1957 Ford Thunderbird F-Code
America’s first supercharged production V8 powered this rare, final-year two-seater, with only about 211 F-Code Thunderbirds produced in 1957.
The 312 cubic inch Y-block V8 engine was equipped with a Paxton-McCulloch VR57 centrifugal supercharger, delivering a factory-rated 300 horsepower (making it significantly more powerful than most contemporary competitors).
Ford offered four engine options for the 1957 Thunderbird, three of which were based on the 312 cubic inch V8. The F-Code designation derived from the first letter of the chassis number, indicating the factory installation of the supercharged engine.
A special racing variant, known as the D/F-Code Phase I, included just 15 hand-built examples with stripped interiors and heavy-duty three-speed manual transmissions for NASCAR homologation.
The 1957 model featured distinctive “porthole” side windows and larger tail fins with “jet engine”-styled taillights as part of that year’s restyling. This was the final year for the two-seat Thunderbird before Ford expanded to a four-seat design in 1958.
Source
