AM Blog: May, 2011
(Archived)

AUTOMOTIVE MILEPOSTS ANNOUNCES:
The 1957 Ford Thunderbird

There are a few other icons of the fifties that are as recognized as the 1957 Thunderbird. Among them, Marilyn Monroe, pony tails, doo wop music, and perhaps the 1959 Cadillac's soaring tail fins.

In its third and final year (for a few decades) as a two passenger, sporty personal luxury car, the T-bird received many styling updates and improvements. Production ran longer than normal due to the late introduction of the 1958 T-bird, which would become a larger, four passenger car.

The first T-birds were immediate classics, coveted and admired as used cars almost as much as they were new cars. Few cars have ever attracted the loyalty, recognition, and passion that the 1957 Thunderbirds have enjoyed since day one.

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Tuesday, May 31, 2011 1:50 PM

1957 Ford Thunderbird Engine Options
Did you know that Ford's factory racing arm built a modified Thunderbird that was clocked at Bonneville at over 160 mph? Automotive Mileposts takes a look at the various power train options available to new Thunderbird customers in 1957, including the 300 horsepower McCullough supercharged 312 V-8!

The 292 cubic inch engine was still standard, and available only with the 3-speed manual transmission, although horsepower was upped for 1957 to 212. The 312 cubic inch engine, introduced in 1956, was still available in several forms, also with increases in horsepower over 1956.

Most of the optional engines were available with any of the three transmissions offered for '57: the 3-speed manual, Overdrive, and Fordomatic.

Monday, May 30, 2011 1:53 PM - Memorial Day

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day!

Sunday, May 29, 2011 7:42 AM

1957 Ford Thunderbird
Major styling revisions were seen for the third and final year of this body style. New front and rear bumpers, new doors, new rear fenders, tail lamps, interiors, and more, made the '57 models the best ever. Many issues from the earlier cars had been addressed. Finally, adequate luggage space was available, but the interiors still tended to be a bit warm on hot days, and leaks around the hardtop and convertible top were still a problem, despite many attempts to make them more water tight.

Even with a few issues, the Thunderbird was the car to own. Favored by celebrities and those of means, owning a T-bird put you in a very distinct class. More powerful engine options were made available, and new options such as the Dial-O-Matic power seat ("the seat with a memory") and Volumatic Signal-Seek Radio that automatically adjusted its volume according to car speed were introduced.

To the lament of many, the two passenger T-bird would disappear for many years, returning briefly in 2002 for just a few years. What never changed over the years was the T-bird's ability to set and define new trends, and attract the attention of everyone who saw one and knew it was their dream car.

Friday, May 27, 2011 12:57 PM

In The Showroom: 1970 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado. Rare color combination of Sautern Metallic, white vinyl roof, and Medium Antique Gold Leather interior. (Sauterne is a silver/gold/green shade, very beautiful.) The vinyl roof and interior have been recently redone.

1970 was the first year for the 500 cubic inch (8.2 Litre) V-8 engine, and yes it has enough power to spin the front wheels on acceleration! Front wheel drive, automatic level control, and variable ratio power steering work in concert to make this big personal luxury car handle with sports car finesse. It's surprising how well these cars handle!

This is a beautiful example, worthy of consideration. Perhaps you have room in the family for a 1970 Eldorado? Few cars are as beautiful today.

Friday, May 13, 2011 9:55 AM

1969 Lincoln Continental Town Sedan Show Car
The sixth and final show car created during the sixties, the Town Sedan had front styling inspired by the new Continental Mark III, and would provide a peak at what the Lincolns for 1971 would look like up front. The Town Sedan was similar in design concept to the Town Brougham show cars of 1964 and 1965.

Fitted with the new production option Town Car Interior, the Town Sedan featured a telephone mounted in a center console in the open front compartment, and a Philco color TV in the divider for rear passengers to enjoy. No provision to protect the front compartment in bad weather was provided.

As expected, the car made quite a splash at the auto shows!

Saturday, May 7, 2011 1:43 PM

VOTE NOW!

Question: Which classic luxury car has the best interior?
Your choices from the cars nominated by our readers over the last few months are on our Contest page, and voting is underway on our Facebook page right now. (Both links open in new window or tab.)

Which one will be the winner?

Monday, May 2, 2011 8:42 AM

AutomotiveMileposts.com sets new monthly visitor record again! Thanks you our readers, for the second month in a row, Automotive Mileposts has set a new record for monthly visitors. We were up 103.7% over March, which was also a record-setting month. Thank you for your support.

During April, we focused on establishing our Facebook and Twitter accounts, but are currently working on the 1957 Ford Thunderbird section, and should have it online this week. Thank you for your patience, as each year, make, and model take a considerable amount of time to research and document.