1957 Ford Thunderbird E-Code

This 1957 Ford Thunderbird was built in late 1957 and is one of approximately 1,500 “E-code” variants produced for the model year. Finished in Azure Blue over white vinyl, the car was delivered new to Carl Hansen Ford in Sierre Madre, California. The car was restored about three decades ago with a repaint and interior refresh, as well as rebuilds of the suspension and brakes. After recently being removed from storage, this Thunderbird was fitted with a new battery, started, and driven. Styling revisions for 1957, the final model year of the first-generation Thunderbird, included a larger front grille, redesigned front bumper, and more prominent tailfins with larger taillights. The spare wheel was also moved back into the trunk, and the restyled rear bumper featured integrated exhaust ports. According to documents from the 1990 restoration, the body on this car was removed from the frame and stripped before being refinished in its factory shade of Azure Blue (L), a color introduced for the Thunderbird in September 1957. Body-color 14” steel wheels wear turbine-style covers and Coker Classic whitewall tires. Four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes feature optional Sure-Swift power-assistance, as indicated on the build sheet. Front and rear brake hoses were replaced in 2013 along with the power booster hoses.