1955 Ford Thunderbird
While the early Corvettes were still struggling with a 6-cylinder engine and a 2-speed automatic, every 1955 Thunderbird came standard with a 292 cubic inch “Y-Block” V8. Borrowed from the Mercury division, this engine featured dual exhausts that exited through “jet-pod” bumper guards in the rear. It was so potent that an automatic-equipped T-Bird could hit 0-60 mph in under 9 seconds—a serious feat for 1955 that earned it the nickname “The Banker’s Hot Rod.”
