55 T bird question

R

ronn

Well-known member
just bought a 55 T bird in terrible condition- bonus is it has both tops

want to sell either the hardtop or soft top to recoup enough to install an engine

can someone give me a mid road value on the tops assuming they are just average?

which would you suggest keeping, knowing the soft top will need to be recovered?

thank you in advance.
 
Their condition and completeness is the best indicator of their value.
General rule of thumb, 'It's only worth what someone will pay for it'.

"in terrible condition"
Sight-unseen ballpark estimate... soft top 700 to maybe 1500, hardtop 1000 to 2000(+).
If a potential buyer isn't near you the shipping can become a hassle that affects the sale price.

Having both tops with the car is a plus at resale time and you'll only get enough from selling one or the other for not much of the engine price. (unless you have a very good source for that)

I prefer the look of a hardtop but if I HAD to pick only one... keep the soft top. You can put it up or down on a few moments notice when away from home and don't have to find a safe place to keep it when not using it.

What's wrong with the engine? Needing a rebuild, replacement or is it missing?
If you want a guesstimate cost on that too, I semi-recently replaced the engine in my dusty '55 Bird project.

Are you wanting to keep the car mostly/more original? or something else?
There were notable electrical & mechanical changes under the hood each of the first three years that can affect your decisions.

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I can’t price a hard top, but 10 years ago I paid $2500 for a usable soft top, late version with later model handles and hold downs. I changed them out to my 55 versions. The frame was fine, but the top material and rear window were pretty rough.

Prestige thunderbird sells a repop top, page 3 of the catalog. They’re $2300-2600, plus the stainless header and the swing bar. All in, it’s $3500 or so. Those traded used for about 1/2 the new price, used. They are not a reproduction (or the one I saw wasn’t). They are a good serviceable replacement. I know you’ve got a real one, but it’s a basis for comparison for anyone but a serious restoration.

I suspect there’s some regional price differences, in Seattle on any given nice day you may need it to get home dry.

blob:http://prestigethunderbird.com/64459bc0-18a1-4b03-b487-f866addca556

Edit. The link doesn’t work. Download the catalog, check page 3.
 
If you like the wind in your hair, the only choice is to keep the soft top. I like to ride with the top down so I went for the soft top and sold the hardtop.

I see that you don't show you location in your avatar (don't know why guys do this) but if you live in the sun belt and prefer air conditioning, then the hard top is the best choice.
 
The condition of the top canvas and weather stripping and if it has a swing bar with it and if it is a 55 top vs late 56 top.....do not assume that because the top was on a 55 that it is a 55 top, might be a later top which brings more money....I just sold a late 56-57 top for $3100. plus shipping & boxing which was $450.
Total $3550
This top has a good canvas with one small pinhole and good weather stripping. Latches were good,not perfect chrome but good chrome.
I have purchased the late 56-57 soft top frames with no canvas and poor weather stripping for $1500.......including the swing arm
The right customer decides the price......
 
Thank you all for your advice, which is xlnt by the way.

I am in NJ. The car has no motor, but someone did install small block Chevy motor mounts.(so can go with either ford or chevy motor) I am going to look for an inexpensive motor to install and have fun with. the car needs a full restoration and not sure if I am going to get into that............
final question, how do you tell the diff of the 55 soft top vs the 56-57? what is a swing bar?
 
The mid year 56 soft top frame had a brace over the windows to reduce sag that was typical of the 55 & early 56 tops. This brace ran perpendicular to the window. I sold all my tops and swing arms so I have no pictures to post.
Maybe some will post a picture of both the brace and the swing arm.
The swing arm is a contraption that attaches to the floor of the car on each side in back of the seat and then attaches to the soft top on both sides to allow the top to be folded & stored in back of the seat.
Again, maybe some one can post a picture.
 
ronn said:
Thank you all for your advice, which is xlnt by the way.
I am in NJ. The car has no motor, but someone did install small block Chevy motor mounts.(so can go with either ford or chevy motor) I am going to look for an inexpensive motor to install and have fun with. ....
Click to expand...
Stick with a 302/351 or Y-block, or other V8 Ford engine. Eventual resale value will be better & easier.

If you put in a sbc you'll get grief from the hardcore fans on both sides of the Ford/Chevy fence.
Ford folks won't like the engine and Chevy fans may not even look at the car.
You can't win that one either way.
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That is funny DMS! I located a 302 today and will prob proceed that way. good advice.

Looks like the soft top has the "swing bar" as it is behind the back seat and looks like it pulls up readily.
The original overdrive trans is in the car and am thinking of removing it for the newer synchro mesh trans to bolt right onto the 302. Is there any value in the overdrive trans?
 
If your going to replace the drive train with a 302, go with a 5 speed. The O/D is great for highway driving.
 
ronn said:
... The original overdrive trans is in the car and am thinking of removing it for the newer synchro mesh trans to bolt right onto the 302. Is there any value in the overdrive trans?
Click to expand...
I would think so, very few 3spd manuals were made in comparison to the number of automatics and the OD's are even rarer. IIRC they may be T-Bird specific due to a smaller chassis / trans size.
Save any of the control relays & solenoids, clutch & shifter linkage parts that go with it.

paul2748 said:
If your going to replace the drive train with a 302, go with a 5 speed. The O/D is great for highway driving.
Click to expand...
Times two

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well I got it home last night............

story is it is a Scottsdale AZ car, so the rust is not as bad as I thought. It was hot rodded in the late 60s-early 70's with a double pumper from an early vette. so the motor was prob worth more then the car. frame is nice and solid and qtrs were slightly removed in favor of fiberglass qtrs. also it has an electric seat with a screw
type mechanism to move it-never saw that before.
thank you for the advice on the 5 speed.
 
ronn said:
... also it has an electric seat with a screw type mechanism to move it-never saw that before.
Click to expand...
There are/were two screw drive motors for the seat. An up/down motor located behind the seat and a front/back motor under the seat on the left side of the driveshaft hump.

In theory, the power seat was an option but I've heard virtually all '55 Bird's had them.
 

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here is the car.............
 

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My 56 Tbird has both tops. It didn't originally, I bought a soft top / swing arm for $2500 15 years ago. The hardtop was always a total pain to get off and on by hand, especially over the continental kit. It now sits in my garage on a stand, never to be used again. BUT it will be a huge selling point when I sell the car.
 
Keep both tops! It'll pay off handsomely at resale time or add to value in the sad event of an insurance loss! If you are currently on a tight budget, Jersey is full of cheap rust bucket vehicles with good engines. Buy one, pull the engine and accessories, and junk the rest.
And keep the overdrive trans. With the addition of a cheap toggle switch, you will have a 6 speed trans, not just 5 speeds. Low, low overdrive, then 2nd and 2nd overdrive, then high and high overdrive.
With a 302, you're going to have oil pan interference problems, but with the right bellhousing the trans will bolt right up.
 
after reading about the problems with installing 302, 351 and 289 motors, think I will wait till an original y block engine comes along.

I can wait..............
 
Glad to hear you are contemplating a yblock. I'm no purist but a yblock can be found for that car and will be the best choice. Take your time, I actually found a low milage running 292 for my truck that looked as brand new when I opened it up for inspection. On the other hand if you rebuild a y like ANY engine individual parts and required machine work will mount up fast. Worth it if you budget for it. Good luck!
 
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