I like to think that I’m a “live and let live” kind of guy; any malice I feel is not really malice, but short-lived annoyance that is extinguished almost as soon as it flares. On the other hand, I’m only human. Historically, any hatred I’ve harbored is focused on animal abuse, songs I think are terrible, food words, and perhaps even 1967 Thunderbirds. But I’m letting up on the last one.
One of my least favorite songs has always been “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by the late, great Gordon Lightfoot. Don’t get mad. I like Mr. Lightfoot’s music quite a bit (“Beautiful” and “Rainy Day People” are wonderful), but when it comes to that song, our Venn Diagram does not overlap. I was once eating dinner with some friends in the early 2000s. A folk singer was playing singer-songwriter hits of the ’60s and ’70s, and after he’d worked through about an hour of his set list, I mentioned that if he played “Edmund Fitzgerald,” I was walking out. It was the next song he played. Being a man of my word, I covered my check, left a tip, wished my friends a good night, and left. That’s the kind of hand genetics dealt me in my younger days.
Upon the passing of Mr. Lightfoot earlier this year, however, I had to admit to myself that for years I had been hating that song for the sake of tradition. No longer did that wellspring of irrational spite manifest itself upon the receipt of those first few hits of that lonesome guitar. Now, after a years-long dispute with the seafaring classic, I can freely admit that this lyric is haunting: “Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?”
My coworkers have long used my odd annoyances to tease me: “Is this cake moist, Aaron?” But no longer will the playing of “Wreck” wreck me. A sense of calm has won the day.
And so it goes with 1967 Thunderbirds. Even on these pages, I’ve said that the 1966 Thunderbird was the last true Thunderbird, and the 1967 model was in essence a mockery of the name. But I’m starting to change my mind.
My dad has always waxed nostalgic about “Glamour Birds.” As a teenager working at the local Ford dealer in the late 1960s, the owner would often ask Dad to wash his T-Bird Landau, and even occasionally deliver it to places where it could be waiting for him. To a 19-year-old kid, driving this car must have made him feel like a million bucks. He still raves about the lustrous enamel paint that was miles deeper than the jobs on more mundane Fords.
He was also impressed by the Lincoln-aping suicide doors that blended into the Landau irons on the roof, and the fancy interiors that were just about as plush as a Continental’s. As a side note, I broke a rule here: I rarely touch other people’s cars without their permission, and my lovely bride was a little surprised that I opened the door of this unlocked T-Bird. The fact that it shared the parking lot of a business with other unplated cars led me to believe that they were for sale, so I took a chance that the owner wouldn’t mind in this case.
The interior might not be as alluring as those of previous Thunderbirds, but the clear round gauges and swoopy console are still in the Thunderbird’s bag of tricks at this point, so while it’s a step down, it’s not a precipitous fall.
The 1967 Thunderbirds no longer shared a unibody with the Continental, so I can only imagine it was cheaper to produce, and likely much easier to work on than previous models. My experiences with my ’63 T-Bird have soured me to wrenching on luxury Fords of this time period, so anything they could have done to ease the burden must have been well-appreciated by the line mechanics.
This bodystyle lasted through the 1971 model year, although it grew a few inches in beak length by that time. My wife agrees that I’ve mellowed for the better over the years, and while I’m still game for a heated discussion about something unimportant (such as Thunderbirds and folk songs), I’m able to look in the mirror and be honest with myself. And sometimes a reappraisal is part of being an adult.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1967 Ford Thunderbird Landau Sedan – Are Four Doors Really Better Than Two?
It’s the landau bars that induce my personal gag reflex. They look hideous and gaudy on the ’67s as well as any other generation of T-birds. Other than that, I can appreciate some of the styling elements of the ’67s, even though they’ll never be my favorites.
Re: the ‘Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’…I’ll see you and raise you with ‘Werewolves of London’ by Warren Zevon or ‘Taking Care of Business’ by BTO. I have not softened my dislike on either of those songs and doubt I ever will.
I had to laugh, at the mention of “Werewolves of London” and “Taking Care of Business.” I have fond memories of “Werewolves”, mainly from going to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg VA back in 1998. At night, they put on some kind of laser light-show, and used a lot of classic rock songs for background music, and the one that always stuck out was “Werewolves”. It was just such a perfect day in general, and whenever I hear that song, it gets me nostalgic.
As for the BTO song, back in the 1980s, the business department at my high school used that as their theme song. At some point though, I think someone actually paid attention to the lyrics, and the slacker mentality it was portraying (if you ever get annoyed, look at me I’m self employed; I love to work at nothing all day) and changed it to something else!
As for these 4-door T-birds, I used to hate that generation, in general, but have definitely mellowed with age. I’m still not a fan of the years with the exposed headlights and the beak, but like the hidden-headlight years. I like the 4-door, for its oddball-ness, but overall, I think I prefer the regular hardtop. The one I really don’t like is that “Town Landau” coupe, or whatever they call it. The one that did away with the roll-down rear windows and gave you the really thick C-pillar.
Too funny, Andre! I think my intense dislike of Werewolves and TCB came from listening to hours of ‘classic rock’ stations growing up in the 90s. I never found these songs particularly catchy to begin with, but the endless repetition on our local station probably is what pushed me over the edge. Couple that with some chucklehead who inevitably called in to ‘request’ one of these songs (did you not hear it the other 4,347 times they played it today???), and man oh man my rage meter just got pegged! One could employ the same rationale about plenty of other over-played songs, but for some inexplicable reason these two just stayed with me the most.
I can definitely appreciate your comment about these tunes triggering nostalgia. I certainly don’t judge anyone for liking these songs themselves!
The rear window delete on the “Tudor” and “Tudor Landau” coupes was only for the 1969 model year (MY 1969), my least favorite year of this, the fifth (5th) generation T-Bird, the so-called “Glamor Birds”!
FYI, Ford called the four-door sedan the “Fordor Landau” ( “Ford-or Landau”, get it?).
Ooh, good ones! I’ve never liked “Werewolves” and “TCB” has been played out for so long that I don’t even think about it. It’s weird that the typical classic rock channels have been playing the same songs for 40 years or more. I used to joke that I heard “Money” by Pink Floyd once a day without fail, which is only a slight exaggeration.
Although ‘Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ is not my favourite song by Lightfoot, it does not bother me. I have spent a lot of time on the shore of Lake Huron and I have a very healthy respect for the power of a storm on the great lakes. There are songs of a similar style, epic storytelling folk songs, that do elicit a strong negative response in me. A prime example is the work of Stan Rogers, particularly “The Northwest Passage”. I know he has a strong following, but his songs do not work for me.
How can one NOT love the ’67 T-bird, eh? 😉
In (some) seriousness, I was of just the right age and “impressionability” to be smitten by them – especially the four-door with the weird litle cut-out on the rear doors into the roof.
And… suicide doors?! How cool is that?! 🙂
The nice folks at Mattel (remember them? “Barbie” Mattel!) certainly helped — I still have my green Hot Wheels 1967 (ish) T-bird (from the original line of Hot Wheels, if memory serves) down in the basement someplace.
My 1967 2 door Landau Thunderbird with a Q Code 428. Back when I was around 21 yrs old in 1970, I bought one just like it without the vinyl roof and with the 390. 15 yrs ago, I bought one as close as to my old one as I could get. The 1967 is NOT a bigger car (2 dr) than the 1966, which I also have. It is only a about 1.5″ longer, a fraction of an inch narrower, but 300 lbs lighter!
Completely different driving experience than the 1966 due to body on frame construction vs unit body. Very quiet and smooth with great performance. The complicated systems, both electrical and vacuum, however, area PIA!
I have repaired the windows, the rear ones being very difficult, and completely rebuilt the steering column (one of the most complex to every be made until maybe recently). Mine still has the working sequential motor for the tail light turn signals (I also repaired that). As far as the headlight doors, I replaced the vacuum motors (not able to be rebuilt and not being reproduced) with electric motors.
25 yrs ago, I had a 4 door with a 428. Beautiful car and wish I had kept it.
If the electromechanical sequential turn signal controller ever dies, you can use the solid-state version that replaced it starting in 1968. The circuit is quite simple, and could easily be replicated by porting the circuit to a modern circuit board. There are firms that will produce small runs of circuit boards for low cost (12 PCB’s for under $200.00), that you design on the firm’s proprietary design software, which you can download for free at the firm’s web site. Here’s a link:
https://www.expresspcb.com/
You might have to extract the old circuit from its case, which is not always easy, especially if the circuit was “potted” (encapsulated) in a rubberized polymer inside the case to protect it from moisture. You could probably get a sheet metal shop to replicate the existing case after having the original case scanned, and using the scans to generate CAD files in any popular CAD program, such as AutoCad or Solid Works.
The front of my 1967 2 dr Landau.
Nice ‘Bird, Bill. Looks like you were invited to a pretty fancy car show!
2021 Houston AutoRama
As a kid, when these came out 4 door and Thunderbird just didn’t compute. Decades later I felt the same way about the Dodge Charger. But I’ve adapted over the years. I’m not quite there yet with the 4 door Mustang (Mach E). In fact, I still struggle a bit with 4 door GTI’s and M3’s. But the shape and style of these TBirds has grown quite attractive to me over the years, landau irons and all.
My Mom had a ’67 example, but a “Tudor” (Ford-speak for a base two-door coupe), not a “Fordor Landau” like this example, but I LOVED that car! Hers was the base model, without the odious vinyl roof and faux Landau Bars (I hate vinyl roofs)! The base version featured a tasteful Thunderbird emblem on each “B-Pillar” (or is it the “C-Pillar”?) in place of the garish Landau Bars. The emblem had an insert that matched the paint color on the cars as part of the emblem. BTW, the middle trim level was called, what else, a “Tudor Landau”, was the two-door coupe with the vinyl roof and Landau Bars. You couldn’t get a base four-door T-Bird, they only came with the vinyl roof and Landau Bars.
Source: Automotive Mileposts:http://automotivemileposts.com/prod1967tbird.html
I also used to despise the “Bunkie Beak” on the 1970-71 models, but like so many things in life, my objections have softened over the years. My least favorite of the “Glamor Birds” (1967-71), however, was the 1969 edition, where Ford increased the size of the blind spot by deleting the rear seat side windows completely on the two-door models and put that hideous chrome trim panel between the taillights. Fortunately, that styling disaster only lasted one (1) year, when both the full-width taillights and the passenger-side windows returned, along with the Bunkie Beak, in 1970.
BTW, I’m with you with on the “Mustang” Mach-E! It may be a fine car, but in no way, shape or form is it a Mustang, Case Closed! Just because you call a car a Mustang, doesn’t make it one. A Mustang is a 2+2 coupe, convertible or fastback, with a front engine and rear-wheel drive (RWD). Putting a transaxle in the back is O.K., as long as the engine stays in front, LOL!
I too am one who can get all hot and bothered, but then can’t be bothered within a very little time. Luckily, I sort of-forget. I consider it a blessing: grudges use energy.
These T-birds are obviously over-ripe for all sorts of hilarity, given the patched pastiche of sheer stuff piled upon and in them as a design, and for ages, I sneered at them too.
But, I say, shuffling feet, looking downwards, I now quite like them.
Obviously, there’s the factor of time’s passing, but I also see now a miniature of the kinder parts of the American exuberance – the will to risk, so often seen as pure excess itself, from outside – that has made the country so great. And it really isn’t so bad a design, especially if taken separately from the preceding badge history, and seems now to have an oddball combination of mid-’60’s modern and faux-baroque silliness that is somehow cool. And it’s classic big-car US smooth and quiet and fast-enough, so, yes, absolutely, why not.
Food Words?
As to annoying songs, anything by Taylor Swift comes to mind.
As to these Glamor Birds, I’m not a fan of the suicide door versions, as to me a T-Bird should have 2 doors. Bill Prince’s shown above is beautiful to my eyes. Don’t get me wrong on the suicide doors. I really like them on the Kennedy Lincolns.
For me, my least favorite ‘Birds are the Square Birds, although like you, I’ve softened to these, especially after seeing that ’58 to ’60 interior. Nice.
That speedometer in the interior shot could be a dead ringer right down to the font for my 2007 Mustang’s speedometer. Maybe this was Ford’s signature look on the sportier cars’ speedometers for 1967, as that vintage Mustang mostly (which sported a speedo like that), was the retro-inspiration for my 2007….
I don’t mind the suicide doors so much as the fact that Ford discontinued the convertible T-Bird in 1966! Now, a four-door convertible T-Bird would have been a sight to behold! It comes down to what’s old is new again, as the Lincoln Continental was a unibody car between 1961-69, but moved to the T-Bird’s body-on-frame construction with the Lincoln Mark III, starting in 1970. They would become virtual corporate twins starting in 1972, differing only in front and rear clips, opera windows (Oval for Lincoln, Trapezoidal for T-Bird), the Lincoln’s higher level of standard equipment (befitting its higher price) and engine choices (429 for T-Bird, 460 for Lincoln), until the T-Bird finally got the 460 V8 in 1974. The T-Bird got the bigger, thirstier engine to compensate for the rapidly declining power output of engines due to the rapidly tightening emissions standards. The fact that the biggest, thirstiest engine in Ford’s lineup appeared in the T-Bird just as the first OPEC oil embargo hit in 1973, was one of the reasons that sales of both the T-Bird and Lincoln Mark IV tanked in 1974, and forced Ford to radically downsize the T-Bird for 1977 in pursuit of better gas mileage.
I had the green Hot Wheels, too.
Probably why I find the shape very interesting, if a bit OTT.
Ought to have been scaled/toned down into a German Ford or something.
BTW – what’s that chrome thing on the back of the steering wheel? I feel I should know, but have forgotten.
You mean the horn ring? The chrome thing you pushed on to blow the horn, LOL! BTW, this example has the very rare cruise control fitted! Note the pair of buttons on each side of the steering wheel, mounted in the huge crossbar that attaches the steering wheel to the steering column. Regular T-Birds got a simple black circular pad in the center of the steering wheel, with thin crossbars to attach the steering wheel to the steering column.
http://automotivemileposts.com/files/tbird1967highwaypilotcloseup.jpg
http://automotivemileposts.com/files/tbird1967tiltaway2.jpg
P.S. Here’s a picture of a 1967 T-Bird without the vinyl roof. Note the badge on the B-Pillar behind the rear side window, in place of the Landau Bars.
http://automotivemileposts.com/files/tbird1967hardtopjohnryan.jpg
Thank you for posting that picture of the chrome rocker switches for the cruise control. One side had Off/On and the other side had Resume/Retard. My parents owned a 1967 2 door landau with cruise control and the automatic door lock feature that locked the doors when the car reached 8 miles per hour. I never understood how Ford was able put the cruise control switches on the wheel when all of Fords 1967 non-cruise control cars had that big flower pot in the center of the steering wheel which I thought was part of the steering column’s energy absorbing ability to protect the driver in a frontal crash.
The tilt-away steering wheel feature on the 1967 models differed from the 1966’s. In ’66 the entire column could be manually pushed to the right after one shifted into Park. In ’67 only half of the column automatically moved (the part with
the turn signal stalk) about 45 degrees up and to the right after shifting in to Park. The picture of the steering wheel in the article shows the wheel locked down in the driving position even though the car is obviously in Park. On my parents’ 1967 the steering wheel released any time one shifted into Park. There must be a malfunction in this car’s steering wheel release.
That’s not quite correct, the wheel wouldn’t release from the driving position until the car was in Park AND the driver’s-side door was opened. The dome light switch in the driver’s side door also controlled the “swing-away” steering wheel feature. Motor Trend channel’s (formerly the Velocity channel’s) Fantomworks TV show documented the repair of a 1970 Shelby Mustang that was also equipped with the swing-away feature.
My father had borrowed my Mom’s T-Bird because his car was in the shop one day, and he sent his secretary out to buy him cigarettes while he was at the office, so he gave her the keys to the T-Bird to run the errand, when she returns about a minute later, almost in tears, because she thought she had broken “his” car, because the steering wheel released when she opened the door! My Dad had to show her how to pull down the steering wheel and lock it into position, after the door was closed, LOL! No word if the secretary in question was blonde, but I digress.
BTW, yes we called them secretaries back in the day, not office administrators, and running personal errands for your boss was considered part of the job description! That would never fly today, but in the 1960’s, that’s how it was.
Thank you for your quick response. I had forgotten about the door needing to be opened as well as being in Park to release. 1967 was also the first year of the PRND21 instead of the PRND2D1L shift quadrant.
What kept the wheel locked down, a very strong electromagnet? I remember in my parents’ T Bird the wheel would not stay locked down and even when it would it seemed loose and sloppy. Wasn’t this also the era of Ford’s sloppy transmission shift linkage? My parents traded the ’67 T-Bird for a ’69 Continental Mark III (essentially the same car with a different body) and the transmission shift linkage always seemed vague and loose in it. I remember reading stories in newspapers about Fords slipping out of Park and rolling away. The Mark III also had a problem keeping the neutral safety switch where it would function in Park and Neutral. To start the car one had to pull the shifter way past Park then turn the key.
Glenn, for safety I’d reckon it was probably a physical spring-loaded latch keeping the wheel in driving position, with an electric solenoid that would press the latch release trigger when the door was opened with the trans in Park. Your folks’ T-bird may have had a steering column latch that was broken, misaligned, badly worn, or needing lubrication.
Oh, it IS the horn ring!
Must be the angle of the wheel in the photo that makes it look too far back.
Though I was confused by the CC buttons…thanks for clarifying!
On the 1967-1969 T-Birds, I prefer the two door hardtop (this model does not have the gaudy Landau bars). In the right color and with the right factory sport wheel covers, the ’67-’69 ‘Bird hardtop coupes actually look pretty good. And the interiors of these models were still pretty special!
It’s funny – this is one of the rare cars where I think the four-door is better looking than the two door. To me, the huge C-pillar, along with the tiny side window just looks awkward (similar criticism to other Ford two-doors of the late ’60s and early ’70s).
But I agree that the two-doors look MUCH better without the Landau bars. And these interiors were great!
I agree with you, Eric. I prefer the four-door to the two-door in this generation, which is almost never the case.
My Dad had a restaurant in Bennettsville SC 66-71. All the cronies drank coffee and some had breakfast. They also drove fine cars exempt John F who had a pedestrian Ford Custom but everyone knew he was a millionaire cotton farmer. Anyway CC Caulk drives up in a new 1967 Four Door T-Bird. The boys for some reason called it a Kraut car and mocked him. Eventually he traded it for a New Yorker as he was not a Cadillac or Lincoln guy even though he could afford them.
I am surprised no one has mentioned the landau bars as also appearing commonly on hearses. That is what I thought of whenever I saw these T-birds. A bit creepy to me.
I’ve seen some luxurious hearses..lol
Well, if it’s going to be your last ride, you might as well go in style, LOL!
I recently appraised a 67 4 Door Landau that has been in the family since 1977. A US car now residing north of the 49th. Nice car, but not a lot of options for a car originally sold in Arkansas.
Back in the day as a young lad these big birds didn’t have much appeal. A few years later a friend was getting married and as groomsman I got the drive the family’s well optioned 70 4 door Landau for part of the day with his sister, a bridesmaid. It was quite an experience compared to my father’s 70 Cutlass Supreme. Like driving on pillows.
I dunno, I still think the 1967 T-bird is grudge-worthy as a harbinger of the brougham-tastic excesses to come out of Detroit over the following 20 years. That landau bar is especially egregious. I don’t have the energy to pursue this grudge with same energy as I did when I was younger, however, so I now just ignore these monuments to 1960s indulgences in exuberant bad taste, to borrow a phrase from a reader above.
Glad to hear you’re working through your issues, though, Aaron65. Life is so much easier and more enjoyable when you can turn a blind eye to minor irritants.
Ha ha, thanks William. Middle age has its perks. 🙂
While I appreciate the T-bird’s traditional instrument panel and console, the 4-door suicide door version just somehow doesn’t really fit it – like RetroStangRick and dman, to me, Thunderbirds are coupes, full stop. Stick to the Lincolns of that time for the suicide door sedans.
Mellowing with age is a real thing. I have softened on 1962 Chevrolets. And I have softened (though just a bit) on these Thunderbirds. But only the 4 door versions, oddly enough. The 2-doors still arouse my ire just because the shorter wheelbase messes with the proportions and kills any illusion of attractiveness (which is, after all, the Thunderbird’s sole reason to exist).
I have not, however, softened on The Beatles’ version of Happy Birthday. It is all I can do to force a smile and keep from walking out on any celebration for an aging boomer (the only place where it is still played with some frequency).
I must have missed reading about your beef with ’62 Chevrolets. One of my “someday” cars is a ’62 Bel Air two-door sedan, but that’s only because one of my uncles had one when I was a little kid.
Ah yes, we all tend to lust after certain classics because of a family connection. For whatever reason, a family member will buy a certain car that makes a deep impression on us when we are pre-driving age. It can be an immediate family member (Mom, Dad, older brother or sister), or a more distant relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin), but no matter who it is, that impression goes deep and never quite leaves us. I don’t know why that is, but it is very often true!
My dad had a 49 Merc when I was a little kid. Loved that car, still love them. I still remember the day he gave it to a local teenager, who turned it into a hot rod. In my opinion the body style of the 49,50, and 51 Merc was the best looking ever. One of my grandsons bought me a beautiful 49 Merc metal model. It bought back a lot of memories. Another car that I lovingly remember is Cadillac. I had a very wealthy uncle who as far back as I can remember owned a Caddy. Sadly, my uncle had a medical emergency, pulled to the side of the road and passed away in his most recent Caddy in 1985.
Here it is: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/qotd/qotd-what-was-the-one-car-you-have-hated-driving-above-all-others/
There is a reason every one you see at car shows has been resto-modded in one way or another. 🙂
The “Tudor” is only 2.5 inches shorter than the “Fordor Landau”, both in wheelbase and overall length, so do those two-and-a-half inches matter all that much? I never noticed any difference at all to my admittedly defective eyes (I am stereo blind). Source: Automotive Mileposts. Here’s a link to the 1967 T-Bird specs:
http://automotivemileposts.com/tbird1967specifications.html
Yeah, not to be triggering, but I want to hear more about “food words” (I’m assuming that “moist” may be one of them?).
I have had very much the same experience as you with that Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song. I used to absolutely despise its droning sound, even more so than other interminably long songs popular around that time (e.g., Don McLean’s American Pie). Of course, some of that was due to the tremendous amount of airplay it received in 1976 – 77. With Gordon Lightfoot’s recent passing, I started hearing the song again and realized that it really wasn’t quite as intolerable as it once was. To me at least.
I’m really sensitive to words, and words such as “moist,” “creamy,” “succulent,” “scrumptious,” and “tender” just send me up the wall.
Re: “American Pie,” I’ve heard that song enough for 45 lifetimes. Nothing wrong with it, I’ve just had my fill.
Ah. I get it. Yes, words like that which are are often used to convey ideals that are not attached to actual qualities (even though in some cases they could be) are in my book “words that have no meaning”…and I don’t like them either.
As Marshal Sam Gerard says in the Fugitive:
In 1987-88, an elderly couple lived in the same apt block I did. They’re ‘daily driver” was a “67 T bird coupe” (landau)
Was white/black top, interior.
Was still in good ((body wise)) shape at that time.
OK – we differ here. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is one of my favorite songs. I know the lyrics by heart, and can’t help singing (quietly) along whenever I hear it. This summer, we drove up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and rented a cabin for a few days right on Lake Superior. I admit to having sat in old metal lawn chair overlooking the Lake and repeatedly going over the Edmund Fitzgerald lyrics in my head. But I do have my limits – I didn’t actually bring a recording of that song on our trip, so I didn’t torment my family with it for two weeks.
Regarding the Thunderbird, I’ve always been conflicted about these. I like the uniqueness of suicide doors, the distinctive front end treatment, that swoopy console, and… well, a lot about this car. But I can’t help but seeing these as the beginning of the Thunderbird Dark Ages. I would have loved this car if it has been badged something other than Thunderbird.
Actually, I was thinking about “Mellowing With Age” with yesterdays article about the ’96 Riviera. That’s a car that I’ve really mellowed on recently.
I was genuinely surprised how hard folks were yesterday, on the ’96 Riv’s styling. Despite its imperfections, one of the most daring, and unique designs of the 1990s. In an era of cookie-cutter cars, GM tried to style something genuinely distinctive and memorable. The antithesis of their ’80s approach to exterior design. I tip my hat to them, for their effort.
Me too, Daniel. I’ve long appreciated the ’95-’99 Riviera. The proportions aren’t perfect but it has personality, which is missing from a lot of ’90s cars.
I place the beginning of the T-Bird dark ages a little later myself. I begin in 1972, when the T-Bird morphed into a cheap Lincoln, and any semblance of sportiness completely disappeared, but I concede your point that the massive growth in size that the Lincoln-shared examples represented began here. The handling for these cars was at least good by the standards of the day, as opposed to the luxo-barge boats that came out of the 1972 redesign.
The 66 was the last T bird to carry the aura worthy of the name. This generation was just not the same. The song that always drove me nuts was Sweet Caroline. It sounds like it was written by a second grader and Neil Diamond’s singing voice, or lack of one just doesn’t cut it. The radio totally over played it for years and just when it should have been put on a shelf with Disco Duck, the Boston Red Sox adopted it and now they play it at the 7th inning stretch. I really hate Sweet Caroline.
Well, I’m guessing you’ve never been at Fenway at the top of the 7th.
Oh oh oh…so good, so good so good. 🙂
It really is one of those things where you need to be there.
I have been but the last time was 1981long before that was a thing. I couldn’t get drunk enough to sing along with that song nowadays. I really hate Sweet Caroline!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets worked up over songs. 🙂
Truly great work as always Aaron. Thank you!
As a Canadian that came of age in the ’70s and ’80s, Lightfoot’s songs were the music of my childhood, and early teens. It was his simpler, less known tunes, that I cherished the most. First time I heard ‘Summer Side of Life’, I was riding in the back seat of my dad’s Chevy II, riding down the Rockcliffe Parkway in Ottawa, in the Spring of 1972. Wind tossling my blonde hair, through the opened windows.
Between Lightfoot, Anne Murray, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell, Canadians were truly grateful to be exposed to so much talent.
Indeed.
That lyric had me in 1971, and ever since.
Probably the biggest Canadian exclusive hit of the 1970s that should have been huge in the United States, was ‘Roxy Roller’ by Nick Gilder-led Sweeney Todd from Vancouver. It went nowhere in the US, but should have reached Top 10 stateside IMO. Easily one of the best Glam Rock songs of the 1970s.
Released in 1975, topped the Canadian RPM charts for three weeks, in the Spring of 1976.
Gilder later did have big success south of the border with ‘Hot Child in the City’.
A Canadian classic, most Americans have never heard of. With a great ending as well.
Many Canadian teenagers could sing this song, by heart, at the time.
All of “Court And Spark” is terrific, and especially this song. The outro still gives me goosebumps from time to time.
Thanks Daniel! I also like “Summer Side of Life,” along with “Cotton Jenny” and some others. I have to listen to Joni Mitchell on my own because my wife can’t take her voice, but I like a lot of her ’70s records. All of “Blue” is great, as is “Court and Spark.” I love the song “Coyote.”
As a slightly older Canadian I wholeheartedly agree. I would also add The Band to the list, as they were 4/5 Canadian (although I do love Levon Helm).
After university my brother and I shared an apartment in Toronto. It was in Rosedale, and just around the corner from Gordon Lightfoot’s house on Beaumont Road, but we never did see him.
Prior to that we had an apartment a bit farther north and Neil Yong’s father, Scott Young, lived across the road. He was a sports writer and novelist and at the time he was still better known than his son.
I too have softened on these, I don’t like the barque brougham direction the Thunderbird took with these, as I always saw it more as a “dream car” in its style in the 58-66 range. However there was a lot of ambitious spirit in the 67s, I imagine if it werent for the style and trimmings that defined this generation being so omnipresent in 70s era American cars I think they’d be more palatable on their own. getting rid of the convertible for a suicide door bodystyle was very questionable still to me, the ragtop was the “soul” of the Thunderbird, the aspiration to be that was always present in the square/bullet/glamourbird hardtops preceding it. fake landau bars on a model where the real thing cant even be obtained is just cheesy
You know, I want to agree, but I just can’t help liking the fake Landau irons on the ’62-’66 models. I know it isn’t right. 🙂
…I’m able to look in the mirror and be honest with myself. And sometimes a reappraisal is part of being an adult.
Amen!
Great essay, and I liked the musical tie-in. I’m trying to think of any such song that would have irritated me to the point of leaving, and I’m sure some exist, but for me, it isn’t anything by Gordon Lightfoot.
I’ve never quite understood why this generation of Thunderbird tends to get such a negative or lukewarm reception, while the following one seems to get a free pass. The addition of a four-door and loss of a convertible were a thing, but I still see a lot of Thunderbird magic in these.
Thanks Joe,
I actually don’t like this generation any less than the following T-Bird; the ’72-’76 is just too big in my opinion. It’s probably the year-to-year letdown for me, as I like the ’64-’66 quite a bit.
These are so bizarre. Space-age and somewhat menacing up front, top-hat and tails from the A pillar back. Like they grafted together two completely different cars. Always wondered what could have been had they kept it as a coupe only and fashioned a sloping fastback roofline a la the Toronado.
And yes, XR7Matt, a convertible would have been sensational.
Funny, i hate Fords, but i’ve always liked those 67 T birds. There is a coupe down the road from me sitting on a trailer with no engine in it, i always look at it, i find it an attractive car. i also love the Edmund Fitzgerald song lol
Say it aint so, Aaron!
When I was in high school I knew this nice older newly retired couple who had two Thunderbird coupes, a 1964 and a 1965. The husband’s 64 was a non-A/C silver gray with black interior and the wife’s 65 was a fully loaded (A/C) baby blue with white vinyl top and interior, both gorgeous cars. For their retirement they factory ordered two new cars for 1967, a fully loaded (A/C and 390) Mustang coupe for the wife and a fully loaded Thunderbird coupe for the husband. They were both in that pale green Ford called Diamond Green and had dark vinyl tops, I think in black. I disliked the color on both cars and really disliked the Thunderbird in general. I struggled to find anything nice to say. I thought the cars were a real let down from those they traded in because the wife lost the luxury interior of the 65 (and no power windows available on the 67 Mustang) and the all new Thunderbird lost the sleekness and unique stying of the previous generation (we had our 65 T-Bird at the time). All these years later I still feel the same way about these T-Birds, no mellowing here. I never liked any of the subsequent T-Birds until the Aero-Bird came out.
Well I love the 67 Thunderbird, its the only T bird I like, justy baum’s comment above describes the reasons better than I ever could.
Living on the other side of the world this was pure Americana in a modern style to me, the Hot Wheels model just added to the love.
Make mine a base hardtop coupe and hold the vinyl roof.
I was 14 when the Edmund Fitzgerald song came out, I loved it then and still do, so there. 🙂 Really like Gordon Lightfoot’s distinctive guitar. Another favourite of his, Early Morning Rain, beautiful.
The National Park Service uses the Glamour Bird as a symbol for a car on its signs, even to this day.
Regarding Gordon Lightfoot, my favorite of his is “If You Could Read My Mind.”
One thing often overlooked when discussing 1960’s T birds is that from 1961-65, Lincoln didn’t offer a two door so the Thunderbird sort of had honorary Lincoln status even though it was the glitziest Ford coupe. From 1966 onward there was a two door Continental and from 1968 onward the Mark lll, IV, V etc. It’s really no wonder that the T bird lost its way with all of that internal competition.
The 1967 Thunderbird Landau was designed to be an old man’s car and it still is .
I like it (I’m a geezer now) but I feel they shouldn’t have called it a Thunderbird .
They dropped the rag top because sales were dropping on all rag tops then, one of the few times Ford managed to get out in front of the trend .
Music is always a subjective thing, I like oldies but why only play 150 songs over and over ? .
I just change the station unless I’m in my AM only car, they stopped playing music on AM long ago, more’s the pity .
-Nate
I’m sorry for the late replay. Just got back from camping at Ludington State Park in Michigan with friends.
This Thunderbird I found interesting, and somewhere I have a bronze or copper colored Hotwheels Thunderbird like this.
As for Gordon Lightfoot’s song “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, Aaron, as you are in Michigan I suggest you visit the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish point. They have many artifacts of shipwrecks from all over the Great Lakes. The “center stage” is the bell brought up from “The Big Fitz”. In the mini theater they played a 1995 Discovery documentary (back when Discovery was good!) of the wreck with Gordon’s song at the end. Now I’ve heard this song hundreds of times as you have, but after the documentary Gordon’s song moved me to tears! On that same trip we saw the Arthur Anderson go through the Soo Locks, only to find out later at the shipwreck museum the Anderson was with the Fitz when it went down. The Anderson is still going to this day!
Hey Bob, I’ve visited Whitefish Point, but it’s probably been 15 years. I hope you had a nice time in Ludington; that’s a really nice state park in a really nice part of the state.
Speaking of the locks, my wife and I visited a few weeks ago; we went up to hang around Munising for a few days. The ore ships on the Great Lakes are aging, but they’re still hanging in there!
Another cool museum is the Valley Camp Museum. A decommissioned ore ship made into a museum. They have the wrecked remains of the 2 life boats of the Fitzgerald, plus automotive and other local artifacts from the area. Plus you get a tour of the ship pilot house and other areas. The cargo area of the ship has the museum displays. I encourage anyone to see it. https://www.saulthistoricsites.com/museum-ship-valley-camp/
My older cousin owned one of these in pale yellow. It was not my style, but it was a pretty impressive car. Somehow I got roped into helping her wax it. I got to do the hood. I still remember how huge it was. It took all afternoon. Another reason to stick to small cars.
I think it must have strained her finances, as it was later replaced by a Datsun B210.
Sharing my 68 2 door . Not bad for a grocery getter
Art ;
Please resize your image and re post ~ it didn’t post up and we’d all love to see it .
-Nate
Reposting pic hope it shows
You need to resize it smaller Sir
-Nate