Ford Thunderbird Jr Becomes Unofficial Fan Favorite At Mayfield Heights Car Show

Bill Pasonte drove two cars to the Mayfield Heights Car Show on Thursday. The one he displayed fit in the bed of his son’s pick-up truck.

The 66-inch long, 1955 Ford Thunderbird Jr became a favorite with both kids and adults, who asked if the car was for sale during its debut showing,

This response was exactly what Pasonte was looking for.

“I bought it out to see what reactions I would get out of it,” said Pasonte, 72, of Lyndhurst. “Everyone loves it, especially the kids, and you don’t find many of these around anymore.”

Pasonte bought the car in the 1960s because he thought his kids would enjoy it. Since then, three generations of his family have driven it, including him.

Though the crowd-pleasing car was displayed with roughly 100 other vehicles, including Mustangs, Chevelles and Model-Ts, it was the only one not registered, restricting it from winning any awards.

“I was mad they wouldn’t let me drive it in or enter it in the contest,” son Greg Pasonte said with smile. “But I didn’t push it.”

The tiny light green car was, however, accompanied by its registered and full-sized counterpart, a black 1956 Thunderbird owned by Pasonte’s friend Bob Schroeder.

“The only difference between our cars is that I fed mine vitamins when it was baby and [Pasonte] didn’t,” Schroeder joked.

Though the car wasn;t in the running to win any awards at the show, Pasonte said he was happy to get the car out of the garage.

“I just wanted to show it off,” he said. “I’m proud of it.”