P5FH100005 - Thunderbird Registry Number 101

Year

1955

Body Style

Convertible

Codes

40A - A - A - 9J - 590

Engine

292 V-8

Plant

Dearborn

Status

Intact

Interest

First Production Thunderbird

Name

Ron Pratt

Comments

This is the first productionThunderbird that was released for public sale. It was built on September 9, 1954. It was sold new at Ted Robbins Ford in Newport Beach, California. - - - This car, owned by George Watts of California, is the first of 16,155 (1955) Thunderbirds, the first of 53,166 "Classic Birds", and the first of over 4,000,000 Thunderbirds. It has manual transmission, Magic Aire Heater, radio, power brakes, and power windows. It is Raven Black with black and white vinyl interior. This car has been authenticated numerous times over the past 45 years as indeed being the very first production Thunderbird. This car is documented in the book WHERE THE CARS ARE (1990) on page 226. = = = = = = = = = Its historical and real value are immeasurable to not only Thunderbird lovers, but to automobile hobbyists in general. = = = = = = = = + + + + + + + It is with great sadness that the Thunderbird Registry notes the passing of George Watts on October 6, 2003. On June 14, 2004, Mr. Watts' daughter and son-in-law, Leslie and Rob Paino, notified the Registry that they were the owners of RN 101. It was spotted at a Ford show in Santa Ana, California in April, 2005 by Tom Yanulaytis and Dick Rozum. + + + + + This Thunderbird was sold to Ron Pratt for $660,000 on January 19, 2009 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. = = = = = = = = Also see http://www.tbirdregistry.com/first-1000-thunderbirds.aspx = = = = = = = = UPDATE January 2014, an article from the Los Angeles Times dated March 21, 1989 has surfaced, that features P5FH100005. Click on the link. = = = = = UPDATE September 2014, Dennis Dole reports: This prestigious Thunderbird will be offered at the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. It is part of the Ron Pratte collection which is being sold in its entirety at this auction. ===== January 2015, it sold for $220,000 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.

Entry Date

9/2/2002

Last Update

1/18/2015