,000 miles of use and half of their remaining tread, in the seller's opinion. Rear helper springs were installed. There is a copy of the original build sheet and all receipts for the parts and work performed, plus restoration photos for this 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible. The car is being sold because doesn't drive it much anymore.