As with so many great cars, the original two-seater Thunderbird reached its apex in its final year of production, 1957. A mild facelift up front and stylish rear fins with sharp, creased edges added greatly to the car’s appearance, as did a new instrument panel that had a safety-oriented Lifeguard Design, which included a padded dashboard and a dished steering wheel. Six engine options were offered, along with a host of power refinements and wide whitewall tires. An added leaf to the rear springs, 14-inch wheels, and larger front brakes were among numerous engineering changes.

Buyers responded by continuing to make the Thunderbird fly out of showrooms, with some 21,000 examples being sold in 1957, and reportedly, there were continued requests for many more that could not be answered by the factory. Today, the 1957 Thunderbird is seen as the most desirable of the first-generation T-Birds, and it has been considered a collectible for nearly its entire life, which is a feat that few automobiles can claim.

The Thunderbird offered here is documented by a copy of its original build sheet, which is on file, as having been built with the desirable “D-Code” 245-brake horsepower engine, as is found under the hood today. Its painstaking restoration saw it refinished in the original color of Starmist Blue (“F” on the trim tag), and an engine dress-up kit, Ford-O-Matic transmission, electric windows, signal-seeking AM radio, heater/defroster, back-up lights, rear fender skirts, and the very rare Dialamatic seat are also still present, just as recorded on the build sheet. The undercarriage and under the hood both appear better than new, show an exceptional level of cleanliness and authentic detail, and include proper stampings and stickers that appear throughout. Its paint and interior are in perfect condition, as is the straight bodywork and sparkling chrome. The car’s mileage is recorded at 46,959 miles, which may well be mileage from new.

This Thunderbird is a wonderful blue beauty that has been finished exactly to concours standards, and it is ready for show appearances with its proud new owner.