Equipment
Later 312 engine, 3-speed, wheel covers, store brand narrow whitewalls, porthole hard top, power windows, aftermarket column-mounted tach, dash clock, aftermarket oil pressure and water temp gauges, factory radio.
Condition
#3 Good
Runs and drives well. Flaws not noticeable to passersby. Most common condition.
Rebuilt non-original 312 coupled to the original transmission. Brought out of storage from the 1970s a few years ago. Made to run while keeping most of the original stuff. Decent original paint with the usual chips, scratches and large cracks throughout, including on the hard top. Doors aren't flush. Trim on the hard top is loose. Headliner is totally missing from the hard top. Good newer upholstery. Trunk isn't flush.
Market commentary
This is fairly cheap for a '55 T-Bird, but for one in this condition with a replacement engine from a later car, it's a fairly generous number that the seller should be happy to get. The 'originality' of this T-Bird is more in the nature of neglect than preservation. Any self-respecting new owner will embark on a number of projects to address its age and deterioration and it will soon soak up most if not all of the purchase price again ... and still be fitted with the wrong engine.