By the time the third-generation Thunderbird hit the showrooms in late 1960, it still owned the personal luxury car market. Some say the Studebaker Hawk was in that category, but not really (less than 4,000 1961 Hawks were sold… more»
Thunderbird
• For Sale • 7 Comments
Recently Painted: 1966 Ford Thunderbird Town Landau
Despite their image, four-seat Thunderbird hardtops are not expensive collector cars, so it makes little sense to buy a rough one (not all of us make sense, however, thank goodness). According to the seller, this 1966 Town Landau has… more»
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2002 Ford Thunderbird With Only 29K Miles
While Ford’s Thunderbird, notably the Baby Bird (’55-’57) and those from the mid-sixties, grace Barn Finds web pages with regularity, the the eleventh generation (’02-’05) is seldom seen. As a matter of fact, I could only find one example… more»
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72k Miles: 1981 Ford Thunderbird Town Landau
The early 1980s was a soul-searching time in Detroit, the unchecked autonomy of their golden age having been interrupted by the Clean Air Act, Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, and five-mile-per-hour bumpers. It’s possible that the perfect metaphor for… more»
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40k Miles? 1965 Ford Thunderbird
The 1965 Thunderbird was on the second year of its then-traditional three-year styling cycle, but Ford made a worthwhile improvement or two to keep it fresh: the first was standard power disc brakes and the second was a set… more»
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Show Quality: 1957 Ford Thunderbird
We are no strangers to sellers making bold claims at Barn Finds, and the merits of each must be assessed to determine whether they are justified. This 1957 Ford Thunderbird is a perfect example of that philosophy. Its presentation… more»
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Good News, Bad News: 1957 Ford Thunderbird
I don’t know if it’s true anymore, but at one time the 1957 T-Bird was a candidate for America’s collector car Mt. Rushmore, if there were such a thing. The Baby Bird is still a hot commodity, although values… more»
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56k-Mile Bullet Bird: 1961 Ford Thunderbird
Each generation of the Ford Thunderbird has been given a nickname that capsules its appeal. For example, the original 1955-57 models are called the “Classic Birds” while their successors from 1958 to 1960 are referred to as “Square Birds”…. more»
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Fresh Paint: 1964 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
While Ford created the Personal Luxury Car market segment with the Thunderbird, it faced strong opposition from the Buick Riviera and Pontiac Grand Prix during the early 1960s which eroded sales. However, the introduction of a new model in… more»
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Emberglo Project: 1966 Ford Thunderbird
One of my favorite Thunderbirds is the 1965 Special Landau, which wore Ford’s new “Emberglo” paint. Emberglo was clearly a ripoff of Chrysler’s “Turbine Bronze,” but Ford must have felt that Chrysler had one coming; after all, the Turbine… more»
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Restoration Redo Project: 1960 Ford Thunderbird
Purists were upset when Ford changed the concept of the 1955-57 Thunderbird from a 2-seater to a 4-seater in the personal luxury car market. That set the stage for a plethora of competitors to come forward in the 1960s… more»
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Great Resto Start? 1963 Ford Thunderbird
For years, Ford’s luxury coupe, the Thunderbird, garnered respect merely by mention of its name. By the time this 1963 subject came along, the T-bird was ending its third generation and the evolution from its original two-seater configuration was… more»
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1 of 5: 1967 Ford Thunderbird “Apollo”
From its conception in 1955, the Ford Thunderbird was a personal luxury car that had a long run in dealer showrooms. It shed its 2-seat configuration in 1958 and would carry at least four passengers in the future (until… more»
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Running Project: 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Even though the Ford Thunderbird started out in the mid-fifties as a sporty two-seater, it quickly grew to accommodate additional passengers and became billed as a personal luxury car. After ten successful generations followed by a five-year absence from… more»
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No Reserve: 1957 Ford Thunderbird
I always welcome a candid approach from sellers, because it provides potential buyers with a clear picture of the challenges they may face with a restoration project. Such is the case with this 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Its mechanical health… more»
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302-Powered Kit: 1957 Ford Thunderbird
The 1955-57 Ford Thunderbird was a more successful 2-seat automobile than the 1953-55 Chevrolet Corvette. But they had different target markets and the Ford handily outsold the Chevy. At first glance, you’d think this beauty is a real 1957… more»
