Never titled, never sold, and never prepared for sale, this 1976 Ford Thunderbird in Brandon, Mississippi sat 44 years at a now-retired Ford dealership before its discovery by Auctioneer J.D. Pass. Presumably going to the highest bidder at some future date, the well-preserved luxury coupe comes with a never-removed window sticker totaling nearly $9000, about $41,000 in 2020 money. Check out more photos and comments here on Facebook. The standard 460 cid (7.5L) V8 and C6 automatic transmission barely spun during the car’s infancy before resting in peace for more than four decades.
The phrase “Time Capsule” gets tossed around without much regard sometimes, but 14 miles! Only a car literally sealed in a vault with orders to be opened at a future date qualifies as more of a Time Capsule than this T-bird.
You can probably buy entire cars today that weigh less than that rear bumper. The full-width tail light bar with Thunderbird logo in the reverse lights makes a statement of luxury. Check out that shiny gas tank! This Ford’s dealer storage must have remained dry; we’ve seen other low-mile examples sadly covered in surface rust.
The white “super-soft” vinyl buckets, power for the driver, look immaculate and ready for a long-haul adventure. At this point the car is likely to be coddled without gaining appreciable mileage, but I’d love to go through this ‘bird from front to rear and take the like-new cruiser across Route 66.
Even the normally boring trunk picture looks amazing. The wing nut on that full-sized spare hasn’t moved since it was spun into place by a union laborer during the aptly-named Ford administration.
Where many Fords of the day offered an array of available engines, your ’76 T-bird came with one: the torque-monster 460, known for its durability and longevity if properly maintained. Thunderbird owners enjoyed a long list of standard features for ’76. Notable options on this full-sized luxury coupe include tilt steering wheel, power locks, six-way power driver’s seat, and tinted glass. Interesting available options included four-wheel disc brakes, ABS, and Quadraphonic 8-track! We’d love to hear the back-story on this powder-blue cream puff, but for now that remains a mystery. How would you write the next chapter of this fantastic T-bird’s amazing story?
While it’s interesting to look at today, I always think “what a waste” when I see cars like this. It’s time has come and gone and it will likely sit for the rest of its life.
Depends what you like. I’d rather have this than anything new made today.
Someone will buy it, probably for too much money, but it’s what they do with it that matters. Face it, you’re not going to ruin it’s “value” by driving it.
It’s fascinating to me that such situations still exist. But, what to do with a “new” car, one that is not particularly collectible but does have its 70’s full-size two-door luxury coupe charm. If it would have been a loaded F150, the buyers would be coming out of the woodwork. If a Pinto, admit it: that would have been interesting too.
Maybe some our our Memphis readers can chime in with details. With a few minutes of googling, the dealer name does come up. But the current address plots as an AutoNation dealership in the Wolfchase area along I-40 east of town. I wonder when it changed hands. The address on the window sticker looks to now be a self-storage facility, but if you squint you can visualize it as a former car dealership. It looks like, and would make sense, that the car has been in the storage facility.
Time Capsule, indeed. Sure would like to know the back story.
Can’t see the name but from your description it sounds like Oakley Keesee Ford? Tommy Keesee who owned it is still alive in Memphis. He collected many brand new ford cars over the years and it was more than likely part of his collection. I believe he preferred baby blue, as I think I remember lots of them being that color.
Thank you Luke, you are correct, Oakley Keesee is the dealer name on the window sticker.
14 miles, eh, well, let’s see about that,,,sure looks like no miles, however, if you think, you are going to plunk down a wad of cash, hop in, turn the key, and drive off into the sunset, you’re sadly mistaken. Personally, the big T-Birds were great cars, the old man had one for a spell, but a car sitting 44 years, is going to need everything. It’s fun to see stuff like this, but I wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole.
14 miles ? Very doubtful. The odometer digits do not line up perfectly as they would if this was virtually new. Someone has turned those numbers back.
Most mechanical odometers do not line up perfectly, I bet if you actually drove it the wheels would tend to line up better… until you hit 100 miles, when you turned the next wheel to the left, then again at 1000 miles, and so on. Nothing unusual there at all. Besides, who would set back the mileage on a 1976 T-Bird? Not exactly the most desirable car with a high demand.
The mechanical odometers were rolling odometers,so fractional movement. The numbers moved and we’re clicked past against a wire in the back. Therefore if the vehicle didn’t complete the distance it wod not complete the revolution.
Looks normal to me, I have owned older vehiciles
Odometers back then didn’t line up. It is harder than you think to turn back the clock. It still smells new, it has zero wear……..if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, guess what it is? Truth is stranger than fiction.
Yes growing up around used car lots you do not turn them back you roll them forward to what ever number you want. It was fun to watch when the pro’s were doing it.
This car is probably still under warranty. 12 Months or 12,000 miles.
There is usually a predetermined time period that the warranty clock starts running even if the unit isn’t sold. If I remember correctly when I worked at an Olds dealer it was 18 months after it’s invoiced to the dealer.
Yeah, it’s going to cost as much as it’s worth to get it in shape. It probably has gas in it, so everything that gasoline touchs will have to be cleaned or replaced. All of the rubber is going to be shot. There’s more than most people know about in there.
All of the seals are dried. The antifreeze is now solid.
Howard A,
What about a 12 foot Latvian?
Sorry, I have cabin fever trying to avoid the Covid19!
Wonder what something like this is worth
Not too much.
My parents had a ’76 Mercury Cougar same color and vinyl. Got 7 mpg, floated like a barge on the highway, and had zero visibility out the back. Needed the 460 ci to overcome the pollution garbage so it could get out of its own way. They sold it in 1986 for about $900.
You would think that Cougar with a 460 would be a stoplight terror.
Car doesn’t have anti locking brakes (abs) . They were not invented until the late 80s. I like the powder blue paint!
Anti-lock brake concept was first developed in the 1920’s, initially for aircraft application. Beginning in the late ’60s – early ’70s, several car manufacturers, including Ford, offered two-wheel and then four-wheel anti-lock systems on certain models. Similar to airbags, ABS was introduced earlier than often thought, but did not see wide application until the late ’80/early ’90s.
Afraid tou are misinformed. Sourced from Wikipedia as a “fully-mechanical system saw limited automobile use in the 1960s in the Ferguson P99 racing car, the Jensen FF, and the experimental all wheel drive Ford Zodiac, but saw no further use; the system proved expensive and unreliable.
The first fully-electronic anti-lock braking system was developed in the late-1960s for the Concorde aircraft.
The modern ABS system was invented by Mario Palazzetti (known as ‘Mister ABS’) in the Fiat Research Center and is now standard in every car. The system was called Antiskid and the patent was sold to Bosch who named it ABS.[9]
Modern systems Edit
A car with a sticker in the rear conveying about having ABS and EBD features.
Chrysler, together with the Bendix Corporation, introduced a computerized, three-channel, four-sensor all-wheel[10] ABS called “Sure Brake” for its 1971 Imperial.[11] It was available for several years thereafter, functioned as intended, and proved reliable. In 1969 1/2, Ford introduced an anti-lock braking system called “Sure-Track” to the rear wheels of the Lincoln Continental Mark III and Ford Thunderbird, as an option;[12] it became standard in 1971.[13] The Sure-Track braking system was designed with help from Kelsey-Hayes. In 1971, General Motors introduced the “Trackmaster” rear-wheel only[14] ABS as an option on their rear-wheel drive Cadillac models[15][16] and the Oldsmobile Toronado.[17] In the same year, Nissan offered an EAL (Electro Anti-lock System) developed by Japanese company Denso as an option on the Nissan President, which became Japan’s first electronic ABS.[18]
1971: Imperial became the first production car with a 4 wheel computer-operated anti-lock braking system. Toyota introduced electronically controlled anti-skid brakes on Toyota Crown.[19] In 1972, four-wheel-drive Triumph 2500 Estates were fitted with Mullard electronic systems as standard. Such cars were very rare however and very few survive today.
1971: First truck application: “Antislittamento” system developed by Fiat Veicoli Industriali and installed on Fiat truck model 691N1.[20]
1976: WABCO began the development of the anti-locking braking system on commercial vehicles to prevent locking on slippery roads, followed in 1986 by the electronic braking system (EBS) for heavy-duty vehicles.[21]
1978: Mercedes-Benz W116 As one of the firsts, used an electronic four-wheel multi-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) from Bosch as an option from 1978 on.”
While ABS became more sophisticated in the 1980s, the first modern ABS systems were introduced in 1969 (Ford) and 1971 (GM, Chrysler). None of the systems really caught on, and all three systems were dropped. When ABS came back a few years later, manufacturers acted like it was a brand-new thing.
I always thought of it as, a “BS” light. Piece of black tape took care of that issue,,,
1958 firebird III dream car may have been the 1st working car with antilock brakes.
http://vintagenewsdaily.com/firebird-iii-one-of-the-most-intriguing-and-influential-concept-cars-of-general-motors/
&
ck out that lobby! …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKOdux6Gjno
It’s cool that it was saved because statistically, nobody did. Like lots have said, though, except put it in a museum, what do you do with it? Now, a 40,000-mile, regularly maintained example? I’d cruse the heck out of that one.
There might be a buyer for this, if the price is reasonable. Say, a sixty year old who turned 16 in 1976 and lusted after this just as he started to drive. That is the only kind of buyer I see for this, or maybe a real rich guy who has wads of cash to burn and wants a compete T-Bird collection. The later is prob where it will go, but I would love to see a retiree or someone almost there who wanted one as a teenager get this. Get this, love and cherish this, and YES, DRIVE this. In a perfect world, this is the Hallmark kind of story we would have, but I am afraid in this time period, money talks, not sentiment. Question, why was this left in a dealer store area? That is really what I want to know. Some old dealer who died and it was forgotten? This story is one that needs investigating. I wish someone at this site would dig out some of these back stories, would make for some great reading.
14 year old speaking here. I’m looking for a car like this as a project/cruise around car. I like 1970s boats.
Good attitude young man!
Leo, if you like Ford Lincoln-Mercury cars from this time period, may I suggest that you look at cars starting in 1967 through 1972. Why I say to look at cars in these model years is because the size of these aircraft carriers started to increase around 1967 and they all had front and rear bumpers that followed the body contours. This all ended in 1973 because of a federal law that required the battering ram cow-catcher bumpers to meet the laws requirements. This site just so happens to have a 1972 Ford Thunderbird that is a one year only bumper design. It was the first design after the Bunkie Beak fiasco. Ford used this Thunderbird frame for the cars I am listing now, 1972-79 Thunderbird, 1974- 79 Mercury Cougar, 1973-79 Ford Torino/Gran Torino/Torino Elite, 1977-79 Ford LTD II, Lincoln Mark IV- V(the 1972 Mark IV is another great example of contour following vs. kneecapper bumper of the 1973 Mark VI. All these cars can have their front suspension replaced with the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria front suspension. This gives you a very well designed, modern front suspension that not only increases the cars handling, but gives you access to parts all over the country. No matter where you go. You will get a kick out of watching old Starsky & Hutch TV episodes, when you see the 1974 Torino turning a corner at speed and it scrapes it’s door handles on the payment.
Ok, you got me. I was 16 in 1976, worked at a gas station, and when a new one of these baby’s came in, I lusted after it. Even with all HP sucking smog equipment, it was still a 460, and around gas stations, we knew how to disconnect that smog crap and get one running much better. One day in 1976, a local CPA came in with a sweet white on white 1973 T-bird 429 coupe, which without as much smog equipment was a awesomely fast big car. The guy wanted $1,900, but I only had $1,100. My dad said he would not loan me money for any car that had a big-block. A friend of mine, aged 17, scrapped up the money and bought it. I remember feeling really envious, and somehow cheated out of my dream. He fitted Hooker headers and a big holly double pumper carburetor, and was hell on wheels. What a cool dude he was in that fine ride cruising around high School! A few months later, he missed an S curve turn doing about 125, rolled it end over end in a field and died at the scene. I’m 61 now and have had a decent life. Poor old Cody Stanley will always be 17, but that was all the life he got. RIP Cody.
By the way, having been in the car business most of my life, I predict it will cost about $5,000 to fix everything back to to perfect concourse running shape, then the car will sell at a
specialty auction for around $35,000. Only time will tell.
The funny thing is @William that there was probably a man looking late in the 1976 season for this Thunderbird and couldn’t find it. The dealership owner might have died at the end of the 1973-1975 U-shaped recession, or the dealership failed and it’s assets got tied up in a lawsuit. The car was more than likely paid off and that’s how it got stuck. It is obvious that no one gave a crap about it. So it sat. My question is:Is there any inventory left in the parts department?
I wonder if there are more ultra-low-mileage cars where this came from. You know, a Lambrecht Chevrolet or Winnie Hogg Dodge scenario.
ABS was available at the time. It was called Sure-track brake control. I own a ’75 Continental Mark IV which also has this option. If it has the sure track system then it also has 4 wheel discs.
I would love to have this gem great story.
I’ve got a better one for you. We camped at a lake in Sutton WVa for years when I was little. There is/was a Plymouth dealer there that had a field full of 30s and 40s cars. All were in sad shape from sitting for fourty years. They were trade ins his dad had that didn’t sell. He had a orange Superbird in the showroom and I begged my dad to stop (I was about eight at the time) but he just said it was ugly and drove on. (He is a GM man but I still love him) This went on until 1977 when i had a full time job after school so no more family vacations. I went back in 1981 when I was 18 (we live in Cleveland Ohio) and talked to the owner. He said he told Plymouth he didn’t want it as he would never be able to sell it but he had to take it. I think if he sold a 100 cars a year he was doing well. He said he would pull it out, vacuum the carpet and back it back in. Drove it around the block once in awhile and put a little gas in it. He sold it in 1980 (I am always a day late or a dollar short it) to someone in Ohio that “Pushed it into a enclosed trailer without even test driving it” he sold it for ” A thousand over sticker” with less than 120 miles on it. Lowest mileage Superbird I’ve ever heard of and he gave it away.
There’s work to be done, but with non humid storage and zero miles, it will be easier to resurrect than a car with say 100K miles that spent decades not being driven. Tires, battery, belts, fluids and brake calipers/cylinders would be a good start.
I have seen the downside of this scenario before. The buyer is a car guy but not a technician. Within the first 200 miles every gasket and seal starts leaking. Everything made of rubber breaks down and there’s not much you can do !
Nice story but not the best performance and so so body style.
I wish the best on sale.. but fare warning all bests, hoses,calipers, pumps, to carb are dry rotted or seals are gone.
So with much rebuilding, swapping and hopefully goos lick one could drove this baby as depreciation takes place with each mile.
I took in my moms 2004 Camry in 2015 with 12k after she passed and it was a constant replacement of parts due to it sat for just seven years. I put probably 18 thousand miles and let it go. I swapped all belts, hoses, tires, sensors, water pump, fuel filters , battery and alternator etc. then the constant circuit lights of emissions. I never knew what was next and i am very mechanical to repair. Thank you car max for the fair price and its bern two years and never missed.
I bought one of the VW diesel buy-backs that had been sitting for two years before it was “repaired” and sold at auction. I do my own repairs for the most part, but I finally gave up trying to keep it on the road. Same story with a used motorhome I bought. I knew it sat for a year, but it turned out to be three or more years. I got tired of spending time underneath it.
This summer I bought a 94 Dakota farm truck it sat a lot so far rack and pinion and fan clutch trying to find upper control arms i get i more thing fixed just to find something else and its 26 yrs old
I LOVE this! I don’t think I’d let it sit. Maybe a nice weekend summer cruise, but definitely not a daily. Still, I’d definitely drive it once in a while.
The reality is that every rubber part on this thing probably needs replaced. Brake lines, hoses, filters, bushings, etc. All new fluids, and a very thorough inspection to make sure everything that’s supposed to move still does. But once that’s ironed out, you have a car with a perfectly preserved body and a pristine interior. No worries about some hack job repairs or replacements that look okay on the surface but isn’t, no bondo or tacky mods. You might have to do some work tobmake it roadworthy, but at least the skin and bones are free of scars and fractures.
I have a1965 beetle that was stored inside for 38 years we did not have to replace all the rubber parts like alot of folks say. we did do the brake Cylinders pulled the plugs and put some oil in each. Changed the oil and pulled the Tapout covers and put oil on all the lifters ect. If you take your time and do proper prep before trying to start and run it there is very little cost to get it on the road. 1977 Olds Tornado stored inside for 20 years replaced by he belts, did the brakes went through the same Prestart process the only things we ended up changing were the brake Cylinders in the back and rebuilding the carb. One thing is you would have to get the AC changed over from R12 to R134 change the prongs on the compressor. Again before you start turning the darn thing put some compressor oil into the thing and let it sit before you start turning it.
With due respect, a VW is not a ’76 T-Bird. This car has miles of wires, and gadgets that don’t due well with sitting. Cars that sit a long time have some advantages, no wear on mechanical parts, but everything that has or had fluid will leak, and will drive the new owner nuts. If you get to the point of no leaks, it can be rewarding. I think it would be one thing after the next with these finds, and I just can’t do that anymore.
This car will be best saved as is it will only be original once, it will be a Conversation in a collection but really needs to remain just a static display as it’s been thru 5 decades.
I feel like I’m missing something. It looks kind of rough looking as it is dirty/sooty overall, especially the hood, it lacks wheel covers, and the whitewalls look discolored. Why would all of that be the case?
Sitting in some dank building for 44 years…
Wheel covers were usually in the back seat during initial shipping, That’s why the antenna was in the trunk..
I’d buy it if it was cheap enough, but I do my own work in my own shop. I’ve had a few vehicles that spent many years sitting and got them in shape to be daily drivers. It would take a bit but I know those old T birds are beautiful cars to drive.
One of my good fiends had the Cream and Gold edition 76 T-Bird and what a cruiser it was. Passed everything but a gas station. Car weighted 3 tons and needed every bit of that 460 motor to move hit down the road
Amazing the car was forgotten like this. I would guess you could get the engine running again without to much effort, carb, plugs put a little oil in the plug holes and turn it over. Then change fluids etc. What would worry me would be the long term gremlins that are going to be constantly showing up and each will need attention! Interesting but not for me.
Growing up in a Ford family I always liked the next version that they released. But for this year I actually thought Cougar was more appealing
So many complaints about what this car needs to be roadworthy…people fail to realize it seems excessive because the maintenance needs will have to be done simultaneously, creating a long list, not in large time increments over the years…examples like this are precious, absent of road rash, with seats and carpet like new, factory markings, original tires of the day, panel alignment, wire routing, brake linings, spark plugs, etc…it is like no other, and deserving of an owner with the intent of preserving this in it’s present condition..
This is a situation where I would love to hear from the new owner in about a year. Did he/she get it running and operating? If not, was it cleaned up just to continue life as a static display? If it is now running, what parts were changed? What gremlins came up? Was it worth the effort? What is he/she now doing with the car?
If the back story could be ascertained, I’d think the owner would enjoy telling it, even if the car remained on a trailer at the car show.
This car is a time capsule. A Ford dealer should buy it clean it up and put it on his showroom floor. A few years ago they found a 59 Plymouth that had 5 miles and everything that the factory did was still their, nothing touched.. As much as I like the idea of driving it, it is worth more the way it sits with 14 miles on it. As was said they are only original once. And a Ford dealer could replace everything at cost.
I visited LA for the first time in 1975 while on vacation from tworking on the Alaska Pipeline, went exploring, found a classic car dealer in Santa Monica that had a ’55 Dodge coupe (22 miles) and a ’53 Plymouth Savoy coupe (13 miles). Nice cars, I always wondered what happened to them. They were a bit more intriguing than this boat. The latter ’70s era of American cars kinda stunk IMO.
0 to ugly in 9.0 seconds.
What a piece.
This is an oddly equipped car for a T-Bird of that era — no speed control, no auto-temp air, no power passenger seat, possible vinyl instead of leather. Maybe a price leader for the newspaper ad? Possible retail order that never delivered? Lots of these were loaded to compete with the Lincoln Mark series cars. We sold these new and the wheel covers were shipped in the trunk in a plastic/cardboard bundle. I see the antenna in the delivery location in the trunk.
It could have been the AD car, which the sales force is not allowed to sell.
Another car that would present so much better with just a little TLC.
Just wash it and it would look so much better.
The good news here? As they car was never sold nor titled the warranty will actually start when the car is titled – two years, 24,000 mile!! The warranty plate will be in the glove compartment!!
1972s were still on the lot and the 1973s had been arriving when I started. 1975s were arriving when I left. I did a little bit of nearly everything, from new car prep, check in new cars off of the transporter, deliver and pick up dealer trades, maintain the showroom cars, etc. I left to go to work in a factory for more money. This T-Bird is pretty basic except for the sound system – last year of the big T-Birds too.
I remember a dealer trade that was more basic than this one – had an AM radio only – no other options that I recall. For 1977, T-Bird was based on the Ford Elite/Gran Torino.
That reminds me, I had a white ’76 Ford Elite wagon with a 400 V8 and the ubiquitous “woodgrain” trim, back in the late 80s. That thing couldn’t get out of its own way and drank gas like it had its own pipeline to Saudi Arabia. I only kept it a few months, because back then I couldn’t afford to drive it!
Terry R Melvin you should read up on the history of the 351 Cleveland and it’s sister the Ford 400/351M. Ford designed and built this engine family to replace the 360-390-427-428 FE engines. The Ford 351C/400 when properly built can put out well over 500 HP and diesel like torque. What kills me about this is that the pollution laws back then killed the performance of every engine built. I cannot count how many times someone wanted to give me a 351M/400 for free and I turned down everyone of them. I am a big dumbass!
(note: my copy/paste job above was lacking the first sentence.)
I worked for a Ford Dealer while in high school – split session.
1972s were still on the lot and the 1973s had been arriving when I started. 1975s were arriving when I left. I did a little bit of nearly everything, from new car prep, check in new cars off of the transporter, deliver and pick up dealer trades, maintain the showroom cars, etc. I left to go to work in a factory for more money. This T-Bird is pretty basic except for the sound system – last year of the big T-Birds too.
I remember a dealer trade that was more basic than this one – had an AM radio only – no other options that I recall. For 1977, T-Bird was based on the Ford Elite/Gran Torino.
Ok, I’m 53. All my friends know, leather plus 8 cylinder 1970 79 GM and Goes are my crack obsession.
I’d buy it, set aside 8 grand, replace seals and lines, pull the engine, tank and replace the exhaust.
Even small parts will have deteriorated.
So figure buy 15-20 thousand, repair refurbish 8- 15 thousand and I will retire, buy a mobile travel trailer and tow it across the continental United States.
I’d love to buy this car . I’ve always enjoyed big cars and had my share of them. It most likely will need some things replaced . But if the bidding doesn’t go to high it would be a decent buy.
I would give an arm and leg for car like this. I am a T-Bird lover from the first that rolled off the factory line up to late 90 models. From there I lost interest in them. But this one would be a gem to have in car collection.
one of my many Thunderbird’s was a baby blue ’75 that was very much like this one. It was a wonderful ride, but gas mileage was awful and it didn’t like starters. I replaced 5 starters in 1 year and that was enough for me. I didn’t buy another T-Bird until a ’81 “small bird”. It rode almost as good, was very stylish, 255 cu in V-8 and it got good mileage.
I wish barn finds would let us post photo’s of our old rides let they used to do.
Sure it’s great to find well preserved things but let’s be honest, this is just a well preserved bit of shameful automotive history. It was never a ‘good car’. Not new, not now. It’s a nostalgia boat.
It would be fun to play around with and drive on weekends. The replacement parts today may cause less headaches.
I guess you do not know car values the low is5K the high is 14K
you wont be able to drive it without rebuilding it mechanically so it needs cleaning and putting in a museum that way you don’t need to blow a load on it
These cars we’re turds, learned to drive in a 76,car is somewhere around 6000 pounds,has a detuned 460 with a ton of smog stuff on it,car would barely get out of its own way,ours was tan and brown,we sent it to the scrap yard with a little over 50,000 miles on the odometer.
I believe weight is 5000 lbs for this gen, but not sure if that’s for the’72 with not as heavy non 5mph bumpers & how much weight 5mph bumpers add. The wildly successful ’77 was 1000 lbs lighter! Not sure why – both it & the ’76 were full frame cars with 5mph bumpers.
& i would thinkj the ’77 with 302 would be slow as molasses too. & with biggest motor(400) would not be good on gas either.
Both the ’76 & ’77 should have similar pollution controls & resulting engine power reductions.
This car is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Period.There is one born every minute and butt for every seat. I am wondering if this car was found in an old dealership, what else was locked in there with it? N.O.S. New Old Stock from the 1970’s could mean a replacement engine or block. Heads cranks cams and pistons. Hood scoops! I bought my first 1970 Cougar Eliminator hood scoop in 1976 from a Ford dealer. The parts department from 1976 would be the BARN FIND and the gold mine of this story. Mr. Jim I love what you wrote about anti-lock brakes. I bet you can stop on a dime. This car like all the other never titled cars are milepost of American Industrial Archeology. Like the rotary dial telephone it is from a very different world. We are losing that world a little everyday. It makes me understand what all the old guys were groussing about when they spoke of the loss of the steam engine on the railroad.
A teenager in 1976 wanted a Camaro, a Firebird, a Mustang or Cougar. Maybe a Challenger, a Cuda, Torino Cobra, a Datsun 240Z, 260Z. The AMX, a black Trans Am. A Ford Falcon XA, XB, XC, 351-GT (actually the continuation of the 1970-71 US version of the Torino) from Australia, or a Holden Commodore. A VW bug a VW dune buggy or Jeep anything but an aircraft carrier Thunderbird. Hell here at home some kids would take an old roan horse over the disco mothership. I would turn this car into a predator. I would put a 2003 and up Crown Vic front suspension, true leather, heated and cooled bucket seats, a 6-speed trans. A video touch screen dash, a HUD and maybe even thrust levers. Big, big brakes and a blown 600+ cubic inch big block, with ice cold A/C. A very fast home away from home car. Just liberally apply cash.
I love the “what if” nature, the bench racing aspect of this site.