From the category archives:
This post is all about Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns at the Hershey Car Show in October 2010.
This is just a few of the many beautiful cars from Ford Motor Company that were at the show.
I hope you enjoy.
Thanks,
Bobby
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By Bobby Webb
The 1957 Thunderbird, T-Bird for short, was a car that had the comfort and luxury of a boulevard cruiser mixed with the flair and power of a sports car. The first generation of the Ford Thunderbird was introduced in 1955 as a sporty two-seat convertible. The car’s development and creation began in February of 1953 as an answer for Chevrolet’s new automobile, the Corvette, a prototype sports car unveiled the month before. The Thunderbird went from idea to a prototype in only about 12 months where it was introduced at the Detroit Auto Show in early 1954. Only a few years later, the Thunderbird’s sales far outweighed that of the Corvette’s in both 1956 and 1957 and the 1957 Ford Thunderbird would be the most popular Thunderbird two-seat model ever.
Billed As A Personal Luxury Automobile
Although it had power and speed and had the Chevy Corvette as a direct competitor, the 1957 Ford Thunderbird was marketed more for its personal luxury rather than its sportiness. After two generations of Thunderbird, the 1957 model was revised and improved with larger tailfins and tail lamps, a larger grille and a reshaped front bumper. The ’57 model also had additional paint colors to choose from and the addition of circular porthole windows which were put into the fiberglass roof to improve visibility of the rear.
The ’57 Ford Thunderbird also had some visible improvements verses the previous models from 1955 and 1956. Along with the fresh bumper design and restyled grilled, the seating was improved to make the interior more spacious. Cooling was improved with larger window openings. Designers also made less visible improvements; brakes were made larger, the chassis cross-members were made stiffer, new 14-inch wheels were added and the electrical system was updated to a 12-volt system. Many of these updates gave the ’57 Ford Thunderbird more stability and much better handling. Other optional additions that could be made for comfort included power windows and a removable hardtop.
Although Luxurious, The ’57 Thunderbird Was No Slouch
The 1957 Ford Thunderbird was both inspired and a direct competitor with Chevrolet’s Corvette. Although Ford chose to market the car as an automobile of comfort and luxury, the ’57 Ford Thunderbird definitely had a “sports car” side to it. The 5.1 L 312 cu in V-8 engine became standard in the 1957 Ford Thunderbird which produced 245 horsepower. Two more powerful versions were also introduced:
312 cu in V-8 with two four-barrel Holley carburetors
312 cu in V-8 with a Paxton supercharger
The V-8 with the Paxton supercharger delivered 300 horsepower.
With such a blend of comfort and performance, Ford had a winner on its hands as the 1957 Thunderbird sold 21,380 units in 1957, a record.
If you enjoyed this article and would like to read many more like it please visit my blog, http://www.ClassicCarCrazy.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bobby_Webb
http://EzineArticles.com/?1957-Ford-Thunderbird&id=5483196
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