Seller Notes

*1957 Ford Thunderbird* * One of Less than 1,400 E-Code Cars * Documented History With a Believed 72,437 Original Miles * Multiple Show Winning RestorationThe Ford Thunderbird is a car that speaks for itself in the realm of classic cars- an American icon with a design that has never been bested in the over 60 years since its debut. Famous owners of Thunderbird Baby Birds includes the likes of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe to Bruce The Boss Springsteen. This 1957 Thunderbird is an absolutely flawless example of an ultra desirable E Code that was restored and remains in concours original condition - with the awards and recognition to prove it. In 1957 Ford opted to refresh the Thunderbird line to keep up with their main competition- the Corvette. Ford offered a number of new V8 options, but the E Code was one of the most sought after of the bunch with only about 1450 built. Displacing 312ci, it produced 270 horsepower and in this car, is routed through a Ford-O-Matic -- 2 speed automatic gearbox. The E Code is one of the most desirable engine options available on these cars with its dual Holley four-barrel carburetors, an increased compression ratio and automatic choke- making it more powerful than Chevrolet's contemporary 283ci unit. This Thunderbird, as delivered when new, is painted in Ford's stunning Starmist Blue. It features a Colonial White removable porthole hardtop, and includes a black convertible soft top. On the inside, flawless two-tone medium blue and light blue upholstery was chosen which looks incredible against the turned metal dashboard. When new (and restored) this car was comprehensively optioned with all of Fords most cutting-edge features available at the time. Master-Guide power steering and Swift-Sure power brakes were both added for a safer and easier drive. Power-Lift power windows were specified on this car along with 4-way power seats, a Volumatic signal seeking radio and MagicAire cabin heater. On the interior, dealer original seat belts and padded sun visors were both optioned along with rare original dealer accessories for the time- a locking gas cap and Remington Auto-Home electric razor kit. With a hookup to plug the razor into your wall at home or the cigarette lighter in your car, you could bring your personal grooming on the go.All of these options make for an already special show car. But unlike many cars from this era, there is comprehensive original documented provenance leading back to the purchase of the car which helps verify mileage and proves that all of the options were in fact factory originally fitted. Included original documentation shows it was delivered and sold through Ford of Canada into British Columbia. The car stayed in Canada between 1958 and 1978 when it was imported into the US with a documented odometer reading of 68,500 miles. In 1982, this car was purchased out of Newcastle, WA by its previous owner who embarked on a painstaking 13 year restoration. During this time, he set out on a full body off frame end-to-end restoration with all matching numbered pieces and exclusively new old-stock FoMoCo (Ford Motor Co.) parts - this is all well documented with photos included in the sale. Upon completion in 1995, this car went on to win documented national CTCI (Classic Thunderbird Club International) concours awards and documented recognition. Anytime an incorrect item was identified, it was fixed or replaced with the original pieces to make it that much closer to perfect. After achieving the pinnacle of success and recognition, in 1997 this awesome car was safely wrapped and put into protective storage, until it was recommissioned by a new collector owner in 2020. Since 2020 this car has been fully refreshed, tuned and serviced -- including new Coker Classic radial wide white wall tires, new factory correct 12 volt battery, new old stock FoMoCo gas tank, service and replaced brakes, Stayfast canvas soft top, plus draining and replacing all fluids and filters.As recently as 2022, this spectacular car continued to win numerous awards, including a 1st Place for Thunderbirds 1955-2005 at the All Ford Car Show in Kent, WA and Best in Show -- Griot's Garage Shinefest Car Show,Tacoma, WA. The list of original documentation and awards this car has earned is extensive and deserves taking a look - if you are in the market for a Baby Bird era Thunderbird or a showcase attention grabbing collectible car - its hard to imagine a better looking more collectible one than this!After Chevrolet debuted the Corvette in 1953 as their brands halo car, Ford quickly realized that they needed to follow suit and build a two seat sports car of their own. Unveiling the first prototype just one month later in February 1953, the Thunderbird was a two door Italian-inspired coupe built for traveling both at speed and in great comfort. With the first production models available for purchase at the end of 1954 as 1955 model year cars, the Thunderbird featured a new design language for Ford with slimmer tailfins, a low cowl and a hood scoop out front. The 150mph speedometer alluded to the sporting nature of the car and the removable fiberglass hardtop added practicality over a standard soft convertible top. In the first year of production, the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette by 23 to 1 and for the first two years of production, the design remained largely the same. For the 1957, Ford wanted to freshen their design and, in an effort to gain some ground on the all new 1957 Corvette, they offered multiple new engine options. The tailfins grew and the trunk got longer, the grill became wider and the interior gauge cluster received a major overhaul- these design modifications were so well received that Ford had once again broken their own sales record with over 21,000 Thunderbirds built in 1957 alone (per CTCI less than 1450/7% were originally configured like this world class 1957 E Code Thunderbird).*Additional Information* * Ford of Canada Original Factory Invoice * Ford Motor Company Shipping/Packing Slip * Ford Motor Company Vehicle Shipping Order * Original Registration Application * Original Insurance Documents * Annual Registration Documents 1957-1980 * Pre Restoration Photos * Restoration Documents * Numerous Awards * Receipts From Post-Restoration Work Completed * Car Cover * Hardtop Stand * Reproduction Owners ManualView Undercarriage photos here...*Standard Features* * Pleated Vinyl Upholstery * Variable-Intensity Illuminated Control Knobs * Automatic Courtesy Light on Instrument Panel * Rear View Mirror on Windshield Upper Molding * Dual Horns * Deep-Center Lifeguard Steering Wheel * 2-Inch In-Out Adjustable Telescoping Steering Wheel * Tachometer * Electric Clock with Sweep Second Hand * Cigarette Lighter and Ash Tray * Glass-Fibre Top (with or without Port Windows; no charge) * Lifeguard Door Latches * Lifeguard Rear View Mirror * Exterior Rear View Mirror (Driver's Door) * Cowl Side Vents * Glass Wind DeflectorsFor more information on this 1957 Ford Thunderbird, or any of our other luxury and high-performance sedans always in stock, please contact our friendly and knowledgeable sales team, or always feel free to stop by our Bellevue, WA Park Place Ltd campus - Where we have over 40,000 sq ft of indoor showrooms filled with the finest cars. As part of the Park Place Motor Group family, which includes Park Place Aston Martin and Lotus of Bellevue, Park Place Ltd is Home to the West Coast's Most Diverse Inventory of Luxury, Exotic, Collectible and Special Interest Automobiles. Nobody Has What We Have!