The wrap-around windshield really started with the very limited production 1953 Cadillac Eldorado and the 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta. For the year 1954 the wrap-around windshield appeared on all of the GM Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile models. It was so striking and novel in appearance that it became a fashion requirement. The eloquently designed and styled Lowey 1953 Studebaker coupe looked like it had been molested when it appeared in 1955 with a wrap-around windshield and a big heavy and chunky chrome grille. Even worse, the similar model Studebaker/Packard Hawk looked horrid with four headlights cobbled on to the front fenders which were designed for two headlights. This is a notable example of true style being corrupted by uncontrolled fashion.

The "Baby Bird" Thunderbirds of 1955 - 1957 were a design success for Ford but yet a sales question mark as the car found a home primarily with the affluent who could afford multiple cars in the upscale price range. Some 50,000 or so small Thunderbirds were built and it is projected that some 30% of that number survive today, whereas the survival rate for less collectible cars is usually below 10%. Today, the baby birds tend to be found in one of two states, either carefully pampered low mileage original cars and totally restored show cars, or deteriorated project cars that need big bucks spent on them to be restored. Quality cars typically sell in the thirty to seventy thousand dollar range. If you want a nice one, perhaps you have already waited too long to buy.

The 1958 Thunderbird represented a completely new approach to personal luxury. The new bird was now a unibody companion to the Lincoln and built on the Lincoln production line. The car was surprisingly not much bigger than the 1957 model, but it had ample room for four passengers to ride in style. The design and style were superb with one notable exception. The "Square Bird" (1958 through 1960) had a massive slack-jawed bumper/grille combination that looked like a huge fish mouth with two bumper guards jutting up like big fangs. The side view, the rear view and the interior were all wonderful, but the car had a face on it that only a mother could love. Collectors have snapped up these cars. If you want one you had better buy it now as they are becoming increasingly unavailable and the price is going nowhere but up.

The next generation T-Bird was what collectors call the "Bullet Bird." For 1961 through 1963 the bird shared the production line with Lincoln. Like the 1961 Lincoln, the design and styling of the 61-63 models is top-notch. From an esthetic standpoint the appearance of these models is near perfection. I particularly like the wrap-around dash that continues into the door panels. Buy a convertible and you can easily convert it into a "Roadster" clone by adding the tonneau cover for the back seat and replica Kelsey Hays wire wheels. You should be able to find a solid car needing only minor restoration money for a reasonable price. Again, buy it now because prices are going up up up.

The fourth series of Thunderbird production, 1964 through 1966 has been referred to by collectors as the "Sculpture Bird," or the "Flair Bird." Still sharing a unibody understructure with Lincoln, the car was a little more square and beefy looking than the previous series. The interior of the car was about as luxurious as you can imagine. In 1966 you could have ordered the optional 428 cubic inch engine for massive power. The 1966 is the most collectible of the three years as it has the more conventional bumper and grille on the face instead of the massive combination grille/bumper of the 64 and 65 models. If you can find a nice one, buy it. Any price under ten thousand is a good buy.