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. 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. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a three-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission.Īdditional underside photos can be seen in the gallery, and drive-by and walk-around videos are shown below.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. The 352ci FE V8 features a four-barrel carburetor and was rated at 300 gross horsepower when new. The five-digit odometer shows approximately 92k miles. The seller states that the speedometer and fuel gauge were recently repaired. The interior is upholstered in black and white and features front bucket seats split by a full-length console. Additional features include a retro-style radio and a column-mounted shifter. ![]() The suspension consists of coil springs in front and leaf springs in the rear, and the car is equipped with power-assisted steering and drum brakes. The paintwork is shown in detail in the gallery below along with chrome and stainless steel brightwork.Ĭhrome AWC wheels are mounted with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. The body was originally Raven Black according to the data plate in the driver’s door jamb, and has since been refinished in metallic olive green with ghost flames running down the hood and sides. This Square Bird is offered with a clean Vermont title in the seller’s name. The most recent service reportedly included repairs to the speedometer and fuel gauge. The car is finished in metallic olive green with ghost flames over a black and white interior, and power is from a 352ci V8 paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. This 1959 Ford Thunderbird coupe has been with the seller for 25 years, during which time it has been driven approximately 2,000 miles.
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