The original 1955-57 Thunderbirds are widely recognized as being among the most desirable and sought-after postwar Fords. This F-Bird has a mere 57 miles on the clock since its restoration, and it looks much the same as it did when it was delivered to Talarico Ford of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, in July 1957 according to a copy of the original 1957 factory invoice.Įstablished in Dallas in 1969, Amos and Justin Minter’s Thunderbirds 55-57 restoration shop has unquestionably earned its reputation as one of the most skilled and respected specialty restoration outfits in the world, and when it comes to Thunderbirds built from 1955 through 1957, their shop sits right at the top. Luckily for bidders at Dana Mecum’s 32 nd Original Spring Classic this May, the Minters are set to offer a selection of some of the finest Thunderbirds they’ve touched, and amazingly, nine of them are the elusive F-Birds.Īmos Minter didn’t always plan to get into the restoration business. In the early days, it was more of a side-gig and hobby, while his day job paid the bills. Amos began full-time restoration work in 1969 after leaving his position at Ross Perot’s Electronic Data Systems.īy 1970, Amos said the shop was attracting out-of-state customers, though the local Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio areas certainly made up their base. ”The town of Fort Worth probably had more early Thunderbirds than any other area, because Fort Worth was an oil town, and the people in charge were fairly affluent,” Amos explained. “This little car was terribly expensive in the mid-‘50s comparable to the Corvette or a Series 62 Cadillac.”Īmos’ son, Justin, has been regularly exposed to these cars since birth, noting that his father would drive him around in one as a baby. By his teen years, Justin was just as swept up in the passion for cars as his father. His first car at age 15 was a 1965 Mustang convertible that had been in a house fire. Justin was tasked with restoring the car, and he finished it in the shop by the time he turned 16. By 17, Justin was painting cars for the business, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Minter Thunderbirds dealership and restoration facility covers more than an acre and boasts a top-rated service facility dedicated to the servicing of only those ‘Birds bought from the Minters. They claim to offer the world’s best selection, specializing in Southwest dry-climate examples with myriad options, accessories and more available for buyers to choose from.
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