This original promotional spot by Ford Motor Company presents the all-new 1957 lineup, marking a banner year for the blue oval brand.
The 1957 model year was a memorable one for Ford fans. Although the ’57 Chevy is one of the most celebrated cars in the collector world, it was in 1957 that Ford Motor Company surpassed Chevrolet, on paper at least, as the number one seller in America. Actually, this was not a totally rare occurrence in the annual sales wars of the era. The competition was fairly tight, with Ford edging Chevy in 1949, 1954, 1961, and 1966.
This little promotional reel ticks off the advanced features of the all-new ’57 model line, including a perimeter frame and 14-inch wheels, both of which helped to provide a significantly lower and sleeker profile than the boxier, more vertically oriented ’55-’56 models. An expanded engine lineup included a 312 CID Thunderbird V8 with a centrifugal supercharger, a combination good for 300 hp, and the fresh sheet metal sported a distinctive rear-opening hood. All in all, it was a banner year for the blue oval brand—video below.
You would have thought they could have found a car where the paint on the left rear door matched the rest of the car. It obviously does NOT.
Hi Wayne, I saw that too. I worked with auto paint for a while, and bad color matches always stand out. ’57 Fords didn’t look like this for long in the mid-west. They were serious rusters, especially above the headlights where salt water would get trapped and the entire head light would fall out.
Hey, Wayne! Hey Howard! Thanks much for your contributions here. Sometimes, a paint mismatch will show much better on black and white film than to the naked eye. I’m betting the car probably didn’t look that bad in person. Still, it must be said that the quality bar was lower then than it is today.
The 57 ford was one of the most sweetest and fastest,aerodynamic full size car’s ever built in the 50’s.only the t-bird with it’s beautiful sports car design and speed it offered could come close! The best two car’s built in 1957 but we can’t forget the also great station wagons!
My Dad had a 57 and I drove it many times. As I recall it drove very well and I really liked the looks of this car. I do recall the rust issue, but that was not common to Ford only as Chrysler products on that year and era were very rust prone also. Apparently that was not the problem as much with Chevrolet as so many survived to this day, A friends Father had a Ford dealership near Buffulo back then and his father would not take a 57 in on trade because of the serious rust issues.
Our family had four of them over a given period of time. A 2-door hardtop, a 4-door, a station wagon, and the family favorite, the convertible (regular “rag-top” unfortunately).
It was white with a red and white interior. The seat pattern was like in the video, white with red inserts. My Dad painted the gold trim on the side red. Painted the rims red. Added Baby Moons, beauty rings, and the wide white walls that were the “must have” in the day. Just a little of the red wheel showing between the Baby Moons, and the beauty rings, man, so cool, we were stylin’.
The hardtop ended up as my Mom and Dad’s first dirt track stock car around 1966. Yep, I said my Mom. She was the first racer in the family (Take that, Danica. LOL). We lived right on Lake St. Clair (north of the Detroit River) so too keep the old race horse limber in the winter, we would take her out on the ice and do some drifting before anyone knew what drifting was. Pulled a few sleds ‘maybe’ at a tad too fast of speed, but what didn’t kill us only made us smile wider. I learned how to drive in that car.
Ahh, thems were da’ days . . .
I always wanted a 57 Ford. This car is the most handsom car ever built. Sill very popular, try to buy one!