The Ford Barn

Alan O'Connell · 05-03-2019, 06:30 PM

Did any 57 T Birds come through with non porthole hard tops?

scicala · 05-03-2019, 08:03 PM

I recently heard somewhere (can't remember where) that you could get a non-porthole hart top if you wanted it in 1957. I don't have any proof of that. Just something I heard.

Sal

miker98038 · 05-03-2019, 08:33 PM

I heard that they could be deleted in 56 and 57. If so, you got an emblem at about the same spot the 55 top had it. Different emblem for 57, I think 56 was the same as 55. I added the “dealer option” portholes to my 55, blind as hell without them. But this is more urban legend information than the real stuff. CTCI info probably has it right.

dmsfrr · 05-04-2019, 12:12 AM

Porthole window hardtops were optional in '56 & '57, but they were popular and more were ordered than the non-porthole tops.
'55 and '57 non-porthole tops had year specific emblems. (photos below)
'55 = Ford Crest. '57 = round T-Bird emblem, '56 non-porthole tops had no emblem.

There's a couple paragraphs about them on the lower right corner of the page at this link...
http://www.portholeauthority.com/thu...tbirddesc.html

Charlie Stephens · 05-04-2019, 12:27 AM

It has been a long time but I remember hearing that port hole or not was a no cost option. I have had '57's both with and without the port hole tops. You really need the port holes for visibility.

Charlie Stephens

dmsfrr · 05-04-2019, 12:44 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

It has been a long time but I remember hearing that port hole or not was a no cost option. ...

That's my understanding too.

fordrodsteven · 05-04-2019, 11:05 AM

I cannot say for sure but I do know the tops will fit all three years the only difference is the rear clamps and clamping plates. As far as I know you could get a hard top and after mid1956 you had to specify whether porthole or non-port hole. Porthole tops were not available before mid 1956.
I'm attaching a sample price sheet from one of my books.

y'sguy · 05-04-2019, 12:40 PM

I have a non porthole 57 top. It came with my 55 bird. I had it since 1967, when I bought the car. At the time I didn't know the difference. Later on, after doing different kinds of work to it I figured it out. sanding it revealed (among other things) that it had at one time the round tbird medallion on it originally.

Flathead Fever · 05-11-2019, 02:41 AM

They existed. My mom bought a '57 T-bird new with no portholes. She had a choice of several but she wanted that car because it had a 312, 3-speed manual with an overdrive. I inherited it and eventually and sold the car to a collector who was looking for a port hole delete car. When I told people I had a '57 T-bird they would always say, "that's the ones with the portholes". Then I had to say, "all of them except mine". They have a little round emblem on each side of the top that the porthole cars do not have.

Flathead Fever · 05-11-2019, 02:43 AM

They existed. My mom bought a '57 T-bird new with no portholes. She had a choice of several but she wanted that car because it had a 312, 3-speed manual with an overdrive. I inherited it and eventually and sold the car to a collector who was looking for a port hole delete car. Really nice original paint car. When I told people I had a '57 T-bird they would always say, "that's the ones with the portholes". Then I had to say, "all of them except mine".

05-03-2019, 06:30 PM	#1
Alan O'Connell Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Peabody, MA Posts: 471	57 T Bird non porthole top Did any 57 T Birds come through with non porthole hard tops?

05-03-2019, 08:03 PM	#2
scicala Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Detroit suburb, MI Posts: 3,706	Re: 57 T Bird non porthole top I recently heard somewhere (can't remember where) that you could get a non-porthole hart top if you wanted it in 1957. I don't have any proof of that. Just something I heard. Sal

05-03-2019, 08:33 PM	#3
miker98038 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kent, WA. Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,397	Re: 57 T Bird non porthole top I heard that they could be deleted in 56 and 57. If so, you got an emblem at about the same spot the 55 top had it. Different emblem for 57, I think 56 was the same as 55. I added the “dealer option” portholes to my 55, blind as hell without them. But this is more urban legend information than the real stuff. CTCI info probably has it right.

05-04-2019, 12:27 AM	#5
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,032	Re: 57 T Bird non porthole top It has been a long time but I remember hearing that port hole or not was a no cost option. I have had '57's both with and without the port hole tops. You really need the port holes for visibility. Charlie Stephens

05-04-2019, 12:40 PM	#8
y'sguy Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 151	Re: 57 T Bird non porthole top I have a non porthole 57 top. It came with my 55 bird. I had it since 1967, when I bought the car. At the time I didn't know the difference. Later on, after doing different kinds of work to it I figured it out. sanding it revealed (among other things) that it had at one time the round tbird medallion on it originally.

05-11-2019, 02:41 AM	#9
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,095	Re: 57 T Bird non porthole top They existed. My mom bought a '57 T-bird new with no portholes. She had a choice of several but she wanted that car because it had a 312, 3-speed manual with an overdrive. I inherited it and eventually and sold the car to a collector who was looking for a port hole delete car. When I told people I had a '57 T-bird they would always say, "that's the ones with the portholes". Then I had to say, "all of them except mine". They have a little round emblem on each side of the top that the porthole cars do not have.

05-11-2019, 02:43 AM	#10
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,095	Re: 57 T Bird non porthole top They existed. My mom bought a '57 T-bird new with no portholes. She had a choice of several but she wanted that car because it had a 312, 3-speed manual with an overdrive. I inherited it and eventually and sold the car to a collector who was looking for a port hole delete car. Really nice original paint car. When I told people I had a '57 T-bird they would always say, "that's the ones with the portholes". Then I had to say, "all of them except mine".