Ford Thunderbird (first generation)

Ford Thunderbird
1955 Ford Thunderbird
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Production	1955–1957
Assembly	Dearborn, Michigan Long Beach, California Mahwah, New Jersey Hapeville, Georgia
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door convertible
Layout	FR layout
Powertrain
Engine	292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-block V8 312 cu in (5.1 L) Y-block V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	102 in (2,591 mm)
Length	175.3 in (4,453 mm) (1955) 185.2 in (4,704 mm) (1956 181.4 in (4,608 mm)(1957)
Width	70.3 in (1,786 mm)
Chronology
Successor	Ford Thunderbird (second generation)

The first generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a two-seat convertible produced by Ford for the 1955 to 1957 model year, the first 2-seat Ford since 1938. It was developed in response to the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, which showed the Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette in turn was developed in response to the popularity of European sports cars among Americans.

Dubbed a "personal car" by Ford, it built upon the heritage of the bespoke roadsters of the 1930s yet was constructed largely of existing components, marking the first step toward the evolution of the personal luxury car as a mass market segment in the United States. While light weight for its era and fitted with a standard V8 engine, the Thunderbird focused more on driver comfort than speed, and was not a direct rival to either the Corvette or European sports cars.

It remained the only two-seat convertible Thunderbird until the eleventh-generation was unveiled in 2002.

Ford unveiled the Thunderbird at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 9, 1954, and went on sale on October 22, 1954 as a 1955 model, and sold briskly; 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale. While only 10,000 were planned, 16,155 were sold in 1955.

It included fender skirts and a removable fiberglass top as standard equipment, with a fabric convertible top as a commonly specified option. The engine was Ford's proven 292-cubic-inch OHV 292 Y-block V8, which got 18MPG. The exhaust pipes exited through twin bumper guards bolted to the rear bumper.

The car used existing chassis and suspension design and off-the-shelf Ford mechanical components. It was constructed body-on-frame frame using a version of the standard Ford design cut-down to a 102-inch wheelbase identical the Corvette's. It was produced with a Fordomatic automatic or manual overdrive transmissions, and featured four-way powered seats and pushbutton interior door handles. Other unique features were a telescoping steering wheel and a tachometer.