Bunkie's Bird Beak 1970-1971 Ford Thunderbird
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- The Ford Thunderbird which had a half century of production life, had no stranger two model years than the 1970 and 1971 model years. This was due to Bunkie's Bird Beak. Find out how this happened and if the 1970-1971 Thunderbird was worthy of the Thunderbird name.
I had a 71 t- bird and loved it . Best lead sled I have ever owned
Lead sled refers to a custom car usually with extensive body modification (chopped to or sectioned body) that in the early days of custom cars would have been filled with LEAD rather than bondo. So, while I don't doubt that your T-Bird was a great car, but lead sled would not be an accurate way to describe it.
My uncle had a '70 " luxury bird" 4 door. It was black over maroon, and absolutely loaded with options; black leather seats and all. One of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen.
My grandmother had one of these. I was taken aback by just how large it was.
This is not an "ugly duckling" of a car to me, I love the '70-'71 T-birds! I actually thought the bird's beak design matched just perfectly with the cars name. However, I did like the '72-'76 redesign better. But I would still own a '70 or '71. Anyway, thank you again OldCarMemories for putting out another amazing video!! I enjoy learning more about the cars I loved growing up!
Insurance companies must have hated that front end.
One of my uncles had one back in the day.
I think it’s beautiful.
Man, I have missed your content!!!! Always outstanding content!!!~~
I always kind of liked the 70-71's myself. I liked the 68 better, but I wouldn't say they were ugly.
My dad had a gorgeous 1970 four-door that went like a scalded cat. Great car! I really enjoyed this episode.
71 TB was first car bought on my own. I loved everything about it. My mother got a kick driving it, which put a smile on my face.
I had a mint 1971 Thunderbird, and I absolutely loved it. Old Car Memories is absolutely the channel I love, and I know it is the best video out of 42 I watch! Thank you for another great video!
The 87 and 88 Turbo T birds beak looked awesome.
Can't be many of these left
I have one in Europe
Nice episode OldCarMemo!
I have always said this car has the world’s smallest front bumper. The center part doesn’t really even look like a bumper, it just looks like chrome trim.
Ah, another video dropped. Excellent. 👍Not horrible as it was, but still, I think it would've been a big hit had they designed it with a more subtle front, cuz the lines are gorgeous. Love those old school, super luxurious, living room like, interiors.👌
I inherited a 70 bird and have been restoring it for a few years now. It's important to mention these Tbirds were built on the Lincoln assembly line and share the Lincoln MKiii platform making them incredibly smooth, quiet and powerful. I am consistently blown away by the ride and power. Definitely underrated and now appreciated. Everywhere I go the car draws a crowd. Mine is a "sports roof" which is a 2 door non landau with a lower, almost "factory chopped", roof line. I have some videos on my RUclips channel.
Love all your videos, please keep them coming 🇺🇸💯👊
I love this car ❤🎉 im from South Chicago 🐦
As I remember them coming out when I was in high school both the T-Birds wit the big V nose and the Pontiac Grand Prix were one of the reason's why the insurance companies campaigned for 5 MPH bumpers because when either got hit on the front the nose was totally wrecked causing high repair bills.
I will have my Cougar.
I’ve had a few cougars in my day… Fun rides! 😉😎
@@trainnerd3029My favorite Cougar was the 68. That was a Good Looking car.
@@SierraBravo347 my favorite was a short sweet brunette…..
@@trainnerd3029 made me lol!
Depends on what year
I always enjoy your well thought out videos, but in this case, you can't convince me to like this design.
I agree . 🤮
I've never liked these.
If they had kept the "jet intake" front end of the 1967-69 cars and modified the rear tailights, that would have made these really attractive cars, but as is the beak makes these cars look more like a Pontiac instead of a T-Bird.
I picked up a 70 Tbird a couple of years ago it’s not like my 70 cougar XR-7 that I wish I still had but it goes pretty good
I had a 78ford thunderbird diamond specks green with velocity seats
best car channel on youtube hands down
I wish they went the route of the Chevy Corvette, and kept the T- bird a small car . They still could have had the high end interior . Once it got Stretched out it lost flavor . Thanks for the memory.
They couldn't keep T-Bird small or it and Mustang would have fought for similar buyers.
2 different type of buyers . The Mustang buyers were young and wanted fast , the T-bird buyers were looking for more style or class . Not that there weren't crossover buyers for each .
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I agree, it is a classic design and I personally believe an iconic American automotive classic! Great content as always and thanks!!!!
Is this the last car produced with suicide doors?
Last American car with them. My 08 Honda Element has the coach/suicide doors.
I like the beak, loved since I saw it in 1970.
That beak is excessive huge!
Great video. Great channel. Keep em coming.
I would gladly take the 4 door T-bird but on the Slovakian roads it would be like a giant boat and parking would be very hard
Good speedy correction! Bunkie Beak ... fine on several Fords, unfortunate on this Thunderbird iteration, and certainly NOT FINE on '70 Pontiac!
My Grandmother had a 70, light gray black interior that was loaded, between her and my uncle didn't take care of the T-Bird, but for me the car was beautiful from what i remembered and to this day i would love to have one, she had it for 2 years and traded in on a 72 Olds Cutlass S.
What? No Thunderbird wagon!
Take a shot every time he says "1970 to 1971"!
Double thumbs up!!~
I don't understand why companies in general, when have good products, mess things up. The car at 2:29 could be called "Pontibird". Not refering to Pontiac's Firebird which, come to think of it, could have been called Pontiac Phoenix for the bird being reborn from the ashes. Anyway, this isn't a Ford Thunderbird!
I had a 71 best car I ever had
The front is a bit dramatic, but these were great cars. They were very luxurious, rode smoothly and were reliable
I dig these. It’s not my favorite, but they’re cool.
I always liked the front styling of the 1970 and 1971 "beak".
I love the Ford bird beaks, we had a 1969 LTD with a bird beak front clip, not as exaggerated as the T-Bird.
I had a '70 in 1981, put work into it and had a classy cruiser for 2 years. I'd sell a kidney for another one.
Definitely unique.
A shnoz only a mother could barely love. Their jab at the Toronado I always thought.
I currently have a 1971 and I had a 1971 Thunderbird Mark T edition
Ford changed the roofline on coupes for 70 - for this year, and the non-landau 71's (the landau got a blocked closed quarter design that blended even worse with the rest of the car than the 60 version if possible). These coupes had a rakish and very low roofline, which coupled with the lightly suggested rear fender haunch gave that aspect of the car quite a muscular look. If you saw one in person, you'd get it. The high compression 429 Thunder jet T-birds were also probably the fastest straightline T-birds (save for the FI 57) period, up until the later versions of the turbo coupe and then the SC. (The later cars of course could actually handle and stop as well, and could be driven safely much higher into the speed range)
Well excuuuuse me! I love the front of these cars and have been seriously looking for an excellent to concours example of the four door (only) for 3+ years and very willing to pay top dollar if I ever find one!
3:10 1970-1971 looks just like its designer ("Bunkie" Knudsen) with eagle nose😁
The 3rd generation Thunderbird is a little different but looks okay between 1967-71 models as in 2 & 4 door models I like it
spent my childhood in backseat of yellow 2 door 70 tbird fastback being driven up and down rt 22 NJ between somerville and union with trip down parkway to pine beach
Peck peck...
The 1970-71 is my favourite Thunderbird, although I bought a 1974 model because of the low miles. Is a 4 door really a Thunderbird ? 🤔
Gow many times can you say
1970-1971 Thunderbird
I'd liken the 1971 Bird Beak Thunderbird to the 1971 Boat Tail Buick Riviera. The influence of Bunkie Knudsen can be seen in both cars, though he didn't stick around at either GM or Ford to see it.
My dad worked at a Ford dealership when these came out. I thought they were wonderful. The 71-76 Birds seemed so bland in comparison.
I think the ‘k’ is silent in Knudsen
I’m starting to get annoyed with this AI guy’s pronunciation.
Hello how are you doing? Love to find a 1974 Ford Thunderbird 💙💙💙
Very subjective. Some people like vanilla ice cream - some like chocolate.
For me looks better than pre facelift. Its not a Dodgr Charger.
Btw I have 71 Landau. Love the front look
I have a 71 rotten down in back yard.
I agree these are cool cars. The chop top non-vinyl roof 2-door especially! It looks so sinister! I don't mind the beak here, especially since the LTD would get it for '71 in an arguably better execution. I think the narrow grille thing they did for the '67-69 T-birds was stranger than the beak. The revision for '70 was an upgrade to me. I don't agree that the Pontiac beak worked better. It was ugly.
Man, the bird beak t-bird was ugly then and is still ugly today. But, to each his own I guess.
i like 4 door thunderbirds 1970-1971 generation.
Why is the outro text and music so much louder than rest of the video?
I bilieve there was a Mercury model with a kind of beak, too, at the same period. Was it the Cyclone?
Ford guy here and not a t bird fan much
I would rather have the worst car from the 60s to 80s than any of the modern disposable appliances made today. I would rather walk than drive a garbage crossover
I wonder if Bunky Knudsen worked on the Edsel ??
This generation of T-Bird was gorgeous except for that beak. This car needed rhinoplasty to look right.
horizontal tail light and vertical turn signal up front also didn't go together
No doubting that Government Motors guy Bunkie did that deliberately for sure.
I thought they looked ok.
Bunkie tried to do GM things at Ford. A blind bird could have told anybody that wouldn’t have worked.
I did not like the 70 - 71 now to me the 72s was a stand alone year very very bland Car it appeared in an Episode of Cannon ( Blood on the Vine )
Er! No thanks!
Styling is such a subjective thing...there's no accounting for taste...🤔😄
Bunkie's last name is pronounced, NEWD-sen, not K-nut-sen. And this T-bird is still ugly. So is the Pontiac.
Neither one of them is "ugly " compared to "today's" f'ing trash; No apologies!
Lol, yeah, it was terrible
Look...the 70 bird made all the others look bland...
Never liked the Bunkie beaks.
Narration is irritating.
202 views in 20 minutes! This is rigged! 😂
Great video. Stupid looking car.
1967-1982 were the worst Thunderturds