“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.
For some rather inexplicable reason, at this moment I’ll go for the 2003. I too, thought the front was too bland or aero, but looking at the photos now, the car seems rather attractive. With the “turbine wheels” in the second photo on the post instead of those blingy things in the lead photo. The Aero Bird comes in a close second for me. But if you ask me the same thing tomorrow, I might have a completely different answer.
I’m going with you, Paul…
’61 Coupe…perhaps not in white…maybe a lighter blue.
For the newer entry, I’ll take an ’85 or ’86 Turbo Coupe in dark red, dark gray, or black.
You guys hit it out of the park with Thunderbird Week, congratulations. I was hoping you would ask for everyone’s favorite so here it goes…
1. 1955 Thunderbird — Black, wire wheels, blackwall tires.
2. 1963 Thunderbird Landau — The first Brougham. Love the pancake air cleaner.
3. 1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe — With a V8 swap and upgrades.
4. 1966 Thunderbird Landau
It’s a very tough call, but I’m going to go with a ’64 convertible. Just enough eccentricity without being overly busy, and I absolutely love its interior.
I’d take the 2003 version. It’s the only appealing one to me (Of the modern ones, at least).
I’d take a 1990s Mercury Cougar, but not the 90s Thunderbird. The styling just looks a little too “Ford Contourish” to me.
The 1975 “Mark V Bird”. Though I love the original ’55 a lot, too.
I will take a fully loaded 75, with the 460. I live where there’s no testing, so please remove the emissions paraphanalia… and cause my choice goes for less, could you throw in some gas money? Thanks! 🙂
The 76 I got or a 71
Is that the special Lipstick-edition ? Saw the same one here, all-red exterior and a white leather interior, like yours. This one (photo Classic Car Shelter Waalwijk):
Sure is.
It’s either a Thunderbird Landau Sedan or an ’83 with the Windsor V8 for me.
It’s a ’64 for me, hands down. Brendan said it well: the design is rather outrageous and the interior is so unabashedly ”space age.”
I can’t explain it, but it strikes me as especially American; big, powerful and a bit flashy.
While I’m at it, make that a convertible.
I tried on a 55-57 model years ago. Cramped, huge wheel, elbows pointing east and west. No thanks. The retrobird fails too, too cramped.
Forget the aerobirds. Don’t like blob styling. Forget the broughamobiles. Then there is my pathological horror of all things Fox.
Squarebird…not really feeling it…bulletbird…getting there…flairbird, especially 65 with the sequential turn signals, getting warm.
67-69 series…spaceship on rollerskates…that’s my bird! Make mine a 68, cleaner grill than 67, brushed aluminum and chrome purged from the instrument cluster and the 429 in place of the 390.
Tough call for a Ford guy like me…but it would have to be a ’66 w/428 or an 85-86 w/ 5.0L and 5 speed please!
I’m not picky. I could be happy/happiest with any 1955 to 67 2 door or possibly a nice V8 “aero” Bird (1983 to 1986). No vinyl roofs or landau bars…but MAYBE a nice 2 tone?
This…
Oh man! That’s for me. The same-period Starliner roof works great on the Bird. I’d raise it back up to a proper height and put proper-size wheels and tires on. Then it’s the spaceship of my ’61 dreams.
PS: Curious choice of backdrop. Boarded up for a Pacific Coast storm.
…and that:
No question. ’68 four-door in dark blue with black roof and black cloth interior. Of course, the 429. This is the care we ‘almost’ bought in ’68. Dad cut back to an LTD instead. Never forget that gorgeous Thunderbird!!!
1987 or 88 V-8 5-speed. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of love for this refresh, but I just think it looks right.
Runner-up would be a ’65. It may not be quite as pretty or dramatic as a Bullet Bird, but I am just a sucker for that interior.
I concur; it looks better to me than does the ’83 to ’86 edition.
Runner-up would be a ’65…. that interior.
Yup, it has it’s charms. Not as garish as the 67.
Especially the lounge seating
Cut it out, Steve. Now you’ve got me trolling Craigslist…
Even better with the reclining passenger seat.
In late 1974 I was a teenager looking for a used car with my dad, and seriously considered a 1971 Landau coupe (formal roof without rear quarter windows, also offered in ’66 and ’69). But I was steered away from it because of problems these cars were supposed to have had with the printed-citcuit boards, difficult to access behind the dash. Also, that delicate beak when nearly all the newer cars had battering-ram bumpers? No thanks.
Those days are long gone – when a manufacturer would offer two different choices of roofline and window design on a two-door car that was the same in front of the A-pillar. I guess the last ones to do so were the full-size Chevy (’76) and Torino/Montego (’73).
Thunderbird is a great American nameplate with many desirable versions made over the decades. I really enjoyed this week! My personal rankings for what I’d like to see in my garage:
1. 1957 white or black
2. 1956 red
3. 1964-66 convertible
4. 1967-69 coupe (nonlandau)
5. 1987-88 turbo coupe (5.0 swap ideally)
6. 2002-05
7. 1980, because it’s the worst t-bird ever and every surviving old car deserves to be loved! (I enjoyed the recent CC)
Bullet Bird all the way! Any year will do. I’ll have to go with a silver-gray convertible with red interior and black top
+1 close call but those afterburner taillights make it the one for me.
At 6AM I want EFI for guaranteed starting, fast heat and cloth seats for until the heater gets going, so a 4.6-powered SN95 in mint green with dark green velour, maybe with a T-5 swapped in.
At a more leisurely hour, it’s hard to decide between the original and some of the later ones that so loudly spoke of their eras. So how about a ’77-79 with T-tops for cruising and der Donnervogel for the twisty roads?
Wow, when it comes to 80s Fox Birds, everyone wants the one Ford never built – the 5.0 with the 5 speed. I guess I was onto something when I wanted one in 1985. And wow, when our esteemed founder wants the car that JPC wanted 30 years ago, we should mark this one into that black leather-bound book of CC firsts. 🙂
Tough choice. I would narrow it down to the 56, the 61 and the 65. Hardtop or soft, don’t really care. That advertisement shot of the Corinthian White 61 hardtop still makes me go weak in the knees.
I can assure you that I entertained some serious MMing on a 5.0 HO swap during the time I had it. The 2.3 turbo was fine at speed on the open road, but in typical city driving, especially with passengers aboard and the a/c on, it could be highly annoying.
Have to vote with where I am familiar with this question and those that have been parked in my driveway at 6 am!
Either a copper colored ’75 or a black ’96.
I owned a 1985 Turbo and it was a wonderful driving car with a great-to-read dash, though the NVH at higher RPMs was disconcerting. I also need to hit the shift points (I had the manual 5-speed) just right to get the full benefit (as opposed to my wife’s 1983 Mustang 5.0 HO which didn’t much care when it was shifted or what gear it was in).
I also owned a 1960 which, contrary to some here, I thought had great looks. I liked it, liked the seats, liked the seating position, liked the attention it drew, but in the end it is just not a cheap care to own.
My all-time favorite is sitting in my garage right now: a black 1957. After lusting after one of these for decades, my kids all graduated from college so I could indulge myself. It is beautiful, has sprightly performance, and is just big enough to fit in (I am 5’10’). Talk about fun cruising with the top off in the Texas Hill Country! I always allow a little extra time wherever I go (it is my daily in-town driver) because everyone wants to talk about it. Some dreams are as good as we had imagined.
Great week of articles,
In no particular order
-1963. I prefer the door vents and side sculpting to the other bullet bird years
-1956. Yes, I like the one with the continental kit, sue me. I love the port hole windows and find the original 55 body more attractive than the lengthened and refreshed 57. (in real life I’d get a 55 and just get an extra 56/57 roof to use)
-1966. This year doesn’t seem to get as much love out of all the flair birds but it’s always been my favorate. The front bumper was made thinner with a bodycolor lower valance which gave it a real Mustang like look to it, and the all red full width taillights I find as one of the best the Thunderbird had
-1970 2 door hardtop. I’m going to catch hell for this but yes I love the Bunkie Bird! I specifically choose the hardtop because I do not care for the 68-71 Sedans and formal Coupes, but the almost chopped looking, fastback, sharp pointed nose of the 1970 is quite attractive to me and was frankly an unfulfilled glimmer of hope to the future of sporty Tbirds. Had this been the predecessor to the 83 it would almost seemed a natural evolution
-1987 Turbo Coupe, Black on red please. Probably the Thunderbird I’d put above all in the whole 83-97 era stylistically. I don’t mind it’s overhangs(in fact I like them) and the flush headlights, flush glass really keep it looking modern. I pick black because it blends right in with the somewhat busy side moldings the other colors don’t pull off as well, I’d probably do white too since that’s a good contrast to it. Favorite elements? The interior with all that fake stainless, graphic equalized, console controlled, analog gauged goodness. Possible the quintessential 80s interior when loaded! I’m also quite fond of the triple round taillight elements hidden under smoked lenses and my FAVORITE execution of the grilleless nose ever, (sort of a modern and more tasteful bunkie beak really lol)
-1996 Thunderbird with the sport package. This is kind of tricky since I’m so fond of MN12s and there were so many variations in their long production run(and I prefer the Cougar of this generation) but I pick the 96 sport specifically because it was the last year of the 6 gauge analog dash(replaced in 97 by the 4 gauge Taurus part) and the 1 year only saddle interior was very nice. The sport package I pick for obvious reasons, the SC suspension(sans ride control actuators), which as anyone who owned one will attest to it’s superiority to the base setups, and the bigger Mark VIII brakes and SC 16″ wheels, which look fantastic. 96s also had the rear spoiler optional with the sport package rather than standard in 97, which is good because I don’t like Tbirds with spoilers.
-1979 Heritage. I have to admit it, I do have a soft spot for the first union of the ThunderCougars and the 79 Heritage is probably the cleanest and best executed of them all. No fake trunklid straps, no miles of pinstripes, and, correct me if I’m wrong, the vinyl top was color keyed to the body, which makes them look so much cleaner. If I had to succumb to peer pressure in the personal luxury era, this would be my pick.
1965 coupe with the conventional two-door hardtop. First year for standard discs, the sequential tuen signals, and they would have been hitting the showrooms at the time I was born. Loaded please. Many color combos would work just fine. I enjoyed Thunderbird week. Thanks to all the writers!
1966 Flair-Bird convertible, 428 engine, a la Thelma and Louise movie car (minus the white interior).
1967-69 ‘Hoover’ Bird, two-door. Doesn’t get much love but it’s a whole lot better than virtually anything that followed, the last truly distinctive ‘Bird.
55, preferably in white.
Got to be a Bullet Bird, though the 4 door Landau is tempting
1. 66 ragtop
2. 61 ragtop
3. 56 Mexico 3/8 model in my bedroom to greet me every morning at 6am when I awake.
To me it is a ’95 through ’97 Thunderbird with the V8 engine and airbags. It has all the modern goods I care for: 134A in the A/C, airbags instead of automatic seat belts and that gorgeous aero-look.
Would I change something? Maybe I would give it a little bit of body stiffening. But I would keep the suspension soft.
The 1955-56 original. I think it’s one of the best US styling efforts of all time, let alone the 50’s.
But as a daily driver in a practical real-world sense, I would happily go for an 85-86 Aero Bird, but only if I can have it with a 5.0 and 5 speed. Othwise, I’d rather have an 87-93 Mustang LX 5.0
1St. choice a ’55 with three speed and overdrive in green .
2Nd. choice a ’03 Retro Coupe in light blue or other pastel color .
-Nate
A 55 I reckon it would only be for cruising along marine parade in town so an original would do.
No doubt about it: a ’61-’63 vert w/tonneau cover.
Red over red.
With factory AC, please.
And thanks.
Some excellent features over T-bird week, and I certainly learnt a thing or two.
My favourite? It’s a close thing, but I still think I’d like one of these.
Nice model! Did you build it? If so, is it a resin or vintage kit?
Most likely a resin kit. Resin models are usually subjects that more mainstream companies are hesitant to produce because of limited market appeal.
Right, Phil – It’s a 1/25 resin kit from Modelhaus. The proportions are perfect, but my camera isn’t! AMT produced a kit of the 2 door Bird in ’67, but not the 4 door.
I built it the way I’d like my ultimate T-Bird to be. There’s something I can’t explain that appeals to me about this style. Maybe it’s the new one I saw as a child – not much bigger (to my eyes) than Dad’s Falcon, but Ford in America made THIS? Wow!
A buddy and I have entertained the idea of going halves on a cheap, stick shift used car as a second car for us to share; he actually has never driven a stick, and I miss it. At the very top of the list would be a MN-12 Thunderbird Super Coupe with a stick. That would also be at the top of my list for Thunderbirds I desire, although I do love the look of the Bullet Birds and the brobingdingnagian proportions of the 71-76. Frankly, the 77-79 T-Birds are also one of my favourite personal luxury coupe designs of the 1970s as well.
61 hardtop in aqua.
A 55 for me, part of me would like a restomod to drive but the other part recognises the original setup would be adequate for light recreational driving. Actually I like both T Turtle posted above!
Probably a ’61, not sure a coupe or convertible. I am open to a ’67 four door though, a very unbalanced design but it sure was unique and I like the interior. Certainly a lot easier on eyes than her ’03 counterpart.
I’d go for the ’68 sedan or a ’96 Sport coupe. Uniqueness and all that. But I wouldn’t kick a ’77 with the turbine wheels and sports gauge package out of my garage or even an ’81 because God loves all creatures.
You guys grand slammed it this week. What a great effort – thanks!
I like a lot of T-Birds – most of them, really… but I’ll always come down to (roughly) the same two as Paul – ’61 hardtop vs. ’87-’88 TC. I think I’d rather own the ’61 at this point, but I still feel like the last TC was the best T-Bird ever.
I’m also heavily biased because I owned two Turbo Coupes, but I’ve owned lots of cars and few others made as positive an impression. Unlike seemingly everyone else, if I were to have another, I can’t imagine it not having the turbo four! By the end of the run, that engine was intercooled, affixed via liquid-filled mounts and up to 190HP/240lb-ft (50HP and 70lb-ft over the ’83). ABS, 4-wheel discs, electronically adjustable suspension, every gizmo and doohicky under the sun at your fingertips. That’s what totally makes the car for me; it’s so un-Thunderbird but also a perfect take on what a Thunderbird for the ’80s should have been. I’m a nerd at heart, the turbo and all that other stuff just makes it so much cooler than a conformist V8 ever could. +50HP was a few hours on Google (or AltaVista back then) and a trip to the junkyard rather than a major credit card and JEGS catalog.
Honorable mention goes to the ’55 OG-Bird, the ’65 Flairbird with its exquisite “lounge” interior and the ’67 Wild West Sci-Fi Suicide Sedan Bird (a guilty pleasure).
Which brings me to a very important question – do we have official nicknames for each generation? If not, we should get to work… I can think of Squarebird, Bulletbird/Cigar Bird, Flairbird, Bunkiebird, Bloatbird, Aerobird and Retro Bird (which I feel should be changed to “Bye Bye Birdie” until Ford makes the mistake of building another one). I’m clearly missing a few here!
You are missing Baby Bird for starters Sean! Some of the names are easier to remember than others, especially when you aren’t that familiar with them all.
@John H – OK so the Baby Bird is the early Fox ‘bird… how about the Mark V version? “Brougham Bird” (boringbird in my book)? Or the MN12, “Budget Bird” (as in Rent-a-Car) ?
No Baby Bird is the two seater 55-57. Not sure what the later ones are called, I’ve never paid much attention to them.
2004 mint green with white interior.
1966 medium turquoise convertible, aqua interior, or a 1965 hardtop, i like them both.
1957 dusk rose, with white portholed top.
1968 aqua fordor landau with white interior and top…
The 6AM advertisement shows something in the minds of Ford marketers that isn’t generally noticed by auto history writers.
Personal luxury coupes were meant to replace business coupes.
Until 1955, the suburban executive typically drove his business coupe to the railroad station and took the train to Philly or NYC or Chicago. When you look at pictures of commuter depots in the ’40s and early ’50s, their parking spaces are full of business coupes.
“…but it’s a car upper-class Europeans would still have been impressed by.”
That’s René Leibowitz, the avant-garde composer and conductor, a disciple of Arnold Schoenberg, in the early 60’s at Place de la Concorde.
Previously owned an ’88 T-Bird Sport. Would love to own an MN-12, either a Super Coupe or the 96-97 with the Sport package.
But, if I had to choose a garage queen that would only come out when the stars were aligned, it would definitely be a Bullet Bird. The most beautiful Thunderbirds ever produced, IMO.
’65 Riviera. 😉
OK, OK, make it a Fila Edition.
That Norman Rockwell like painting of the `55 really makes me choose this as number one.Number two would be a`64,65 or 66. Convertible or coupe,doesn`t matter. Thats it.
1962 Bullet-bird for me. I believe JPC said that the headaches he had with his ’61 were partly due to some first-year issues, and I don’t like the changes they made to the bodywork for ’63.
In fact, yesterday morning I picked up the AMT 1962 Thunderbird convertible plastic model kit. If my wife notices that I have yet another unbuilt kit in the basement, I’m going to blame all the CC Thunderbird week contributors for being so inspirational. Great job everybody!
My second choice of T-bird ownership would be a ’57… if I can fit in one.
Nice model. I built one a few months ago. It`s a `62 AMT,the new tooling job, not a re release of the annual. Cherry red with ivory interior and white convertible top. I have a `Revell `59 Sunliner retract on the bench right now, white and light blue. The closet in my `cave has more car models than ever. So little time…..
I read that it’s revamped and includes new custom options not in previous issues. I’m not going to take the cellophane off it until I’m ready to build it though.
I haven’t actually built a model (on my own) in many years, being tied-up restoring real cars among other things. I’m getting my son into model cars though, starting with snap-together kits. With each model, I’ve been showing him more tricks to make them look realistic and modifying them with different wheels, changing the ride height, etc. so I’ve been fairly involved in those builds. He is only 7 years old. Later, my hope is that we can share a workbench in the basement and each work on our own model cars.
You guys are making me nostalgic, as I built a lot of model kits back in the early 70s. Not sure how I ever avoided a bullet bird. I did build the Revell 59 Ford retractable hardtop, though. I still have several of my later ones. I always preferred the AMT kits to the Revell. I also had a few of the cast metal kits made by Hubley.
I am kind of sorry that I never exposed my own kids to model kits. They got a couple of ship or plane models as gifts over the years from relatives, but they never expressed any interest in building them.
My father “exposed” me to car models when I was very young. He built the old balsa wood and metal Hudson Miniatures and had a collection of about 15, and a balsa wood schooner called the Marion Sprague by Ideal Model Aeroplane co.The first model I built with my father was the Revell `57 Eldorado Brouigham, and the Monogram Racing Hydroplane in the late 50s when I was about 6 years old. Been hooked ever since. I hate to say it, but very few young people are taking up the hobby, and decent hobby shops are hard to find these days. The kids would rather play video games, go on a computer, text or watch TV.
I’m one of the few who likes the ’63. Mail me a Tuxedo Black coupe with red upholstery and no fender skirts, and I’ll drive off happily into the sunset. If those are out of stock, a silver blue ’84 Aero ‘Bird with the 302 will do just fine.
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.