Now here’s a sight not often seen in downtown Peoria–a nice Starmist Blue ’57 Thunderbird (sans blonde, alas).
Before the option boxes were checked, the T-bird was actually a fairly basic vehicle, with a three-speed manual, blackwall tires, manual steering, brakes, windows and (vinyl) seat adjustments. A removable hardtop was standard, and could be swapped at no cost for a soft top ($$ extra if you wanted both). If you wanted a radio, heater, windshield washer or seat belts, or any of the other more decorative choices with which this car seems to be nicely equipped, you’d better start peeling off bills from your roll. The rear overhang was longer for 1957, allowing the spare tire to move back inside the trunk from its previous perch on the rear bumper (factory Continental kits were only offered on the ’56, and customers complained of steering problems due to extreme rear weight bias). Wonder if there’s a Paxton supercharger under the hood?
Related Reading: Automotive History: The Short Life And Personal Times Of The 1955-1957 Thunderbird
The ’55 and ’56 were a woman’s car to me. The ’57 always struck me as the most butch. Styling influenced the Sunbeam Alpine/Tiger among others. Can almost hear the Y Block burbling thru the bumper.
I agree, the 55/56 T-birds were too short in the rear, and were poor imitations of the 50’s Vette(It’s target rival).
The 57 T-bird, is alot longer and became what it was, till it’s last 2005 iteration… The personal luxury coupe.
Although, the Eldorado and Riviera were around in the 50’s… They were just Special Editions, for other models of Cadillac and Buick. The T-bird in 1957, can rightly claim the 1st American personal luxury car throne.
The T-bird was it’s own model, and not just a specialized option, you check off at the dealer… Unlike, the 50’s Eldo and Riv.
I never thought of any 2 seat T Bird as being a “womans car”, but the `57, IMHO was the best looking of the first generation Birds. Nice looking car even with a fabric top,but the hardtop really makes this look even nicer. Needless to say, I`ll take one, in red or white. I don`t think that too many basic models were sold.
What’s the Human Service Center? I’m a human who needs a little service, could use a few of my joints overhauled.
T-Bird would be a great way to get there..
I think its the politically correct term for a welfare center.
Or in the ghetto, it’s called a soup kitchen.
They called it the “soup kitchen” in the affluent Connecticut town I grew up in, I didn’t know it had become a ghetto term.
What they call it depends on how afraid they are of the not rich / non White People where it’s located .
Me , I liked the ’55/’56 T-Birds best but not enough to buy one , not even when they were cheaper .
-Nate
From their web site: “The Human Service Center (HSC) is a behavioral healthcare organization located in the heart of Illinois. We provide comprehensive mental health and substance abuse services.”
My wife and I occasionally volunteer at the Rescue Mission not far from here.
Knowing Peoria and Illinois, I immediately thought “Human Service Center” was what it looks like – the jail. Of course the patrons of “welfare center”, “behavioral health center” and “jail” share similar character and needs.
I know there are a lot of people who strongly prefer the ’55-’56 design, and it does have its charms, but to me the ’57 is *the* Thunderbird. What a year for Detroit…
This is going to sound corny but there is some certain something/je ne sais quoi about powder/sky/baby blue American cars made between, say, 1955-1990 that gets me excited. Maybe it’s because my grandfather had a powder blue late 70s Cadillac and then a baby blue Grand Marquis in the 80s, but anytime I see an old car in this color, it makes me (a) want to buy the car and then (b) take a roadtrip (c) go to a drive-in, (d) take said car to the beach (in no particular order).
Therefore it goes without saying that I love this T-Bird.
Let’s not forget baby blue F-100s!
Yes! I drove a ’70 for many years (bought new.)
Yeah, that light, powder blue just says something about older cars that can’t be conveyed to most new vehicles that are only offered in about five colors (black, white, red, dark grey, and silver). In fact, nothing says light blue like a 1957 Chevy convertible (see ‘Eddie and the Cruisers’).
The other color that says it even more is the ‘light aqua’ (sort of a turquoise color), mainly seen on sixties’ Fords.
Orrin, I’m with you. There’s something about that color.
I haven’t had one of these in Blue yet but I will.
A visual delight. I would have loved to have heard this one burbling off from a stop light.
’55-’56 without continental kit are my favorites. Never really liked the bigger fins and longer trunk of the ’57. Prefer them because of the steel body vs. Corvette fiberglass.
This car will always remind me of “Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie” It’s on Netflix, check it out!
So gorgeous, my dream car in the perfect color!
I’d happily be the next owner of a drivable 55-56-57, and understand why Hemmings (for example) sees prices on these as kind of a barometer for the old car hobby as a whole. That said, I wonder if they’ll “hold their value” any more/less than 60’s performance cars, etc.
To me, the ’55 has the purest design (i.e., more akin to the stately Continental Mark II than to, say, the finned ’57 full-size), and I’m glad Ford discarded the Victoria-style trim late in the game:
About 20 years ago I got to see a 57 factory paxton equipped in the home of Mel Blanc who was already gone but his son Noel had quite the car museum going there. It was one of only a hand full made he claimed.
Nice shot. Incongruous, yet natural.
That baby blue was revived as a Ford color choice on the retro Thunderbird for the 2003 model year only as a “fashion color”
It was called “desert sky blue”, code CZ. I have a friend who has one and it is a gorgeous color on those final T-Birds.
You can get a Fiat 500 extra-retro “57” style model in a non-metallic light blue.