Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 I just saw a replica of a 1955 Ford Thunderbird on Facebook, that has me stumped. The body is obviously not the real deal, from first glance. It is FWD and is powered by a transverse Buick supercharged 3800 V-6. The steering column is GM and of the same period as the engine. Beyond that, I’m stumped. I’ve never heard of this replica and can’t find anything on it. Maybe it is built and dole exclusively in another country. I don’t know. Anyone have any ideas? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silentpoet Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I think it is a one off custom job. http://www.kitcarlist.com/ doesn't seem to have it and it says it has 750 makers listed. Including a bunch of overseas ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 20 minutes ago, Eric said: I just saw a replica of a 1955 Ford Thunderbird on Facebook, that has me stumped. The body is obviously not the real deal, from first glance. It is FWD and is powered by a transverse Buick supercharged 3800 V-6. The steering column is GM and of the same period as the engine. Beyond that, I’m stumped. I’ve never heard of this replica and can’t find anything on it. Maybe it is built and dole exclusively in another country. I don’t know. Anyone have any ideas? Can't help you, but it is really nice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 Just now, Silentpoet said: I think it is a one off custom job. http://www.kitcarlist.com/ doesn't seem to have it and it says it has 750 makers listed. Including a bunch of overseas ones. Man, that is a huge amount of work for a one-off job. Also, if it was one-off, I would expect it to be more polished. I don’t know. I did get a chuckle out of the fact that a T-Bird replica is using a GM drivetrain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 2 minutes ago, janice6 said: Can't help you, but it is really nice!! I really do not like how it looks from the front wheels forward. Making it FWD gave it some extra overhang. It really hurt the lines of the original. I’m still surprised they would go with a transverse FWD setup like that. It’s a great motor and plenty of power. Just an odd choice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silentpoet Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 1 minute ago, Eric said: Man, that is a huge amount of work for a one-off job. Also, if it was one-off, I would expect it to be more polished. I don’t know. I did get a chuckle out of the fact that a T-Bird replica is using a GM drivetrain. It is the only thing I can figure. Whoever did it might have modified an existing kit to fit the car he had. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 5 minutes ago, Silentpoet said: It is the only thing I can figure. Whoever did it might have modified an existing kit to fit the car he had. There was a Brazilian company making tri-five Thunderbird kits back in the nineties. I get a chance to look one over once. They were the best looking turnkey/kit replicas I’ve ever seen. The glass work on the body was perfect. Every panel that opened, hood, doors, trunk, had an inner and outer panel bonded together, so the panel looked correct, inside or out. There were steel anchor plates molded into the body for the mount points of the hinges for the doors, trunk lid & hood. The attention to detail was damned impressive. I wish I could remember that company’s name. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silentpoet Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 One sorta cool thing I found looking on the site I posted was a trike with a cobra rear end based on a VW. I was looking to see if there was anything for a v8 trike so I could use the 472 in the basement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 4 minutes ago, Eric said: I really do not like how it looks from the front wheels forward. Making it FWD gave it some extra overhang. It really hurt the lines of the original. I’m still surprised they would go with a transverse FWD setup like that. It’s a great motor and plenty of power. Just an odd choice. Yes. But I have always hankered for a 55 T Bird or an original Vette. Now I'm too old to play cars. But I can appreciate looking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Just now, Eric said: There was a Brazilian company making tri-five Thunderbird kits in the nineties. They were the best looking turnkey/kit replicas I’ve ever seen. The glass work on the body was perfect. Every panel that opened, hood, doors, trunk, had an inner and outer panel bonded together, so the panel looked correct, inside or out. There were steel anchor plates molded into the body for the mount points of the hinges for the doors, trunk lid & hood. The attention to detail was damned impressive. I wish I could remember that company’s name. Shay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 Just now, janice6 said: Shay? I don’t remember. It could have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Just now, Eric said: I don’t remember. It could have been. I don't know where they are located but that they make T bird replica kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 Well, I’ll be damned. It does appear to be a one-off resto-mod of an actual 1955 Ford Thunderbird. Who the hell would do that? The car is called The Ultrabird. There isn’t a huge amount of info on it, but here is a link to the company that I believe is currently selling it, and a Mecum Auction link. https://www.tonysautosales.com/1955-Ford-Thunderbird-Waterbury-Connecticut-Norwich-Middletown-New-Haven/listing/LEdPZQ1gLZA=/x6I23PzfqPw= https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0517-290964/1955-ford-thunderbird/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 21, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2019 I can’t believe anyone would do this to a ‘55 T-Bird. This guy should not be allowed to own any cars except A Prius, for the rest of his life. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 The more you look at it the more it appears to be some ones idea of a unique car with a stolen ID claiming to be T Bird. You are right, it just seems off enough to be something else. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubdriver Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Holy crap, that's a kind of sketchy-seeming used car lot on the far side of the Merry Bury. Small world... -Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) 17 hours ago, Eric said: Well, I’ll be damned. It does appear to be a one-off resto-mod of an actual 1955 Ford Thunderbird. Who the hell would do that? The car is called The Ultrabird. There isn’t a huge amount of info on it, but here is a link to the company that I believe is currently selling it, and a Mecum Auction link. https://www.tonysautosales.com/1955-Ford-Thunderbird-Waterbury-Connecticut-Norwich-Middletown-New-Haven/listing/LEdPZQ1gLZA=/x6I23PzfqPw= https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0517-290964/1955-ford-thunderbird/ I'm struggling with this. That would take an INSANE amount of work. Plus you could easily mount the engine longitudinally and still use the 3800 V6 (doesn't resolve WHY you'd want to unless you had a Grand National/GNX/T Type engine laying around). But it does appear that one is supercharged. Plus they changed the dash, steering wheel, basically the entire interior. GM parts all around it. If they were gonna use a Buick steering column, they could AT LEAST get a steering wheel without the Buick logo. Edited August 21, 2019 by SC Tiger 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 16 hours ago, Eric said: I can’t believe anyone would do this to a ‘55 T-Bird. This guy should not be allowed to own any cars except A Prius, for the rest of his life. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silentpoet Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 4 hours ago, SC Tiger said: I'm struggling with this. That would take an INSANE amount of work. Plus you could easily mount the engine longitudinally and still use the 3800 V6 (doesn't resolve WHY you'd want to unless you had a Grand National/GNX/T Type engine laying around). But it does appear that one is supercharged. Plus they changed the dash, steering wheel, basically the entire interior. GM parts all around it. If they were gonna use a Buick steering column, they could AT LEAST get a steering wheel without the Buick logo. Skill without wisdom is a horrible thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueiron Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 It's a Thunderbird for people who only support the General. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyjohnson Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 (edited) http://www.regalroadsters.com someone put a lot of time into that car. Edited August 23, 2019 by holyjohnson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railfancwb Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Man, that is a huge amount of work for a one-off job. Also, if it was one-off, I would expect it to be more polished. I don’t know. I did get a chuckle out of the fact that a T-Bird replica is using a GM drivetrain. At one time all the brands represented in NASCAR used Ford differentials. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 23, 2019 Author Administrators Share Posted August 23, 2019 1 minute ago, railfancwb said: At one time all the brands represented in NASCAR used Ford differentials. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk The Ford 9” rear end was legendary. Kind of like GM’s Powerglide auto trans in drag racing. It was (and still is) a great fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railfancwb Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 I recall an article about limited reproductions which said new-made replicas were exempt from most federal regulations so long as the annual production was low... maybe under 500 per year. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railfancwb Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 One sorta cool thing I found looking on the site I posted was a trike with a cobra rear end based on a VW. I was looking to see if there was anything for a v8 trike so I could use the 472 in the basement.Have seen V-8 powered trikes...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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