The Ford Thunderbird is America’s car. Named for a spiritual guide of native Americans, powered by a good old V8 engine, and offering styling that defined the 1950s, it’s everything that makes America great. Today, 2-seater T-Birds remain great collector cars that are eminently usable, with great road manners, plenty of power, and an easy-to-drive nature that means anyone can take the wheel at a moment’s notice. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they’re downright gorgeous, with this 1956 Thunderbird showcasing numerous upgrades added by Ford engineers following the debut of the 1955 models, upgrades ranging from the cowl vents to the Continental kit out back. If you want a car that drives well, is welcome at just about any old car event in the world, and will hold its value year after year, a Thunderbird is an excellent choice.

Treated to a frame-on restoration about a decade ago, this 1956 Thunderbird is the car you’ll drive on your next long-distance tour, that you’ll take for long rides in the country, and show at the local cruise night. It’s not a show car, it’s not intended for points judging, but it is a great-looking car that drives well and has lots of options to make it very enjoyable to drive. The bodywork is quite nicely done, with good, straight quarters, particularly around the fender skirt openings, and decent gaps all around. Code E Colonial White is the car’s original color and it is just the right shade, not pure white, but a slightly creamy white that suits the Thunderbird’s long, low shape quite well. It’s inevitable that you’ll remember a car like this in “American Graffiti” with Suzanne Sommers at the wheel, and there’s surely a reason a white 1956 Thunderbird was chosen—it’s obviously quite photogenic. The doors open and close easily, the hood fits well, and the overall look is of a car that’s been treated well all its life. There’s also a sizeable investment in the chrome and stainless trim, most of which is in excellent condition, including the bumpers, grille, and emblems. If there’s a demerit, it’s the hood scoop trim, which might be original and shows very light pitting that’s noticeable upon close inspection. But this car’s first impression is definitely a good one.

It’s probably a good thing that the original code XG brown and white interior was replaced with a more cheerful code XB red and white interior. Patterns and materials are correct and while it definitely has some minor signs of use, it still looks great all around. All the details are right, from the carpets to the wonderfully ornate door panels with engine-turned inserts to the dash pad, which hasn’t been cooked by the sun. Of note, this car has both power windows and a power seat, which are all fully functional, as well as a later AM/FM/cassette stereo head unit that slots into the original radio’s spot in the dash and uses the original speaker location on top. There’s an aftermarket under-dash A/C unit that has a period-correct look and uses modern components under the hood, so it’s reliable and at least as effective as the units you would have received from the dealer in 1956. All the gauges work properly except the clock, which isn’t surprising, and we’re guessing that the odometer was reset to 0 when the car was restored, which explains the mileage. Stowed behind the seats, you’ll find a correct white vinyl convertible top that’s in good condition, complete with a crystal clear rear window. It’s a little wrinkled and discolored, as it surely has spent most of its life in the stowed position, but it’s only there for emergencies anyway, right? A color-matched hardtop in excellent condition is included as well, and it has a clean headliner and traditional porthole windows that were one of those “upgrades” Ford made along the way. The trunk is neatly finished with a correct mat and jack assembly, and with the spare tire moved outside, there’s plenty of room for a week’s worth of luggage for two.

The engine is a correct 312 cubic inch “Y-block” V8, which, when linked to a Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission, was rated at 225 horsepower. It always starts easily and idles well, even when it’s cold, and once it’s warmed up, delivers energetic performance on the road. Now, it’s not a muscle car, so don’t expect tire-smoking launches, but it scoots through traffic easily and cruises at modern highway speeds without effort. The engine was nicely detailed when the car was restored and now shows some signs of use, most notable some burned engine enamel on the intake manifold where the exhaust crossover is located. It’s outfitted with an accessory dealer dress-up kit, including the gorgeous finned valve covers and chrome air filter and details like hoses, clamps, and other small parts are accurately done. The A/C system is fairly unobtrusive and nicely designed, and you’ll be happy to see that this car has both power steering and power brakes, making it easy to drive. An original 12-volt generator still makes the electricity and there’s a new battery to turn it over. Again, it isn’t a show car, but you won’t be ashamed to show off the engine bay, either.

The engine is backed by a 3-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission, and when you’re just driving around, you may only feel one shift. That’s because Ford decided to let the transmission start in second gear unless you really prod it or pull the shifter into Low, and to be honest, you won’t miss first gear under normal driving anyway. With 3.00 gears out back, it’s a superlative highway cruiser that never sounds busy or like it’s working too hard, so you can sit back and enjoy the ride. The chassis is probably original, so it’s crusty and grimy, but that doesn’t matter on a driver-grade car like this. The frame is in good order and the floors are solid, but it shows some signs of age and use, so don’t expect perfection. The body mounts are a bit deteriorated, but there are no issues that affect the operation or appearance of the car, so there’s no need to worry about it unless you’re looking for a small project next winter. It tracks straight, rides nicely on recent shocks, stops straight, and those gorgeous Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels with 205/75/15 Coker wide whitewall radials make it truly sparkle.

Very affordably priced, this Thunderbird has a lot to offer.