What month in 1954 were the '55 models introduced?

[JimNNN]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

Can you post the BUILD INFO from your PATENT PLATE?

I'd be glad to, KULTULZ. I'll be going out of town for a while and the car is in storage, but I'll try to remember to do that when I get back.



Went to a car show recently and had great conversations with other Ranch Wagon owners. Hope y'all are getting to see some nice old Fords out there.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

I have some old reference materials packed up in the basement that might contain that info. Give me a few days.

- BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK -

Well, I finally found the reference text -

STANDARD CATALOG of FORD
Krause Publications - Iola, WI - 1998

No show room date given.

It gives PUBLIC PRESENTATION of JAN 6, 1954.

- Why JAN 06, 1954 when the car line was released in SEP/OCT 1953?

Then gives 1955 car line production start of OCT 25, 1954.

The correct answer has to be out there on the net. I will keep an eye peeled.

Sorry about that.

[JimNNN]

Thanks a lot for digging out that info! Very helpful and revealing. It looks like my June '54 production date wasn't quite as late in the model year as I would've thought.



I just got back into town so I'll get that patent plate info photographed and posted in the next couple of days, KULTULZ.

[Herman Munster]

I know the discussion is about '55s but for example my '56 has a build date of Oct 21, 55. According to the s/n I presume it was already the 16039th Ford on the assembly line.

[KULTULZ]

Here we go. Seems I had a little time frame dementia bubbling.

This is 1959 EDSEL PRODUCTION SCHEDULING

* Production of the 1959 line was started on September 23, 1958

*Introduction of the 1959 line was made on October 31, 1958

*The last 1959 model Edsel was assembled on August 26, 1959

So I was off about a month? Ask my creditors and they will tell you the same ...

[KULTULZ]

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Originally Posted by KULTULZ

- BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK -

Well, I finally found the reference text -

STANDARD CATALOG of FORD
Krause Publications - Iola, WI - 1998

No show room date given.

It gives PUBLIC PRESENTATION of JAN 6, 1954.

- Why JAN 06, 1954 when the car line was released in SEP/OCT 1953?

Then gives 1955 car line production start of OCT 25, 1954.

The correct answer has to be out there on the net. I will keep an eye peeled.

Sorry about that.

I've been wondering ...

If the release date was JAN 54, did it have something to do with the KOREAN CONFLICT (production delay)?

[JimNNN]

KULTULZ, I have definitely heard (somewhere...but I can't remember where) that the Y-Block was supposed to be introduced in '53 (model year), but it couldn't happen because of the Korean conflict. The story given was that some type of metal used in the engine was being used for military purposes. Kind of like copper not being available during WW2. I have no idea what the metal was or if this is accurate or not, but I heard it. If true, I believe it's probably connected to what you're talking about.


BTW...speaking of copper and WW2, if you ever get a COPPER penny made in 1943 KEEP IT! Supposedly they only made steel pennies in '43, but a handful of copper versions were made by mistake.They're supposed to be worth unbelievable amounts of money.

[KULTULZ]

Correct on the FYB, intro held back one year.

Never knew that about the penny. Only saw steel.

THANX!

[Grumpy Rick]

I just tried to register my '55 Bird on the registry. It said mine was already registered by R back in 2012, showing mine was one of the first 1000 (partial VIN...100221) and it was important to update it.

I filled out the form and sent it back, but the computer would not accept it, kept asking if it was already registered, and gave me no way to continue. I rechecked my work, and confirmed that I had entered the registration number, but gave up trying to update it.

Am I right in assuming it would be #216 built, after the 5 prototype numbers that apparently don't count?

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Grumpy Rick

I just tried to register my '55 Bird on the registry. It said mine was already registered by R back in 2012, showing mine was one of the first 1000 (partial VIN...100221) and it was important to update it.

I filled out the form and sent it back, but the computer would not accept it, kept asking if it was already registered, and gave me no way to continue. I rechecked my work, and confirmed that I had entered the registration number, but gave up trying to update it.

Am I right in assuming it would be #216 built, after the 5 prototype numbers that apparently don't count?

Their registration form webpage may or may not be compatible with some web browsers. I've had 'special moments' with it before.
You can contact John (the T-Bird Registry owner) directly with your updates by using this "Contact" page on their website.
http://www.tbird.info/thunderbird-registry-contact.htm

Yes 100221 would be the two hundred and twenty first '55 Thunderbird scheduled to be built.
Due to various supply and assembly line issues they were built in close but not exact numerical order for the first 1001.
http://www.tbird.info/first-1955-thunderbirds.htm

Numbers 100001 thru 100004 were considered prototype/test or pre-production Thunderbirds.
The first 'production' Thunderbird is considered by most folks to be number 100005.
Yours would technically be the 217th Thunderbird scheduled for regular production, which began on Sept. 9th of '54.
However, the last three (or four) digits of the actual serial number of the first 1000 are most commonly used, which saves having to do the 'minus 4' math in the middle of a conversation and reduces possible confusion.

[Lamar Wadsworth]

My father worked at the Atlanta assembly plant at Hapeville GA from 1952-82. We always took our vacations in August when the plant closed for model change. So new model production normally began in late August/early September.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Grumpy Rick

I just tried to register my '55 Bird on the registry. It said mine was already registered by R back in 2012, showing mine was one of the first 1000 (partial VIN...100221) ...

Another distinction your car may have...
On the front underside of the hood near the hinges are two places that are recessed to clear the top corners of the radiator.
For the first couple hundred(+) '55 Birds the interference in these two areas that wasn't discovered until nearly too late. They had to be hammered by hand before assembly, so they're fairly lumpy.
It's a unique original feature of the very early production '55 T-Birds.
The stamped frame ribbing for the hoods had this problem corrected after the first few hundred.