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1956 Ford Thunderbird

Ford quickly responded to Chevrolet's 1953 introduction of the Corvette, countering with a two-seater of its own. While Chevy focused on the sports car market, Ford introduced an all-new concept in motoring called the 'personal luxury' car, offering sporty performance in luxury and comfort. The concept work and the motoring public enthusiastically approved, with 16,155 Thunderbirds sold in its first year. The Ford Thunderbird had gone from idea to prototype in just one year, making its debut in 1954 at the Detroit Auto Show and by 1955 was sitting on showroom floors.

1956 Ford Thunderbird photo
Convertible
Chassis #: P6FH330756
View info and history
Auction entries : 1
The first generation of the Thunderbird lasted three years, from 1955 to 1957. The Thunderbird entered its second production year with only minor refinements to its successful combination of elegant personal appointments with high performance. The continental kit was added to the rear in 1956, and portholes in the detachable hardtop. The car also had a folding convertible top. The continental kit, unfortunately, added additional weight to the back of the vehicle causing handling and steering issues. The Thunderbird's signature 'porthole' windows were made available as a no-cost option at the beginning of the model year and were added to improve rear-quarter visibility with the removable hardtop in place.

There were wind wings on the windshield, a different rear bumper configuration, a simplified dual exhaust exiting out the ends of the bumper, and cowl vents on each fender.

The 312 cubic inch engine was an option over the standard 292 cubic inch V8. The overhead valve 292 CID V8 had a Holley four-barrel carburetor, a cast-iron block, five main bearings, a 6.4:1 compression ratio, and developed 200 horsepower at 4,600 RPM. (With the Ford-O-Matic, it developed 202 horsepower). The 312 CID V8 had the same compression and carburetor setup as the 292 CID but developed 215 horsepower. (The Ford-O-Matic was rated at 225 bhp).

1956 Ford Thunderbird photo
Convertible
The 1956 Ford Thunderbird 2-door convertible had a base price of $3,150, and a total of 15,631 examples were built this year. 16,155 were sold in 1955 and 21,380 in 1957. Over the three-year production period of the first generation, a total of 53,166 examples of the Thunderbird were produced. Thus, 1956 was the lowest production year for the first-generation Thunderbird.

The Ford Thunderbird surpassed the relatively-disappointing years of the Chevrolet Corvette sales by offering a more powerful and practical car. Unlike the Powerglide-only Corvette, The Thunderbird had powerful V-8 engines with either the 3-speed overdrive manual transmission or the Ford-O-Matic automatic. They were more usable on a day-to-day basis and certainly more powerful than the Corvette, performing more like a brisk luxury tourer than an out-and-out sports car.


by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2013

Related Reading : Ford Thunderbird History

The Ford Thunderbird is an American automotive icon first introduced in 1955. During the early 1950s, military men were returning from fighting in World War II. In Europe, the style of the vehicle was very different from the Detroit American car. The graceful but sporty MG, Triumphs, and Jaguars, to name a few, had found their way into the hearts of many of these American soldiers. In the U.S.,....
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1956 Ford Thunderbird Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1956 Thunderbird
$3,150-$16,795
1956 Ford Thunderbird Base Price : $3,150

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1956 Ford Models
$1,750 - $1,895
$2,045 - $2,500

Thunderbird - Classic

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
16,155
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 292.00 CID., 193.00hp
$2,945 - $2,945
15,631
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 292.00 CID., 200.00hp
8 cyl., 312.00 CID., 215.00hp
8 cyl., 312.00 CID., 225.00hp
$3,150 - $3,150
21,380
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 292.00 CID., 212.00hp
8 cyl., 312.00 CID., 245.00hp
8 cyl., 312.00 CID., 285.00hp
8 cyl., 312.00 CID., 340.00hp
$3,406 - $3,406
196
102.00 in.
8 cyl., 312.00 CID., 300.00hp

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