1955 Thunderbird pre restoration, factory oddities

Beginning restoration of a 1955 Thunderbird. The paint code on the data plate does not match the color the car left the factory. Do not know if this mistake should be preserved or if it does not matter. Would love some input.

[@RestorerMatt]

wish we did just drive it ! Been working on it for 9 months now, it was a mess once we got into it.

[@jamescirrito5158]

I would guess body was changed over. Looks like vin tag was taken off original body and placed on replacement body. If you look at rivets closely, they have been punched through as if someone has altered. Also, I'm sure the sun visors were added at some point. Another fact is that all 1955 T-bird came standard with power seat. Very early production 55 T-birds outside windshield side moldings were different, fender skirts had no moldings, first 25-40 cars produced front of hood underside were beat with a hammer to clear radiator until tooling was revised and front crossover wiring harness ran on top in front of radiator and had bend over tabs to hold loom in place. I've have worked on the early birds for the past 40 years.

[@jimmieroan9881]

if you worked on early fords, all the way into the 60s i think, those are not rivets, they are brads that just push in place. rivets like anyone knows are put in with a rivet gun.

[@iknownothingaboutsailing5308]

Did you finish the restoration?

[@JonDraeger]

My dad and I restored a number of these and something we noticed was that, regardless of the original colour, the underbodies were almost indefinitely painted turquoise originally (the transmission tunnels being the only place left with any paint usually). We often wondered if they did them all like this because the majority left the factory turquoise anyway? Or what ...?

[@SCOOGRR]

I’ll bet the chassis and made flat bottom panels for the floor were all painted and made at the same time probably one assembly line for that, then the engine and upper framing and equipment, then body panels and paint

[@lenofromdano]

it is in incredible condition! where did you find it? No 55 bird came with sun visors; some one added them. But what does it matter? I wouldn't restore that bird, just get it runnin and have a blast.

[@bannerthegamer7890]

I would of left it to. It's in hell of a better shape than mine. It ran under an 18 wheeler in atlanta ga in 66 and crumpled the front. Got the parts to fix it but gonna have to fix frame damage.

[@barrycoleman5063]

Hi RestorerMatt I have a 55 T-Bird here in the UK, there are parts missing and I am looking for someone to take on the project, anyone here familiar with putting these things back together?

[@svargamba]

Pass the bondo?

[@smithraymond09029]

Was that a fuel injection unit on the intake manifold? It reminds me of the throttle body injection systems from the mid 1980's

[@RestorerMatt]

Not injection, That is the original Holley 4100 carb, it was nick named the "Tea Pot"

[@colt4667]

+RestorerMatt Or sandcastle carb.

[@stephenvelden295]

Actually it's a Holley 4000.

[@stephenvelden295]

Looks to me, it was white once. Someone totally stripped it and painted it red. I'd return it to the color scheme on the data plate!

[@JonDraeger]

No chance. Nobody took these cars apart like that until relatively recently as they weren't anywhere near that valuable. Also, under the white it goes to primer and bare metal as you can see in some shots. This car left the factory white, a factory mistake. Not at all uncommon

[@jimmieroan9881]

@@JonDraeger not sure what you consider recently but lots of restorers, or body men, took cars apart years ago to do paint change or extensive body work. somewhere in maybe the 60s good body men got replaced with bondo spreaders and parts replacers. in the early days it was common to even replace tops on cars in body shops. and not sure how old you are but these cars have always been rare.

[@user-om4zn6my7j]

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