When the customer brought this car to us for restoration, we were planning on a body-off restoration that would follow CTCI standards for a top show car and Excellence in Authenticity Award requirements. This car will be completely restored with these standards in mind. When completed, it will have a white exterior, black and white interior, restored hard top and soft top.

All metal work has been completed on this full body-off restoration and the final coat of primer has been applied. Now it is time for the first coat of Coral paint to be applied. This process will take about six hours.

This is the rear-end that has been cleaned, and given several coats of primer before it will get its final coat of paint. We do this to every metal part that we remove from the body. The miscellaneous parts on the table are an example. The same will apply to the transmission that is pictured last. Every part will receive the same meticulous attention.

After the paint has been removed, we start working on the metal areas that need replaced. We form and mig weld the new metal in place. Then the lines are checked to make sure the metal is straight.

The body has had its last coat of primer and is now being sanded. The hood and other parts have already received their last coat of primer and have been sanded, too. All the body parts will be ready for the first coat of paint to be applied in the next step.

Now it is time to take the painted body and place it on the frame. Very slow process, as we make sure nothing touches the freshly painted body and double check the alignment for all the bolts.

Now that the body has been added to the frame, it is time to put the car back together. The reassembly process is very meticulous and time consuming. But, well worth time and effort when you see the finished car.

Below, please enjoy the finished product. The 1957 Coral Supercharged Thunderbird restoration has been completed. The pictures we took really do not do this classic beauty its full justice. Another “F” bird to add to our Supercharged “F” Thunderbird page, so if you would like to read more on this beautiful Thunderbird, check out our page.