The 352 cubic-inch 'Thunderbird Special' V8 used a Holley four-barrel carburetor and offered 300 horsepower. The standard engine powering the 1959 Thunderbird was the 332 cubic-inch V8 with a two-barrel Holley carburetor, five main bearings, overhead valves, and delivering 225 horsepower. The result was a long, distinctively sculpted rear deck that becomes flush with the rear seats, forming one long, uninterrupted sweep of pure and elegant beauty. It then retracts to a close with the top cover now totally concealed under the rear deck panel. The convertible body style had a stylish power-operated top with the rear-hinged trunk area automatically opening with the push of a button to accept the folding mechanism and fabric. The prior four bars previously found on the Thunderbird's flanks were replaced by a chrome arrow, and the interior received white face dials replacing the previous black dials of the earlier Thunderbirds.

Among the cosmetic changes were a new horizontal grille with small matching rear grilles behind the taillights. The success of its inaugural year led to only mild massaging of the styling and specifications for 1959.

Before it was over, ten generations of the Ford Thunderbird were built through 1997, with a reprisal of the two-seater in 2002.ġ959 was the second year for the Square Bird era, after being completely redesigned, re-conceptualized, and re-imaged in 1958 the new four-seat Thunderbird.

The second generation added a roomy interior and its popularity reached new heights. The original Ford Thunderbird two-seater had defined the new 'personal luxury' car market in fine fashion. Not only the public agreed, but the motoring press as well, with Motor Trend magazine naming the 1958 Thunderbird its ' Car of the Year award. While the two-seat Corvette struggled to find its footing, the Ford product planners correctly understood the needs and interests of the majority of Americans, building a sporty-looking luxury car rather than a full-bore sports car. The second-generation Thunderbirds immediately outsold its predecessors with fast-growing numbers throughout production. Following the successful first-generation, two-seater 1955-1957 Thunderbirds, the totally redesigned 1958 through 1960 models received Jet Age styling and larger overall proportions, with seating for four occupants.

Old thunderbird convertible