Howdy all. My pops found a clean black on black numbers matching 55 T-Bird up in Delaware. It has been an indoor kept car only driven on sunny days etc. etc. He is flying us both up there next week to take a close look at it before he pulls the trigger. Short of just checking for the usual things does anyone have any insite on these cars in the area of problems that are specific to the T-Bird? Thanks in advance to anyone that replies. I just want to make sure we are looking at every little detail as my pops is spending a few pennies flying us both up there.
We got snowed out in Tenn. and had to come back but he found a nice black on black 56 T-Bird in OK that I went and looked at for him. He is picking it up tomorrow. Maybe I will post a pic, it is a nice car just needs paint.
He paid 22500 for this 1956. The car is all there and a driver with 76000 original miles. It is a black on black, automatic with both tops etc. The price seemed to be on-par with everything else that we have found.
The biggest thing to look for rust wise, from what I have found is where the toe boards and floorboards come together and the trunk floor. I'm sure in other areas there is much more, but for California cars that seems to be the first places. These birds seem to be holding the prices quite well even in this economy, so that sounds like a fair price
Minor problem with the '55 is that they lacked the side vents and got a little warmer in the cab so it is good you got the '56. Working on the transmission on all the small birds is a pain since it is contained within a tunnel in the X member. You either disassemble the transmission in the car or pull the engine/transmission. I prefer the look of the '57 but that is just my personal opinion. Charlie Stephens
Maybe I left a little on the table, but in the end I am a happy seller. Good luck with your dads 56, I was never excited about them until I drove this one.
The floorboards on this one look really solid. Short of a little surface rust underneath it is a really solid car.
My pop finally was able to get up there and pick it up this past Sat. He is really excited about it. Now if he would ever retire he would have some time to tinker with it.
It is funny. I just got an e-mail from him saying that his neighbor Ross who is in his 70's sat in it last weekend and he said he looked like a high school kid. It is amazing to see the reaction from people when they see cars from their youth. My dad is in his 60’s and really is not a car guy per see but when he sees a 55 Chevy or an early Vette or a T-Bird he loses it. He tells me stories of him and his girl cruisin’ in his Chevy down in Victoria TX. It is neat when he points out all the stuff down there that was not there then and points out the hang outs and the turn around and where they would run em’. It would have been awesome growing up in the 50’s although where I grew up (Cuero TX) we cruised every weekend and raced out in the country and took our girls out to troll bridge for a beer and some fun. It sucked that I was doing it in an 82 Datsun pickup but hey we had just as much fun and if I could have afforded it I would have been cruisin’ some early iron. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o> </o>
The Jalopy Journal
