First generation · Two-seat 'Little Bird' · 1955–1957
1957Ford Thunderbird
The original two-seat convertible — a stylish boulevard cruiser positioned against the Corvette rather than as an outright sports car. The most collectible classic Thunderbird.
Photo: “1957 Ford Thunderbird (29064173621)” by Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Quick facts
- Engines
- 4offered292 cu in (4.8-liter) two-barrel V8 → 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8
- Top output
- 300hp312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8
Body stylesConvertible / Soft Top (40A) · Hard Top (40B)
Start here
What do you need to know?
This page covers the whole 1957 Ford Thunderbird model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.
Complete, source-verified lineup
Find your exact 1957 Thunderbird
Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified
We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory body and named-series roster with source-supported engine and transmission combinations; option packages are excluded unless Ford marketed them as distinct models. Every version shown below has its own detail page.
Verified 2026-09-01 from Ford — 1957 Thunderbird AMA consolidated specification questionnaire, Ford — 1957 engines and transmissions factory lineup.
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 292 cu in (4.8-liter) two-barrel V8, 212 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 292 cu in (4.8-liter) two-barrel V8, 212 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp, 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp, Fordomatic automatic
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp
- Gearbox
- Fordomatic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp, 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp, Fordomatic automatic
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp
- Gearbox
- Fordomatic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp, 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible / Soft Top (40A), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp, Fordomatic automatic
- Body
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- Fordomatic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 292 cu in (4.8-liter) two-barrel V8, 212 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 292 cu in (4.8-liter) two-barrel V8, 212 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp, 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp, Fordomatic automatic
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8, 245 hp
- Gearbox
- Fordomatic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp, 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp, Fordomatic automatic
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8, 270 hp
- Gearbox
- Fordomatic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp, 3-speed manual
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp, 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- 3-speed manual with overdrive
- Built
- Regular production
Hard Top (40B), 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp, Fordomatic automatic
- Body
- Hard Top (40B)
- Engine
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- Fordomatic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
No factory configuration matches those filters.
The 1957 model year
Overview
The 1957 Thunderbird retained Ford's two body-model symbols—40A for the convertible/soft-top car and 40B for the removable-hardtop car—while expanding the documented retail engine range. Ford's factory lineup pairs the 212-hp 292 V8 only with the conventional three-speed manual, while the 245-hp four-barrel, 270-hp dual-four-barrel, and 300-hp supercharged 312 V8s were listed with manual, overdrive, or Fordomatic transmissions.
Specifications
- Engines
- 292 cu in (4.8-liter) two-barrel V8212 hp
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) four-barrel V8245 hp
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) dual-four-barrel V8270 hp
- 312 cu in (5.1-liter) supercharged V8300 hp
- Transmissions
- 3-speed manual, 3-speed manual with overdrive, Fordomatic automatic
- Body styles
- Convertible / Soft Top (40A), Hard Top (40B)
Year over year
What changed
- Ford documented four retail engine outputs, including dual-four-barrel and supercharged 312 V8 choices.
- The 212-hp 292 was conventional-manual only; the three 312 variants were listed across manual, overdrive, and Fordomatic transmissions.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The factory lineup distinguishes the 300-hp supercharged retail engine from separate 285-hp and 340-hp competition listings, which are not promoted as ordinary production configurations here.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Verify the installed engine, induction system, and transmission from factory identification and physical evidence before ordering parts; the retail matrix does not support every engine/transmission cross-combination.
- Treat claimed dual-four-barrel or supercharged cars as configuration-sensitive vehicles whose original induction hardware and documentation materially affect historical accuracy.
Maintenance & service parts
Keep your 1957 Thunderbird on the road
Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.
Service desk
What this car needs & when
Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.
- Service topics
- 3
- Factory intervals
- 0
- Fitment-scoped
- 3
- Exact references
- 1
Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.
Minor tune-up — inspection and adjustment package
Fitment must be confirmed
Clean, adjust, and test the spark plugs; inspect the battery, regulator, timing, vacuum, carburetor, distributor, belts, hoses, and radiator cap; clean the air-cleaner element and fuel-pump bowl; and perform the other checks marked for a minor tune-up in Ford's table.
Source: Ford — 1957 Ford Car and Thunderbird Shop Manual, minor/major tune-up schedule (licensed excerpt) · Chapter 1, printed pages 1-8 to 1-9, Table 2 — operations marked Minor · checked
Major tune-up — expanded engine service package
Fitment must be confirmed
The major package adds the table's compression, ignition, fuel-pump, carburetor, fuel-filter, distributor, exhaust-analysis, and resistance tests to the operations Ford marks for major service. The table directs technicians to clean, adjust, and test—not automatically replace—the spark plugs.
Source: Ford — 1957 Ford Car and Thunderbird Shop Manual, minor/major tune-up schedule (licensed excerpt) · Chapter 1, printed pages 1-8 to 1-9, Table 2 — operations marked Major · checked
Engine oil filter — catalog fitment
Exact reference available
This manufacturer application record establishes replacement-filter fitment only; it does not establish a service interval.
Baldwin P80
Baldwin P80
Source: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Ford 1957 — Thunderbird application, printed catalog page 676, Lube column · checked
Verified ordering references
- Validated equivalentBaldwin P80
Qty. 1 · Replaceable lubricating-oil filter element · catalog-listed
Cataloged for the 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Baldwin lists P80 for the element-type housing and B2 for the spin-on housing; identify the housing installed on the car before ordering. Confirm VIN, installed engine, and filter housing before ordering.
Catalog: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Ford 1957 — Thunderbird application, printed catalog page 676, Lube column · checked
Search this part on Amazon
Baldwin B2
Baldwin B2
Source: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Ford 1957 — Thunderbird application, printed catalog page 676, Lube column · checked
Verified ordering references
- Validated equivalentBaldwin B2
Qty. 1 · Engine lubricating-oil filter · catalog-listed
Cataloged for the 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Baldwin lists P80 for the element-type housing and B2 for the spin-on housing; identify the housing installed on the car before ordering. Confirm VIN, installed engine, and filter housing before ordering.
Catalog: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Ford 1957 — Thunderbird application, printed catalog page 676, Lube column · checked
Search this part on Amazon
Collect
Bring this model year home
Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.
Famous variants this year
Sources
Other First generation years
Explore the Two-seat 'Little Bird' generation →All First generation · Two-seat 'Little Bird' years →