1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible

Ford unveiled the Thunderbird at the Detroit Auto Show in February 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 1954 and went on sale the next month as a 1955 model. Sales were brisk, with 3,500 orders placed in the first ten days. While only 10,000 were planned, 16,155 cars were ultimately sold in 1955.

A rare domestic two-seater for the era, it was designed to be a luxury tourer and not a sports car. However, it could reach speeds of 100 to 115 mph depending on the transmission ordered.

The car used existing chassis and suspension design and off-the-shelf Ford mechanical components. It was the first two-seat Ford since 1938. The exhaust pipes exited through twin bumper guards bolted to the rear bumper. The car featured four-way powered seats and pushbutton interior door handles. Other unique features were a telescoping steering wheel and a tachometer.