Overview: The 1955 Ford Thunderbird was meant to fulfill the desire for a sporty American car. Ford never had plans to make the T-Bird a true sports car, but it would possess the elements of a racer; two seats, sleek styling and high performance. In two years, about 40-thousand T-Birds were sold. Hoping to appeal to more people, Ford took the Thunderbird in another direction. It became bigger and gained a backseat.