1958 ford thunderbird rear suspension upper arms

Elwood Engel had also presented a design but it was rejected. The styling of the all-new Thunderbird, known as the 'Square Bird', was attributed primarily to Joe Oros, whose talents were later applied to the 1964 Ford Mustang. To this end, the Thunderbird gained rear seats.

With their fingers on the pulse of change throughout the industry, Ford management and especially Robert McNamara felt the Thunderbird sales could reach new plateaus if it could appeal to families.

The amount of available horsepower on production engines began to exceed 300 bhp, with displacement growing to equally impressive sizes, complemented by the use of fuel injection and other modern advancements. Change was a popular theme through the 1950s within the automotive industry, with designs emulating the accomplishments of the space race, with aircraft-inspired interiors, towering tail fins, and plentiful amounts of chrome highlighting and accenting design cues. The first-generation Thunderbird had been very successful, especially when compared to the Corvette, but rather than rest on their laurels, management approved a major redesign for the second generation.

Two additional seats were added to the rear and the amenities reserved for full-sized vehicles were bestowed upon the mid-sized Thunderbird. An all-new design was introduced for 1958, pushing the 'personal luxury' theme even further. View info and historyThe first generation of the Thunderbird lasted from 1955 through 1957 with mild updates along the way.

1958 ford thunderbird rear suspension upper arms