at the hop danny and the juniors 1957

Ahh! This is one of the first cars that I distinctly remember... I was just 4 years old at the time. In October 1959 I visited Hawaii and I got to ride around through the sugar cane and pineapple fields in my grandmother's Thunderbird convertible, riding in the backseat with my mom, with the top down. It had a red vinyl or leather interior and a white exterior. I still remember the fragrance of the island of flowers inland, and of the sea when the wind came from that direction. Many years later I asked my grandmother as to whatever happened to that sweet convertible? She answered, "Like all cars at that time in Hawaii, the car rusted out after a year and a half, and it had to be traded in." I think that she missed that car too! What memories!

My father-in-law was stationed in Germany with the US Army in 1958. He had been driving a VW but didn't like feeling so cramped in such a small car. Naturally, he bought a 1958 Thunderbird to drive around the small towns in West Germany. I still have no idea how he maneuvered that Blue Oval Yank Tank through those narrow streets. I think it was the fear the Soviets felt in seeing the massive Thunderbird that kept them from sweeping through the Fulda Gap and invading Western Europe.

This car model rocked the automotive world….period. At the time it was considered a bit on the compact side! Surprisingly modest msrp.

These cars changed America and opened up a whole new buying market.

WYR: DeSoto, Studebaker. A neighbor had a '58 Impala in a silver gray color; had a 283 with an automatic. This was in the early 90s. I like that car, but can't beat the fins on the Mopars!

WYR: 1958 Thunderbird and I can't pick on the second round...they're all awesome in their own right. I've mentioned before, I had a 65, so I'm partial to these 4 seat Thunderbirds. Thanks as always - you're the best! Chuck

I had a 58 T bird while stationed on Guam in 1968. Absolutely loved that car. I sold in in 1969 when I got out of the Navy. It is probably still on Guam.

58 T-Bird is my favorite! 58 T-Bird 58 Stude...I am a fool for Studes...

Thank you. You did TBirds and Auburns on the same day and is not even my birthday I have collected T Birds. And they my car of choice

I have so many Favorite Thunderbird designs. Love the late 50’s and up.

Before the `58 T Bird was 'locked up' for production, Ford teased a 2 seater ragtop verion. it looked exactly like the `58 but it was shorter. An interesting concept that never saw the light of day.

I remember an ad featuring a corale group of men in evening dress and women wearing fancy gowns singing “Oooh THUNDERBIRD, finest of fine cars….” Tried to find that ad - no luck

Studebaker size first DeSoto Styling and performance 🤔👍 Great Episode Happy Motoring ✌️🤠

There is a way of telling the '58 and '59 T-Birds apart from the rear. The chrome surrounding the taillights for 1958 features black dots which resembled its grill. For '59 there were horizontal bars in the same area which mimicked the '59 grill. My picks here would be the DeSoto and Studebaker.

Five classic beauties here, love these square birds, but the Adventurer is stunning, and after that full size auto i'll take the Studdie.

In high school, I had a '60 T -Bird. Mine was unique as it had a factory sunroof. It was quite thirsty, but gas was .25 gallon

Thanks for your review. Being a Ford man, I love most of their cars, although I do have my favorites, and this model year is one of them. When it comes to Thunderbirds, there isn't a generation that I don't like. For years my favorite Thunderbird has been the 57. I like the idea that Ford made the 57 to resemble the full-size Fairlane. A great idea. I also like how each generation of the Thunderbird manages to keep some of the features of the generation before it. I love the way Ford used chrome screws to mount everything, even the taillight lens' have 3 chrome screws. I think it adds personality to the manufacturing. When looking at the interior, specifically the dashboard, it is just beautiful. I love the pods in front of the driver and the passenger. My 69 Mach l dashboard is shaped the same as this Thunderbird. Ford used many different styling and features throughout their cars. The only Thunderbird I ever owned was a 1970, many people don't like the beak in the grill, to me, I think the beak looks like a bird, perfect for the Thunderbird. The interiors of all the Thunderbirds are gorgeous, they are some of the best looking interiors of any car. They are rich and they give a level of security because the dashboards are high, and the passengers sit very low like in a capsule. I was pretty young when these Thunderbirds roamed the streets. But because many people around me had them I got to know the cars well. Another look of the Glamor birds are the 1974 through 1976 full-size Thunderbirds that are related to the Lincoln Mark Vs. I wish I could have all the Thunderbirds I like, but as the saying goes, "so many Thunderbirds, so little time. I say you should keep these reviews coming. They celebrate the fantastic American cars we grew up with. As far as which one would I pick? I like all of the full-size options, and the Thunderbird wins for the smaller size options.

Nice car!! The front styling always reminds me of the Lincoln Futura / Batmobile, similar designs

Dealers stupidly installed side mirrors on fenders. Best position is just back from open wing window. The 58 had poor coil rear springs, back to leaf springs in 1959. Was lowest car made and didn't lean like the higher suspension models. Really strong unit body construction and heavy gauge inner fenders seam welded to frame made them extremely strong for crashes. I wish I didn't know this.

I'm not much of a fan of the '58 T'bird but my father in law had one he was keeping to restore some day. It was vandalized and the entire interior was stolen out of it as it was parked in a remote garage with no security in about 1985. Why the whole car wasn't heisted is a mystery. I'll take the funky Studebaker over all the others! ❤

Beautiful Bird love the light blue color. Chevy -T'Bird

A great presentation on a truly classic car. Sales production increased for those first three years from 37,000 in '58 to 67,000 in '59 and to 92,000 in 1960. Not bad for a car whose only minor design change was the front grille, and for the '60 model triple tail lights instead of double tail lights. For WYR. I'll take the T-Bird in both instances. Hard to beat the square bird! 😊

For WYR, it's the Thunderbird for both scenarios, although the Chrysler 300 certainly would be considered. I have to admit, these cars have a place in my heart. One of my earliest memories, living in Milltown, NJ until I was four years old, was one of our neighbors owning a '58 Thunderbird. It was black, with a red-and-white interior identical to the layout of this model. Even then I understood what a great-looking car it was, and wished my father drove it, instead of his '54 Buick four-door sedan which looked very ugly alongside it. Everything about it is beautifully styled and tastefully done...notice how the tailfins and chrome are very modest in an era when fins and chrome were sprouting like uncontrolled weeds on other makes. Nice dashboard...I love it! Even with the steering wheel almost certainly rudely rubbing my crotch and my probably having to sit sideways in the back seat, it's one of my favorite 1950s cars.

Hey Jay, I can remember, back in '75, my mom's friend bought an old, used, '58 Ford Thunderbird and it was the "coolist thing" to me, at 12 yrs old. back in Hawaii. I loved the looks of that car.

it was Robert S. (Strange) McNamara's idea to turn the T-bird into a 4 seater, he also played a big part in the Vietnam war

You are right. Getting out is when you could hit your knee. LOL

For the next 2 years the "Square Bird" could be had with the MEL 430 V8 and the large case Cruise-O-Matic. A real powerhouse making it a real Thunderbird! Most people, when getting into the front seats, they would first sit on the seat and then swing their legs in. That's when they encounter entry and exiting problems. Remember the Mopars with swivel front seats? The coolant tank under the hood is both an expansion tank and the way you fill the entire cooling system. Most other non-Ford products of this era had conventional radiators with the fillers on the radiator tanks. In racing , they would have external reservoirs so that coolant overflow wouldn't spill onto the race tracks. Later emission-controlled cars, which ran considerably hotter than the older vehicles, had remotely-mounted plastic coolant expansion/surge tanks so thank the coolant would normally spew out of the overflow. Jeeps with the 4L Nash 6 went back to the pressurized expansion/surge tanks. This presented a real problem getting the air out of the cooling system when the coolant was changed. Jeep eventually after a few years went back to the filler being on the radiator tank. But, if you had to add fluids to replenish the cooling system, unless it had leaked out, you would add straight water. Coolant doesn't evaporate but the water it is mixed with does, which leaves concentrated coolant behind. If it lost coolant because of leakage or coming out of the overflow, you would add a 50/50 coolant/water mixture after it cooled down. Look at your Prius. It should have either red or pink coolant in it. The inverter/transaxle has it's own separate coolant system with a special passage through the bottom section of the radiator. The red coolant is good Toyota long-life coolant and is mixed 50/50 with distilled water. If the coolant is pink, it is Toyota's super long-life coolant which only comes as a 50/50 mix in the jug. These are the only coolants which should be used in a Prius. The pink coolant is best. I'd go with either Mopar. The 1958 300D has a 392 Hemi, Adventurer could have either an R/RB block or a Hemi. If Hemi-equipped, those would be more valuable than a "SquareBird" could ever be and run circles around the other 2 cars mentioned. lol

Often derisively call the "Square Bird" the '58 T Bird is a nice looking car. Much better than the chrome laden GM products of the same year.

For 56 and 57 the 312 was the thunderbird v8. The 352 was an all new motor, it even came in an intercepter for police use. The 352 was in use into the 70's. For 1961 the bird got new body and a new motor, the 390. Both motors had a 1 inch hose between the top of the water pump and the intake manifold, you had to remove the water pump to replace it. Real pain in the ass.

WYR 1) 1958 DeSoto. WYR 2) 1958 Hawk Ah! A car from my childhood and dear to my heart. My dad became a "Ford man" when he purchased a new 1955 Ford Sunliner from our neighbor. Joe was a sales manager at one of the local Ford dealerships. I was a 7-year old car crazy kid that year and remember the night we took it home. When the 1958 Thunderbirds were introduced in late December of 1957, my dad quickly became a believer and set about working towards the purchase of a 4-passenger T-Bird. Success was finally his when he became the proud owner of a new, flamingo pink 1959 T-Bird hardtop on Saturday, September 12, 1959 (my mom's 37th birthday). I was sad to see the 1955 Torch Red over Snowshoe white Fairlane go away, but the Thunderbird was absolutely breathtaking. After all it was the car "everyone in the world would love to own". The '59 distinguished itself from the '58 in several ways. Chrome spear on each door. Horizontal bars in the grille. Horizontal ribs between the tail lights. A turquoise bird adorned the roof panel behind each rear passenger window. Gauges were black numbers & letters on a white background. The two BIG changes for 1959 were 1) the adoption of leaf springs in the rear, replacing the coils of 1958. And 2) the availability of the Lincoln 430 CID V8 to the option list. The uniqueness of the body design and lay out remained in tack for 1959 (and 1960). The center console was there because of the car's lowness. That was where the drive shaft tunnel ran. If power windows were optioned, their controls were on the tunnel between the backs of the front seats, so rear passengers had access to them. The body was unitized, including the front fenders. Actually over built, these Thunderbirds weighed more than 4,000 pounds. I remember the solid, thick rocker panels that helped brace the four foot long doors. And the hood appeared to be long enough to land a plane at sea. Alas, for as strongly as my dad desired the T-Bird, love did not endure. It was not a great family car. Don't misunderstand; it was a powerful, reasonably quick turnpike cruiser. Great looking. Well built. In the six years we owned it, it did not rust. Not a spot of rust anywhere. Never a rattle. BUT... Being low to the ground, it did not tolerate back dirt roads. The kind of roads my dad needed to travel when he went fishing. Or when we went camping in the sumner. Actually stuck it twice on a wilderness dirt road while heading to a fishing spot. It hated deep snow. Snow would actually pack under the massive, flat underbelly and lift the car just enough for the rear tires to loose what grip they had. Getting up our driveway during a heavy snow was a joke. But dad's biggest disappointment in the T-Bird wasn't the gas mileage or the remarkable top speed (he claimed he hit 130 in it with more pedal to go). It was the constant, irritating mechanical issues. While his '55 Sunliner was trouble free mechanically, and his next two Fords were flawless, the T-Bird was a disaster. Often refusing to start. Slipping Cruise-O-Matic during cold mornings. Vapor lock when it was hot. Over heating because of the cross flow radiator design. Eating front tires every 12,000 miles. Valves needing ground at 40,000 miles. Seat stitching coming apart on almost every seam. He said it was the most expensive lemon he ever bought. Square Birds were beautiful cars. His dream car, however, was a nightmare.

I just now noticed the Star of David in the grille pattern.

Correction: "And we'll have fun, fun, fun now that Daddy took the Tbird away!' Apparently the boys thought it was more fun after she lost the use of the bird. I bet she was paying more attention to the Tbird than the boys!

Jay the interior is really beat on this car. Notice how the chrome bars on the door panel are falling off. The panels are warped and faded. I realize it's a 58 but this car has seen better days. Thanks for the review.

58 T-bird 58 Studebaker Golden hawk I always liked how they managed to capture a little bit of that two seat T-bird sports car vibe with the interior on the 58 t-bird. As far as those dog leg dashboards. My dad used to always say there were two kinds of drivers for those. Drivers who have bashed the crap out of their knees on those and drivers who are waiting to bash their knee. I was only 7 years old when these came out but I remember my dad and my grandfather talking about it. Asking each other have you seen the new T-Birds?

Let’s go to the hop by Danny and the Juniors

I love the 58 Thunderbird, so I would take it in both scenarios. To me the Thunderbird is the ultimate car - along with the Cougar (in all renditions), until the downsizing. Alas I’m a big ol’ boy and probably wouldn’t fit behind that steering wheel and definitely not in the back seat. 😔

First American car to have a console between the seats due to the high transmission tunnel because of the unibody design.

It was a fine car but the 55-57 were gorgeous and I wish the T-Bird stayed a 2 seater and evolved like the Vette

it reminded me of an "GREAT HORNED OWL".

I once helped a buddy restore a '60 Hardtop. My work was mainly the interior. and I gotta say, Ford used some HIGH quality hide in these; seams parted, of course, but not a tear in the actual skins. And the dash on this one; I don't think I've ever seen one where both cowls weren't melted in to the point of obscuring the Speedo and blocking the glovebox! The ride in these is really unique; it's a factory-built parade-float, custom built for the Homecoiming Queen!

Lots to love in this car, from the sensible location of the door lock buttons to the grille in the bumper, the bold body lines with curves and creases complimenting each other and the oval/round styling details carried throughout. The front-hinged hood did make servicing the engine a pain sometimes. The 352 was a good engine and the jumping-off point for most of Ford's larger big-blocks for the next decade. The radiator "header tank" was necessary in order to have a high enough place to fill the radiator without leaving air space.Like the "Y-block's" front exhaust crossover, it also serves as a skin-toaster for unwary mechanics. Not to love is this car parting ways from being an alternative to the Corvette and losing it's sporting heritage in the process of becoming a 4-seater. Maybe more appropriate to call it a "2+2" with the kiddie-sized rear seatroom. Ford should have brought this out as a new bespoke model with a different name, and done like Chevy in making a top-of-the-line 2-seater T-Bird lower- production car too. The later AC Cobra proves that approach was viable. WYR I like the 58 Chevy's better than the 57's, and the DeSoto's had the Hemi, but the 58 T-Bird takes tip rank with me. The Studebaker had a nice updated look but I prefer the older ones, so once again this T-Bird wins for me.

I don't think there would be any protest if "daddy" took this one away! It looks like the DeSoto and 300 were designed for better "adventures" and fast times imo.😊 Those would be my picks.😎

In ‘58 it was as though the Thunderbird filled in the spaces by replacing the Mark II Continental and the original two seater Thunderbird in one felled swoop.

On the Cruise-O-Matic transmission D2 causes the unit to start out in second gear. Selecting D1 will cause it to start out in first gear and make all shifts 1-2-3. We had the dogleg in our 1960 Chevrolet and I don't recall my parents ever having a problem getting in and out of it. My Dad did comment that the wraparound effect created some side view distortions for the driver and also that it would cause the roof to be somewhat weaker in the event of a rollover crash, especially in pillarless hardtop models which our car was.

I really love the 'Square Birds', with the '59 my personal favorite mainly because of the simple/clean horizontal bars grill. Just a nice refinement of the '58. The '60 had an ugly front end and bumper guards. Anyway, love the '61-'63 models with the tonneau rear seat cover option, and the '64-'66 'Flair Birds'. Those kind of combined elements of the previous two but unique and fresh at the same time. I wish the convertible had continued on the '67-'69 but didn't, largely because of the Mustang. If they had, I don't think the 'cutoff' year would be 1966 (for classic T-Birds) to the extent it has been for decades. The '67 you did a review on earlier this month was wonderful. Its only "fault" which wasn't its fault was the lack of the convertible.

Gee, Jay - wild guess. "Chantilly Lace" by The Big Bopper - maybe 1958 0r1959. Great episode on the T-Bird. 👏

First production car anywhere to have a full length center console... and wondering if the swivel seat craze on some cars were designed not only for easy access ...but also to avoid knocking your knee on the dogleg!.😆🤕

Your mileage may vary indeed. Contemorary road tests show the 58 352 was a 10 second (or a tick over) 0-60 car, a 59 with the available 430 would drop that to a shade over 8 seconds - which actually was fast (not just quick) for the time, particularly for a fairly heavy car. (the unit body T-birds were perverse in this aspect - always fairly compact in dimension up thru 66, but always heavy) Pretty cool they kept the turquiose bird emblem through many generations - homage to the Navajo, et al - probably come in for criticism today / cultural appopriation or something. WYR: 1) DeSoto, 2) 300

Just Wow! 🥰

WYR Bird is the word. all the way

I like em all, dude!

The export version was powered by the 332 V8, 240 HP

wyr Desoto wyr Golden Hawk wouldn't it be great if these cars were still available new. I was surprised at the lack of room in the Thunderbird. I thought those cars would be roomy. Thx Jay

I would've wanted one of those suckers!

WYR: All of them.

Not my favorite T-Bird era but this is still a cool car. I like the interior more than the exterior. I'd choose the 1958 Desoto Adventurer and 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk.

Hi Jay! The "square-bird"! I used to not like these too much, the styling was a little too space age. . .but, I have grown to like and appreciate these cars a lot more over the years. You have to say that Ford made a good call, business-wise on these cars. Especially in 1958 when they made a bad financial decision to launch the Edsel. It is a shame because I really like the styling of the Edsel more than the square-bird! The 1958 Ford was a little weird in styling also compared with the NICE 1957. Even though I am girthy, I would like to see if I could drive one of these. I think all the auto manufacturers were kind of afraid that Exner's space age styling would catch on, and that's why a lot of the 1958-1960 cars have strange styling. Ford and GM (who kind of overdid it, I feel) snapped out of it and by 1961-2 had much better looking cars. WYR#1 T-Bird! Would like to try one out sometime. #2 You know where I'm going here Jay!. . . . . . .HAWK!! LOVE those designs!

Ok i admit it. This design is slowly growing on me. It's a big departure from the first generation which i love. As far as the other choices i think I'll grab the DeSoto followed by the Studebaker.

Great video Jay , I remember my Dad test driving a second generation T-bird as a second car in the late 60’s I loved it but he passed on it and got a 65 Impala SS with the 350 hp 327 4 speed and when I turned 16 it became mine and I was so thankful 👍 . For the WYR I would love to be able to pick the studebaker and the Chrysler 300 I know they are both in the second choice but hey you gotta break the rules sometimes

58 DeSoto, 58 Packard Hawk, i think they looked sportier than the Studebaker Hawk

1. DeSoto, hands down. 2. Stude, then 300 The ‘58 T-Bird is a nice car but it just looks slow, visually.

58 Chevy Impala!!!

I never could figure out why Ford put the shifter on the column instead of that huge console.

The 58 Impala

The electric seat may have been adjusted higher….may explain the right steering wheel clearance.

Ford really made a bad decision when they didn't provide for a console-shift manual transmission for this car.

this one has a 4 way power seat it can be lowered not that I'm a big chevy fan but the 58 Impala was a sharp looking car

58 Impala 58 Chrysler 300 58 Thunderbird

TBird for both.

I'd have to say the DeSoto and Studebaker.

Gotta go with the bird! Could the song be Whole lotta shaking going on by Jerry Lee Lewis?

Ford definitely has the best doors old GM doors never stand up to the test of time in comparison to Ford. And Ford interiors are always better. Nevertheless I would have been buying a (58 Olds 98 with the triple-carb J2 Golden Rocket engine) The best looking personal luxury car peaked with the 69 to 70 Olds 442 mostly for having a great face and grill something that Ford always has trouble with in my opinion. The Ford Fairlane did have a great sinister lookin grill and face, I like that to but no Fords -grills/face have never been sporty/sexy like Oldsmobile. My uncle had a black 57 thunderbird he used to take to car shows I would definitely buy that one it's stunning and sleek. Ford also had the Edsel that looked like a Computer PC tower stuck on the front for a grill. 😅

"thunderturd" OUCH,buddy......these BIrds could really fly on the Highway. Stopping,uhh not so fast

Before there was Eldorado, before there was Toronado, before there was Riviera, there was Thunderbird.

I would sit first, and then swing my legs in.

I don't think the '58 'Bird sold almost a million units that first year.

1. Desoto 2. Chrysler 300

Jerry Lee Lewis _Great Balls of Fire ?

And the 58 300

Chrysler 300 or DeSoto Adventurer no contest!

Where are the power window switches? I did not se any on the doors or on the center console.

Why you didn't open the trunk????

Mopar all the way

Gorgeous! I wish you could've gotten a still shot of you standing next to it, to show just how low slung these are. After watching it, everytime I see a square-bird now, I think of Elvira... LOL... Thunderturd?!? J!!! LMFAO.... And yeah, these birds were not fatass friendly... Thunderturd... LMAO... I'm going to be giggling all day over that... I needed a good laugh, thanx! WYR: 1) and 2) T-bird, even though I'd have to showhorn my fatass in behind the wheel. Thunderturd... lmfao... omg... Edit: I think the one very smart marketing thing Ford did was to not introduce sisters across the Ford line, leaving the T-bird a stand alone model. Plus, by not having under the Mercury or Lincoln marquee, it was seen as accessible by anyone.

The T bird was another ford smash hit and then the Edsel came around yikes.

Hope who bought that had it looked over , I see a lot of issues.

Hmm, didn't talk about the "eyebrow " over the headlights - The Dog Leg - much ado about nothing. Rear leg space? None. Basically a 2 plus 2. The tank off the radiator is an expansion "expansion tank" many new Fords use the same basic system to day. WYR 1: Desoto WYR 2: Chrysler 300. PS. didn't care for the "Thunderturd" comment at all Jay.

No choice, Chrysler 300

Was not a fan, I prefeed the 57

Jay that car was kinda a "male fish", with the MOUTH, the way it was. newer models, were kinda like, "Female" fishes.......ya know? > Just look at them. '58-60 were Males., 61-66 were like "FEMALES".