• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1955 Thunderbird-Project-Trade-Restore-Rat Rod-Custom

Status
Not open for further replies.

Rich King

Member
Local time
3:58 AM
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Boonton, NJ
Feedback: 0 / 0 / 0
Contact seller
1955 Thunderbird Project Car. - BEST OFFER Over 12K
Location: Boonton, NJ 07005

YES I KNOW ITS NOT A CHRYSLER PRODUCT..... But it may be of interest to one of the members and a deal could be made or a swap could happen...

Selling my 1955 Thunderbird Project car. I just don't have time or the effort to finish this project. I have decided to thin out some of my projects and this will be the first to go.. I need the garage room and this would make a great winter project for someone..

Im going to try to list as much as possible. If there should be some questions I will gladly respond to any and all inquiries.

First of all this is a project and requires work.. If you do not have the shop or the time to do this project don't dream about this car. Go buy a restored car. I have the ability to finish the Bird to a very presentable driver My original intentions with this bird was to build a low ride custom for my wife. Im not a nut case that has to have an original car. Or a pristine original... You on the other hand could easily go either way in your choice of finishing.

I have included a substantial amount of links that show the car from my time of purchase up till about 2 years ago... I will gladly shoot additional photos for interested parties..

A Little history on the vehicle...
Purchased new in Califorina and lived its life there up until it was purchased by a restoration shop in Oregon. This particular shop ran into finiancial problems and was forced to sell off many of thier project cars. I purchased this car in 2001... This car was a pretty much rust free vehicle... Still has the original inner rocker panels... the dog legs are in great shape.. Lower Front fenders, doors and quarter are as solid the body mounts are perfect condition and as the day it was sold.

I literally spent hours on my back cleaning the underside of the body and stripping the old cracking undercoating.. My intention was to recoat the bottom using Rhino Liner... Floors are all solid ... I did some small overlay patching in the foot wells but the under seat pan is in very nice condition... The left rear quarter panel on the vehicle was replaced sometime in its life... I found no noticable frame miss alignment or frame damage...

The underside of the body and chassis was high pressure washed and degreased. The bottom side of the vehicle needs a little bit of addtional clean up and it is ready to be masked primed and painted. I have a brand new exhaust system from headers to the tail pipes. I substituted the factory original mufflers for a nice set of glass packs. Not shown in pictures as the bottom should be finished before doing the underside assembly. NEW rear shocks..

Over the years I have collected a substantial amount of parts that were missing as well as new parts that would be use in the rebuilding of the vehicle. I have bounced back and forth on the course I would take with the vehicle be it a semi body on restoration to a kustom low ride cruiser... My last Idea was to literally go a Miami Style Kustom... incorporating lowered suspension, chrome wire wheels, wide whites, Kustom Pearl White Paint (Lincoln Silver White Pearl) job and Pearl white rolled and pleated kustom interior... Again this was my choice.

To the best of my Knowledge the engine was change somewhere back to the larger 312 cu in thunderbird motor.. I checked the compression when I got the vehicle and all cylinders were holding 120LBS + and there was no big variable in the readings... I have the later model intake wide base carb as my intentions were to change to the edlebrock preformer carb as it is far more reliable than the original carb...

The list goes on and on...
I have a new Windshield and Side Glass
I do not have the convertible top... I have the original hardtop (Non Port Hole)

Windows are Manual
Seat is NOW POWER.. I purchased the needed acme motor drives.
Seat frame is in nice condition.

The wiring has been stripped out of the car... Needs a total rewire. I would go with one of the after market kits (Ron Francis or Easy Wire) there all about the same and very simple to follow to obtain a real professional job. 55 birds were 6 volt originally and I would never build a car using the 6 volt system. I have found that a Dodge Alternator (12 Volt) is so close to the original generator mounting it almost appears to be a bolt on installation... The original 6 Volt starter will handle 12 volts all day long. that would not be a problem..

I will offer the car with the option of Single 4 Barrel Carb or a 3 - 2's set up.. Carbs on the 3-2's will need to be rebuilt.

The Wide Whites are great tread wise but starting to shows signs of dry rot. I do have a NEW set of Bias Ply white walls but they are the narrow white (1 inch) style... The car can go either way

Well that should pretty much give you an Idea as to what is her along with the pictures you make the decision as to your ability and time to take on a project of the magnitude...

I would say that a good shop should be able to have this car on the road by spring of next year if you are looking to make a nice desireable driver... Full restoration will take time.....

If you have a real interest and the money... I'm open to questions and can help you with locating parts and such for this car... All in all its pretty much complete.. But does require time and effort.. I guess I can't express that enough. The current state of the vehicle is sitting on jack stands in my garage. I have new Front and Rear springs and will gladly put the car back to a rolling state so it can be moved on a trailer... I will need to have a commitment if I'm going to spend time putting it back together for transport...

I literally have bins full of parts for this car and its going to take some time to put all the parts together for the sale but I will promose it I have the parts you will get them should I miss any for the transaction... I literally have accumulated so much stuff over the years that my garage now has 2 cars that I cannot get out of the garage due my pack rat style of collecting.


SLIDE SHOWS give your the progress on the carf from 2001 to date by year
These are very detailed photos.... If you wish to have larger format photos let me know and I can send them to you directly... I do not use instant messenger email me via the forum feature.....

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/...rd/1955 Thunderbird 2001/?albumview=slideshow

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/...rd/1955 Thunderbird 2002/?albumview=slideshow

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/...rd/1955 Thunderbird 2004/?albumview=slideshow

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/...rd/1955 Thunderbird 2008/?albumview=slideshow

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/...rd/1955 Thunderbird 2009/?albumview=slideshow

UP OR DOWN TRADES CONSIDERED... Here are a few Cars that I would consider
Muscle Car, STREET RODS, HOT ROD, RAT ROD, KUSTOMS
Plymouth or Dodge 1963-65 or 68-69-70 Tudor post or hardtop.
Road Runner, Dodge 68 to 70
Charger Early Models

Ford Truck F100 1953 to 1956
Chevy Truck 1955 to 1959

Dont be bashful.... If you think you may have that Im interested in I surly will look at all offers....

I'm not looking for a major project.... If I wanted that I would finish the TBIRD. All trade offers must be running driving presentable cars.

Note....
The First 2 Posted photos basically show what the car looked like when I purchased it in Oregon.... The Second 2 Photos show its current state.

For further info contact me via Email if your really interested I will give you further email addresses that we can correspond with.

BEST OFFER over 12K will trade up or down for the right car....

122801-01RightFrontwithShoeBox.gif


122801-03RightRear.gif


011709-07LeftSide.gif


011709-03LeftSide.gif
 
Last edited:
Holy novel Batman!

Nice ride, good luck with the sale.
 
Patrick....
I'm running the ad in a few places including ford and chevy... I figured since I really wanted a MoPar swap I would try this site... I'm not a dealer or anything like that but I had a 64 Sport Fury Convertible back before I shipped out to Nam and missed that car.
Not looking for a Pure Race car but have a vivid memory of all those MoPar's that were tearing up the tracks in mid to late 60's.... I almost purchase a brand new Road Runner (1968) Before leaving Nam from the PX.... Yup.... $2800.00 brand new with a 383 - 4 Speed.. That was even before they came out the with the hard top version and only were selling the tudor post cars.... The Bird is a great little project and most of its there to complete. Its got a good body and would make one hell of a Kustom, Rat Rod or even a good street can and you never know what one's fancy is.... Great thing about the internet allows one in these poor economic times to at least attempt a swap as opposed to laying out a bunch of money.....

Thanks for the Reply
Rich........
 
Patrick....
I'm running the ad in a few places including ford and chevy... I figured since I really wanted a MoPar swap I would try this site... I'm not a dealer or anything like that but I had a 64 Sport Fury Convertible back before I shipped out to Nam and missed that car.
Not looking for a Pure Race car but have a vivid memory of all those MoPar's that were tearing up the tracks in mid to late 60's.... I almost purchase a brand new Road Runner (1968) Before leaving Nam from the PX.... Yup.... $2800.00 brand new with a 383 - 4 Speed.. That was even before they came out the with the hard top version and only were selling the tudor post cars.... The Bird is a great little project and most of its there to complete. Its got a good body and would make one hell of a Kustom, Rat Rod or even a good street can and you never know what one's fancy is.... Great thing about the internet allows one in these poor economic times to at least attempt a swap as opposed to laying out a bunch of money.....

Thanks for the Reply
Rich........

First welcome home Brother, I'm also a Vietnam vet 10/67 to 5/69 and 4/70 to 10/70. I took up the PX deal on a 69 Charger R/T SE black on black 440/4 speed that I still have. But I like the 73 SE I got when I got out of the Montgomery VA hospital in Feb 73 better, always have. I would think your T bird would do well on ebay even with a bad economy. But be prepared to give more for a Mopar than you get for the Bird if you want a nice 63 to 70 B body. Or even for a nice 71 to 74 B body and forget E body's you have to be rich for that polastic junk. oops did I say that?
 
Bone....

Thanks for the advice... I had a 73 SE Black, Black, Black..... 440 automatic.. Nice car but as the old timers will remember GAS LINES - ODDS & EVENS... What a pain in the ***.
Yup did my trip to exotic Vietnam.... Phu Loi and Cu Chi (67-68)... Did a hell of a lot of land clearing (Demolitions Expert - Just blow the **** UP) in the HOBO woods just before TET...

For a Nice one I will make up the difference in CASH... I just need to eliminate some of my projects and move on to cars that I love.... Ya know were getting close to the 9th inning....

Take care Brother and Welcome Home........

Rich........
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top