This 1956 Ford Thunderbird was acquired by the current owner in 2020 and was subsequently refurbished. Work reportedly included rebuilding the 312ci V8, reupholstering the interior, repainting the spare tire carrier, and replacing the convertible top, taillights, carburetor, shocks, exhaust system, leaf springs, and battery. The car is equipped with a modern retro-style radio, power windows, a power-adjustable bench seat, and 15″ wheels with wide-whitewall tires. This Thunderbird is now offered with service records, a battery tender, and a clean Maryland title in the seller’s name.
The seller states that the car was refinished in Raven Black during current ownership. The black soft top was also replaced as were both taillight assemblies. The bulk of the gallery photos were taken between April and September 2023.
The 15″ wheels are mounted with Michelin wide-whitewall tires, and the spare is mounted in the Continental-style rear carrier. The hubcap centers, upper and lower ball joints, suspension bushings, and leaf springs were replaced in 2022.
Originally trimmed in red and white vinyl, the cabin was reupholstered in black and white. Additional interior work during current ownership has included refurbishing the dashboard, reconditioning the power seat motor, and replacing the driver’s window motor, heater core, heater valves, and ignition switch. A modern retro-style stereo was also installed.
The three-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and frames an Astra Dial instrument cluster housing a sweeping 150-mph speedometer, a 5k-rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges for fuel level and coolant temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 27k miles, approximately 1k of which were added under current ownership. The fuel-level sending unit was replaced in 2022.
The seller states that the 312ci Y-block V8 was rebuilt during current ownership. The lower oil pump cover was resealed in June 2022.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a Fordomatic three-speed automatic transmission. Additional underside photos can be found in the gallery.
Decoding the trim tag yields the following:
- Color A – Raven Black
- Trim XB – Red and white vinyl
- 26L – 26th of December build date
- SL – St. Louis Sales Area
- 22 – 22nd automobile scheduled on build day