The 1955-1966 Ford Thunderbird is a classic luxury car. It was revolutionary in the model’s history as its design took a new approach. The narrow front-end model was a huge change by the art of Bill Boyer. The Thunderbird is still a popular luxury vehicle for Ford enthusiasts today. Finding authentic 1955-66 Thunderbird parts come at a cost, but is well-worth the value.
Buying Original Parts
When you are searching for Thunderbird parts, you may question the difference between original equipment and original equipment manufacturer parts. Original equipment parts are those genuine parts that are identical to the parts installed in ’55-‘66. Manufacturers source parts from outside vendors. Original equipment manufacturer parts refer to the vendor they were sourced. Original equipment parts do not have the manufacturer’s name branded. It is difficult to source these parts. To buy authentic Thunderbird parts, you will have to do your research to determine whether or not they are replicas or produced genuinely by the source vendor.
What’s the Difference?
There is little difference between original equipment and original equipment manufacturer parts. If you are bringing your Thunderbird to a car show, and a judge is looking for branded parts, you will lose points if you do not have the vendor sourced. Parts also have different qualities. If they advertise that their mass-produced parts have “original equipment quality,” there is not a standard method to make this claim. This means it is marketing, not truth. Before purchasing any part for your favorite luxury car, you should ensure the dealer is a reputable source.
