1959 Ford Thunderbird

This 1959 Ford Thunderbird Convertible is an absolutely stunning 2-seater thats loaded with options and ready to be your next summer cruiser! In the early 1950s, American automakers realized they were missing a key segment of the market-luxury, sporty 2-seater convertibles dominated by European brands like Mercedes, Porsche, and Jaguar. Chevrolet was the first of the Big Three US Automakers to respond with the 1953 Corvette, but Ford quickly followed with an even more refined answer: the Ford Thunderbird, introduced on October 25, 1954. Unlike the Corvette, the Thunderbird delivered true personal luxury, combining sporty V8 performance with the comfort and convenience features American drivers wanted. With amenities such as roll-up windows, a smoother suspension, and available power steering, power brakes, power seats, and power windows, the Thunderbird offered a far more upscale driving experience. It even launched with a standard V8 engine and manual transmission, with an optional automatic for added ease. Fords strategy paid off. In its debut year, the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette and quickly became one of Fords most successful and iconic models. By the end of 1957, the early-year T-Birds, known as the Baby Birds, had seemingly run their course and consumers were itching for a refresh. Introduced for the 1958 model year, the new Thunderbird underwent a complete redesign. The Square Bird, as theyve now become know as due to the squared-off C-Pillar design, were bigger, longer, heavier, and roomier, and a greater emphasis on luxury (compared to performance) was evident. While the Square Bird design was quite a bit more luxurious and practical, there were still options for high displacement, high horsepower engines that performance enthusiasts craved including the Thunderbird Special 352 V8. The newly bodied Thunderbirds also were now 4-seaters, and customers had the option of either a convertible or a fixed hardtop, with these changes among others yielding a nearly 50% increase in sales from the previous year. In the following year, the 1959 Thunderbird largely retained the Square Bird silhouette with a few modest styling changes including a modernized horizontal bar grille design, a chrome arrow side spear on each side, and a refined taillight design that mirrored the new-look front grille. Today, the 59 Thunderbird Convertible is known a being a beautifully styled, highly optioned classic that perfectly captured the luxury-performance blend that defined the late-1950s American automotive era. In total only 10,261 Thunderbird Convertibles were produced (less than half as many of the 57 T-Bird) which makes this particular H-Code example a pretty rare Bird. This 1959 Thunderbird comes to us from southern collectors who took great care of the car while serving as its stewards for the past nearly 20 years. Powering this 59 T-Bird is an H-Code Thunderbird Special 352 cubic inch V8 engine fed by a single 4 barrel carburetor that together were said to have produced 300 horsepower when new. The 352 V8 is mated to a Cruise-O-Matic 3-Speed Automatic transmission making this Thunderbird an easy car for anybody to drive. Exhaust exits this Fords powerplant via a dual exhaust setup that generates a terrific throaty sound out of the rear tailpipes. This gorgeous 1959 Thunderbird is absolutely loaded with desirable options! Squeezing into a tight parking space at the local Classic Thunderbird Club International (CTCI) event or even the ice cream parlor down the street is a total breeze because the power steering makes turning feel almost effortless. With recently gone through power brakes, bringing this classic T-Bird to a complete stop is also quite easy which is especially important with all that horsepower under the hood. Riding on a set of wide whitewall tires mounted on steel wheels, each accented with a full Thunderbird wheel cover with the iconic Sunray emblem, this 1959 Ford has an outstanding upscale look whether parked or cruising down the road. Additionally, the rear wheels tuck neatly behind a set of color-matched fender skirts for a little extra added pizazz. The white vinyl power convertible top is in great shape, going up and down easily with the simple flick of a switch. Moreover, when the convertible top is in the lowered position (as it should be most of the time in a car like this), it hides away below the decklid. The body of this Square Bird has been correctly refinished in Casino Cream paint that completes the exterior look of this wonderful car. The interior of this 1959 Ford Thunderbird Convertible is gorgeous! The front bucket seats as well as the rear bench seat sport Hickory Tan upholstery that appears to have been replaced during this cars restoration. In addition, you can easily adjust the front seat since it is a power seat that moved forward and backwards with the mere flick of a switch. The matching tan carpeting, door panels, center console, padded dash, and steering wheel all look to be in great shape as well and retain a wonderful stock appearance. All 4 windows are powered, easily raised and lowered using the center console mounted switches. Instrumentation includes a 140 MPH speedometer, temperature gauge, and fuel gauge, along with indicator lights for oil pressure and generator function. The dash is finished off with a clock, locking glovebox, and a push-button AM radio so that you can listen to all the doo-wop tunes while cruising down the road. Whether youre buying your very first classic car or youre adding to your existing collection of 50s convertibles, this 1959 Ford Thunderbird Convertible would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingsons a call today at 763-428-7337!