This is one of only 212 examples fitted with the Supercharged F-code 312/300hp overhead-valve V8 engine. It also has a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, McCulloch Paxton VR57 supercharger, automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes.

1957 was Thunderbird’s final year for the “Baby Bird.” Subtle design changes were made for the 1957 model, and it is believed by many to be the best example of the series. In retrospect, the 1957 Thunderbirds have become admired by collector car enthusiasts for their elegant styling and mechanical refinement. In total, 21,380 Thunderbirds were produced in 1957.

The rarest and desirable of these are affectionately referred to as F-birds. The 1957 205 F-code 312ci V8 engines were fitted with a 4-barrel carburetor and a centrifugal supercharger, and a special cylinder head was fitted to these engines to keep the compression ratio at 8:5:1 so that they could drive on regular pump gas. The F-code engine elevated the performance of a standard Thunderbird from a reasonably quick cruiser to a dedicated quarter-mile contender.

This 1957 F-bird was fastidiously restored to be competitive on the Concours field. Accordingly, the F-bird achieved an enviable show record-winning First Place Gold at every CTCI event it entered. In preparation for the AACA show circuit, the restoration of this Thunderbird was freshened up and has since done phenomenally well, earning an impressive collection of awards that continue to grow.

The majority of the F-code cars were white, with black being the second-most-popular color, making this one finished in Flame Red unusual. The long list of options and accessories found on this Thunderbird include memory seats, power windows, a Town & Country signal-seeking radio, rear deck antenna, both porthole hardtop and soft-top assembly, a tonneau cover, fender skirt shields, back-up lights and tinted glass.

classiccartoday