T-BIRD number 2

[mike02redbird]

This week end a friend and I took off to visit the Auburn-Cord Museum in Ft. Wayne, IN. For any one that loves cars this is a worthwhile field trip. As I was walking around they had a section called “Special Interest” and the first display was the Original T-Bird and the Retro T-Bird, the retro was Car Vin number 100002.
We had a good time and enjoyed all the displays.
http://www.automobilemuseum.org/Pages/default.aspx

[mike02redbird]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

More pictures

[mike02redbird]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

One More..... 55 or 56 ?????

[Carmino]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

Nice Mike, Thanks...

[SixPac]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

Thanks Mike. That is good retro VIN # info. Does anybody know where VIN # 100001 is located?

[eboose7]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

It looks like an early edition '56 with a hardtop sans the portholes. There is an old commercial on YouTube which shows a 1956 Thunderbird with a hardtop that doesn't have the portholes. Ford must have put left-over '55 tops on the early '56 models until the tops with the signature portholes were available.

[birdfan]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

From the reference books I have they say in '56 & '57 the hardtop was available with or without the porthole, no charge difference. Presumably Ford didn't know if people would like the porthole so it was an option. Of course we now know it was very popular, but not all had them, and I have seen both '56 & '57 without the portholes. If I remember right the non-porthole '56 had no emblem on the side sail panel (the '55 had the Ford crest), and the non-porthole '57 had a round Thunderbird emblem, similar to the emblem that ended up in the fender top ornaments on the '58.

[snowbird]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

Thanks Mike. That is good retro VIN # info. Does anybody know where VIN # 100001 is located?

# 1 was donated to the Henry Ford Museum at the introduction show in Dearborn in 2001. It also was a black one.

[mike02redbird]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

No where in the Museum could I find out if it was a 55 or 56, I was sure someone on here could tell, Dot???

[snowbird]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

No where in the Museum could I find out if it was a 55 or 56, I was sure someone on here could tell, Dot???

It's a '56. Has side air ports on front fenders and continental on back. '55 had neither of these. Also small vent windows that '55 did not have.

[SixPac]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

Thanks Martin.

[5bird7]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

It's definitely a 1956 Thunderbird. birdfan is totally correct in his post. porthole tops were optional in 1956 and 1957. You will find non-porthole tops through out the years.

[steelblue5505]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

The front fender flip out vents are the real tell-tail here.
The 55s did not have these vents. They first appeared on the 56s.

[5bird7]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

The important find was #2 of the retros though.

[doubutsu]

Re: T-BIRD number 2

The 55 was the only thunderbird without a thunderbird emblem on the exterior, this car has a bird on the front