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| 1955 Thunderbird convertible
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(Written by
owner) Before I bought the car, it had been stored for about 15 years so I spent some time freshening up the mechanical items before deciding on a full cosmetic restoration as well. Here is the condition of the major areas: Engine Compartment and Mechanical: The engine bay has been fully detailed with all correct NOS or reproduction parts. The original 6-volt system is still in place with the correct battery tray and hold-downs. The engine had been rebuilt prior to my purchase of the car, so only some weeping gaskets on the engine and transmission oil pans were replaced. The water pump, brake booster, brake master cylinder, power steering ram cylinder, voltage regulator, starter solenoid, carburetor, fuel pump, and heater core were replaced. The original radiator with Ford part numbers was recored for better performance. All front suspension bushings and ball joints were replaced. A new set of gas shocks were installed. The power steering pump was rebuilt. All hoses, vacuum lines and belts were replaced. All wiring harnesses were replaced. The oil bath air cleaner was replaced with a reproduction cover which uses a standard paper filter element. The exhaust manifolds were powder coated with ceramic paint and a stainless steel exhaust system was installed. The gas tank and sending unit was replaced. The level of detail is immaculate with all items painted correctly and proper finishes on bare metal components. The car drives straight down the road but does have noticeable play in the steering wheel. I believe the play may be attributed to bushing wear in the power steering valve which was not replaced during restoration. The engine runs strong and does not smoke. There is some clatter from the solid lifters at start-up, but it quiets down after a few minutes. Like most cars of the same period, the power brakes are a bit soft and could probably benefit from a good air bleed. The lights and turn signals work properly. All wiring except the main dash harness was replaced during restoration. Interior: The interior of this car was complete redone. New items include carpet, vinyl upholstery, seat foam, door panels, dash cover, and engine-turned trim pieces. The dash was taken out of the car and resprayed with texture paint before being repainted in Red. The steering wheel was reconditioned and repainted. All interior trim was polished or rechromed including the steering column. The telescoping steering column works perfectly. The original power windows were replaced with manual windows during restoration for better reliability. Also, original 1955 Birds did not have sun visors. The correct windshield header trim from a 1956 Bird was installed during restoration so that matching red sun visors could be installed. In addition, seat belts were installed for added safety. The original AM radio lights up but does not work. The fuel gauge and engine temp gauge do not read accurately, could be a bad gauge voltage regulator. The power seat mechanism moves up/down correctly but has limited forward/back movement. Exterior: The beautiful exterior on this car is due to the 12-month body restoration which included stripping the car to bare metal. The single-stage urethane paint was applied after the car was primed and blocked 4 times for absolute straight bodylines. There are only a couple nearly invisible blemishes that were touched up after the reassembly process. You will not see a deeper white finish on any car. The car is sitting on a brand new set of reproduction Coker Firestone bias-ply tires with NOS Ford wire wheel covers. All exterior stainless trim was straightened and polished and all chrome pieces including the bumpers and guards were professional replated. All exterior badges and emblems were replaced with NOS pieces. The windshield was replaces with a perfect NOS PPG windshield still in original Ford wrapping. All exterior weather seals were replaced. Headlight and taillight lenses were replaced. The trunk was repainted including the correct full size spare tire and the jack. The underside of the car was undercoated very early in it life, and it was decided to just touch up the undercoating during restoration since the car was going to be driven on road. This is a no excuses car that has participated in many Ford corporate events and has been shown at invitation-only concours events in the Detroit area. The only thing separating this car from senior-level Thunderbird restorations is the undercoating on the underbody. Personally, I would rather have undercoating than have to maintain the original white paint finish on the underbody and in the wheel wells. This snow white beauty attracts attention wherever she goes. If you have any questions please feel free to call at any time. Bill Schwartz
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