With strong sales for 1955 and 1956, Ford restyled the 1957 Thunderbird with tailfins, a revised grille, revised bumpers, larger tail lights and smaller wheels that set the car lower to the ground. The interior was also refreshed, giving it a remarkably sophisticated and luxurious look and feel. The 292 CI V-8 engine was once again the standard engine, with performance-minded shoppers opting for the 312 CI V-8 available in various forms, including a supercharged version delivering 300 HP. Marketed as a personal vehicle, everyone was quick to compare the Thunderbird to the Corvette, which debuted two years earlier than the Thunderbird. Interestingly, though, Ford never really considered the Thunderbird as a sports car or even a competitor to Corvette, and for that matter, kept its aim on wealthier customers looking for a lifestyle-oriented vehicle. The idea originated in 1951 while two Ford executives, Lewis Crusoe and George Walker, were visiting the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Legend has it that Crusoe pointed to a sporty, two-seater convertible and asked Walker why Ford didn’t have something similar. Walker said designers were working on something and rushed to a phone to call Frank Hershey, a Ford designer back in Dearborn, telling him about the conversation. Hershey began sketching out ideas, and by 1953 a clay model was ready for approval—perfect timing, as Henry Ford II was just returning from the 1953 Los Angeles Auto Show where he was surrounded by various European offerings and, of course, the new Corvette. Full of inspiration, the car was given full green light all around. This 1957 Thunderbird is presented in Starmist Blue with the optional white porthole hardtop and a two-tone blue interior. It’s powered by the optional 312 CI V-8 engine and automatic transmission, and the engine bay looks ready for a brochure photoshoot, with the finned aluminum “Thunderbird” valve covers glistening off to the sides, the orange manifold peeking through and the chrome-topped air cleaner glinting in the sun. Well equipped, the car features a Town and Country AM radio, fender skirts and Kelsey-Hayes wheels shod with wide whitewall tires. Appearing like it just popped out of a time machine from 1957, this Thunderbird is certain to bring a lot of smiles per mile.
