![]() ![]() This was not something that Chevrolet and General Motors could ignore. The new Thunderbird was introduced by Ford and its potential for substantial sales was very real. The six was thus in its final year as a Corvette engine and the automatic was finally joined by a three speed manual transmission.īut as noted above, 1955 was remarkable for another reason as the Corvette met with a serious threat from an American rival genuinely capable of a fight. The Corvette was barely changed for 1954 and while the original style was continued for 1955, that still became a magic year for Chevrolet.įor ’55, Chevy offered a 265-cubic inch OHV V-8 in both its full-size models and the Corvette, where it produced 195 horsepower. A sports car with a 150-horsepower six was not a big problem-Jaguars of the day used sixes while Porsches ran fours-but a sports car whose only available transmission was a two-speed automatic was another matter. The division did not yet have a V-8, so its standard OHV 235-cubic-inch six was given modifications ranging from higher compression and triple carburetors to solid lifters and a high-lift cam. ![]() Unrelated visually to any other Chevy, itslook was aggressive, but it was the mechanical connection to its parent that came in for criticism. The Corvette started as an entry in GM’s 1953 Motorama and made the transition to production with a minimum of change. Among those developments, of course, was Chevrolet’s decision to build a two passenger roadster. ![]() However, the transition from two- to four-passenger cars had been deliberate…even if some might have found it disappointing.įord launched the Thunderbird as a 1955 model in a time when significant developments among the Big Three and the few remaining Independents had grown almost commonplace. On the other hand, by the time Hilts’ car was built, some people felt that Ford had forgotten the original Thunderbird and lost its way with the car itself. He didn’t wreck it, but some things- like a near miss in a car literally fresh out of the restoration shop-you just don’t forget that feeling. I don’t want to wreck it.’ My heart was in my throat.” I went ‘I don’t want to wreck it already. A big power line had come right down and you didn’t notice it until you were almost on top of it. “I picked it up and was coming home,” he recalled, “and it started raining coming back. Aren’t You Glad You Have Such Vintage Variety?ĭOUG HILTS HAS a clear memory of his first trip behind the wheel of the 1963 Thunderbird featured here-and of hitting the brakes…hard. The 12.5-horsepower Briggs & Stratton single drives the rear axle via a shiftable transmission with a reverse gear, a centrifugal clutch, and a drive chain.It Wasn’t At All Like the First T-birds That Hit the Market In ’55. Labels positioned on the dashboard indicate the gas pedal on the right and the left-foot brake pedal. The cockpit features a bench seat upholstered in black vinyl that sits aft of a three-spoke steering wheel. Stopping power is by a rear-mounted drum brake. Silver-finished 6″ steel wheels wear polished hubcaps and Deli bias-ply tires that measure 15×6.00 up front and 5.30/4.50-6 out back. Blemishes are visible along the lower sections of the fenders. Chrome-bucketed headlights are affixed to an arched bar mounted between the front fenders, with taillights positioned at the rear. Additional features include fenders, running boards, pinstriping, and a rear-hinged trunk lid with a silver vented cover to access the motor and battery compartment. The fiberglass body is finished in red and features unfinished front and rear bumpers as well as a faux grille and side vents. This hot rod–style go-kart is now offered by the selling dealer at no reserve in Lauderhill, Florida, on a bill of sale. Features include a drum brake, a black seat, a three-spoke steering wheel, and front and rear lights. The kart wears fiberglass bodywork finished in red over a black tubular steel frame, and power comes from a Briggs & Stratton single linked to a shiftable five-speed transmission and a drive chain. This go-kart was designed to resemble a 1932 Ford hot rod and was purchased by the selling dealer in 2023. ![]()
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