Technical Is this a 1955 Thunderbird?

I'm very poor at car spotting but I think this is a 1955 Thunderbird, based on my viewing of the rear fins. Is this correct? Car belonged to a friend of my dad. Picture taken in late 1960.

 

It looks like a 55 T-bird. 56 had vents in the fenders a port hole in the roof as well as a continental kit from Ford. However both could be changed, most put the 56 roof on a 55 for better visibility.

The following from-http://www.portholeauthority.com/thunderbirdETC/tbird/tbirddesc.html
1955
1. NO FENDER VENT
2. no continental kit
3. bumpers
4. script on fin
5. no windwings


1956
note: 1. Continental Kit
2. bumpers
3. fender vent
4. script on fin
5. Windwings and sunvisors

 

I must need better gl***es, I don't see a port hole!

 

Not a bird brain but can't a person tell by the rear bumper/exhaust outlets, 55 or 56.
***uming original equipment and all.
57 had the oval outlets (I think).

 

I meant to say 55, hit the 6 instead I corrected my first post.

 

Ok, that makes sense now.

 

In 56 tops came with and without port holes.

 

That's a 55 bird. No cowl vents...no portholes in the top.

 

Yep. Definitely a '55. The lack of vents is the absolute identifier. Also the hardtop with no porthole and the location of the Ford crest on the hardtop. The tops are removable and can be swapped through the different years. I often see '55's with '56 and '57 tops on them.

 

The 55 did not have the exhaust coming out of the bumper also. Still 6V too.

 

And isn't that a neat Boeing 707 he's holding ?

 

“In 56 tops came with and without port holes.“

True, same for 1957. My dad has a 1957 without a porthole.

 

Must be a '56 Boeing 707, it has portholes.

 

Can't see the rear bumper too well in that picture but the 55 they came through the round bumper guards. Kind of a pain to repair them, when they get rusty.

That's a neat old picture!

 

Slick 55 in the OP's photo with the youngster. A cl***mate's dad special ordered a 55 T bird in 1954 after seeing a photo in a magazine. The dealer had never seen a photo when he placed the order. Pre production photos or illustrations showed the car in two tone with the same side trim as a Victoria. Car came in and no side trim but it was red with a white top. He had a local body man who later became a friend of mine fit the Victoria trim and repaint the car when it was still brand new. The car ran that way up into the 80's or 90's at least. I lost track of it after he p***ed away and don't know if one of the sons has it or it got sold. The car was in at least 20 homecoming parades over the years.

 

Bezels on head and tail lamps are also different, mirroring the full size cars.