Flip-out side vents provided better ventilation, porthole windows enhanced rear vision andĪn outside tire carrier added trunk space. More trunk space was a necessity.ĭesign changes on 1956 models corrected these deficiencies. The original design presented some problems. There were changes almost immediately after the car was With all of its popularity, the flight of the two-seater Thunderbird would be a short one. Ford had explored an uncharted market for unique transportation and came up with a winner. The public went for the Thunderbird in a big way, placing more than 3,500 orders in the first 10-day selling period.

Worsted-Tex marketed Thunderbird-inspired coats, and many other clothiers used the car in promotions.Cluett-Peabody used the Thunderbird to promote and sell Arrow shirts.Mechanix Illustrated offered Thunderbird as the first prize in their 1955 Build Words contest.The Powercar Company of Connecticut offered a Thunderbird Junior, a mechanically operated scale model car youngsters could drive.Some of the more prominent activities included:

Magazines also featured the Thunderbird in promotional campaigns. Jackets, shirts, shoes, rugs, furniture and toys, to name a few. The magic of the name and the impact of the car made it a natural merchandising tie-in for manufacturers of a wide range of goods - coats, One letter even revealed that, after having viewed a magazine illustration, the admirer instructed an American relative to buy the 1955 Thunderbird and ship it to him in Europe. Buyers of all ages, from all walks of life described the car in terms such as 'wonderful,' a 'masterpiece,' 'advancedĪutomobile' and a 'morale builder that is real fun and sport to drive.' Prices of the 1955 models ranged from $3,000 to $4,000. Transmission and most of the power options. However, practically none of the early Thunderbirds left the dealership without either overdrive or automatic Clock, tachometer, power-operated seats and a 292 CID V-8 engineĪlso were standard equipment. The base sticker price of $2,695, included the removable hardtop, but not the soft top. Overall length was 175 inches, height was a low 52

The original Thunderbird was a racy two-seater with clean, crisp lines on a 102-inch wheel base. Luxurious direction created the personal luxury car segment of the automotive market, and Thunderbird would enjoy almost uninterrupted leadership in this segment for decades. The 1955 Thunderbird was more of a personal car concept than a sports car, the result of a decision Crusoe made during the winter of 1953-54. Ford Thunderbird 1955 to 2004 Photo Gallery

70 thunderbird convertible