198 hp, 292 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine, three-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission, coil spring front suspension with tube shocks and stabilizer bar, composite axle with leaf springs and double-acting shock rear suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 102 in.

In the early-1950s, a small team of designers at Ford Motor Company, headed by Franklin Q. Hershey, was given the green light to move forward with a bold, new design. By the spring of 1952, the group became keenly aware that General Motors was designing a two-seat sports car of its own. The Chevrolet Corvette beat Ford to the punch when GM introduced it at the Waldorf Astoria’s Motorama in January 1953. Not until one year later, at the February 20, 1954 Detroit Auto Show, was Ford’s new entry introduced. Called Thunderbird, it was a “personal luxury car” that established a new market segment and spawned many competitors.

The first production car rolled off the line on September 9, 1954, and when enough cars were produced, Ford introduced the car to the public on October 22. Dealers reportedly received 4,000 deposits, prompting the company to revise its sales estimates upward. Standard were power steering and a four-way seat, as well as an available radio, heater, and choice of three-speed manual or Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. With a gutsy 292-cubic inch V-8 under the hood, the power to effortlessly cruise the new interstates of America was instantly available.

As a result of its clean styling, creature comforts, and V-8 engine, the Thunderbird triumphed over the early Corvette’s novel fiberglass construction, anemic six-cylinder engine, and sports car austerity. The Thunderbird trounced the Corvette in its first year of production, totaling 16,155 units to the Corvette’s 700. Painted black over a red and white interior, this iconic 1950s automobile appears to benefit from a previous body-off restoration done professionally and to exacting standards. The odometer shows just over 56,300 miles, and it is equipped with the aforementioned standard features, as well as power windows and a modern aftermarket stereo system nicely installed on the Ford. It retains the correct, original Thunderbird hubcaps, wide whitewall tires, factory original top irons, and fender skirts, and it has the engine dress up kit and is a fit running example that shows well overall.