My 1956 Thunderbird

[HKS]

Found a picture of my 1956 Thunderbird. The color was peacock blue. Hardtop was white, no optional porthole.
The picture was supposed to exist in a trunk in the attic of a friend. Gale (beautiful blonde) was 15 years old at the time (she is now in a wheelchair). Not shown in the picture. Her older sister is in the picture.
Picture was taken in Spiker Nebraska (no longer on the map). All were related to the town founders.
They were poor genuine Nebraska Tenant Farmer hillbillies.
The tall guy on the right is my twin brother.
Photo was taken in about 1960-61. I asked Gale for the picture 4 years ago but she had no way to go upstairs. Her niece Brenda finally went though the trunk and found the picture. When I get a better scan of the picture I will edit and replace this one.

it is hard to tell that the top is white. I lifted the top off and on by myself. I wonder if this is the cause of my back pain now.

There is a color photo of me and my 56 bird somewhere. Still looking.
MY 1956TbirdSpikerNE.jpg

Hermann
Tbird cost $2,200. had to sell it in spring of 1962 when I joined the navy. No way to make car payments.

[merlot4]

That's quite a story -and a beautiful TBird, Hermann, thanks for sharing with us.

Here's Spiker, although it's listed as a ghost town, so it's there, but not there. pretty wild.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sp....3095024?hl=en

[007Cruiser]

Great photo Hermann! Are you as tall as your twin?

Woo! Woo!

[NotU]

Looks good. I love these old photos.

[HKS]

Great photo Hermann! Are you as tall as your twin?

Woo! Woo!

He is 30 minutes older and 3 inches taller.

Also if you look on the map for Spiker you will also find Herman NE, nearby.
Hermann
(spelled like Albert Einsteins fathers name)

[JohnA]

I followed the map link and took the attached screen grab from Google Streetview.

Looks like it could have been a gas station once ... maybe Hermann filled up that lovely 'bird here.

John A

[merlot4]

Just playing around, Hermann. The color is a little wonky, but just look at it as a picture with a bit of fading to it ;-)

[HKS]

Just playing around, Hermann. The color is a little wonky, but just look at it as a picture with a bit of fading to it ;-)

John, thanks for the memories. You found the center of town.
This garage was in the center of Spiker. There was a Post Office next door and that made it a real town.
The poor guy made a living fixing cars in the garage/gas station.
This would not work with today's complex cars.

I need to drive out there and see if it is still standing.
Hermann

And Yes John, I may have put Ethyl in the bird when I went there to visit.

[HKS]

Just playing around, Hermann. The color is a little wonky, but just look at it as a picture with a bit of fading to it ;-)

Thank you Richard. That was very nice of you to do the colorization. This may turn out to be the only color photo in existence.
My friends and my brother will like the picture.

By the way, my 6'5" brother drove the 56 and fit in the car. My head almost touches the roof of the 2002. So there is no way he can fit in the 2002 bird.
What were the 02 designers thinking about?

One more thing to mention. In 1961 my brother got stopped on his way to Spiker NE by a Highway Patrolman for not having a front license plate. It turns out the plate was attached to the drivers side front bumper.
Look at the photo again and see if you notice front plate. My brother thinks the patrolman just wanted to have a look at the 56 Tbird.
Hermann

P.S. Looks like you tried a little yellow color on the ears of corn in to corn crib

[Welker]

Great picture Herman. I had a '55 with no porthole and a six volt electrical system. Three cranks and the battery was dead. Beautiful car, though.

[2K2BIRD]

By the way, my 6'5" brother drove the 56 and fit in the car. My head almost touches the roof of the 2002. So there is no way he can fit in the 2002 bird.
What were the 02 designers thinking about?

Dot Lang's husband, George, is taller than 6'6", he drives their retrobirds and 57 on a regular basis. But, I agree, they fit 5'9" drivers much better.

[HKS]

Dot Lang's husband, George, is taller than 6'6", he drives their retrobirds and 57 on a regular basis. But, I agree, they fit 5'9" drivers much better.

My brother would not have problems driving with top down in a warmer state like Texas. But, with H top on and holding your head sideways gets kinda old.
By the way, the hardtop gives more clearance than the soft top (as I remember).
Then there is the issue of long legs and short torso.