The first organizational meeting of the Chicagoland group was held on August 28, 1961. The club was chartered as The Thunderbird Sports Car Club of Chicagoland (TSCCC) and the premier issue [Vol 1 No 1] of the Club newsletter BIRD-NEWS published in March of 1962.
In 1963 Chicagoland members caravanned to Dearborn, Michigan in 19 two-passenger Ford Thunderbirds. The Ford Motor Company extended the red-carpet for our visit, which turned out to be a truly magnificent Thunderbird Convention. This memorable event set the stage for the first International (CTCI) Convention, which was also held in Dearborn (1964).
In 1964 the Club name was revised to Classic Thunderbird Club of Chicagoland thus eliminating the Sports Car designation and placing emphasis on the "Classic" features inherent in the 1955 1956 and 1957 Ford Thunderbirds.
Over the years the Classic Thunderbird Club of Chicagoland has hosted four (4) Sanctioned Regional Meets and one (1) International Convention:
1973 Birds Run to Pheasant Run (Regional) 1989 Windy City Classic (Regional)
1976 Birds Run to Pheasant Run II 1995 Classic T-Bird Thoroughbred Classic (Regional)
1979 Birds Run to Pheasant Run li! (Regional} 2000 Chicago 2000 (International Convention)
1982 Birds Run to Pheasant Run IV
1986 Birds Run to Pheasant Run V
FOUNDING MEMBERS: J.Aabey, B. Eisenhour, G. Holubek, A. Lupescu, B. Rengel, J. Washburn
C. T. C. C. Past Presidents
1962 Arne Aabey 1975-1976 Dick Schmidt 1992-1996 Ken Smizinski (4 yrs)
1962-1963 Ray Drehoble 1976-1977 Greg Fohrman 1996-1997 Jim Peterson
1963-1964 Paul Gaskill 1977-1978 Burt Simon 1997-2000 Steve Frano (3 yrs)
1964-1965 John Alogna 1978-1979 Greg Fohrman 2000-2004 Len Keil (4 yrs)
1965-1966 Bert Eisenhour 1979-1980 Dennis Valy 2004-2008 Ken Smizinski (5 yrs)
1966-1967 Ray Keegan 1980-1981 Annette Christy 2008-2009 Len Keil
1967-1968 Jerry Scafa 1981-1982 Gino Dal Cerro 2009-2010 Len Keil
1968-1969 Dave Owen 1982-1983 Pat Giffin 2010-2011 Len Keil
1969-1970 Ken Kielar 1983-1984 Bruce Lieberthal 2011-2012 Pete Kramer
1970-1971 Art Lupescu 1984-1985 Bernie Stadick 2012-2013 Pete Kramer
1971-1972 Cleon Statton 1985-1988 Pat Giffin (3 yrs)
1972-1973 Floyd Moore 1988-1989 Ray Ponstein
1973-1974 Ray Levy 1989-1991 Pat Giffin (2 yrs)
1974-1975 Rudy Budach 1991-1992 Dan Mrozek
WHILE ATTENDING THE 1964 "CTCI" GATHERING OF CLASSIC FORD Thunderbirds IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN, OUR FLOCK FOLLOWED THE LATE WYNNE EMINGER TO a remote parking area for our official group picture.
It was on this fateful day in June that our arrival on-the-scene happened to coincide with a major Ford project. There, were several semi-trucks that were being loaded with many different new Ford vehicles, apparently destined for transport to (exotic?) sites for photos. All of the vehicles were covered so as to hide their design features as the loading procedure progressed. My wife was exited to see that the new station wagons featured a novel face-to-face seating for the rearmost passengers!
It was only a matter of time before our group discovered a red beauty hiding under one of the covers... The men in charge of loading the cars into the trailers were very reluctant to even partially uncover this particular car - it being a gorgeous Mustang Fastback! Ultimately, Wynne Eminger was able to convince the crew that he was indeed a Ford employee, and one-end of the cover was (partially) folded-back, revealing this striking Mustang's front-end treatment. Our cameras went into action as more of the cover was removed by members of the still reluctant loading crew....
Eventually, we were able to get some basically unobstructed shots - with the proviso that we wouldn't display any of the pictures until after the official release of the new model designs in September of 1964. Of course, we shutterbugs took an Oath to honor this stipulation!
We now fast-forward to September of 1964, when my wife and 1 were pleasantly surprised to be numbered among the 1,000 persons invited to the gala Chicago showing of the entire Ford line-up for 1965! Arriving at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago, we noticed a limo with Michigan plates - hinting that some top brass Ford people might be in attendance...
Upon entering the hotel, a "greeter" asked if we would like to meet Mr. Ford? As we walked through the doorway into the large display room, we not only met Henry Ford II, but a line-up of top Ford executives, including Lee laccoca!
The "show" lasted just two-hours, as advertised, however, we and the other guests took full-advantage of the endless supply of hors d' oeuvres and liquid refreshments from a series of small bars! Naturally, the Mustang and the other cars were "old-hat" to us, and we were amused as we observed people's reaction to the Mustang, etc.
The room lights flicked off, the bars and food tables were moved out; our (second!) Preview of the new Ford line for 1965 was history!
The following article is reprinted from the July-August issue of the Early Bird. It is one of the best explanations and descriptions on how to interpret the Data Plate information.
Written by Jim Schmidt (1969). Revised and updated by George Barlow, Dave Tulowitzky, John Sailors, John Smith, Frank Stubbs and Gil Baumgartner (2010)
Whether you own or are looking for a classic Thunderbird, so long as you are planning to restore it you will most likely want to know how to tell what it was like when it was new. If you are undecided on the color, or have a specific color in mind, remember that it is to your advantage to adhere to the factory body and interior colors when you restore. Cars restored to original condition are generally worth more and will appeal to more prospective buyers when you decide to sell. Also, factory colors are a MUST for Original Class in Concours judging.
Photo Caption: Top- large Data Plate, Bottom- Small Data Plate.
Clicking on photo will enlarge it so you can read the text.
This article provides a ready reference on all data important to the heritage of the classic Thunderbird. It documents what engine and which colors were original for a specific car. It explains what the production code means, and probably in what area your car was first sold.
Please take the time to relate this article to your own car so you may have the pleasure of discovering something new about something "old".
Patent data plates are located on the firewall of the engine compartment near the heater duct. There were two basic styles used between 1955 and 1957 models. The large data plates were used on all 1955/56 Thunderbirds and 1957 models until mid-April. The small data plate was used on 1957 models until the end of productions of the 1957 Thunderbirds, Dec. 13, 1957. The small data plates starting in April 1957 did not show the destination code or scheduled Item number. On the smaller data plates the transmission type and the rear axle ratio were shown following the date code.
Large Data Plate used on all 1955/56 Thunderbirds and 1957 models until mid-April 1957. (Top Plate in photo)
Small Data Plate was phased in during the week of April 15 to April 19, 1957. (Bottom Plate in photo)
The first letter in the serial number denotes the engine size, as per the following chart.:
ENGINE CODES
Year
Code
Eng.
Carb.
Transmission
HP
1955
P
292
4V
3-Spd Manual
193
P
292
4V
Fordomatic
198
P
292
4V
Overdrive
193
1956
M
292
4V
3-Spd Manual
200
P
312
4V
Overdrive
215
P
312
4V
Fordomatic
225
1957
C
292
2V
3-Spd Manual
206
D
312
4V
Fordo or O/D
245
E
312
8V
All
270
F
312
4V
All
300
In January of 1957, 15 Thunderbirds were produced with supercharged engines. They were built to fulfill a requirement to have supercharged engines available to the public in order for this type of engine to be used at the 1957 NASCAR Speed Trials at Daytona Beach, FL. The data plate date code on these models was stamped A25 (Jan. 25, 1957). The invoice release dates were January 29, 1957. These Thunderbirds have since been referred to as D/F models or Phase One supercharged models because the F model supercharged Thunderbirds were not available until June of 1957. The VIN numbers of the D/F models are well documented by original invoices. The invoices for the D/F Phase One Thunderbirds show "SUPERCHARGED ENG STD TRAN $340.00"
It is estimated that a few hundred Thunderbirds were shipped to Mexico for final assembly in a Ford plant located in that country. The data plates on these vehicles almost always contained the letters "MEX" in their VIN. The early style data plates were used however, character fonts and stampings on the plate differed greatly in appearance from the Dearborn produced Thunderbirds.
A few invoices for the 1957 E models built late on the 1958 assembly line show no charge for E equipment.
The second item is a numeral denoting the model year: 5 = 1955, 6 = 1956, 7 = 1957.
The third item is always the letter "F", indicating that the car (all two-passenger Thunderbirds) was assembled at the Dearborn (River Rouge) Plant.
The fourth item is always the letter "H", denoting the body style, i.e., Thunderbird.
The serial numbers always begin at 100001 each model year at each separate assembly plant. Thus, your Thunderbird serial number shows the total number of cars, Thunderbirds as well as passenger cars, assembled at the Dearborn Plant from the start of the model year until your car was built-minus 100,000.
1955 production started September 9, 1954 and ended September 16, 1955, at serial number 260,557.
1956 production started October 17, 1955 and ended August 17, 1956. The first 1956 Thunderbird was 102,661 and the last 395,516.
1957 production started September 14, 1956 and was continued into the 1958 model year. The assembly line was shut down from Sept 27, 1957 until October 14, 1957 for conversion to the 1958 model production. The 1957 Thunderbird was then continued until the last 1957 Thunder-bird was builtDec. 13, 1957. The first 1957 Thunderbird was 100,010 and the last 395,813. Even though those later Birds were produced alongside 1958 Fords in the same plant, they retained their serial number integrity as if they had been produced in the 1957 Ford model year.
The lower line of data plate reveals the physical appearance of the car when it was delivered.
The first item is the Body Type. All 1955 and 1956 models were coded "40A", while all 1957 Thunderbirds were coded 40.
Next is the Color code. The 1955 models had one color code letter indicating the color of the body as well as the hard top. Two tone colors (body & top) were not offered in 1955. Starting in 1956 the first few cars had a single color code letter indicating that the body as well as the top was the same color. Early production 1956 models with a top color different from the body color had the number 1 or 2 following the body color. Starting in Nov., 1955 the color code for 1956 models contained two letters. The two letter color code was used until the end of production of the 1957 models. If the top was the same color as the body the two letters would be the same on all 1956/57 models.
.
Following are the standard factory color codes:
EXTERIOR PAINT
1955
A
Raven Black
E
Snowshoe White
R
Torch Red
T
Thunderbird Blue
V
Goldenrod Yellow
1956
A
Raven Black
E
Colonial White
J
Buckskin Tan
K
Fiesta Red
E
Peacock Blue
M
Goldenglow yellow
X
Navajo Gray
Y
Sunset Coral
Z
Thunderbird Green
T
Thunderbird Gray
1957
A
Raven Black
E
Colonial White
F
Starmist Blue
J
Willow Green
N
Gunmetal Gray
0
Thunderbird Bronze
V
Flame Red
X
Dusk Rose
Y
Inca Gold
Z
Coral Sand
H
Gunmetal Gray Replaced N code Mav 1 957
1958 Colors added or substituted when 1957 T-Birds were built alongside 1958 Fords.
1957
G
Sun Gold
R
Torch Red
E
Azure Blue
N
Seaspray Green
The next item is the Trim code, and is expressed with one letter on 1955 Models during most of the 1955 production year by July, 1955 most 1955 models interior codes had an X prefix. The X was used until the end of production of the 1957 models.
INTERIOR TRIM
Code
1955Thunderbird
A
Black and WhiteXA starting July1955
B
Red and WhiteXB starting July 1955
C
Turquoise and White XC starting July 1955
D
Black and YellowXD starting July 1 955
1956 Thunderbird
XA
Black and White Vinyl
XB
Red and White Vinyl
XC
Dark Peacock and White Vinyl
XF
Green and White Vinyl
XG
Brown and White Vinyl
1957 Thunderbird
XA
Pleated Raven Vinyl & Pleated Colonial Vinyl
XH
Pleated Flame Vinyl
XJ
Pleated Bronze Vinyl
XK
Pleated Colonial Vinyl
XL
Pleated Dresden Vinyl & Pleated Starmist Vinyl
XM
Pleated Cumberland & Pleated Willow Vinyl
Some late 1957 Thunderbirds built on the 1958 assembly line had a number 6 or 7 between the exterior and interior color codes. Most had a 6.
Example: EE 6 XH. A buildsheet was found by Frank Stubbs with a code TT (Top Type) 7. The TT code does not appear on data plates or invoices. Additional research by Frank reveals that the Thunderbirds with a known original top as delivered from the factory with a code 6 had a porthole top. If the code was 7 it was originally delivered with a non porthole top. The number 7 has not been found on many Thunderbirds. If your Thunderbird has a 7 after the color code please send as much information about your car as possible to David Tulowitzky (address listed on the last page). Please state the type of top and if it is known to be factory original.
In all but 1957 models builtafter April 1957 (somewhere between April 15th and 19th the plate was redesigned and made smaller), the last item is the Production Code.
In all cases the first entry in the Production Code is the date. It is expressed as either one or two numbers, indicating the scheduled production day, preceding a letter (which denotes the month).
MONTHS OF THE YEAR CODE
YEARYEARYEAR
MONTH
First
Second
MONTH
First
Second
MONTH
First
Second
January
A
N
May
E
S
September
J
W
February
B
P
June
F
T
October
K
X
March
C
Q
July
G
U
November
L
Y
April
D
R
August
H
V
December
Take the 1956 example: (13B SD155), which decodes February 13, 1956.
The W, X, Y and Z were used to denote that the late 1957 models were being produced beyond the normal 12 month model year and are only seen on the smaller data plates. One must remember that these codes were used during the calendar year 1957 only. To decide which calendar year your car was produced, refer to information explaining serial numbers.
Following the month of year code willbe the sales district code where the vehicle was scheduled to be shipped. Sales district codes were not used on 1955 models until approximately Nov. 1, 1954. Sales district codes were letters until the 1957 model production started Sept. 1956. Starting with the first 1957 models, numbers were used until April 1957 when the sales district codes were dropped. The data plate was redesigned, made smaller and phased in between April 15 and April 19, 1957.
The scheduled item number followed the sales district code until the redesign of the data plate in April 1957. The smaller data plate then carried the transmission and rear axle codes.
SALES AREA CODES (DISTRICT CODES)
The District Codes (showing numerals and letters, although both were never used together) were as follows:
11 /SD
Boston
12/BF
Buffalo
13/BX
New York
14/PI
15
Pittsburg Newark
21/NK
Atlanta
22/CE
Charlotte
23/DI 24/KJ
Philadelphia Jacksonville
25/RP
Richmond
26/DC 31/CI
Washington DC Cincinnati
32/CL
Cleveland
33/DD
Detroit
34/NP 35/FX 36/LX and LU
Indianapolis Lansing
Louisville
41/CX 42/RG
43/KE
Chicago
Fargo
Rockford
44/SP
Twin Cities
45/DQ
51/DN
Davenport
Denver
52/DS
Des Moines
53/KS 54/NB
Kansas City
Omaha
FIRST AND LAST T-BIRD NUMBERS (INTERMIXED WITH PASSENGER CARS)
DATE
1955
DATE
1956
DATE
1957
9-9-54
P5FH 100001
10-17-55
P6FH 102661
9-14-56
D7FH 100010
9-14-55
P5FH 260557
08-24-56
P6FH359516
12-13-57
E7FH395813
Total
(T-Birds) 16,155
Total
(T-Birds) 15,631
Total
(T-Birds) 2 1,3
(District Codes continued from previous page)
55/SLSaint Louis
61/DPDallas
62/SUHouston
63/GBMemphis
64/NRNew Orleans
65/KLOklahoma City
71/LPLos Angeles
72/SKSan Jose
73/SCSalt Lake City
74/SESeattle
82/EXFMC Export NJ
84/HOFMC Transportation and
Equipment Department
The last set of numbers with the exception of 1957 models produced after April 19, 1957 is the scheduled Thunderbird to be shipped to the sales district code indicated on the data plate.
Example: Sales District - Sales District LP (Los Angeles for 1955/56 models). If the number was 521 it was the 521st Thunderbird shipped to that district. If the number exceeded 999 the second letter was dropped from the district code and it would read L 1000 and on. In 1957 numbers were used for district codes. Example: 71 (Los Angeles) If the number was 0521 it would have been the 521st Thunderbird shipped to that district. If the number exceeded 999 the district code remained 71 and 1000 and beyond would follow the district code.
The last entry after the sales district number on most 1957 models the letter P appeared. This is believed to indicate that the car was regular production and not special ordered for an individual.
On 1957 models after April 19th 1957, in lieu of a production code, there is a code for transmission type and axle ratio:
TRANSMISSION & REAR AXLE RATIO TYPE CODES
Shows on late 1957 type Data Plates only
Code
Transmission
Code
Axle Ratio
1
3 spd Manual
1
3.10to1
2
Overdrive
2
3.56 to 1
3
Fordomatic
3
3. 70 to 1
The totals above include "KD" or knock down units prepared at the Dearborn assembly plant for shipment to Mexico for assembly.
Additional information
Beginning with serial number P5FH100011 production sequence codes (or scheduled item numbers may appear as S-XXXX. This continued through October 1954.
From November 1, 1954 through July 7, 1955 both sales district codes and sequence codes (scheduled item numbers) were used.
However, starting in mid December 1954, a small percentage used only the sequence number and didnot include the sales district.
Beginning July8, 1955 only sequence numbers were used until the end of production of the 1955 models.
Top colors on early 1956 models
Some 1956 models have been located with a number on the data plate for the top color. If your car has this please send a tracing of the original data plate to David Tulowitzky at the address shown below. Please include as much information about your car as possible, including original colors if known.
Data plate information was typed onto the metal plate by employees of Ford Motor Company. Mistakes were not made very often, but errors have been found. If you encounter letters or numbers not included in this decoding information, please send a tracing of the data plate to David Tulowitzky at the address listed below or email to: Tulobird@aol.com.
David Tulowitzky
14191TudballAve.
Port Charlotte, FL 33953
To make a good data plate tracing, place a clean piece of paper over the data plate and rub a dull pencil lead or a dirty finger over it.
Please provide as much information as possible, transmission, options, original colors (if known) special features, history, etc.
No information regarding your car will be released. The information is used to gather statistical information about the manufacture of the cars and the percentage of cars by color, trim etc.
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