1956 Factory engine Chrome Kit ??

[Bonniewyn]

I had a 1957 D code bird for a few years and recently sold it. When I bought it yrs ago I was told that it had the factory chrome kit on it I have never seen another T Bird that had the chrome this car had, The items on the engine chromed were: radiator shroud halves, 4 bladed fan. battery heat shield. fuel lines. valley cover, road draft tube, throttle linkages, heater fan box oil cap, some pieces had started to rust or pit but for the most part they still looked pretty good, Car had been stored many years on the west USA coast not where salt gt to it....so were these original or did someone long ago plaate all these piecs ? I have a 1956 that the same parts plated for this car would look nice, was this Ford original or someone had them done ?

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[Ward 57]

Someone had them done. Not an inexpensive job. If I recall correctly, The engine dress-up option consisted of the chrome air cleaner, aluminum valve covers, at one time the fan was chromed but prone to cracking so they went with black paint and I believe the oil filler cap was chrome also, but that's about it.

 

[sre]

I'm not sure if everything you mentioned came with the option but I have a friend that has a '56 w/ chrome kit. Yes came from factory that way.

 

[Ward 57]

I'm not sure if everything you mentioned came with the option but I have a friend that has a '56 w/ chrome kit. Yes came from factory that way.

Yup, it's even on my factory invoice. I also learned the steering shaft cover was chromed as it continued under the dash on all.

 

[Bonniewyn]

Yes the steering column tube was plated as well on the car I sold.

 

[doug7740]

I had a 1957 D code bird for a few years and recently sold it. When I bought it yrs ago I was told that it had the factory chrome kit on it I have never seen another T Bird that had the chrome this car had, The items on the engine chromed were: radiator shroud halves, 4 bladed fan. battery heat shield. fuel lines. valley cover, road draft tube, throttle linkages, heater fan box oil cap, some pieces had started to rust or pit but for the most part they still looked pretty good, Car had been stored many years on the west USA coast not where salt gt to it....so were these original or did someone long ago plaate all these piecs ? I have a 1956 that the same parts plated for this car would look nice, was this Ford original or someone had them done ?

The engine dress up kit commonly found on the early birds included a chrome air filter cover, a chrome oil filler tube cap, finned aluminum valve covers and in the 1955 and early 1956 models, a 3 bladed chrome fan.

Without a dress up kit.





With a dress up kit.





I don’t think your Thunderbird dress up kit was one of a kind, because here is a picture of it on page 43 of Roy Bacon’s book, “Ford Thunderbird, The History of an American Classic.”

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[swatson999]

The engine dress up kit commonly found on the early birds included a chrome air filter cover, a chrome oil filler tube cap, finned aluminum valve covers and in the 1955 and early 1956 models, a 3 bladed chrome fan.

Without a dress up kit.

View attachment 28473

View attachment 28474

With a dress up kit.

View attachment 28475

View attachment 28476

I don’t think your Thunderbird dress up kit was one of a kind, because here is a picture of it on page 43 of Roy Bacon’s book, “Ford Thunderbird, The History of an American Classic.”

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

View attachment 28477

Note that the caption says that the *air cleaner lid and valve covers* were part of the engine dress-up kit.

I'm willing to bet that all the other chromed stuff was aftermarket or done by some previous owner. Chrome heater fan box? Power steering fluid reservoir? Looks like somebody fell in love with chrome stuff and put it *everywhere*.

 

[dmsfrr]

Note that the caption says that the *air cleaner lid and valve covers* were part of the engine dress-up kit.

I'm willing to bet that all the other chromed stuff was aftermarket or done by some previous owner. Chrome heater fan box? Power steering fluid reservoir? Looks like somebody fell in love with chrome stuff and put it *everywhere*.

I believe you're correct.
.

. . . .
I don’t think your Thunderbird dress up kit was one of a kind, because here is a picture of it on page 43 of Roy Bacon’s book, “Ford Thunderbird, The History of an American Classic.”

View attachment 28477

The caption on the photo of the red '57 with all the extra chromed parts actually only mentions the chrome air-cleaner top and cast finned valve covers, all the other chrome parts were owner added.
Exceptions were the oil filler cap and steering column tube. The chrome steering column tube was standard equipment all three years.

Here's the same quote from the "OEM Triva" page on another popular Thunderbird website...
"Engine Dress-up Kit: very commonly found on these 'birds, included chrome air filter cover, chrome oil filler tube cap, finned aluminum valve covers and in the 55's and early '56's, 3-bladed chrome fans."
.