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Killer, Anyone who owns or is interested in the '55-'57 Thunderbirds, should belong to Classic Thunderbird Club International (CTCI). This organization has approximtely 8000 members throughout the world. It is probably the best place to learn what resources are available to the owners of...

Killer, I had a nice long epistle in response to you post and accidently hit a key that obliterated it. Here is the short form. Tell your boss to steer clear. Your credibility will be preserved and it'll save you a lot of grief in the long run. Your boss sounds like many others I've known...

Gregory, You are talking about Factory Invoices, right? Build Sheets commonly used on most cars, have never been available for Birds as far as I know. Lois Eminger was one of the pioneers in making the Factory Invoices available as a club project for The American Road Thunderbird Club...

John. There is sure to be a wide range of opinions regarding your question. Rather than muddying the water with my own opinion, here is what you will face if you want to participate in serious Point Judging shows: CTCI-- The car will have to be shown in Non-Original class to avoid point...

Stephen, You're trying to get him to Walt Nuckels page? http://hometown.aol.com/waltnuckels There is a link at the upper left hand corner of the page. Tom D.

The '57 engine dress kit consisted of the cast aluminum rocker arm covers, a chrome plated oil filler cap, and a chrome plated top for the air cleaner. The engines without the dress up kit had stamped steel rocker arm covers painted black. The 312 had decals that said: "Thunderbird Special"...

=====Wild Guess # 1====== As the engine speed is increasing, the breaker plate in the distributor will pivot. Is it possible that this movement is causing either the condenser lead or the coil lead to short out on the distributor body? How about the short ground wire from the plate to the...

Jim, A '56 VIN that decodes as dual 4 barrels? Isn't it a generic P or M code? This could be interesting subject matter for a new thread. Tom D.

Jim, I was afraid someone was going to ask that embarrassing question:"How long did it take"? Car #1 Red '57 Convt. I bought this turkey in 1973. I drove it home ~150 miles. It was soooooo ugly' I didn't even take "before" pictures of it. It finally got to it's first CTCI National show in...

Jim, Sounds like the same "craftsman" who installed your light switch also worked on the doors. Just try to keep a sense of humor when you uncover these gems. Don't get discouraged and lose sight of your objective. Tom D.

Windshield removal has usually been a tedious "non-event". After following the procedure in the manual and unseating the rubber seal with a couple putty knives; I can't help but wonder why we don't simply cut the rubber out of the opening. It has to be quicker and you are probably going to...

There was a thread on this subject in March of this year. Look up the thread titled: Head light control. It was opened by Brian and it has all the info you should need. Blower Knob: There is a set screw on the knob at the 6:00 position. (opposite the pointer) This set screw may be either a...

Jim, Yes, the entire dash board is removeable. But, that is not what I'm recommending. I'm talking about removing the instrument cluster only. The cluster consists of the speedo, fuel and temp gauges, the oil and gen warning lights, and the turn signal indicators. If I remember correctly...

Removal of the entire '55-'56 instrument cluster is a fairly clean and straight forward procedure. Admittedly, trying it on a steamy August afteroon with mosquitos buzzing around doesn't make it any more pleasant. Give it a try; let us know how easily it came out. Tom D.

The automatic transmission and engine can be removed and replaced from the car as a unit. Can't think of any reason why the manual transmission would be any different. Tom D.

Jim, It sounds like you're describing a circuit breaker.The full original FOMOCO part# is: B6A 14526-C. Most T-Bird parts suppliers still have this item. If that's what it is, you better figure out what is causing it to blow. I only have one car (unrestored) w/full power and I believe it's...

The '56 was the only year when continental kits were factory installed as standard equipment on all Thunderbirds built that model year. Tom D.

Sorry Jim, I can't answer your question directly but-------Thunderbird Center in Michigan lists the following in their catalog: 14677-RP Safety relay 12 volt power window, replacement not identical to original.......$60.00. It's probably worth the telephone call to get additional...

Jim, When a door drags on the lower forward corner, it may mean the hinge pivots are worn. You won't be able to adjust the door to obtain a decent fit. Rebuilt hinges are available on an exchange basis from some of the larger T-Bird parts dealers. Suggest you check the hinges because a...

To remove the bulb; push inward and rotate CCW a few degrees. Since they can be stubborn to remove, try pushing inward and wiggle it to break any bonding from corrosion. If the bulb breaks, you can always collapse the base with needle nose pliers and dig it out of the socket. Coat the new...