The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 as a direct response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette which had been publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month earlier

In just over a year, the car went from idea to prototype with the car being shown to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in February 1954

Built on the 23rd Nov 1957 at the Dearborn plant this torch red T-bird is one of the last Thunderbirds produced as production at Dearborn ceased in early December '57

The 1957 version is one of the most sort after versions with the Port Hole Hard Top (in Colonial White), the 312cu in, 4v pushing out 225 bhp, pleated 'flame' vinyl interior and 3 speed Ford-o-matic gearbox, this matching numbers car is real beauty and it's wonderful to see that she is finished as per her original build specification

Prior to being imported into the UK from the highly regarded Classic Car Studio dealership, St Louis, in 2007, we understand that the car was subject to a frame-off restoration, with work being carried out to a concourse winning standard

With a real attention to detail and having only cover 7800miles since the rebuild, the car remains in spectacular condition and this is evident in the collection of trophies we have from the American Auto Club UK (Best in Show), US Summer Nationals (Car of the Show), Americana (Best Thunderbird), Classic Americana (Best in Show), plus numerous other trophies and rosettes

The 312 cubic inch Y-block engine starts on the button and with a custom built 'Custom Chrome Racing' exhaust system, the car has a wonderfully intoxicating V8 rumble

The 3 speed Ford-o-matic gearbox shifts smoothly and with the rumble of the exhausts you know there is sufficient power under your right foot

The interior is in mint condition, as is the boot and hard top too

Everything works, even the electric seat-o-matic and the aluminium turned dashboard runs along the fascia and into the door cards - a nice touch

There is something about the way the American's list their car options and their attention to detail when producing cars is specific to them and to them only

Thunderbird logo's to the door cards, delicately suprisingly and the logo is used on the front and the rear of the bodywork and even has them on the rocker covers too

The name of the automatic gear box - the Ford-o-matic

The same with the electric seat operation - Electric seat-o-matic

Even the name of the engine as a Y block implies something unusual

The exhausts exit from the rear bumpers and the rear wings are something to behold - and are a really eyeful, in a most pleasant way

The rear wheel spats, the port holes in the hard top, the large rear wings and the intoxicating exhaust rumble steel the show and it's clear to see how the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette 23 to 1 in their first year as competitors

This outstanding example is one of the best in the UK and we feel lucky to have her