Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 292-Powered 1957 Ford Thunderbird.
A black and white television spot that was filmed at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in 1957 shows a trio of United States Air Force jets doing a synchronized demonstration. The narrator states that the Pratt & Whitney engines that powered the jets were manufactured by the Ford Aircraft Division. “Now, here are three more super-performers from Ford,” the ad says, as we see three new 1957 Thunderbirds driving along the runway in a similar “V” formation.
The message was well-received, and T-bird sales reached a record-high volume in 1957 in part due to the car’s marketing. Today’s featured car went through mechanical and cosmetic refurbishment and is ready to fly the friendly skies. It is being offered by a dealer in Massachusetts, and the auction ends Monday.
“You’re looking at the latest version of America’s most talked-about car. For ’57, Ford has shaped the classic Thunderbird profile into a completely fresh, completely distinctive style all its own,” Ford’s commercial says. Indeed, the third model year for the Thunderbird was very important. One of the most dramatic changes took place with the rear of the car, where the former outside-mounted spare tire was moved inside the trunk. As Ford’s commercial points out, trunk space was even somehow enhanced in the process.
I’m usually a purist about preserving originality when it comes to paint codes, but the Torch Red exterior on this car is hard to hate. According to the car’s trim tag, it originally left the Dearborn, Michigan assembly plant finished in Willow Green (paint code J). Similarly, the former Cumberland and Willow upholstery has been redone in two-tone red and white vinyl which is a perfect complement to the exterior.
For 1957, there were two engines available for the Thunderbird. The smaller was a 292cid Y-block and the larger was a 312cid Y-block. Today’s featured car comes with the former. Included in the listing is a two-minute walk-around video with a nice look at the exterior, engine bay, and trunk (of course, including a start-up for good measure). The motor sounds healthy, and the listing says that recent service included work to the carburetor, cooling fan, water pump, fluids, battery, and brake master cylinder in 2023.
“There’s not another car like it in America,” the television ad says. You’d better place a bid on this one and verify that for yourself!
The auction for this 292-Powered 1957 Ford Thunderbird ends Monday, April 15, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. (PDT)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery
