“6 AM Thunderbird Time” image source: plan59.com
It’s been a very full week, in more ways than one. We’ve covered every generation of Thunderbird, thanks to all of our superb Contributors. The content exceeded my expectations in both quality and quantity. As a result, we set some site traffic records this week, which was possibly the cause of our site crashing on Wednesday. And now that your memory banks have been duly refreshed, it’s time to take a T-Bird home. Which one will it be?
For me, it’s a tough call, especially after finding that 6 AM Thunderbird Time rendering. I’ve always had a soft spot for the original 1955 version, and that artist captured it perfectly. It rather does have to be black, too. But I’ve sat inside them, and not unlike the early Corvettes, these low sportster bodies sitting on tall frames, with their limited seat adjustment, low headroom and a big steering wheel pointing into ones chest make for a pretty uncomfortable fit, especially if you’re tall like me. I can’t imagine spending a longer ride in one.
So it’s down to between a 1961 coupe in white, or a 1983 Turbo Coupe in red, with a 5.0 HO V8 in place of the buzzy turbo four. The Bullet Bird’s design, although not perfect, was the most original and cohesive of the earlier generations. The Flair Bird’s interior is the ultimate, but its exterior design is a bit lacking in imagination, and not really cohesive. And from 1967 on, things really started to go downhill stylistically, for me, anyway.
The ’61 T-Bird, like the ’61 Continental, captures the zeitgeist perfectly; by then the somewhat goofy Sputnik mid-late ’50s era as embodied in the busy Squarebird was over, and the Kennedy era ushered in a more restrained, elegant and internationally-aware era. It didn’t last long, and the ’61’- ’63 weren’t exactly all that restrained, but it’s a car upper-class Europeans would still have been impressed by. That would end very soon, especially when Mercedes offered up it’s own “Thunderbird”, the elegant W111 Coupe.
The Aero Bird was a drastic change in direction. Given how expedient it was, sitting on the modest Fox chassis, it was a huge change from the classic ’60s Birds. It was the first truly athletic Thunderbird, and could dice it up with some of the best sporty cars of its era. The 2.3 Liter turbo four was a bold step, and a fairly effective one, if one could put up with its NVH.
I could then, but not anymore. It would have to be a V8-swap Turbo Coupe for me, along with a few other upgrades. But as expensive as those TRX tires are now, I’m not sure I could give up those TRX-exclusive wheels. They were the biggest wheels at the time, over 15″ in diameter, the closest thing to donks in 1983.
But most of all, it was my first new car, and you know how we all long to relive the past, real or imagined. But I’d like to revisit it with some V8 burble this time.
Your turn.
I will take a Bullet Bird please, any year, any color, and either roof choice. After that I would take a 4th generation, preferably a ’66 with the 428 V8. The only one I absolutely wouldn’t have is the 8th generation (the Fairmont ‘bird); Ford really shot themselves in the foot with that one.
I’ll take the ’64 coupe that my father’s boss once owned, midnight blue exterior w/baby blue interior. I also have a soft spot for the ’70-’71 Bunkie Birds & if I had the resources of a Jay Leno, I’ll see if I could get my father’s ’73 back
I actually like the combination of the brougham with the smaller Fox body of the 1982 Thunderbird. It has everything I liked in the old padded brougham cars with the Commodore 64 dash, faux wood grain and flip headlamp doors. The giant broughams from 1971-1979 are awesome, but they are too big – so I am still liking that very unpopular 1980-1982 style for its size and for its reliabilities.
For the ultimate fair-weather ‘Bird, I’ll join the queue for a ’61 convertible. it’d be hard to pick that over the absurdly awesome interior of the flair birds, but the styling of the original bullet just does it for me. a ’65 flair ‘vert would be the runner up, and i do find something quite appealing about the ’68 sedans with their jet intake grille treatment.
For a driver, I’d have to nod to modern convenience and go with a manual Super Coupe. Unlike some I’ve always been a fan of the MN12 styling, and like the pre-facelift version in particular. White with leather and moonroof, por favore.
I want a ’66 convertible with fender skirts AND the tonneau cover, impracticality be damned! It’s the look, baby! 🙂
I get such a kick out of that Ad–Looks to me the bedroom light has been left on to tell the Milkman hubby’s leaving–Look at that smile on the Milkman. Love the garage–I guess those carridge doors are a pain to close so he left them open.
Okay back to T-birds–my sentimental fave is a aqua blue 1969 door that my Father in Law had when I first met my wife. The car to own would be a 1987 Turbo coupe or a MN12 4.6l
The milkman will put the bottles in the garage and close them up. Or maybe it’s garbage pick up day, they will dump them and put them back in the garage. He needs gas, so he will stop and get the tires aired up, oil checked and windshield cleaned on his way to work. The postman will walk up to the door and drop the mail in the door slot.
The Inspiration Yellow 2002 that graces my garage and Icon. I’ve been in love with cars as long as I can remember. And one of the first, if not the first object of my desire was a white 1957 Thunderbird. It resided across the street and a few houses down from our suburban family home. Though we share the same birth year, I was probably a toddler of at least a few years old before I noticed this particular automobile, owned by a golf pro who resided for a time, then vanished.
Subsequent Thunderbirds really didn’t do too much for me. My friend’s mom had a “Bunkie Beaked” ’71 but while the rear “cove seating” looked interesting it really wasn’t all that comfortable. As I pointed out in a previous comment my dad bought a white 1978 but it wasn’t all that different from a Torino or LTD. During my first year of full time employment in the late 70s I inspected and drove a rather beat up Goldenrod Yellow 1955. I was kind of shocked that such an attractive car (even in its dilapidated state) drove so horribly. I’m sure some of that was a function of age and wear, but it wallowed around corners and it seems it took about four revolutions of the steering wheel to negotiate a normal 90 degree turn. For one of the few times in my life, I listened to the voice of reason in my head.
Alas, dreams die hard. About two years ago I began to get interested in the “retrobirds” so I did a lot of research and after looking at well over 40 cars online and in person purchased an “Inspiration Yellow” 2002 with just under 37,000 miles. I’ve put about fifteen on it and my wife and I are very happy with our “Yellow Bird” (aka the “Thunderchicken.”) I have some specific comments that I will share under the “2003 Thunderbird” post.
There are a lot worse cars to own than an LS-Thunderbird. In fact, resale pricing has come crashing to earth and been appropriate for these cars for a while now in that prices are about the same as an equivalent LS, which is to say, not that high.
In that regard, for someone wanting a relatively pleasant, nice-day, car-show cruiser at an affordable price, the LS ‘Bird is okay. I would imagine there are plenty of low-mile cream-puffs out there.
For example, of the three niche, halo retro-mobiles released at about the same time from the Big 3 (Chevy SSR, Plymouth Prowler, Thunderbird), the best one to have for the most enjoyment (and likely easiest to afford) would be the ‘Bird. It would certainly be the one I’d want to drive/ride in for a trip of any length.
How about 2003-05 for daily driver, 61-63 for weekend cruiser. Get rid of Jetta and Titan. Oh yeah, put the hitch on the Banana Nose and get a utility trailer for landlord/gardening duties. That could work. Black with red interior on the 4 seater. Red with black interior on the 2 seater.
I own a ’66 but the ’57 is the one I have always wanted.
I own a ’66 but the ’57 is the T-Bird I have always wanted.
Original ’55 removable hardtop, in blue, with matching blue and white interior.
I have aiways liked the bullet birds and I think they are the last American cars that look good in the pastel colors of the 50’s. However I would choose an mn12 model with the 4.6 v8. I love the fact that Ford built the equivlant of a BMW 6 series that sells for a song now. A smog legal supercharger set up would make it my ultimate dream machine.
Re-animating this thread – I’m a bit biased because I spent 13 years or so with a fantastic ’61 bulletbird. Wish I had it today. I am eyeing the later Fox bodied V-8 bird though; it would make a fierce rebuild into a true driver’s car.