Storage Find: 1955 Gene Winfield T-bird
Not only does this custom 1955 Thunderbird have ties to one of the most iconic car customizers ever, but it has ties to two! Originally a Gene Winfield project, the car was recently discovered in a George Barris trailer. Unfortunately, Barris passed away a few years ago, but Winfield is still around at 94 years young. According to the ad, Winfield said of this car “I started the car around 1964 and put it in the trailer in the mid-sixties.” It can be found for sale here on Craigslist with an asking price of $20,000. Located in Palmdale, California, you also get the George Barris trailer with the sale of the car! Take a closer look and thanks to Matt R. for the tip on this one.
According to the seller, the car was customized with dual headlights and tons of other custom sheet metal work. But the car wasn’t destined for the show circuit, it was being built as a race car. You can see the roll bar in the interior. The car has been completely stripped like a drag racer would be and as you’ll see, the engine compartment is perhaps the biggest clue to the racing plans.
As you can see from this photo, the inner fenders have been louvered and the headers have been mocked up to dump straight out the side of the car. It would be really interesting to know what powerplant Winfield had in mind for this project. I’m guessing some sort of wild chrome beast. What do you think?
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Comments
At least you know it stayed dry in Palmdale.
By the look of the headers I would say a big block ford engine, maybe a 427 or 406
this was on here with 2 other car a while ago
At this point the Gene Winfield connection doesn’t seem too important. This is someone else’s project which was abandoned 50+ years ago. How does one restore a customized car when the customization was never finished? Does the Gene Winfield connection really make this uncompleted project worth $20K in 2021?
The photos are pitiful, 20 grand and you can’t show me the whole car in 1 shot. Nuff said, Merry Christmas everybody!
This was featured on BF already as Piston Poney mentioned. Back then, this car was part of a 3 car deal for $250,000. This package is still listed in Hemmings: https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/piranha/unspecified/2517423.html
There’s no way this car was being built to be a race car. Customs are often built to resemble race cars, with things like roll bars and headers as part of the customizing. Beyond that, no one would ever spend all the extra money required to customize a body that much, just to build a race car. Also, I’m sure the putty, lead or what ever was used to modify the body, likely added extra weight to the body, that would be a detriment to a race car.
FE exhaust port and bolt pattern on the headers, FE bolt pattern on the bell housing, FE motor mounts, and a big enough bump in the hood to clear a dual quad set-up on a 427 FE hi riser. Headlights/nose looks like it came from a Continental of about the same vintage and got narrowed. Somebody is way greedy, and patiently waiting for a sucker to bite.
I’ve been to Gene’s shop outside of Rosamond a few times, he even gave me a tour of his home/museum. He has done some amazing work but I’d still balk at $20K for this. Maybe if it was farther along but not as it sits.
The header flanges and the motor mounts are definitely for early 60’s FE engines
I don’t think it’s worth the money either, but if you go back and look at a collection of Winfields work you will see that it’s typical of his style. He either built cruisers or show cars, this being a show car I would assume. Either way, he’s certainly one of the kings of car craft.
Aren’t these hood hinges located in the wrong place for a 55 baby bird?
Lazy seller, TAKE SOME UPDATED PICTURES! Cali peeps are so strange!
Who else sees 1966-67 Comet in the front end work? Did Ford/Mercury steal that design? I love that louvered/exhuast dump! Classy work!
Very cool! Maybe not worth $20k to the rabble, but I expect someone with appreciation for the history, and for the work of an iconic artist will snap it up.
Gene worked late into the night and went out the next day, took one look at that front end and said “what’s was I thinking?” Probably why he never finished it.
I met Gene Winfield at Hot August Nights this past August. A very cool and nice guy. He had another of his custom T-Birds there on display. Meeting him and Chuck Daigh a few years back kind of completed the Series I Thunderbird custom/racing high performance saga for me. (I was able to spend almost an uninterrupted hour with each) So much history between those two, and Thunderbirds. I occasionally work on a friends 1956 T-Bird and always smile to myself about what I am doing versus what they did. (I am no comparison, believe me!) Good to see this car. (even though I don’t get to see enough)