The Thunderbird's 102.0 inches wheelbase frame was mostly a shortened version of that used in other Fords while the car's standard 292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-Block V8 came from Ford's Mercury division.

Mechanically though, the Thunderbird could trace its roots to other mainstream Fords. Though sharing some design characteristics with other Fords of the time, such as single, circular headlamps and tail lamps and modest tail fins, the Thunderbird was sleeker and more athletic in shape, and had features like a hood scoop and a 150 mph speedometer hinting a higher performance nature that other Fords didn't possess. Production of the Thunderbird began later on in 1954 on September 9 with the car beginning sales as a 1955 model on October 22, 1954. Like the Corvette, the Thunderbird had a two-seat coupe/convertible layout. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 in direct response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before.

70s ford thunderbird