It has occurred to me lately that each of my new acquisitions of a diecast scale model has been of a car or truck that has personal significance to me. There have been a handful of exceptions to this, where the combination of low price, condition, detail, and quality of the model had led me to where I couldn’t not make a purchase. For the most part, though, my miniaturized fantasy garage has continued to expand with small representations of vehicles I had once dreamed of owning, driven, fawned over, or had identified with on some level. I was thrilled to find a beautiful example of an eleventh-generation Ford Thunderbird roadster, complete with two tonneau covers and a removable hardtop, for sale online for what turned out to be a steal.
Included as part of the transaction was an invoice dated November 23, 1999 from Heflin Ford-Mercury, Inc., of Heflin, Alabama, which documented a final sale price for this model of $37.40 including tax, which translates to almost exactly twice as much in 2025. My 1:18-scale Thunderbird by Maisto had cost me about $26.50 all-up, including tax and shipping. It’s in that almost-iconic canary yellow (officially called “Inspiration Yellow” by Ford) that so many of them were painted. Being able to examine the shrunken details of this Thunderbird up close, combined with seeing the date on that invoice, took me right back to when these beautiful cars were on the cusp of being released for sale.
At the dawn of the new millennium, I was working at my second, post-college desk job as a government assistance benefits card claims investigator with a large financial firm. To clarify, though, I wasn’t actually employed by this company, but by a temporary employment agency as were probably close to 95% of my co-workers who weren’t in management. Some of my coworkers had been there for years and were still temps, hoping for the day when the company would finally start the permanent hiring process with which would come things like actual tenure and health benefits. Morale there was predictably lousy, especially on a day when we would witness one of us being let go without any advanced notice – which the company could do, since we were all temps.
I was in my mid-20s and sensed that my career opportunities at this place had very limited prospects, so I decided to take my destiny into my own hands and search for something else outside of what my employment agency had to offer. I searched the classified ads in my own time and came across what looked like the dream job for my young adult self: car salesman! I spoke articulately, was college-educated, had good posture, and cleaned up very nicely.
I had run through a mental checklist: I’ve always loved cars, I had owned two Fords by that point (three, if one counts the ’84 Tempo I had inherited from my parents), I could drive a stick-shift, and I had all the enthusiasm in the world. The interview would be with Bill Currie Ford, which is still in business in the greater Tampa Bay area. This was also at the time when the 1999 Thunderbird concept had already circulated and generated what seemed like enormous amounts of buzz, almost uniformly positive.
Prior to the interview and in my mind, I had envisioned that my daily life would consist of dazzling customers with my good looks, witty banter, and charm, moving these Thunderbird roadsters off the showroom floor, and earning huge commissions in the process with martinis to follow at Chili’s afterward. In an era before internet research had become as easy as a few keystrokes or finger-swipes on a smartphone, it’s hilarious now to think about how my fantasy and the reality not only didn’t meet in the middle, but were on entirely separate planes. I may have been naive in terms of what it actually takes to be a successful car salesperson, but I’m giving the younger me credit for not psyching myself out of at least believing in that dream for five or ten minutes and taking steps to go for it.
I honestly don’t remember much about the interview itself, which is strange because: a.) It was in the middle of the day during my lunch hour; b.) I pride myself on my ability to recall things, even when I sometimes slightly misremember an exact detail or two. I have a memory like an elephant, which can be both a blessing and a curse. What I do remember about that time at Bill Currie Ford was being immediately shocked and surprised that the Sales Associate position that had been advertised would be at their second-tier section of their used car lot, and the terms of the job might have even been probationary and contingent upon initial performance. I also remember saying something along the lines that I would sure love to sell one of those new Thunderbirds when they finally roll out.
I’m sure my mustachioed interviewer could barely suppress a laugh at that one, or at least that’s how it felt. We often remember our emotional reactions even in moments when we can’t recall exact words or actions. Selling is hard work, and I get it. Vehicles are a major purchase, and it takes development of a certain skill set to succeed at this. I have done a lot of selling in my quarter-century-plus insurance career. Even if I’m in underwriting and not in sales, part of my job is to influence my agency partners to convince potential clients to go with my company’s products and services in which I do actually strongly believe.
Ultimately, my thought process that day at Currie Ford must have been something like the old adage, “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t,” so it was immediately and unceremoniously back to adjusting EBT claims right after that interview. It wasn’t long afterward that I left that organization and pivoted back to insurance, where my skill set, both inherent and developed, have served me very well.
One might think that my feelings of shame and inadequacy during that dealership interview might have soured my feelings toward the 2002 Thunderbird, if only by association. However, the sight of any example of the final T-Bird still excites me and takes me back to a time in my young adulthood half my life ago when I had believed in my abilities enough to go for what I had thought would be my dream job. This is why the last Thunderbird will always have a place in my fantasy garage.
Downtown, The Loop, Chicago, Illinois.
Thursday, May 16, 2024.
Somebody who sells cars has to have a certain temperament and, like you did, I have considered it as my next career step (I’m eligible to retire where I work and want to do something entirely different for my next chapter). But I don’t have the temperament, so that won’t happen.
However, I was on a car lot Friday. New ride needed servicing and what did I see in the used car section? A 2005 Thunderbird. It looked pretty nice although the color was called something like “Day Old Oatmeal”…it wasn’t the definitive color on these.
I also saw the twin to your find…as a yard ornament in somebody’s front yard, with the grass above hub level. It was rather sorry looking; a weed eater would have done wonders for that Ford.
It’s great to see you back on a Tuesday morning!
“Day Old Oatmeal” – you never fail to provide hilarious bon mots. It’s funny that you mention having seen one of these recently in a used car lots, because I did just this past Sunday (in this same color), over a week after I scheduled this post. I suppose I was just more highly tuned to see one after it had been on the brain.
BTW, scheduling my first post of new content in a month felt so great. I love the CC community so much.
That T-Bird is from a time when remembrance of things past was seen by some as a way of the future, a somewhat rudderless way of thinking that was possibly a psychological looking-back in the face of the impending millennial change, but certainly a static idea of aesthetics which failed in each retro case. PT Cruiser, New Beetle, this, each were befuddled by unintended elements of parody, which arose by simple virtue of the fact that what was done originally could not be done again. There couldn’t be fine chrome blades to break solid shapes, or dainty pillars, or thin wheels (perhaps thickly whitewalled). Thus each looked only somewhat like the past from whence they came in the same way that a man does many years on – bigger, a bit misshapen, sagged, recognizable maybe, but the glories long faded and not, in any case, of the present.
Perhaps, Mr D, selling these wasn’t your future because they were no sort of future themselves.
Looking backwards rarely is.
I agree that in certain ways, retro was a dead end. At the same time, I think I understand some of the psychology behind it, and I dig it. These familiar stylistic themes are like comforting touchstones. It’s the same idea behind why people (like me) will rewatch movies we have seen a bunch of times. The solid feeling of knowing how things will turn out. There’s value in throwback things.
I also believe that everything happens or doesn’t happen for a reason. I’m exactly who, what, and where I’m supposed to be right now, regardless of where my path has led me.
If you own one of these Birds, you don’t care what the neighbors think!!
I suspect that this is absolutely true. It would be true of me, anyway. I’d be rolling down DuSable Lake Shore Drive in my AMC Pacer with the windows down if that’s what I felt like doing.
I remember the long run up to these cars’ intro, but not really the intro itself.
Who here has not thought at least briefly about making a living selling new cars? I remember a couple of long-time professional salesmen from the era when I tagged along with parents to dealerships, but they were the minority. But I fear that kind of salesman is a dinosaur in today’s world. I would never make it in today’s version of that business.
The two years between the concept’s 1999 introduction and the early 2001 debut of the 2002 models did seem like a long time, and I’m sure that this has dulled the shine a little bit by that time. I like the image of the old-school salesperson that I have in my mind.
Nostalgia. Remember when Ford made cars? Turn of the century Ford was on top of their game. Stylish and fun cars made to look cool. T Bird, New Edge Mustang … even Crown Vic had its place in being old school cool. Sad to compare to today. Do you want your anonymous crossover appliance in gray or white?
Tim, I also miss actual cars. I like that you mentiones the Crown Vic. Even twenty years ago when they were common as police cars as taxi cabs here in Chicago, they seemed to have a certain swagger regardless of how dated they were by that time.
I agree that was when Ford was at the top of their game, producing great cars, and I’m not just saying that, as the majority of my fleet are 2002-2004 Fords and Mercuries, including one of these Birds and a couple of Marauders. Cars where Ford took a bit of a risk and it just didn’t pan out as they had hoped, killing them late in the run up to the next model year after they had finalized much of the intended changes for the next model year.
I’ve also had a number of Crown Vics and Grand Marquis, and they were my daily drivers for almost 25 years.
I have been a T-Bird fan since childhood and have owned three. I was tempted to buy a new 11 gen. Bird even though I didn’t need another car. But there were issues. Delays in manufacturing, dealers adding markups above MSRP, and a not so user friendly convertible top operation. I think these factors plus poor marketing from Ford doomed these sweet two seat boulevard cruiser’s from the start. But there are many low mileage, well cared for models for sale now & most at very reasonable prices. Go with the 2003-05 models because they got a boost in HP above the 2002 models.
I remember the dealer mark-up being very much a thing at the beginning. Part of me saw this as a plus since strong, initial demand for these Thunderbirds had seemed to indicate that they’d have staying power. We all know how that turned out.
I like that the secondhand market has many nice examples for sale at reasonable prices. I honestly believe these will appreciate one day.
Not so user friendly top operation???
A single lever to unlatch or latch the front and a rocker switch for up and down.
Those ADP stickers were part of what doomed the Thunderbird. There was a lot of good buzz so the dealers put $5k or more in mark ups and drove buyers away and glued them to the showroom floor in the process. So when time to order the 03’s came around there were still many 02’s glued to the floor.
The side benefit is that the people who could afford to buy them at the inflated prices could afford to buy it as a toy. So there are still a fair number around with relative low miles, in pretty good condition and usually well maintained.
Looking back, the “retromobile” craze was a strange and wonderful thing. The Big 3 (and VW) all jumped in, to varying degrees of design and sales success.
At least design-wise, I think the Thunderbird was the most successful. That is, it was the best of them at evoking the original car after which it was modeled. Sales-wise, it was too niche and impractical to do well.
I like your description of this particular time in autodom. I remember being gobsmacked when I had first seen these Thunderbirds and how much they seemed to capture the spirit of the original roadsters, but with suitably modern twists. There are so many modern Ford designs that make me want to shake the hand of the retired Jack Telnack.
I don’t think that retro design is a failure in general, it’s just that as a throw back, it really can’t evolve from where it’s at. So it is limited in it’s life span. I remember reading Caroll Shelby’s response to fans of the old Cobra, Fans love them but he quit building them because they were obsolete, if he was to build a new Cobra, it wouldn’t be anything like the original. The 2005-2009 Mustang was very successful in my eyes, though the subsequent models that followed were face lifts that tried to update the look, with questionable success.The next model of Mustang kept the general proportions and featured a more modern and aerodynamic style that was different, but all Mustang.
Count me in as a fan of these T Birds. The teal color is my favorite and I’ve seen several close up, even considered buying one. I like the interior, especially in two tone combinations. The only thing that prevents me from buying one is that the engine, which is shared with the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S Type does not have a very good reputation for reliability.
I also considered becoming a car salesman back in my youth, and went to an employment interview. The interviewer described my work schedule; ten hours a day, six days a week, and I’d be paid a monthly salary for the first month. I asked him about all those extra hours, would I be paid overtime for them? He said no, the pay breaks down to roughly minimum wage for the first month. And, after that? I asked. He replied that I’d get a commission on sales. What if I didn’t sell any cars, what then? To this he answered, If you don’t sell any cars, then you don’t work here anymore!
That was the end of my interest in car sales!
I wasn’t smart enough to walk away from the interview, and tried selling Fords. I spent the first week watching training films, and the next 2 weeks on the floor, and sold absolutely nothing. At the end of the third week, they handed me a check for 120 hours of minimum wage and sent me packing. We both won that day.
Evan, I hope you take this in the spirit in which I mean it, but just reading about your experience somehow helps me to put my own (very brief) encounter at the dealership to bed as something that clearly wasn’t meant for me.
I like all the points you make, FWIW! I’ll lead with that I think your interview experience sounds like it could have been a lot like mine, and with the same ultimate thought process at the end. (I only wish I could remember more about it!)
I only recently became aware again of the modern Cobra and had almost completely forgotten about it until searching for diecast models!
The engine is pretty much the least of your worries, as long as you keep up on all of the plastic cooling system bits and there are a lot of them.
The Ghost of Lucas is the biggest issue, thankfully there are companies out there that repair the problematic modules.
I remember being a bit excited about these Thunderbirds when they were introduced, and I actually thought that they were one of the better visually executed cars in that early 2000’s wave of retro and nostalgia. I think at the time I was driving the new MINI, so I was clearly positively inclined to that wave of auto design. And for what it was worth, these seemed much more attractive than what Chrysler was doing with the PT Cruiser and Prowler. All in all though, I was surprised that they did as poorly in the market as they did.
I seldom see these, although there is one – a bright red one like the one in the ad you include – in the town next to me. I encountered it in a parking lot a while back and excitedly snapped off a few pictures until the owner came up and glowered at me…unresponsive to my “Nice Car!” exhortation. More recently, I’ve seen the same car parked in the driveway of the rectory of a nearby Catholic church. I guess the glowering owner has either sold it, or he’s a priest who doesn’t like random strangers taking pictures of his car.
I’ve heard of the Billy Goat Tavern, but have never been there. It sounds like fun though. I’ve given thought to both working behind the grill at a diner AND selling cars. Temperament-wise, I’m probably not suited to either of those jobs, so all’s probably just as well that I never really pursued either.
Jeff, the Billy Goat is a Chicago legend! I have been to the one on the lower level of Michigan Avenue (not this one) only twice, but it’s always in the back of my mind as a place I want to take visiting friends.
I was also honestly surprised by the lack of the final Thunderbird’s long-term success. I had me wondering (besides a more affordable price) what Ford might have done differently to produce a different outcome. I do like the PT Cruiser, but the Thunderbird was inherently more glamorous as a two-seat roadster.
I would probably make the world’s worst salesman – it’s just not in my personality – and I remember when I was younger how I felt frustrated that I’d love to work for a new car dealership, but… oh, sales just isn’t my thing. I give you lots of credit for going to that interview though.
I recall at one point in my teens or early 20s, I went to a car dealership looking for a summer job – hoping to get something like being a lot jockey, or someone who cleans up cars. I went directly to either the sales manager or general manger (can’t remember which), and I found him on the phone at his desk. He motioned for me to wait, so I did… but I noticed he was arguing with someone on the phone. After a few awkward minutes, the manager got off the phone and motioned for me to come into his office.
Before I could say anything, he looked at me, shook his head, and said “Whatever you do, don’t go into the car business!” I honestly don’t recall just what I said next, but I took it as a sign from above that I shouldn’t go into the car business.
That is a great story, Eric!
I’d put forward that St. Lucy of Syracuse – patron saint of salesmen (and ophthalmologists, not to be confused with optometrists, who actually are salesmen) – was looking out for you that day and speaking through that manager 😉
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy
Didn’t know there was a patron saint of salesmen – she was definitely looking out for me.
Being introverted, especially as a teen/young adult – walking into the sales manager’s office to ask for a job took every ounce of extroversion I possessed. It exhausted me so much I didn’t try it again. The dealership, incidentally, was West German Sales (a Mercedes and Mazda dealership in suburban Philadelphia). My folks had bought a Mazda from them a few years before, so I thought of all dealerships, I sort of had an “in” with them.
I’ll second everything that Jeff said. Just, wow – talk about getting a clear and timely signal! Before I had learned to lean into who I am and what I’m actually like (versus believing that I had to become something I’m not), I honestly believed that against my natural tendencies, I could develop the extroversion that I believe would be necessary to successfully sell cars.
I’ve had days at work (I’m sure many of us have) where I’d be less sucecssful than on other days in convincing young adults to go into insurance underwriting, but those days are the exception. It sounds like car sales were not in your plan, as was the case with me.
(And Jeff, I just learned something new about St. Lucy – thank you!)
With my vast knowledge of cars, dimensions, options, etc, people often urge me to consider selling them. But digesting automotive factoids as a hobby and turning that knowledge into a successful skill set are too different things. As well, Jose cites some realities of being a car salesman that just wouldn’t mesh with my personality or personal desires.
That said, I loved the retro age of circa 2000 but felt some did better than others. I still remember the exact moment I saw my first in-the-flesh on-the-road PT Cruiser, which I actually thought was a brilliant design. Didn’t like the New Beetle much (beyond the novelty), but felt it’s follow-up was much more handsomely styled and would gladly take a turbo convertible. The MINIs were cool. The ’05 Mustang was brilliant, and I even like the 2010-2014 model as well. The SSR made no sense, and the ’08 Camaro wasn’t as handsome as the last of the line.
When it came to the new Thunderbird, I think the long lead up exhausted people. It was a great exterior design, but I found the interior to be underwhelming. They weren’t looking to build a Z4, but Ford should have gone sportier inside.
Great reflection Joe of a brief fling in auto history…
Dave, it has been somewhat validating for me to read that other car fans besides myself might also have had second thoughts about pursuing car sales as a career move. It’s certainly not a foregone conclusion that a love of cars and a decent amount of knowledge means that one would necessarily enjoy or have guaranteed success at car sales, though I’m sure both of those things would help.
I agree that the two years from concept to production didn’t do the 2002 Thunderbird any favors. I also like many of the retro designs you cited, particularly the ’05 Mustang. Those still occasionally turn my head today.
This spoke to me as a career salesman/sales manager. I could sell anything I put my mind to, which made me very successful in retail. In fact, I bought my father in laws hardware store and sold it for two times what I paid in just two and a half years!
I was grateful to not have to sell cars from the lot but rather as a “remote sales consultant”
I was friends with the local Chevrolet dealer in Delaware Ohio, Chesrown, who are still in business. I had people come to me needing a car and who did not want to deal with the salespeople. So, I’d get the specifics on their dream vehicle, no money was discussed, then call the dealership (usually the salesman I was assigned to Tom) and give what the needs were. I’d then pick up the vehicle, ask for a 24 hour test drive, and deliver the vehicle to the person. From there, if there was a trade involved, I’d drive one car back and let them do the financing. Laugh if you will-I sold 7 cars the first month!!
I’d receive a birddog fee and better still, the best deal on a car whenever I needed it.
The story goes that soon after my 6th car sold, the sales manager went into their morning meeting saying, “the best sales person we have does NOT even work on sight, and he’s out sold everyone on the payroll!”
At Lowe’s I hired the best sales people I could find and it was a success as we were constantly double digit sales over last year and double digit over budget.
Great article
Chip, I really enjoyed reading this about your experience and success in vehicle sales, and my hat is off to you. I’m sure that “birddog fee” was significant, both monetarily and also personally. I can admire the skills of others who can do things that I can’t or wouldn’t. It takes all kinds of us with all different skill sets to get stuff done!
First of all, great to see you here again on a Tuesday, Joe. And reporting on a T-Bird nonetheless.
Over the years, as I’ve shared here before, I’ve owned several T-Birds, but they were all of the PLC variety from 1983 thru 1997.
I remember being disappointed when the ‘Bird was canceled after 1997, and somewhat excited when I heard the nameplate would live on having high hopes for the two-seater after seeing the concept car at the Motor Trend International Auto Show in Baltimore.
But as others have said, that long lead up after that, and the reality set in that this wasn’t your father’s T-Bird… wait… maybe it was as he’s a product of the fifties, but I digress as usual… I would personally (get it?) have rather seen the return of the 4 seat PLC.
Anyway, I’ve got no issue with the “retro” era, and still have my own little piece of it in my driveway. I think like some others here that Ford got retro right with the Mustang, and I’m glad I still have my 2007. At the time, it was the closest thing to my favorite style car (a PLC) as you could get from Ford.
My last T-Bird…
Thank you, RS Rick! It was great to hit “schedule” a couple of Fridays ago in my old time slot! I was glad it was still open this week. 🙂
I do like the MN-12 Thunderbird. Even aside from its great engineering and independent rear suspension, there’s something about its low, wide stance that is really appealing. There was a time when they were too thick on the ground for too long for me to pay attention to them, but now whenever I see one (which is not often), I often taken note.
The ’05 generation of Mustang still remains something of a retro benchmark for me.
I’ve heard different people over the years say that this version of the “T bird” is hard to see out of.
I don’t recall having read any reviews myself that had referenced visibility (though I believe your experience), but I do remember reading at least one review that had mentioned that a six-footer was uncomfortable with the headroom with the top up.
With the soft top up, yes, and the windshield pillars are very wide which of course are still there with the top down. That said it was intended to be driven with the top down.
Well said Mr. Dennis ! .
I sold used cars off and on my entire working career, it always seemed to me the Customer was already sold, I just had to facilitate the deal .
I remember when these were not yet released, all the Auto Magazines seemed full of breathless accounts, one fine Sunday morning I was gassing up my Motocycle for a spirited ride in the mountains when a bunch of these all with manufacturer license plates pulled into the gasolinera, each one painted a vivid pastel color and each with the ‘porthole’ hard top .
I exclaimed to one driver “I bet these are going to sell like hotcakes !” and he said ‘we’re on our way to Descanso Gardens right down the street for a pre release photo shoot, follow me and I’ll get you in’ .
Sadly I had plans with my buddies and didn’t go .
I am told these weren’t nearly as popular as Ford had hoped, I can’t imagine why not .
My buddy had bought a new 1992 V6 Thunderbird Coupe, I thought it a very nice car indeed and so expected these to be the next step up .
-Nate
Thank you, Nate. What a cool experience that must have been to see those early examples on the way to that photo shoot. Me, I would have been geeking out for the rest of the day, if not the rest of the week.