When Ford started producing the Thunderbird, it had a big problem as the car was almost ready, but the company couldn’t find a suitable name for it.
After discarding about 5,000 names, one of the car’s creators, Louis D. Crusoe, offered a US$ 250 suit to anyone who could find a good name for the new model.
That’s when Ford stylist Alden Giberson suggested using the name Thunderbird and so began tostorythis iconic model from the 50s.
The 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Ford’s two-seater car first appeared at the Detroit Auto Show in February 1954.
That same year, in September, the first Thunderbird would roll off the production line at the Dearborn assembly plant.
The model was born from Ford’s desire to produce a sports vehicle in its line, a car with an Interceptor V8 engine and balanced weight distribution, which accelerated better than the competition at the time.
This first-generation model comes equipped with a 312ci Y-Block V8 engine combined with a three-speed automatic transmission.
With metallic silver paint, the car underwent a bodywork overhaul at the will of the current owner.
It features a detachable suede-lined hardtop and lots of chrome accents, such as 15-inch Coker wire wheels, front bumper and egg crate grille, and dual exhausts that exit through the rear bumper. The car also has power steering and four-wheel disc brakes.
Inside the cabin is a black leather-trimmed seat, black Thunderbird-branded floor mats, along with a leather dashboard.
The impressive replacement steering wheel frames the vintage-looking dashboard, which includes a speedometer of 193 km/h.
If you look closely, you’ll see 235 miles (378 km) on the odometer, all from the current owner, but the car’s total mileage is unknown.
A photo album documenting the renovation, a hardtop stand, an Edelbrock dual-quad intake manifold and some replacement parts will be offered to the winning bidder of this Bring a Trailer auction.
So far, this 1957 Ford Thunderbird is valued at US $ 48,000 and has around 2 days and a few hours to find its new owner.