1956 ford thunderbird bird leaf springs9/12/2023 ![]() For 1959 the factory produced 9,093 convertibles with 352 motors and 1,168 convertible Thunderbirds with the larger 430cu in engine. The ’1958- ’1960 Thunderbirds were built at the Wixom Assembly Plant in Wixom, Michigan. This particular car seems to have spent many years in California as it still retains a period Squarebird Society sticker and proudly displays membership of the San Diego Chapter of the Vintage Thunderbird Club. 1959 saw the availability of a bigger, more powerful optional engine, the 430cu in (7.0-litre) V8, which cranked out 350bhp.ĭual exhausts were standard on all models, although the way to determine the different engines is straightforward: the 352 has the FORD script on the valve covers, while the 430 is plain, as this was a Lincoln motor. The standard engine in these was a 352cu in V8 and four-barrel carburettor which is rated at 300bhp and was hooked up to Ford’s Cruise- O-Matic automatic transmission. For a 61-year-old survivor the car is in remarkable condition, very stock appearing apart from a set of chrome five-spoke wheels. The ’1959 Thunderbird you see here is an unmolested convertible, painted Raven Black with a tan and white interior. 1960 achieved a whopping sales increase to 92,843. The car was a huge hit with American buyers with 37,892 sold and 1959 saw production leap to 67,456. The 1958 Thunderbird used rear coil springs which created wheel hop, for ’1959 and ’1960 the system was re-engineered with parallel leaf springs. Furthermore, the carpet kick plates are inscribed with the Thunderbird logo and the chunky decorative glove box contributes further to the car’s plush interior. The dashboard, driver’s gauges, steering wheel and shifter along with the console are a work of art evoking a real luxury feel. Ford Passenger 1955 Except S/w, S/d Ford Passenger 1956 Except S/w, S/d Ford Thunderbird 1955 Ford Thunderbird 1956. The car boasted an industry first with bucket seats and a full-length console as standard. This version became known as the ‘square bird’ owing to its boxy styling. By 1958 the second-generation T-bird was totally re-designed and grew bigger all round, by adding an extra row of seats so it could accommodate four people. The ’1955 -’1957 T-Birds were known as ‘little birds’ being two-seater models only, and as such they were also labelled as ‘personal luxury cars’. The first time I ever saw a 1956 Thunderbird was in that film a white car driven by the ‘mystery girl’ Suzanne Summers. Some say the cars were the real stars of the movie, yet it is also the music that evokes that early Sixties era, combined with a great screenplay. I too in 1973 was a teenager and this movie opened up my world to American cars, lifestyle, rock ’n’ roll and good times. It featured a host of up-and-coming young actors, many of whom would go on to have successful careers. Filmed mostly in Petaluma, north of San Francisco in California, it was set in 1962 and documented early Sixties small-town teen life. The film dealt with the last day of summer vacation before a group of teenage friends matured into adult life and went their separate ways. Turning the clock back to 1973, I, like many thousands, flocked to the cinema to experience the feature film American Graffiti, produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by the legendary George Lucas.
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