1959 Ford Thunderbird Print 0001-0932

This official archive image documents the 1959 Ford Thunderbird, the second-generation four-seat car known to collectors as the Square Bird. By adding a rear seat and moving to unitised construction, Ford created the personal luxury car category — and sales rose dramatically over the two-seat original, with more than 67,000 built in 1959 alone.

Why Was the 1959 Thunderbird Significant?

The original 1955-57 Thunderbird was a two-seat sports car. For 1958 Ford replaced it with a larger four-seat car, a decision purists resented and the market rewarded immediately. The Square Bird outsold its predecessor by a wide margin and defined what Americans meant by a personal luxury car for the next two decades.

The 1958 model was named Motor Trend Car of the Year. By 1959 the formula was established: a low, square-shouldered two-door with a formal roof, a rear seat, and a level of interior trim closer to Lincoln than to Fairlane.

What Defined the Square Bird?

Key characteristics of the 1958-60 Thunderbird generation:

• Unitised body-frame construction, unusual for a full-size American car of the period
• Low roofline achieved with a transmission tunnel that split the rear seat
• Four-seat layout with individual front seats and a full-length console
• 352 cubic inch FE V8 as standard, with a 430 cubic inch Lincoln V8 optional
• Available as a hardtop coupé or convertible with a fully retracting top

What Made the Thunderbird a Different Kind of Ford?

The Thunderbird was never sold on performance figures or practicality. It was sold on presence — the idea that an owner could have comfort, style and exclusivity without moving to a full luxury marque.

That positioning proved enormously influential. Every American personal luxury coupé that followed, from the Buick Riviera to the Lincoln Mark series, was answering the question the Thunderbird asked first.

Who Is This Print For?

This 1959 Thunderbird print is ideal for Thunderbird owners, Ford collectors, mid-century design enthusiasts, restoration shops, offices, garages and dealership showrooms. As vintage Ford wall art it suits interiors with a mid-century or Atomic Age character. Choose framed, canvas, metal or Giclée formats to match a home office, study, museum display or Ford wall decor programme.

Photograph Details

• Subject: Ford Thunderbird, second generation, known as the Square Bird
• Model year: 1959
• Body styles: Hardtop coupe and convertible
• Engines: 352 cubic inch FE V8 standard, 430 cubic inch V8 optional
• Construction: Unitised body-frame
• Production: More than 67,000 built in 1959
• Archive reference: 0001-0932

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.