1955 Ford Thunderbird Is A Family Heirloom

Ed Montambault of Watertown, CT inherited his first year 1955 Ford Thunderbird from his father, who has owned it for 59 years. It only has slightly more than 40,000 miles on the odometer and looks new.

[@gratefultube]

Throughout the 1950s, my folks would kid each other about owning one of the early T-Birds. My brother, who was three at the time, told my grandfather, "My daddy buy Sunderbird." They never did. In 1976 I rented one for my mom for Mother's Day. Her T-Bird for a day turned back into a pumpkin at 5 o-clock.

[@ride-ct-classiccars]

They are gorgeous to this day.

[@shaggywagshaggywag]

Beautiful car, I have one. Not so sure about the Motor Week host mimic though.

[@keithbronson9777]

Why can't people drive with the original equipment? Hundreds of thousand of people did when they came out.

[@PhysifistEngineering]

I think people enjoy lowering their risk of death. I guess you think adding seat belts is also silly?

[@keithbronson9777]

@@PhysifistEngineering Not at all. I'm sure the car isn't driven daily and I just think that changing the original equipment takes away from the experience of driving the car. Safe or not safe it changes. If you want the safety, comfort and reliability of a modern car, buy one, but if you want the pleasure of driving a vintage car as designed, leave it alone.

[@PhysifistEngineering]

​​​@@keithbronson9777It doesn't take anything away from the driving experience. It improves the driving experience. You miss the point of why it's not daily driven....because it's not safe, comfortable, or reliable. You don't get to be the gate keeper of what's acceptable and not acceptable to modify on a car. Your comment is pretty stupid. Please oh great one. Point me to the nearest dealership that has a BRAND NEW 1955 Thunderbird with modern features. Or maybe, just maybe I can swap to a 12 volt battery for reliable electronics, swap to brighter lighting, add an overdrive so I can actually cruise at highway speeds without overworking my engine. God forbid I install a 9 inch rear-end so I can get positraction. God forbid I install modern tires, or do you want me to have zero traction with expensive reproduction bias ply tires? Am I allowed to add a radio with Bluetooth so I can listen to music? Can I replace the shaky loose 70 year old steering with a safer responsive rack and pinion so my car stays in the correct lane? Now instead of being a trailer queen because nobody wants to drive it 2 hours to a show, the whole world can see me cruise at 80 down the highway. Just shut up man. You have no clue what you are talking about.

[@keithbronson9777]

@@PhysifistEngineering I don't know what set you off, but you should be banned from this channel. Get out of your mothere's basement and see a therapist.

[@slickdickmemes]

Gorgeous car. Question, how tall are you? I’ve seen some videos where people looked cramped while sitting in it, and others that seem to “fit” the car perfectly.

[@ride-ct-classiccars]

I didn't bring a tape measure with me when I did the story. I'd say he's average height. (How's that for avoiding the question?)