Neat story. Geat that the car is back in the family again. Sounds like the engine mods will make a strong street engine. Bought my '57 Bird back in '65 when I was 21 and still working on it at almost 68. Hopefuly this will be the final and best restoration.  I have a good T Bird story. Several years ago when I was still working full time I was in sales doing cold calls selling business phone systems. I was walking through a small business office not too far from where I live. I saw my last name on a door and fiured we were probably related. Walked in and introduced myself to a guy near my age. Turned out that we were distantly related and I knew his brother from way back. Got to talking about cars and he is telling me about the red '55 T-Bird he had in the late '60's with a hopped up Y block. I laughed and pulled a picture of my red '57 T-Bird from my wallet. He had sold the car a long time ago but  still had the tri power set up which he gave to me when I tried to buy it. Never used it but looks good on the shelf in my garage. Guess Y-Blocks can be a genetic disease!

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but this seemed the most logical place to post. Sunday I drove my Grandma's t-bird back home from the shop where I had been working on it. She's not finished, but she's home and ready to be enjoyed!

Here's a Y-block story that doesn't have a happy ending.

A local doctor bought his 16 year old son a new Bird in 56.The son was one of these guys who was a genius,but didn't have a lick of common sense.He drove the Bird for a couple of weeks,putting about 150 miles on it.He decided that he should change the oil at that point,so he drained it and poured new oil in.He then started it up and let it run for about 20 minutes to warm it up.He said it made a funny noise and stopped running.He had forgotten to put the drain plug in and the new oil was on the garage floor.So,he proceeded to dismantle the engine to see if he could fix it.That's as far as he got before he decided it was too much trouble.So he closed the garage door and it stayed closed until about 1985 when the new owners of the house demolished the old garage with a bulldozer,including everything that was inside.

Not a happy ending!

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Gary,

         You almost got it! I was a 15 year old kid that year. One of my neighbors bought a hardtop 500 with the blown engine. He was showing it off to my Dad, and gave us a ride. Never Ever will forget that ride!!! My Dad had a '52 Olds that we thought was pretty quick, until then. Never heard much more about Oldsmobiles after that, from him.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I bought my dream car in 1971 a 57 T'bird.  It was a hunk of junk but it was mine!  It was not my first restoration as we (my brother father and I) had already restored my first car (stock model A) my brothers first car (model A) both 1930 tudors.  My T'bird was highly rotted even then it needed floors, rear fenders and wheelhouses.  I made the floors out of steel salvaged from an incinerator that was being removed from the grocery store where we worked part time in high school.  I bought fiberglass sections to repair the rear fenders and wheelhouses (couldn't afford steel).  Drove it to college as my daily driver.  Since that time re-did it in the late 70's then, went frame off complete in 1995 and have been enjoying it ever since.  We had the hurricane here and traffic to work was awful but the weather was nice so just took the bird to work.  Easy to decide that if I was going to be sitting in traffic it might as well be in my favorite seat.  So many memories over so much time.  Don't give in just stay at it and make memories for you and your family.  MIKE

Mike, still lovin his 57 t'bird after 53 years!

Mr Rice

I did not say they were fast, I just liked the body, you dont see them very often anymore. I had two memerable rides as a passenger when young, a new 57 supercharged ford and in high school a 427 powered 1957 thunderbird. I know why you build one for yourself. That might have been the reason i have a 57 bird.

Gary Ryan San Antonio.TX.

 Maybe, but this F code would suck the indian off the front of my Tri-Power Chieftain! I have been trying to get somebody with a 57 Scrub 2x4, 270 hp to show up at the pure stock races so i could have some fun. NADA.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

The 57 pontiac is the best looking car GM had that year.

Gary Ryan San Antonio.TX.

Frank, it's because it's nicer looking and faster than the GM brand.

That one was easy

-Gary Burnette-

I imagine we all have a few "Yarns" about life as a 'teen. Sometime I'll relay why I chose my 57 ford rather than the Pontiacs I actually owned.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)