It’s been a while since we’ve shared any of Curtis perry’s shots, and he’s got some new ones at the Cohort. This one really grabbed me, as this is how I like T-Birds of this vintage: somewhat scruffy, to make them mean and sinister looking. They don’t work so well for me all shiny and pristine, but as a beater, it’s perfect. I can just hear its 429 rumbling through some glass packs.
Here’s another one shot of some different oldies:
You might think it was taken thirty or more years ago, but it’s dated July 28, 2016, and shot in Oregon City, Oregon. Otherwise known as Curbsidelandia of the North.
The 67 Thunderbird isn’t a bad car, unfortunately, this is one of those models where subsequent “facelifts” did NOT improve the looks….IMHO.
YET, I can see the appeal of one of these as a “scruffy”, beater type car. Not sure if I’d want a 2 door or 4 door, and I might almost be tempted to buy one and upgrade it with a newer Ford engine and transmission.
Ahh, back when a T-bird was a real T-bird. I know the 1977 re-style (and extensive de-contenting) proved wildly successful, but for me real T-birds ended in 1976, before they moved down market.
This is the first time I have seen a 69 Landau without its vinyl roof. You can plainly see where they welded a patch panel over the opening that had been a rear quarter window. Another secret revealed.
Refer to my comment on the ’67 2-door LTD on the vinyl top thread.
Outstanding work from Curt, as usual. Those dummy landau bars on these Thunderbirds made them look hearse-like to me – especially ones in this condition.
To me any car built after 1934 with fake “landau” bars looks like a hearse! 🙂
I’ve always liked the 1967-69 Ford Thunderbird. 🙂
I really like that black ‘n’ white piccy. Reminds me of those 1970s-era ‘drive-in’ movies and yet it’s a contemporary shot. Old cars and trucks coming out to visit one another. Their owners, too. 😀
That ’69 T-Bird beater looks like a car Beelzebub would be proud to call his own.
Ahhh, the 429. Why did automakers have a habit of discontinuing their best engines way too soon? Chev 327 and 396. Buick 215 aluminum V8. Ford 429 and 351 Cleveland. Chrysler 340… AMC 401… I’m sure I have missed a few others….
As a young teenager the Thunderbird was one of my favourite luxury cars, after the Pontiac Grand Prix. The large B pillar covered in vinyl and finished off with the landau bar was just so unique at the time.
CC Effect. I just watched the 1969 Paul Newman movie Winning, and he drove a Black Jade Landau like this, in better shape of course.
Great moody shot of an under appreciated car. Ford was losing their way with the T Bird by this time. I think the contemporary Riviera and the ’69 Grand Prix did a better job with the luxury/sporty mix. Still these cars look very dramatic compared to modern cars. Last year I saw a somewhat rough, dark green,’70 T Bird fastback, (not Landau) that featured the” Bunkie Beak” and an alligator textured vinyl roof covering! It was on my local consignment lot and among the modern cars surrounding it, it resembled a mean gator slithering through the mud ready to attack. Kind of cool.
While not the best, the 1969 Thunderbird was still very far from the worst. In fact, after the abysmal, poorly downsized 1980-82 Thunderbirds, one that I’ve rarely seen mentioned is the 1972 version. The ‘Bunkie-beak’ had been lopped off, but the front end, for all intents and purposes, looks way too much like it came from a Mercury.
Then there’s the 1973-76 brougham-bumper-boats. Nothing says wretched excess like one of those mid-seventies’ monstrosities with their floaty suspensions, huge, gas-guzzling (yet slow) 460 engines, small (for the size of the car) interiors, poorly integrated opera windows, and railroad tie bumpers.
I must admit I liked the look of the 1972 Thunderbird, especially that long taillight. I liked the look so much I bought an auto brochure for it years ago. The brochure is kinda fancy, too. When you open the little booklet the first page looks like a piece of parchment paper and then you get a big picture of the ’72 on the next page.
I’m a little more charitable when it comes to landau bars….I think they make a car look like one of those antique baby buggies. Still, I’ve never understood why folks at the various car companies thought it was a good/classy idea to make the windows on cars (especially the rear quarter windows) smaller with each model year.
The issue I always had with the landau bars is they just rub it in your face that the top doesn’t go down anymore on a car quite known for being a convertible a year prior.
Agreed about the quarter window shrinkage. They reduced visibility to nothing and bred the bad solution to an unnecessary problem – opera windows.
Good article and I love the photos especially the last one. So great to see so many older cars around here.
A ’64 Buick convertible in the wild? It’s been forever and a day since I’ve seen one in my area.
I used to hate them but as of late I can see the appeal provided some sensible modifications are made. And it’s a shame they never produced the T-Bird Saturn, see here: http://www.carstyling.ru/de/car/1968_ford_thunderbird_saturn/
I’m fine with the back half of the Saturn, but the front…those headlamp covers look way too much like a Taunus P5. Pales in comparison to the dramatic hidden-lamp grille that actually saw production.
Square Bird