I heard this ‘Bird before I saw it. Its 300-hp 390-V8 made a guttural rumble as it roared through this stretch of the Bryn Mawr Historic District in my neighborhood. This particular Saturday seemed like just the perfect kind of day to dust off a car like this and call a buddy to go for a spin, seemingly like the duo in this car. Sometimes being in your car is something you don’t want to share with anybody else – it’s just you and your wheels, the songs you want to hear coming through the speakers, and the ability to go wherever you want for as long as you like. Sometimes, though, you want to share your car experience with someone who appreciates your car almost as much as you do. (I say “almost”, because it is you who gets to be behind the wheel.)
Who says a brougham has to be frilly? I like the no-nonsense, monochromatic, black-and-chrome treatment of this example. I usually like cars to look as “stock” and factory-original as possible, but I have no objection to the wheels on this ‘Bird. Those black spinners with their chrome centers look just menacing enough, shod in those thin whitewalls. Even the factory dummy landau bar on the C-pillar looks wicked in a “Harold & Maude” kind of way. This catfish looks like it means business, and by the sound of its exhaust note, you know it does. This is one of just under 21,000 Landaus (not including 4,500 “Special Landau” models) produced for the model year out of just under 75,000 total ’65 Thunderbirds. Its starting price of $4,589 translates to about $34,700 in 2016. Starting at just under 4,500 pounds at the curb, the Landau’s cost in base form was just over $1/lb – an almost-golden ratio.
By the time this Thunderbird rolled off the assembly line in 1965, this area had just started its downward trajectory after having been a really upscale destination. (Its renaissance began to accelerate around the turn of the new millennium.) The historic Edgewater Beach Hotel in this area had been a sprawling resort with its own private beach, radio station, print shop and other stores, and even a heliport. It would have celebrated its centennial this year, with its first, Maltese cross-shaped building built in 1916. It had once hosted A-list entertainers including Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Charlie Chaplin and bandleader Xavier Cugat, in addition to a few U.S. Presidents and famous athletes. A northward expansion of Lake Shore Drive would take away the EBH’s beachfront access to Lake Michigan, which then contributed to the hotel’s decline and ultimate demise.
This Thunderbird would have been a mere two years old when the hotel closed at the end of 1967. The hotel would be demolished in a state of sad disrepair by 1970. The stately, pink Edgewater Beach Apartments building pictured above was built in 1928. Though it was never a part of the actual hotel operation, it is the only part of the EBH complex which still stands today as a proud reminder of this neighborhood’s legacy as an upscale destination.
I’d like to think this Thunderbird had once been taken when new for a late-spring, windows-down boulevard cruise up North Sheridan Road fifty years ago – perhaps to the sounds of Wes Montgomery, Betty Carter, or Stan Getz. The vision of this beautiful, black raven took my mind to another time in this very same place. Like the Edgewater Beach Apartments, this ’65 Thunderbird may be something of a relic – but also like this building, what a monumentally stylish relic it remains.
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois.
Saturday, April 23, 2016.
Related reading:
- From Laurence Jones: Curbside Classic: 1965 Ford Thunderbird Landau – Fancy Feast; and
- From Aaron65: Car Show Classic: 1965 Ford Thunderbird–Unique in All the World
What an absolutely gorgeous set of shots. That Flairbird’s colour is perfectly in key and tonal harmony with those surroundings. The buildings may be from an earlier period, but still make an almost perfect backdrop (dang modern vee-hiccles). These are probably my favourite from your deep pool of great photographs, Joseph.
That’s some praise, Don – thank you! Waiting for some more of your great in-motion shots from your hemisphere. 🙂
Nice, I like this vintage T-Bird. Parents of a friend of mine had one in a eye-catching light blue. It wasn’t in top shape, but good enough to be on the road. Absolutely gorgeous.
Beautiful ! Planning on getting my Bird out for a flight tonight. I get so many comments on that 390 ‘guttural rumble’ as you call it. I see many cameras (phones) being raised to snap a picture as I drive around. Many thumbs up as I pass people. As they say ‘Priceless’.
Your car’s a beaut, Steamboatr. And I hope you know I meant “guttural rumble” in a complimentary way. Must be a small thrill every time you witness your car making a jaw drop.
Joseph, I think this is a sign for you to pick one of these up so I don’t have to. 🙂
This is the most striking set of In-Motion shots I’ve seen here. At first, I had to take a double-take on the lead shot, since I was sure it was taken 50 years ago. The near-empty street, the trail of dust, and the 110-year-old turreted building in the background, all make it seem like a shot from the 1960s, like you said when the area “started its downward trajectory.” Almost like the T-bird was the last to leave before the neighborhood fell apart.
Rarely does a car fit its scene so well, This really seems like the T-bird’s natural habitat. Thanks for the great pictures.
Eric, thank you – and at first I was frustrated that the blue Mazda3 was in frame. Later, though, I realized it’s the only way to tie this scene in with the present day.
I first looked at this on my phone, so the modern details were even less obvious and my first thought was that these could be scenes from Bullitt.
Great shots and a story nicely woven into a fascinating old neighborhood. And count me as another fan of the fabulous exhaust note of the Ford FE engine.
I will be a dissenter here on the wheels – those really big wheels mess with the car’s proportions, making it look quite small. That era of Thunderbird was always kind of a magic act when it came to the styling, as the 113 inch wheelbase was quite short for a car of its dimensions (and weight). For comparison, a Gran Turismo Hawk was an inch shorter overall but was on a 120.5 inch wheelbase, and a 63 Riviera was on a 117 inch wb (and was a touch longer in length.)
The stock wheels (and fender skirts) play along with the illusion of length that goes away with this wheel/tire choice.
Thanks, everyone. I’m glad you liked this one. I enjoyed sharing this find and history of my neighborhood with the CC community.
My inlaws had a drop dead gorgeous 65 Bird, white with ivy gold interior. Totally pristine but getting mechanically spent, they sold it for crumbs in the early 80s. I had a condo with no garage, and worse, no money to buy it with. I still wish I had it. That car was so smooth, quiet and solid.
The interplay of light and shadow in these shots make them priceless, and since it’s all so unplanned it’s all the better for being a happy accident. These posts that combine automotive art, architecture, geographical history and a musical reference/accompaniment just flip so many switches for me. I especially love the way the specific angle of the light at this time of day highlights the thin layer of winter garage dust still clinging to that shiny black paint, as if the subject car has literally just awakened from hibernation and is just beginning to stir off the cobwebs. Kudos!
Terrific!
And I’ll dissent with JPC on the wheels, as they rather work for me, especially since the polished rims look somewhat like whitewalls from a distance.
I rather like when wheels are changed but with a bit of taste and creativity, meaning NOT the ubiquitous Cragars, slots, etc. or the overly large donks. These dark wheels with the spinner accentuated give the T-bird a rather different character; darker and more menacing.
I too am a fan of the FE exhaust note. Especially the 425HP 427 version 🙂
Mr. Dennis, I left your neck of the woods for sunny Los Angeles a long time ago (but remain a Bears fan, however frustrated). The sheer beauty of your photos and and the craftsmanship in your copy remind me of the greatness that is Chicago…just not in winter. Looking forward to your next article.
Imperialist, thank you for the kind words. (And thankfully, this past Chicago winter was unusually mild.)
We should do a Chicago Curbside Classic get together! My friend Adam Pilon’s Mirada was recently featured in CC, looks like we have a lot of CC fans here in the Windy City!
Ryan, there are a bunch of us CC’ers in Chicago (including a few other contributors)! I’m hope you enjoyed my piece on Adam’s Cordoba.
His car is awesome and I loved your piece on it! He brought it to an event on Saturday and it looked gorgeous!
At first I didn’t recognize the first 3 pictures as Chicago, since there were no parked cars! But the lampposts are a giveaway. I am in Edgewater area most weekends and now it rings a giant bell!
What a fantastic set of photos, as usual–but these are even more special. Among your best work, in my opinion. The black ‘Bird with those phenomenal old buildings in the background is simply fantastic! And I agree that the wheel choice was good–the large, dark wheels serve as a nice counterpoint to the landau bar, making a styling feature I usually dislike seem more natural.
One of my favourite American cars, and I love that bay fronted building in the first shot as well.
Thanks Joseph!
Thanks so much, Roger. I’ll say this about Chicago – unlike many other cities in the U.S., and like in many European countries, we very much appreciate our architectural heritage and do a lot to preserve old buildings. 🙂
Another great set of photos, Joseph, although this one is a step above your usual outstanding work. Your timing was perfect that day with not only great car shots but the background as well. I thoroughly enjoy (and don’t comment enough) your love for old cars, buildings, and the history behind them. Always makes for a great read.
I will throw in my opinion on the wheels. I always prefer the stone stock covers and skirts like Steamboatr has kept on his. And that black on black would be great with a red interior.
My 65 Special Landau
Stunning. And the perfect mid-century modern house as a backdrop!
Wonderful pictures and I always appreciate the urban history as well; like you I enjoy reading up on the backgrounds of cities in great detail. It all works in these pictures. Though I agree with JPC on the wheels.
I liked everything about this post- want to get to Chicago to experience it great architectural heritage
I like the pros and cons on the wheels in the comments. I like the wheels on this one because they just add to the ominous, almost hearse-like vibe of this example.
If the car had the original wheels / wheel-covers, I would have liked it just as much, but I probably would have been frustrated by my inability to take truly “period” photos (thwarted as I was by clues of it being 2016). To be clear, though, I welcome any photo opportunities that come my way – and this one was a doozy. 🙂