My Mom bought a black '56 'Bird from an auto wholesaler she was friends with, in '58. 312 / 3 spd. O.D., low mileage. I tuned it up one Saturday, found some 'easy H.P.'... I worked for a Ford/Merc specialist, was familiar with the 'new' Y blocks...Sunday I snuck the T-Bird out and headed for Fremont drags. 'Bird flew, 88 mph, mid-14s. LOL First round power shifted 2nd, shattered input/cluster. Drove home in 3rd. Mom? She was WILD, never saw her so mad! Called her friend Louis, said she wanted to trade it back...wouldn't let me touch it. Louis connected her with a primo '56 Ford convert, 292, 3sp. O.D., T86 tranny. No 'slushboxes' for her...Stick or no deal! She missed the 'Bird, (so did I...)
Kevin,, NICE baby bird. I go back to this post each time this thread comes to the top. What can you share about the running gear? Phil
Here’s the Skinny Phil The 55 was bought brandy brand new in Hollywood by my step mom-( I really dug her). She wanted all of the bells and whistles, so this is a full power car. 292, Fordamatic-(which some refer to as slush boxes, but if you’ve ever or never driven one of those, start out in lo, then shift in to drive...you’ll get a killer chirp if you’re driving it right) Stock rear and suspension,(though for a movie shoot”There Goes My Baby” I put on air shocks to lift the rear end, it wore Cragar SS’s for the period). It’s wore American 5 Spokes for “The Beach Boys-Am American Family” and since the millennium it’s on “Stones & Beans”. Several years back a 6 volt charging system issue reared its ugly head. My dad got cancer so I put it at the house I grew up in so he could see it daily as it was his driver in the 60’s and early 70’s. I jusr got a 47 Slammed Cad series 62 fastback, (Its the kind that my dad would’ve said “I’m driving that pal”). ( The kidney beans were inspired by multiple birds including “L. W. Knott Farirington’s 56”). Found this pic when looking for some totally non related to this thread, I think I had just bought the 16’s those Kidneys I really like., Had Moon Discs on when they shot the “Tales of A Rat Fink” movie. Driving the Cad makes me want to go grab the bird and put in back in the rotation. It seems that every one has an issue that warrants my attention, That bird though is a sweetheart to drive...... Thank you for allowing me to share this.
Jesse Lopez of early customs has a 57 bird that Junior Conway has made clean, it’s at Junior’s shop and is for sale, Junior is Helping him sell it both guys like me aren’t getting any younger.
I have always heard limited production supercharged 57 Birds 194 sold to 240 injected 57 corvettes. I owned a 56 got tired of Corvettes wanting to race a 225 hp Y block against there 327 or a big block But a swapped in street in street hemi fixed that.
This is my first car purchased in 1967.As soon as I got it in the driveway, I took the fender skirts off and never put them back on. 292 yblock stroked with 312 crank. Balanced. Blue Thunder intake. eldebrock carb. Mummert heads. Isky cam. 9" FORD rear 3:70 tru trac. Disc Brakes, American Wheels. AOD trans. Aluminum Radiator. Rare Factory fog lamps. Hodgkiss suspension with aerostar springs. Drove it yesterday to get gas and must have had 5-6 people ask me stuff about it or give me a thumbs up. It's no stocker, not a racer either, just a lot of fun. They say the market is soft on them now, so I guess I'll just have to keep it.
Scoop, wheels, "Miami Vice" pastel colors...I personally don't dig this car but it is an early 'bird. The photo was taken in 1994.
Here's my 55, first car, posted a while back in the Vintage Shots thread. I bought it for $800 with a rebuilt stock 292 YB, too slow for an 18 year old, so I put a tuned '64 390 into it, with help from a HRM article about stuffing big blocks into these things and a great guy at the Ford dealership parts counter. Worked out pretty well: light body, engine already set back, and the extra 90 lbs gave a nice stance. Built it as a sleeper, loved blowing off 'Vettes and GTOs. Man, do I ever miss it!
The Jalopy Journal
