This 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible would make a great summer driver and comes loaded with options! In the early-1950s, America's car manufacturers began to recognize a hole in the market for an American-made sports car. At the time, Americans were buying sports cars but most of them were European imports. In 1954, Chevrolet debuted its sports car, the Corvette, and independent American automaker Kaiser-Willys debuted its version, the Kaiser Darrin. On October 25, 1954, the Ford Motor Company introduced its sports car, the Ford Thunderbird. Considered by Ford as their flagship "personal luxury car" it was touted as being more luxurious and feature-rich than its chief rival, the Corvette. While the Corvette began to get garner some sales traction, critics lamented it for its lack-luster performance due to the lack of a V8 engine, stiff riding suspension, and its meager creature comforts. Ford's approach to the Thunderbird sought to alleviate those concerns. First, Ford put an overhead valve V8 in the T-Bird which provided better, and much-desired performance. Second, Ford equipped the Thunderbird with a smoother riding suspension to give the T-Bird a "personal luxury" feel while cruising down the road. Last, the T-Bird was offered with numerous add-on creature comforts such as power steering, power brakes, power seats, and power windows. With a Corvette-beating strategy coupled with a gorgeously designed automobile, the Thunderbird was an instant hit. The '55 T-Bird was a status symbol among high society and Hollywood's elites, and it even out-sold the Corvette in its respective debut by a significant margin. With only a few refinements, the '56 Thunderbird was largely unchanged from the '55 model. While the Thunderbird still sold particularly well in 1956, there was a minor sales dip and it became evident that the public was hungry for a new design. In 1957, the Ford Thunderbird underwent its first major stylistic redesign in the car's short history in what became a one-year only body. Up front, the '57 Thunderbird retained the iconic T-Bird style so the majority of the redesign occurred in the car's rear. Perhaps most noticeable were the rear quarter panels, which were now adorned with sleek, slanted fins that gave the 1957 Thunderbird its futuristic and ultimately iconic design. The trunk on the '57 T-Bird was also elongated so that it had enough space to store a spare tire along with some groceries and perhaps a set of golf clubs. The interiors were also updated including a redesigned, wraparound padded dash complete with a more performance-oriented instrument cluster. In total, Ford produced 21,380 Thunderbirds in 1957 which makes them highly collectible convertibles today. Under the hood of this '57 T-Bird is a 312 Cubic Inch V8 engine fed by an upgraded Holley single 4 barrel carburetor. This Thunderbird's V8 is backed by an automatic transmission that makes this 50s convertible an easy car for anybody to drive. Exhaust leaves this Baby Bird's powerplant via a dual exhaust setup that generates a wonderful throaty sound from the through-bumper tailpipes. This 1957 Thunderbird is loaded with fantastic options! With power brakes, bringing this early Ford sports car to a complete stop is made much easier. Power steering is another wonderful option on this T-Bird since it makes squeezing into a tight space at the local car show or ice cream parlor almost effortless. A driver's side chrome mirror is another great add-on to any classic car since it greatly improves visibility. This '57 Thunderbird also comes equipped with a manually-operated white vinyl convertible top should you get caught in the rain or better yet, need a bit more shade from the sun on hot summer day. Riding on a set of wide whitewall bias-ply tires accented with turbine-style wheelcovers, this Thunderbird has a truly upscale look whether you've just parked or you're cruising down the road. The body of this T-Bird Convertible has been correctly finished in Thunderbird Bronze, just how it came when it rolled off the Dearborn, Michigan, factory floor back in 1957. The interior of this 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible looks classy! The bench seat has been correctly upholstered in Copper vinyl. The driver and passenger power side windows go up and down with ease as they are operated with a simple flick of a switch. The copper upholstered door panels, carpeting, padded dash, and steering wheel all appear to remain in their stock configuration, exuding this T-Bird's originality. The engine-turned trimmed instrument cluster is equipped with a 140 MPH speedometer, 5,000 RPM tachometer, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and clock. The dash is completed with a push-button AM radio, climate controls, and a locking glovebox. Whether you're adding to your Blue Oval collection or you're buying your very first classic car, this 1957 Ford Thunderbird would make a fantastic addition. Give Ellingson's a call today at763-428-7337!