Here’s how the Ford Thunderbird went from roadster to land yacht and back
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
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At 8:51 of this video, the photo shown was taken by Wayne Baumann on 17 May, 2014. Photo is copyrighted but available for distribution when credit is given, as per the following site: commons.wikime...
In this episode I provide the history of the Ford Thunderbird, starting with being a Corvette competitor in 1955, but later growing to land yacht size in the 70's, and eventually fading to obscurity by 1997. A retro roadster revival was also attempted in 2002 which only lasted 4 years.
If you once owned a car from the 80's to mid-2000's that you rarely see today, and would like to see it featured in a future episode, leave a reply in the comments, or contact me at pomeara1234@gmail.com.
04:55 Oh God... It's hysterical to see that lang yacht trying to snake its way through the pylons. It looked like the Titanic trying to do a slalom ski run.
haha, i too thought that, looked like a tank trying to squeeze through a street in Italy..lol
Or a kayak in rapids, lol
As smooth as an elephant in a china shop.
At that time a three hundred pound TV detective named Cannon was literally chasing down criminals every week! Reality had no better footing then than now.
Lol! My best friend in high school had a '75 T-bird and we drove the wheels off that car. And that sucker would LEAN and HOWL as you whipped around corners. No, a Formula One racer it was not but you could do a pretty good smoke show in it, even if it was only a one wheel squeal :)
I've owned three Thunderbirds (Well, two and one Cougar), 9th and 10th generation. Loved those cars. I had a special edition 1997 model featuring Ernie Ervan's signature and number embroidered on the headrests. Wrecked it in a snowstorm after owning it for eight years.
I currently have an 88 Ford LTD Crown Victoria that my grandfather bought new. I drive it on the weekends and it is original with original paint and half vinyl top always garage kept. You should definitely do a RUclips on the Crown Vic as most remember them as taxis and police cars.
In the late 60's a buddy inherited his grandmother's bullet bird. It was a solid performer and distinctive. It was heavy on the road and there was never any question of the car's high quality.
I love the big birds, and.areobird, I had an 87 LX with the 5.0....I feel the turbo coupes, and areo birds are some of the all-time, and best looking cars ever made, end of story
The 63 T-Bird. My parents came very close to buying it but opted instead for a Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk. My mom never let my dad forget about it when Studebaker went out of business a few years later!
I have a land yacht, it runs on CNG and is perfect.
That lady said "unique white leather interior, which is just like butta" 😳
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Good ol' Thunder Chicken lol
I remember in the 90’s. Chevy marketing their FWD V6 Monte Carlo as “the closest thing to Nascar”. when Ford was using the RWD V8 T-Bird.
I remember seeing that ad. It wasn't.
I had an '88 Thunderbird 5.0. I loved that car!
I built an '88 5.0 into a 347 way back when that was just starting to become a thing. Art Carr AOD backing it up. It was my first wife's daily & my god that car would go. After we divorced, she kept it & drove it for several years later until I'd heard the trans went out. I also heard it went to the junkyard after because she didn't want to put money into fixing it. Bought a Toyota instead. Someone scored a strong motor bigtime in the junkyard that day if they knew what it was 🤦♂ I kept it as stock looking as possible.
Don't EVER build a hot car for your wife & let her run away with it during a divorce!
I may be weird, but having been born in 75, I fell in love with the late 70s T-birds, and I still love them to this day. Something about them.
I wonder if there's a way to find a 77-79 model in decent rust free condition. There are none in Florida. I found a nearly perfect loaded 1971 in Gainesville but the owner wanted 15k for it and wouldn't budge. The value was 11, 750.
@@danielventura8073 I remember in 88 or 89 seeing a 1976 model for sale in pristine condition and only 43K on the clock. I think the owner wanted upwards of 4k for it (not a bad price back then). Boy I wish it had been two years later. I would've begged my father to buy that car for me. Lol
Same birth year, and I adore those generation Mercury Cougars. Our family had a 79 that I eventually drove and unfortunately wrecked. I did get it fixed but it had a laundry list of issues and wasn’t really getting practical (or reliable) to keep anymore. Once the roof rusted under the vinyl top it was a done deal... I gave it to a friend who needed an engine (freshly rebuilt 302 engine with waaay too much money invested) and the car was scrapped. I still have the Cougar hood ornament and memories.
They’re like a caricature of 70s land yachts
April 75 here.
I feel ya.
My mother had a 95 T-Bird LX with the 4.6 V8 and it was a nice car. I still like that generation today, especially the SC. For the classic T-Birds, I loved the 1964-66 convertible model and I fell in love with it when it was featured in Thelma and Louise.
My first car was a 1988 Mercury Cougar, I always liked the styling on that generation. The Thunderbird was overall a better looking car, but I liked the upward sweeping rear windows on the Cougar and the more squared off rear window which provided better rear seat headroom. Also, the reversing lights had the cougar logo, and that did it for me as a teenager.
My favorite was my mom's 1978 Town Landau, dove gray inside and out with red pin stripes, red insets in the turbine wheels and the red acrylic hood ornament. That was one sharp T-Bird!
The bullet bird is beautiful. I also don't mind the SC thunderbird of the nineties.
As a owner of a 93 SC the only issue is maintenance. First generation Distributorless Ignition System is a pain. The HP isn't the real story its the 300+ lbs-ft of torque.
@@bowez9 As an owner of a '91 T-Bird Sport (5.0 V8 with the brakes/sway bars from the SC) I agree the SC was more desirable from a performance standpoint, but now I appreciate the good ole 302 for the wealth of aftermarket options I now have.
At introduction, the SC had more power, way more torque, and better weight distribution than the all iron V8 models. Combined with an independent rear suspension and some of the best aero of the time, they were some really fun cars.
In 1985 I got my my first car as a 17 year old. It was a 1979 Thunderbird. It had a green metallic paint job, green vinyl interior, green carpet and even a green steering wheel. When I took it up to 70 mph that long front end would rise into the air so high that I had to sit up very straight just to see over it. That wasn’t easy to do because all the armor all I had put on the vinyl seats had me slipping all over the place. If I turned a corner too fast it would send me over into the passenger seat😂. Oh yeah, the car made a very distinctive whistling noise when exceeding 70mph. Good times😁
I had a '74 in the late 70's, triple dark green. Last Ford I ever owned.
Great road car, but that 460 could suck some gas.
I owned a new 79' Heritage. Maroon with gold turbine wheels, stainless targa band and a hood that reached into the next County. I sure wish I had it today.
Many People ripped off the Hood Ornament as it was Unique!!
When I was a kid, an older lady friend of my family had a '61 bullet bird. White with red leather interior, power windows and seats (in those days!). When I got my driver's license I was offered that T-bird (with only 42K miles, I remember) as a gift, but my dad nixed the idea because he said it was unsafe. I got a Volvo instead. Oh well.
My aunt purchased a 78 Thunderbird and drove it until 1984 (was the best car my family ever owned ) so needing a new car , my aunt purchased a brand new 1985 Thunderbird in December of 84- I will never forget - sticker price was almost 14,000 in 1985 - that car ended up being the worst car !
My first new car was a 1987 Sport model with the 5.0L. I was working at a Ford dealer and when I saw it come off the transport truck it was love at first sight. Never got beat by a Turbo Coupe, though many tried.
Easily, the '57 with the Supercharger is my favorite. Hard to beat cruising the beaches in style in a 300hp stock convertible
My neighbor actually has one. Too bad he always has it in his garage though
@@bigrat4452 bc if he has a rare supercharged version it’s worth around $300k….don’t blame him for not taking it
My mom had a fully loaded 88’ turbo. I loved that car so much and still think the specific loaded model is gorgeous.
Nick I ng owned a blue one. I put dual exhausts and had vfc to change the oil every month cause those cars ubhas to change it every 2,000 miles.
I've got an 89 base, and a 91 super coupe and i love them both. Very fun to drive.
Trust me I'm going to buy a '67 Landau with a 390 or '69 with a 429 thunderjet with a 3:55 rear end possi traction 😘
The Retrobird looks as if the body was designed by a true stylist yet the interior was done by a committee. The only exterior features I dislike are the cheap looking gray plastic grill and unfinished looking headlight bezels. I would have recessed the grill and blacked it out. Not exactly sure how I'd approach the headlights though.
It was the early 2000's car interiors where still stuck in the 90s as far as material quality and fit and finish where concerned. Ford also shouldn't have used the same Jaguar chassis that underpinned the equally forgotten Lincoln LS.
I own a 2004 Thunderbird and love it to death now. Here's the truth though, the 11th gen's were too expensive for what you were getting and Ford was crazy to charge so much. It had some known problems with the transmission (some cars could go their whole life without having problems while others needed to fix their transmissions by 70k to 100,000 miles) also problems with the engine eating spark plugs and ignition coils but luckily through Amazon now you can get plugs and wires that are a lot better. You'll probably replace your thermostat and housing unit at least once. I've replaced those and it seems from mechanic notes from previous owner they replaced it too but I haven't had issues with overheating since I actually replaced the radiator on advice from my mechanic so a lot of that stuff may result from a faulty radiator. And for the price the interior was your typical Ford crap plastic. But all that being said, you can usually find them for decent pricing now if you're patient (some people are selling for too much so be on the lookout). If you've ever been curious I say pick one up. I did last year and put some serious work into it. It drives smoother than ever and I updated to borla exhaust and a k&n cai and last time I dyno'd the car it was putting out 297 HP. It's got a beautiful rumble now when my foot is on the gas and it cruises beautifully. Really a fun car. I'm a single guy with no kids so a two-seater convertible works perfect for me and I've been in Sol Cal for work the last few years so it's a perfect card for out here. Got just a plain old beater Saturn that's great for my daily commute and leaves the fun driving for the Thunderbird with the top down and beautiful weather. I really love my car and that's just a feeling you can't put a price tag on well you probably can but I haven't hit it yet
I really like the old Thunderbird and the retro Thunderbird.
1977-79 was the best selling gen for the T-bird. 300k in 77, over 300k in 78 and almost 300k in 79.
And it wasn't even anything special. It was just an LTDII with upgraded interior, and a hood ornament.
@@efandmk3382 there were some differences from the LTDII to the T-bird. mainly the stacked square headlights and the interiors being different too No 4 door T-bird also. The Cougar did in that gen.
That 1976 Tbird was one sweet car. I think the 67-69 models were my favorites.
Wgil, when I getting to retire I'm considering buying a '67tbird Landau with a 390. Such a cool car
But it was essentially a Ford Torino.
Had a 1967 tbird 428. 1984 turbo coupe 1988 5.0. And a 1994 super coupe. All fun cars.
I had an '81 T-Bird, loved it. But for styling, I prefer the '77-79 T-Bird. Sure it was a boat, but it was a beautiful, sleek boat :)
yep, it was a sweet boat that had some go to it, 1979. 351 Cleveland motor
My favorite generation by far was the 1977-1979 models. In fact, besides cars I could never afford, my favorite of car was the 1970s personal luxury car, like the Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Cutlass Supreme, Regal, Cordoba, Lincoln Mark IV and Mark V, and the 6th and 7th Gen Thunderbird, and even the Gran Torino Elite. Pretty much any two door RWD car with a landau roof and opera windows.
Lol Scott I'll back u up a bit. I almost bought a '71 third in illinios a lady bought it back it was her Father who passed. The car had a 429 in it. C-6 transmission. A great car, to move in cruise in.
My aunt and her ex husband had a 1977 Thunderbird in 1977 and my aunt ended up totaling it out and ended up in a wheel chair for many years after that.
The SC and V8 T Birds of the nienties were amazing and great looking cars. I had one. Wish I hadnt let it go.
It really was a great car, I almost bought a '94 SC whish I did. Hey I loved you in the Crow" 🤛🤜📽🎞
My uncle is a car collector. He has a 1955 T-Bird and a 2005 T-Bird. The first model year and the last. I've only seen the 2005, it looks new. I have never seen the 55. He keeps them in his garage and will drive the 05 from time to time.
I own a 2004 Thunderbird and love it to death now. Here's the truth though, the 11th gen's were too expensive for what you were getting and Ford was crazy to charge so much. It had some known problems with the transmission (some cars could go their whole life without having problems while others needed to fix their transmissions by 70k to 100,000 miles) also problems with the engine eating spark plugs and ignition coils but luckily through Amazon now you can get plugs and wires that are a lot better. You'll probably replace your thermostat and housing unit at least once. I've replaced those and it seems from mechanic notes from previous owner they replaced it too but I haven't had issues with overheating since I actually replaced the radiator on advice from my mechanic so a lot of that stuff may result from a faulty radiator. And for the price the interior was your typical Ford crap plastic. But all that being said, you can usually find them for decent pricing now if you're patient (some people are selling for too much so be on the lookout). If you've ever been curious I say pick one up. I did last year and put some serious work into it. It drives smoother than ever and I updated to borla exhaust and a k&n cai and last time I dyno'd the car it was putting out 297 HP. It's got a beautiful rumble now when my foot is on the gas and it cruises beautifully. Really a fun car. I'm a single guy with no kids so a two-seater convertible works perfect for me and I've been in Sol Cal for work the last few years so it's a perfect card for out here. Got just a plain old beater Saturn that's great for my daily commute and leaves the fun driving for the Thunderbird with the top down and beautiful weather. I really love my car and that's just a feeling you can't put a price tag on well you probably can but I haven't hit it yet
Awesome!! Just got a 2004 Merlot and a 2005.. cashmere # 91
I've been a Thunderbird fan all my like. The 4th generation ('64-'66 Flairbirds) is my favorite, but I pretty much love them all, except the '83-'85 Aero style. I also found the '80-'82 very attractive, but the trend toward the aero look and interest rates approaching 20% really cut into sales. I currently own Thunderbirds from 1966, 1980 (Silver Anniversary edition), 1994 and 2004. Guess I have an addictive personality when it comes to Thunderbirds! How about doing a video on the Imperial?
I agree, I fell in love with the 64-66 T-Bird when a green 66 convertible was featured in the film "Thelma and Louise". I also liked the 89-97 models because my mother had a 95 LX with the 4.6L Modular V8 and it was one nice, comfortable car. Though I'd wish she would've bought an SC because that would be badass.
I like the 87-88 Foxbody T-birds with the 5.0. Those make great track cars and they look decent.
Love my 2005 retrobird it's fun to drive! Solid car, unique.
My uncle had a '56. It was such a cool little car!
They all had their own characteristics and style . Shouldn't have quit it 🤷
I worked for Ford Motor Company 1961-1964. Drove only demonstrator Thunderbird convertibles. Owned: 1963 Convert bought new for my mother; owned two 1962 Sports Roadsters -- complete with 5 sets (each) of the wire wheels (a real problem -- had to use inner tubes) and ended up with a 1966 Thunderbird convertible. Still have 3-D pictures of the Sports Roadsters.
My father had a 79 in light green metallic, traded it in for a 89.
I had the 1987 Turbo Coupe, Blue. A fantastic looking and running car for it's time. However the clutch was a beast. Got smart=traded for a 1994 Camry LE.
I got a 1988 Thunderbird when I was a Jr in high school in 1991. I also had 1990, 1991, and 1997. That 1997 had everything on it, from a v8, to leather seats, and a sunroof. It was red with a tan interior. I got that car new and drove to about 150,000 miles. I hated the day I drove off and left it after trading. I want to eventually find a nice, well-kept Thunderbird from the last generation, for my wife and me to go out riding.
My family always had the 1977-78 version. I took that thing to take my driver's license test. When all of the smog bullshit came off, it was a solid car. Powerful, too. My favorite car was the LTD Elite from 1976. Great cat from Ford
Hey!!!! I really enjoyed your informative episode covering the Ford Thunderbird. Back in the mid 1970's three of my Dad's sisters owned a Ford Thunderbird. 1 Aunt owned a 1976, 2 toned Gold Thunderbird that was fully blown and 1 of my favorites. I washed that car several times 4 "FREE" -- just so I could open the moonroof and blast the sound (8 - trak tape player) system. My Aunt from Galveston, TX had a 1978 Thunderbird that was a plain, daily driver. It had a bench seat, 1 outside driver's window, a small (??302 maybe??) V - 8 engine and a dove grey exterior. I drove it a few times from her home 2 "SEARS" to have the vehicle service. With Galveston being an Island and my Auntie parking that vehicle outside, that Island weather ate that car up before it could become 10 years old. The Aunt from McAllen TX owned a Thunderbird that I was crazy about. A Midnight Blue, 1979 Ford Thunderbird Landau with all the bells and whistles. Rear window defogger, interment wipers, sun roof, tilt, cruise, AM/FM 8 track, dual outside sport mirrors, passenger illuminated makeup visor mirror, alloy wheels, (??351 maybe??) V - 8 engine and a color keyed Thunderbird hood ornament. This Thunderbird model/trim package was right underneath the Thunderbird Heritage/Diamond Jubilee Edition. I asked this Auntie several times 2 allow me 2 purchase the vehicle instead of trading it in when the time came 4 her 2 consider purchasing another vehicle. 1 night, while driving home from work, she lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle was totaled. She was bruised and banged but was expected 2B fine -- the T - Bird -- not so much. Her replacement vehicle -- a 1983 Army/Camo green colored, Subaru DL Sedan. Yikes!!! Three years ago, from an estate sale in the state of Iowa, I purchased a 1978 Ford Thunderbird Heritage. Not in the color that I wanted but I really like the look of that particular model. The state of Iowa means snow and high mileage vehicles. The T - Bird needed plenty of TLC from replacement components, 2 buffing out the bondo (rust issues) to powder coating the undercarriage -- hey -- this vehicle is not manufactured any more. And as 4 the retro (even the Neiman ~ Marcus Edition) 2003 Ford T - Bird -- once again -- YIKES!!! I'll be watching more of your videos -- Thankx 4 the memories!!!!
My favorite Thunderbirds are 1961 to 1966 generation. My second favorite generation is 1967 to 1969. Build quality on all of them at that time was first rate at Wixom Assembly in Michigan. Other standouts are the 1976 Thunderbird with the Gold and Creme Luxury Group, 1987 and 1988 Turbo Coupe with manual transmission, and the 1989 - later SC models.
I second that statement about the build quality of the Wixom-made cars. I've owned a 1967 T-Bird for almost 30 years. The interior is quiet and rattle-free and the ride is like the proverbial "buddaaaah". Not exactly trouble-free as they seem to have more wiring than a Boeing 747 with a bewildering complexity of vacuum lines and gee-whiz gadgets that were never remotely conceived for a service life in excess of half a century. But the body and chassis seem like they were made for eternity...
@@DSGNflorian I have a 1966 Lincoln Continental that has incredible build quality, too. Henry Ford II knew he had to keep quality high to compete with GM.
I too like the 61-66, but love the 89-97 generation as well. The '92 I owned had 278,000 miles when I traded it, most of the miles put on by myself. It was one of the most reliable cars besides my Hondas I have owned. The only downside were the rocker panels which rotted off long before the engine and transmission were ready to be scrapped.
@@milfordcivic6755 Have a '94 T-Bird LX with the 4.6L V-8. Over 500k miles and still going strong.
I like your taste Spock "live long and Party" 🥳🖖
Mine was an '87 LX, with the 5.0L V8. It was smooth and quiet. The Turbo Coupe technically had more power, but it wasn't as consistently there, when you needed it. It was also noisy. It sounded like a Honda. In addition, it needed PREMIUM gas, for peak performance. The 5.0 did fine on Plus. I liked the grille. In fact, I liked the extra bit of chrome, compared to the Turbo Coupe. I liked the round tail lights, behind the smoked cover. It was my first car, with aluminum wheels. It was one of my favorite cars. My previous car was an '85 Cougar.
My personal favorite would have to be the 1977-1979 generation......God that was a classy car.
That 7th generation was also the most popular, along with the shared platform of the 77-79 Mark V Continental. Sales went into the stratasohere with these platforms.
proud to say I owned a 79 rode her and loved her like a lady
4:58 That is the most awful handling I think I have ever seen. My dad had one in the early 1980s and you could feel that from inside but I don’t think I ever saw it from the exterior.
As an engineer today, I can’t understand how they could ever have been pleased with their design. It’s just so awful.
My dad had a late 90s thunderbird. One of the worst handling cars I have ever driven. Awful bouncy suspension, weak brakes and hardly any power. My mom’s accord from around the same year was a race car compared to it.
I have a 1969 ford thunderbird sucide doors, 429 with rare bucket seat & center console options.
Maybe missed it but we're was the four door thunderbird from the 70s o ok I rewatched it you did cover it the model year from 68-71
Found a 88 turbo coupe for 4k. Fancy fox 😍
Fox body year tbirds are absolute bargains for what’s essentially the same car.
10th generation, nm12. I have 3 SC models,, a 91, 92, 95 with manual transmission. Upgraded with slightly larger wheels and tires they will handle and corner with the best.
My buddy used to have a '79 t- bird back in the mid to late 90s he drove around for like 5 years that's back when you can find a fairly nice car like that in pretty good condition with under 100,000 miles for 500 bucks
The good old days of realistically priced used cars, now it’s all people on Craigslist selling used 120,000 mile ‘05 corollas for 3500$
My uncle had a 76 Thunder Bird, awesome car, costed him a lot to fill up it but it was comfortable
The Thunderbird SC I had one right after I joined the Army in 1995 it was my first new car
This is where GM laughed as Ford made bad decisions. The Chevrolet Corvette remained a 2 seater sports car, but Ford took the T-Bird into a scary direction.
I loved the 88 turbo coupe. I think it was the best looking T-bird of the modern generations.
I still have my parents 79 Cougar XR-7; they bought as a demo in Torrance California at Bill Hopkins Lincoln Mercury.
That's what I'm talking about! I had a Cougar XR7 too. I was in the Navy and rolled that beast in and around SoCal for years. Finally traded up to a Bill Blass edition Lincoln Mark VI in 1986 (rank has its privileges) with the 5.0 stang' motor. Man, those were great days!
@@coachdonkidd2206 Yep! You talk about a luxo-barge they are. Mine is two-tone medium blue metallic with dark blue rocker panels, moonroof half padded blue roof, wire wheel covers, padded deck lid with a 351M engine.
@@jamesr2888 I had one like yours, color and everything, GR8 car
I had a 77 T-Bird. That thing had everything on it. I really liked that car. It was rather problematic though. Always seem to have something going wrong with it.
loved my 95 v8
My first car was an 83 Thunderbird. metallic brown with tan interior. I loved that car. Unfortunately it was totaled in an accident, I was t-boned. I’d love to have another one.
I worked for a company that installed t tops in 78 and 79 Thunderbirds in Chicago. My friend owned a 71 with a 429 cubic inch engine. We were cruising at 125 mph on the outer drive.
Knew a gentleman who owned a 63 t- bird. It unfortunately sat for yrs, and he passed away in 18. I hope it was bought and is now on the road again.
And I like the 02-05 roadsters.
The should've designed a retro interior
Great video. I think my favorite has to be the 50's/ early 60s models. Cars looked so classy back then.
I don't think it's a matter of "think"......THOSE WERE the classy models back then.....
The original T-Birds were in the same league as the Corvette roadster and T-Birds out sold Corvettes. -- Robert MacNamara (Ford President) stole the name T-Bird and put it on a different car, for marketing reasons, in effect he killed the original T-Bird roadster which was never meant to be produced in vast quantities.
Cory, I'd also include the '64-'66 'Birds. The only one I didn't like was the 1960, and that was because of the busy. unattractive front end. It's too bad the '61 model wasn't the '60 because it would have had the modern look of the '60 Galaxie and new Falcons.
myself, i take a fancy to the first-year T-birds of 1955
I like the 1956 T-Bird (born in 56, Duh) and the stylining of the 1966 (convertible) but none past the 1971 model year. ;-)
I kind of liked the retro model, but I agree it could have been way better (interior).
Have you done the Pontiac Sunbird? I owned a 78' wagon version and a two tone 91 LE coupe. As for the T-Bird, I loved the 57-58, 66 and 84-87 Turbocoupes.
I had a 1994 LX white w/blue cloth interior. Absolutely loved it so much that I traded it for a 1996 LX dark green w/tan cloth interior and moonroof. Two of my most favorite cars I’ve owned.
I had a 1979 Thunderbird. Wish I still had it.
I delivered Pizza in an 89 Thunderbird, which met an ignominious end on a partially-built median. It was the only RWD car I've every owned, and it was fun to drive even though it was the base model.
I remember being smitten with the final-refresh "retro" model when it was introduced, but I can see why it wasn't a big hit for Ford. Striking car on the outside, extremely boring inside...
Had a 89 Couger, 90, 95, 97, 02 T-Bird, and despite all the flaws My favorite was the 97. Love the 02 but that is my wife's since driving is no longer an option for my blind ass
I own a 2004 Thunderbird and love it to death now. Here's the truth though, the 11th gen's were too expensive for what you were getting and Ford was crazy to charge so much. It had some known problems with the transmission (some cars could go their whole life without having problems while others needed to fix their transmissions by 70k to 100,000 miles) also problems with the engine eating spark plugs and ignition coils but luckily through Amazon now you can get plugs and wires that are a lot better. You'll probably replace your thermostat and housing unit at least once. I've replaced those and it seems from mechanic notes from previous owner they replaced it too but I haven't had issues with overheating since I actually replaced the radiator on advice from my mechanic so a lot of that stuff may result from a faulty radiator. And for the price the interior was your typical Ford crap plastic. But all that being said, you can usually find them for decent pricing now if you're patient (some people are selling for too much so be on the lookout). If you've ever been curious I say pick one up. I did last year and put some serious work into it. It drives smoother than ever and I updated to borla exhaust and a k&n cai and last time I dyno'd the car it was putting out 297 HP. It's got a beautiful rumble now when my foot is on the gas and it cruises beautifully. Really a fun car. I'm a single guy with no kids so a two-seater convertible works perfect for me and I've been in Sol Cal for work the last few years so it's a perfect card for out here. Got just a plain old beater Saturn that's great for my daily commute and leaves the fun driving for the Thunderbird with the top down and beautiful weather. I really love my car and that's just a feeling you can't put a price tag on well you probably can but I haven't hit it yet
In 1972, my mom had a 1969 2-door w/ metal roof, silver-gray exterior, and burgundy interior. Dad bought a new T-bird ever year from 1972 to 1975. Then he got a new Lincoln 2-door in 1976.
Art , I consudering buying a'69 landau when I retire. That fir many years was my favorite car.
I'm starting to like the 83-88 models, Coyote swap, none of the weak stock engines. Otherwise Thunderbird SC with a 5 speed mtx.
I have owned 3 Thunderbirds in my life.... My fave car.... I know have a 2003. Loved them all!! I am a HUGE T-bird fan!!!
Same I hope that Ford gives the Thunderbird bird one more chance and comes out with a new Thunderbird bird
@@yourboimike375 But reliable. The honor of the Bird can't be disrespect
1982-1983 body style are my favorite. Really a loss to the market without big T-Birds around anymore.
I had a 1970 in 1980 to 82. About the same time my friend up the street had a 62. We spent many weekends working on and driving them. My favorites are the 1971 and the 1979 but, even though they are low on the collectible list, I have not found any southern cars in any condition.
my dad had an '87 lx and I used to love that car!!! I was 8 years old and actually ran outside the next day to make sure I wasn't dreaming!!!
I owned a 1994 TBird for about 6 months in 2007 or so. It was awesome. had a sunroof and only 68k miles on it. I really started liking it the first month I owned it..till a lady turned out in front of me and totaled it.
Definitely biased here, having driven the 70's and 80's versions and owned a 1995 T-Bird LX with the 4.6l v8. I bought my 95 T-Bird used in 2003 and enjoyed it for the next 5 years. During that same time, I also had a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII, which while based on the same platform, was definitely above the 95 T-Bird in handling and acceleration.
I wouldn't mind picking up another 95-97 T-Bird or Mercury Cougar with the v8 again. Sadly, I don't own the Mark VIII anymore as well. Selling it due to parts availability issues.
Generation 3: 1961->1963. Plus Gen 4’s 1964 & the 1965 w/sequential rear turning signals. I didn’t like look of the ‘66. My Uncle worked at Ford’s Cleveland Stamping plant. He had a ‘65.
I love the 3rd gen "Bullet birds" I have a 61 convertible and a 63 that I'm restoring.
About 80s cars, how about the Fiero! I have two Fieros and they are gaining popularity these days. Might be a good time to feature a video on the Fiero!
The wild part is how radically different the 1980 is from the 1983 despite being on the SAME ("Fox") platform. Amazing what different sheet metal can do!
I'm sure I'm in the minority, but my favorite is the 5th gen.
Me too. Especially the breaked 4 doors.
Beaked
That "Knudsen Nose" was a little hard to take. Fifty years later, it's still ridiculous. Some designs eventually become classic, such as the Virgil Exner designs of Chrysler in 1962-63. The Lincoln Mark lll (1969-1971) was gorgeous and still is, even today.
Gen 4 with the 390 cid engine was my favorite. As a teenager I owned a 1963 Galaxy with the 390 V8 and still have photos of that year motor vehicle. Thank you for a great video.
The 2002 retro model was supposed tgo have a supercharged version available. The lead designer of the car had one made for testing and supposedly took it with him when he left Ford.
Typical of Ford, the extra performance got shot down by bean counters.
No one at Ford was allowed to make anything faster then a Mustang. If they did, instead of improving the Mustang, they canceled the offending car or ruined it otherwise. Other then John Colleti when he ran SVT, Ford had a 3 decade era of "good enough" going all the way back to 72 wen it came to performance.
I recently seen an 11th gen where they modified the rear end to have the classic fins. It was really well done and completely changed the cars look for the better. I personally think the mid to late eighties cars had the best proportions.
When I was a teen a friend's mother had an '80 "Thunderbird." I had to drive it often as she wanted her daughter to arrive in class (not in my ratty Sunbird). That Ford was dangerous garbage to drive; underpowered, ill-handling, and poor brakes.
I wish the Thunderbird SC had a V8 option with a manual transmission. We had a Windstar with the Essex V6 (same as Thunderbird V6). We had MULTIPLE serious issues with that V6 and I would not want another one.
1977 Ford Thunderbird looked like a Lincoln, don't forget the 4.6 205 horsepower V8 1994 and 95
In 1989 you could have a thunderbird or Taurus for the same cost. By that time, the thunderbird had become a two door version of the Taurus, literally! It was a clumsy car with big clumsy doors that offered mediocre performance. Sad.
Ive had 1 77, 2 85s, 2 88 TCs, an 86 an 87 Sport V8, and an 89. My favorite was my 1977. How about a video on the Ford EXP?
Well I’ve had a 76 Thunderbird beautiful jade green with white leather I have an 87 turbo coupe I have an email and Thunderbird supercoupe so they’re all my favorites
My first car was a 79 T-bird. My grandpa bought it new when I was only a couple months old. It handled like a tank and I used to get scared looks from guys driving eighteen wheelers. Old girl broke down about once a month and my friends all laughed at it, but I miss the old girl.
Still to this day my favorite car with my 1977 Thunderbird with a 351 V-8 was dark red with a black bottom.
Growing up our neighbors had a cream with brown vinyl roof. Wire wheels. So pretty and fast ( just for the love of God don't try to turn). They traded it in 1985😟. I dang near cried. Earl what did you do!!!.
1977
My dad always like the ‘87 to the end Thunderbirds. He said they were a style that would never look outdated. I have to agree with him. I saw one recently and it didn’t stick out as an old car.
Rented a '76 for the Prom. No way in Hell was a Miami Beach Valet was going to touch my Trypower '65 Goat.