I've hit a mental dilemma: the definition of preservation. I saved a bombed out Thunderbird last year. It was once a gasser the last time it was on the road. I purchased all of the parts to take it back to stock. I purchased all of the parts to take it back to a gasser. Somewhere in the middle is a soft spot where I hoped to land. The car has history, but there is no one left who knows it. The historian in me doesn't want anything on the car changed. I want to save all of the parts just the way they are and restore everything mechanically. The hopes with this vision is for someone to tell me the background of this car once it's back on the road. Now, I'll get to my point. I have this nagging desire within me that wants to race this car, but not as a gasser. I want to save the race car. So what is the definition of preservation? If I save the car as is, I preserve the foundation and the history of what's left. If I bring this car back to the point of competition, but a different type of racing, don't I also preserve the racing heritage?
I guess I just needed to hear someone else say it. The first generation Thunderbirds were really great track cars. They were just underpowered with the exception of the F Code '57. I want to cut corners and fly through the straights. It's begging me to...
My favorite picture is the one of 434. It looks like he hit a camera man and just kept going. Reminds me of Hitchcock's Rear Window:
We all had different definitions, of words, based on this photo the car is too far gone for "preservation". If it had factory paint and interior, along with the engine maybe. Just build it and have fun with it. Bob
I've never really thought about the early Tbird as a sports car, because of what happened to the car with the 58 model. But I guess if you were around back in 55-57, it sure was a sports car.
Stop worrying so much about being the "caretaker" If the previous owner gave a shit about the "heritage" you wouldnt have the car. Build it how you want, itll make a great race car. I wouldnt worry about the previous paint, its mostly gone. Make it beautiful again.
Looks like a pretty blank slate to me at this point and I would build it the way I wanted...that is if it were me. I have been keeping my eye on a couple first generation birds for about 25 years now with similar thoughts of building something the way I wanted...not the restoration path.
This is what sold the 55 T-Bird for me: And: The list of movie stars from that era who owned a first generation Thunderbird is astounding. If the 55 T-Bird was good enough for Clark and Frank, it's damn sure good enough for me.
T-Birds are usually restored. If it was a rare model, i would say restore it. But, it was a Gasser. That's pretty rare right there. So, my vote would be to keep it a Gasser. That would make it more unique and fun. AND!!! piss off the purists, hahaha Guess it boils down to, what kind of car do you want more.
See, the upgrades they made to make it a gasser I wouldn't mind keeping. They upgraded the rear axle to a 9.3 Olds and started a hydraulic clutch pedal conversion. That stuff is worth keeping. I want to keep as much of that as I can, but I don't want to race it in just a straight line. I want it to be competitive for all types of racing.
Brother, I'm going to drive the piss out of it. Track and Street. Street first, naturally. I just want to drive it fast.
If it were my car.....insert daydream bubble..... 1) street bruiser with a hot FE, 4 or 5 speed, plenty of gear, corner carving suspension, stuff all 4 wheelwells with max rubber. Like a guy built a t-bird from a wrecked 428 mustang and ran mulholland drive 2) big inch small block dressed as 289, 4 or 5 speed, bigs and littles, not a gasser but with nice loose front end for weight transfer. Availability of tremec 5 speeds makes every build "plan" more fun. Im done mentally spending your money. Lets see what you do.
I am at the same spot with my Jalopy...I wanna make it a driver but at the same time I really wanna take it back to where it was when it was last run in circles back in the day... I feel your pain... Good luck with your project... MikeC
Hello, Living in So Cal near the Lions Dragstrip was wonderful. We would see almost anything in or on a hot street car or drag racer. One of the Fords that raced was a sedan that had a Paxton supercharger in the same class the we raced the 1958 Impala. 58 Impala VS 57 Ford (supercharged) But, the ones we saw on the street and local drive-in restaurant cruises were for some reason, supercharged T-Birds. Top down, top up, it was the whine that got to us instantly as the Thunderbirds chugged by the local crew in their parking spots. Jnaki When my brother and I were finished with the A/S stock car racing due to becoming the under powered sedan versus the new high horsepower factory cars, it was overwhelming. How do you make up 20-50 horsepower and stay legal? On the streets, there was nothing to hold anyone back. So, my brother researched installing a Paxton/McCulloch Centrifugal Supercharger on the 348 Impala. He wanted the Impala to look stock and surprise people, with the hood closed. With the following years, we installed a C&O Stick Hydro, and a Racer Brown Cam, Lifters and cleaned up the ports. It was now a Gas Coupe and Sedan Class car, but not competitive with those in the class. We had enough horsepower and quickness to not need the Paxton Centrifugal Supercharger. So, for your build, by putting the stock stuff back on, it will go back to the original stylish looks for many hours of cool cruising. For power, with the addition of a Paxton/McCulloch centrifugal supercharger, it will have the go to add to the cool, stylish looks. The time period of 1956-64, the look was relatively stock for most hot rod/drag race guys/girls. It was go, not for show. So the subtle horsepower changes made the difference. The garish lifted cars came many years later and proved to be the wrong attitude (altitude) for racing. Go back to the stock look with the additional Paxton/McCulloch Centrifugal Supercharger for hours of cruising and a timely stomp on the pedal. Some of the fastest winning Gas Coupes and Sedans back in those early years used the Paxton/McCulloch Centrifugal Supercharger on their motors and still stay hood closed during competition. The stock classes had the factory optioned motors with the Centrifugal Superchargers, too. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/thunderbirds.1113299/#post-12714948 Local So Cal Thunderbird from back in those early days.
There is a 55 or 56 I have seen around here that has ran the Hot Rod Power Tour a few times. It’s got a wicked look to it, front is slightly dropped, runs Torque Thrusts with wide black walls, probably a 60 series. Some of you may have seen it, it’s red. It’s supposed to be a touring/ road course car, but I have only seen it at a few shows and haven’t talked to the owner. It sounds good, I think it might have a 302 or 351w in it.
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