The 1957 Thunderbird is considered by many to be the most desirable year for the model, as it introduced slight changes to the 1956 styling that resonated very well with the public. The rear of the body was lengthened by six inches, allowing for more luggage space and room for a spare tire, and additional engine options were also offered, including the “D-Code” 245-horsepower engine with a single four-barrel carburetor. Of course, Thunderbird buyers also enjoyed a vast selection of optional factory equipment, dealer-installed accessories, and aftermarket improvements.

Ford had originally hoped to build 10,000 Thunderbirds for the year, but sales and production both exceeded expectations, resulting in 16,155 examples being produced before the re-styled 1958 “Squarebird.” Many orders went unfilled at the end of the year amidst a chorus of begging clients hoping to keep the two-seater “Little Bird” in production, to no avail.

This Coral Sand over Tuxedo vinyl example offered here benefits from a complete and total restoration completed in 2005 under previous ownership. In 2010, this restoration—which has been nicely kept under the consignor’s care—reportedly proved an award-winning effort after this T-Bird secured best of show honors at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Car Show in Utica, New York.

The car’s chrome Kelsey Hayes wire wheels and wide whitewall tires are a splendid accompaniment to its Colonial White “porthole” factory hardtop. A full slate of desirable power options (steering, brakes, windows, seats) is made even more appealing by the fitment of a rare, period-correct “Dial-O-Matic” controller which adds a memory function to the driver’s seat. Other attractive features present on this handsome Thunderbird include a signal-seeking radio with automatic antenna, pair of rear fender skirts, modern seat belts trimmed in black nylon, and the always appreciated engine dress-up kit for its D-Code V-8 engine.

Finished in one of the most dramatic color schemes and fitted with a bevy of exciting factory accessories, this 1957 Thunderbird is a wonderful example of the model’s first—and most sought-after—generation from its final year of availability.