I am having a crisis, talk me out of this monster. I have always wanted one and the wife is actually partial. It would mean giving up the Aston in the short term if I find a good one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BEAUTIFUL-1957-FORD-THUNDERBIRD-RESTORED-BLUE-WHITE...
I want to do tsomething like this
I know a guy who was a thirty year owner of two nearly perfect '57s. He was also the original owner of a '65 Mustang and at the time, I also owned a '65 Fastback. He let me drive one of the T-Birds. He mentioned, and after the drive I totally agreed, that, even compared to the Mustangs, the T-Birds felt really old. Of course, they are, but they seemed much more than eight years older than the Mustangs.
Now, I love what you want to do and I'm no fan of kit cars, but if I were going to do it, I'd be inclined buy one of the fiberglass T-Bird replicas and drop it over a tube chassis with independent suspension and rack and pinion.
I saw a Battlebird at Carlisle, I understand the fascination.
Woody wrote:I know a guy who was a thirty year owner of two nearly perfect '57s. He was also the original owner of a '65 Mustang and at the time, I also owned a '65 Fastback. He let me drive one of the T-Birds. He mentioned, and after the drive I totally agreed, that, even compared to the Mustangs, the T-Birds felt really old. Of course, they are, but they seemed much more than eight years older than the Mustangs.
I have been driving this for the last couple months as my fun car, this has to be a improvement.
Locally there is a 550 tube frame spyder replica for sale with a 2.7 motor and some fancy suspension that I also have my eye on. SB100 registration as well, I have built a few motors for guys and have been in a few on the track (originals) but my wife thinks its a death trap.
I'm with Woody on this one. I'd say awesome idea, 100% behind it, but don't do it with an original.
Yeah, do it as a replica. Modern convenience FTW
No.
As in no I won't talk you out of it. 
That one's too purty to turn into a track rat. I agree on the glass replica. Even if you just drop it onto an S-10 chassis, you would be way ahead.
Another vote for keeping this particular car as it is - it's really too nice to turn into a racer.
kazoospec wrote:I'm with Woody on this one. I'd say awesome idea, 100% behind it, but don't do it with an original.
Let me clarify: I don't object to turning a classic into a racecar, but for my money, I'd go the repli-route. You'd probably end up with a more enjoyable car.
I'd never try to clone an original in fiberglass.
Anyone who comes here to be talked out of an automotive purchase, is looking for enablers to tell him it's okay. 
I got talked out of a purchase here once... mostly. 
I have always had a bad weak spot for '57 Fairlanes.
I always liked the Doane Spencer Thunderbird:
I prefer the '55's lines over the fins on the '57. If I were going to do one it would be based off the Regal Roadsters replica. They make a very convincing replica. Just take enough of the stock restoration bits to add to the replica to make a vintage appearing racer.
I absolutely will not. It's one of the best looking cars Ford ever produced. Here's mine.
The "restore 'em all" crowd was pissed when I decided to modify it. They positively stroked out when they learned it was a 100% rust free California car that I was modifying.
Beautimus Cars,
Word on the street is they weren't ever preformace cars though, they may have shoved an occasional bigass engine in one but that's about it I think.
I'm all for doing it also but not to an all original restored one. If you must do it to an original, find one that needs work. preferably an incomplete one.
The way I look at old cars is if they are all original and complete they stay that way but one that needs work and/or is incomplete, free reign to do whatever you want. I use this philosophy in my own garage. The Opel GT I have was an all original, numbers matching car and I restored it that way. On the other hand, the 63 MG Midget I got is incomplete, mainly just a rolling body. That means I can do whatever I want to it.
Ok, I'll be the odd man out. Tbird=Ugly, ill handling old Ford. Worst looking car of the decade. Really.
But when you do it anyway, find a rustbucket and figure out how to mount the body panels to a C5 Corvette chassis.
There's a guy around here who has a 55 or 56 that has an Oldsmobile engine in it. The swap was done over 40 years ago.
