The TV commercial for the new 1977 Thunderbird said it was cleared for take off with a new look, price, and size. To be honest, the 1977 Thunderbird was not totally new. It used a platform dating back to the 1972 Ford Torino. Had Ford decided to continue the larger Thunderbird on the same platform as the Continental Mark V, this car would have been the 1977 Ford Elite, with some Thunderbird styling cues such as the grille, concealed headlights, and full-width taillights. This 1977 Ford Thunderbird is for sale here on eBay in Troutdale, Oregon.
Ford made another wise marketing move with this body style by calling it the Thunderbird, a name that had magic. They lowered its price significantly by putting some previously standard items on the options list. This also made it more competitive with cars like Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, and Cordoba. Sales soared with the three-year generation from 1977-1979 selling nearly a million cars, Thunderbird’s best sales ever for any generation. From this profile, the Thunderbird was reminiscent of the 1955-1956 Ford Crown Victoria with its wrap-over roof line. It shared this body with the Cougar XR-7 (as well as LTD II and regular Cougar models) but used large rear side glasses with an opera window on the B-post.
The interior is where the restyled Thunderbird cut a few corners. It used the same basic instrument panel design that had been used since 1972, with the upper paneling slanting back instead of toward the driver. But as far as seating goes, this model has the nice optional interior decor group which provided split bench seats very similar to the previous Thunderbird generation’s standard seats. They appear to be in excellent condition even in the white vinyl color.
This car is loaded with options. They include interior and exterior decor groups, tilt wheel, cruise control, power windows, seat, door locks and a rare option, power sunroof (Thunderbird additionally offered a T-top option in mid-1978 to 1979). Another thing included is air conditioning and unlike a lot of cars of this era we see advertised, the air actually works. This is a very striking color combination for exterior and interior, red and white.
Another desirable option this car has is the 400 cubic inch V-8, while most of this era’s Thunderbirds had either a 302 or 351 cubic inch engine. The car has a reasonably low 78,000 miles. There are no leaks, no rust, and basically no obvious flaws on this car. It has been stored in a heated garage with a cover.
I’m a little biased when it comes to this generation Thunderbird because I have owned one new, had one about 15 years ago, and now own my third. Is it time for you to take flight in a Thunderbird from this generation?
Bought one of these from a friend a few years ago. Straight body,long term storage,got it up and running with a little effort. Rag joint in steering column was out, that requires more than a little effort. Not the looker this one is as it is cream color with brown accents,interior.He needed it moved and I liked the bucket seats, floor shift,price was right also so it’s now in inventory.
Carl, me, and Carl’s T-Bird
For me, that cream and brown colour combination is a classic choice on this era Tbird… very sharp @KSwheatfarmer.
I had the middle year of this generation, a ’78.
Not as well-optioned as the featured one but not altogether base model either.
A/C, pw / pl, tilt, cruise, split bench front seat.
By the time it came to be mine the 351m in it had been warmed up some with a mild rv cam, an Edelbrock intake and 4bbl, and twice pipes got plumbed out the rear. Riding on bone-stock suspension bits it certainly did not handle well but it was a fun drive all the same and was more than comfortable enough to road trip in.
One of my clearest memories of that old girl was the OEM, R-12 chilled Air Con blew ignorantly cold, even through the worst of a Louisiana summer.
Fun fact:
The 77 and 78 were virtually identical in regards to exterior cosmetics.
In 79 the only really noticeable change was the reverse lights getting moved between the brake lights under the trunk lock versus above the brake lights on either side on the 77-8.
I’m not normally a fan of red on a luxury car… but it looks very sharp with the white on this Tbird. Beautiful car, wow – I’d love to own one as nice.
Starsky And hutch red
Actually, this is the Ford rendition of Lincoln’s “Lipstick decor group” option on the Mark IV’s `76-`77. If you saw it in real life, it has a slight ‘fuscia’ to the red, like your wife’s lipstick would have. It’s my all-time favorite decor group FoMoCo offered. You could get it reversed, with red over white too. This one has the rare optional ‘moonroof’ glass panel that not many ordered, as it was a $1400. option at the time. (Ford pioneered the glass sunroof, and everyone else just jumped on the bandwagon offering their own.)
Wow. That is really… red. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another one that was… red. Still… really cool to see one that well preserved. Very nice car. My sister had an LTD II, a ’78 if I remember correctly, in black with white wagon wheels. Always liked the proportions of these cars.
What a gorgeous car with rare options, I hope it finds a good home!!!!! I’ve never seen one of these with all these options.
The Town Landau, 78 Diamond Jubilee and 79 Heritage were really off the charts in luxury at the time. These cars were the epitome of luxury in the late seventies. Love that generation of Thunderbird. Now the 80, 81, and 82 is another story all together. Thank God Ford fixed all of that in 1983, and then screwed up again in 87, 88.
Great find and write up Bill. I’ve always had a passion for these Birds. (77-79) Had a 79 Landau myself. But through the 70s the motor companies put these tone on tone interiors together and my God. The colors just popped.
White seats, White door panels, Red carpet and dash, Red seatbelts. My next inventory addition is going to be the 78 Diamond Jubilee Thunderbird. You think this car is nice…..Google search the 78 Thunderbird Diamond Jubilee edition.
These were sweet but the only flaw was it liked stopping to visit gas stations…
Lipstick Red was the color code. Let that sink in for a moment…someone at Ford marketing thought that was the way to go.
I will never ever forget that, Lipstick Red
I see nothing wrong with this car at all.
These and the GM colonnade cars were the best ones of the 70s IMO. The 1980 to 82 Birds were pretty pitiful.
You’re right. Plastibirds.
I was never a fan of these cars but judging from the above comments it would pay to “ask the man who owns one” about them. This example is very pretty in its color scheme.
Each generation of cars has its stars and lucky enough for us they’ve continued to evolve and become better and better.
Sort of like America which, despite the rantings of a certain narcissistic churl, has always been great and continues to evolve and become greater and greater.
Very nicely stated, ccrvtt.
Fine Thunderbird, wouldn’t have to worry about losing that in a parking lot! Heck, you would be lucky to find a spot big enough for it!!!!!!! NICE nice automobile!!!
As for that “certain narcissistic churl”, America HAS made a turn for the better!!!!!!!! Since the comment section is NOT supposed to have political connotations, I will finish with “I hope you are able to pull your head out of the sand and honestly assess the Positives that the “certain narcissistic churl” has brought about”!!!!!!!!!
Had a school friend who was seriously looking at a new dark blue over tan. At least this one doesn’t have the luggage straps on the trunk…
Had a girlfriend back in the early ’80s who loved ’77-’79 T-birds and Cougars. Found a nice looking grey Cougar at a local dealership….took it for a test drive….not impressed. Bought a ’77 Monte Carlo instead and it was a nice car. Old girlfriend and old Monte both gone for years now .
Which would you rather have back, bob?
I should have mentioned that I do miss the old Monte , girlfriend not so much .
Parents had a brand new 1977 Mercury Cougar XR-7. Loved that car and I took my drivers test in it. Also my school had a brand new 1977 Monte Carlo Landau that I used to drive in my driving portion of drivers sd. These cars were so much alike and yet so different. Both great in their own way.
My first car was a tan on blue 78 t-bird, had just about every option except the moonroof, good times. Got t-boned at an intersection and never the same after that. Still miss that car
First off… Ford guy here.
Not a “hater” and I’ve noticed more than a few likers…
But
This generation of Thunderbird/ Ranchero has always made me think of how streamlined a GM locomotive is in comparison.
GM and Chrysler seemed to not have had this design ‘problem’ when attempting to hide the 5 mph bumpers never mind the vertical upright grille and headlamps.
Maybe Ford was thinking ahead about a 50 mph bumper?
Actually, I kind of the like the battering ram bumpers. New cars now, nudge something at 2 MPH and $2,500 damage.
This same car less sunroof with lower miles and a 351 is available from a classic car dealer in the greater Kansas City area for $5900. My mom had one dark blue 77 with the orange/brownish top and interior. Always was amazed how big the car was compared to the small interior. She went more extreme on her next car a 79 Mark V. Light yellow paint, half top, and leather interior. Those were the days
I now own my fathers ’74 ‘cool royal blue’ Thunderbird. Das Boot A few issues, however it is an automobile that gets it’s share of looks. Just occurred to me that I’m almost as old as the year this car was manufactured…the car looks better !! Cheers for this good site/forum BF !!
I had a navy blue 1979 T-Bird. 351 V8. It had the Sport Instrument Package; it was cool to cruise at 60 MPH with the tach hovering around 1,200 RPM. Wish I had kept that car.
Nice car. Can’t understand why the bidding is only at $4,501.00… This should have sold by now. It is no longer a project car. Is there some sort of curse on it? I don’t see one.
It’s a very nice, clean example of the ‘Disco Era’ cars but…
Most Ford collectors aren’t into the styling.
I own four vintage Fords but they all have small bumpers..
Just sayin….
another 401k or college fund car. sad…
At the time in the late 1970s, I was a parking lot jocky. This car was like parking a Ocean Liner boat. Was not easy to park in tight areas.
i had a white one same year was a plain jane had a 351 w in it great car awesome cruiser