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Chevrolet beat Ford to the punch when General Motors introduced their own two-seater, the Corvette, at the Waldorf Astoria Motorama in January 1953. A year later, at the February 20th, 1954 Detroit Auto Show, Ford introduced their mass-produced two-seat sports car - the Thunderbird. The first production Thunderbird rolled-off the assembly line on September 9th of 1954, and was introduced to the public on October 22nd.
Standard features found on the early Thunderbirds included power steering, brakes, windows, and a four-way seat with options, including a radio, heater, and choice of a three-speed manual or Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. Under the hood was a 292 cubic-inch V8 engine.
The Thunderbirds styling and V8 power triumphed over the early Corvette's fiberglass construction and anemic six-cylinder engine. Sales of the Thunderbird in its first year of production totaled 16,155 units, wildly surpassing the Corvette's 700.
This particular example is finished in Torch Red over a red and white interior. It is equipped with a black folding soft top, power windows, full polished wheel covers, wide whitewall tires, and an AM radio.By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2017
Standard features found on the early Thunderbirds included power steering, brakes, windows, and a four-way seat with options, including a radio, heater, and choice of a three-speed manual or Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. Under the hood was a 292 cubic-inch V8 engine.
The Thunderbirds styling and V8 power triumphed over the early Corvette's fiberglass construction and anemic six-cylinder engine. Sales of the Thunderbird in its first year of production totaled 16,155 units, wildly surpassing the Corvette's 700.
This particular example is finished in Torch Red over a red and white interior. It is equipped with a black folding soft top, power windows, full polished wheel covers, wide whitewall tires, and an AM radio.By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2017
2018 RM Sothebys : Fort Lauderdale
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $25,000-USD $35,000
Sale Price :
USD $14,300
2017 RM Sothebys : Hershey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $30,000-USD $40,000
Sale Price :
USD $35,200
2015 Bonhams : Greenwich Concours
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $35,000-USD $40,000
Lot was not sold
2013 RM Auction - Hershey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $35,000-USD $45,000
Sale Price :
USD $30,250
1955 Ford Thunderbird Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Ford Thunderbird
(Data based on Model Year 1955 sales)
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: az395503 Sold for USD$33,000 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh129465 Sold for USD$29,700 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh172519 Sold for USD$37,400 2024 Mecum : Indy | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: P5FH108197 Sold for USD$22,400 2024 Worldwide Auctioneers : Enthusiast Auction | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh218715 Sold for USD$30,800 2024 Mecum : Houston | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh194423 Sold for USD$55,000 2024 Mecum : Glendale | |
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE Chassis#: P5FH171103 Sold for USD$44,000 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh114063 Sold for USD$44,000 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh137091 Sold for USD$30,800 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh132858 Sold for USD$16,500 2023 Mecum : Kansas City | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh101263 Sold for USD$15,400 2023 Mecum : Chattanooga | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh183876 Sold for USD$29,700 2023 Mecum : Dallas | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh114519 Sold for USD$15,950 2023 Mecum : Dallas | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Chassis#: p5fh220772 Sold for USD$82,500 2023 Mecum : 2023 Monterey | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh239903 Sold for USD$33,000 2023 Mecum : Harrisburg | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Chassis#: p5fh101263 Sold for USD$20,900 2023 Mecum : Kissimmee Summer Special 2023 | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Chassis#: p5fh253114 Sold for USD$44,000 2023 Mecum : Indy | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Chassis#: P5FH233187 Sold for USD$22,500 2023 Spring Carlisle | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Chassis#: p5fh189195 Sold for USD$40,700 2023 Mecum : Houston | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Chassis#: p5fh217773 Sold for USD$33,000 2023 Mecum : Houston |
Ford Thunderbirds That Failed To Sell At Auction
1955 Ford Thunderbird's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible | P5FH129465 | 2024 Worldwide Auctioneers : Enthusiast Auction | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible | p5fh112493 | 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | $35,000 | ||
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible | p5fh240625 | 2023 Mecum : Dallas | $20,000 | ||
1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible | p5fh189468 | 2023 Mecum : Harrisburg | $20,000 | ||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | p5fh179762 | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $28,000 | ||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | p5fh144594 | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $19,000 | ||
1955 Ford Thunderbird Custom | 2023 Mecum : Indy | $90,000 | $150,000 | $175,000 | |
1955 Ford Thunderbird Custom | 2023 Mecum : Glendale | $90,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2023 Mecum : Kissimmee | $33,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2022 Mecum : Las Vegas | $60,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | P5FH159388 | 2022 GAA : November 2022 | $25,000 | ||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2022 Mecum : Chattanooga | $40,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2022 Mecum : Orlando | $28,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2022 Mecum : Orlando | $37,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2022 Mecum Indy | $32,000 | |||
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE | P5FH214898 | 2022 BarrettJackson : Scottsdale, Arizona | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2021 Mecum : Kansas City | $28,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2021 Mecum : Chicago | $30,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2021 Mecum : Orlando | $30,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2021 Mecum : Glendale | $28,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 Mecum : Las Vegas | $25,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 GAA : November 2020 | $21,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 Mecum : Dallas | ||||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 GAA : July 2020 | $17,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 Mecum : Glendale | $47,000 | |||
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD CVTBLE | 2020 McCormick's Auction # 68 | $32,500 | |||
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD ROADSTER | 2020 McCormick's Auction # 68 | $30,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 GAA : February 2020 | $42,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2020 Mecum Auctions : Kissimmee | $28,000 | |||
1955 Ford Thunderbird | 2019 Collector Car Productions The Manitoba No Reserve Collection |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
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1910 Cadillac Model 30 Three Passenger Roadster Chassis#:20493 Sold for $35,840 2024 Bonhams : Gilded Age | |
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1955 Ford Thunderbird
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