“We created this car for the few. The few discerning Americans who always loved Thunderbird’s looks, luxury and performance—but longed for 4 doors for easy entering and exiting,” wrote Ford’s marketing department about the company’s all-new 1967 Thunderbird. “So if you’re young enough to appreciate Thunderbird’s performance, and adult enough to enjoy the luxury, there’s just one decision left. Two doors? Or four? At last you can choose. And either way, your car is Thunderbird. Unique in all the world.”

Indeed it was unique. In fact, few automobiles wowed the public upon its release as did the fifth-generation Thunderbird. Here was an automobile with individual styling all its own, the likes of which had never been seen before—it was both luxurious and sleek; distinctive, yet practical. No wonder this Thunderbird caused a sensation.

When Ford introduced the four-seat “Squarebird” for the 1958 model year, everyone was shocked, yet it was exactly what the public wanted. Without question, Ford had its finger firmly on the pulse of American buying habits and desires, so they were quite confident that a Thunderbird with four doors would be a success. And they were right… again.

Yet, unlike previous years, the new four-door Thunderbird wasn’t the sole body style, rather it was a supplementary model created to help attract those buyers who needed, and preferred, four-door cars over two-doors; on the downside, this was the first year that no convertible Thunderbird was offered. Again, Ford was right. Some 77,956 Thunderbirds were sold that first year, with the luxury-looking Landau coupe being the most popular with 37,422 examples sold, yet the four-door Landau sedan attracted 24,967 buyers. This was a respectable production number, especially when compared to the now-iconic two-seat 1957 Thunderbird that sold only 21,380 units.

Interested buyers who walked into Ford showrooms, picked up the Thunderbird’s lavishly illustrated brochure, and read its persuasive words were convinced that this was the car they long dreamed of owning. “Now, an historic first four-door Thunderbird joins the classic two-door for 1967. Totally new, but more Thunderbird than ever. Enter Thunderbird’s Private World, where styles start and trends get set.”

Few American automobiles, before or since, have had that rare combination of luxurious classiness and striking sportiness in the same package, which the 1967 Thunderbird has in spades. Its signature form is as unique as any, with a profile that simply cannot be mistaken for any other car.

Its hallmark shape is long, slender and low, and quite aerodynamic looking for the period. And the way the rear-hinged back doors contain part of the wide C pillar helped intensify not only the car’s matchless style, but boosted its wow factor. Yes, the 1967 Thunderbird really did break new ground.

While its shape was novel, its underpinnings clearly were not. For the 1967 model year, Ford reverted back to a body on a separate frame, foregoing the Thunderbird’s unibody construction since the introduction of the 1958 model. The four-door models’ wheelbase, a lengthy 117 inches (2 inches longer than the two-door model), was strewn across a stout perimeter frame incorporating two large side rails that united with equally strong torque boxes front and rear. This essentially formed a one-piece chassis. And with extra stiffening ribs stamped into the floor pan, along with thick cross members made of heavy-gauge sheet metal, its stiff structure and coil-spring suspension empowered the Thunderbird with an incredibly smooth ride coupled with a reassuring, solid feel. And although its cornering ability isn’t that of a sports car, assisted by a front anti-roll bar and a lateral track bar in the rear, it isn’t the “Leaning Tower of Pisa” that other large American sedans of the period suffer from.

As luxurious as its exterior appears, the Thunderbird’s interior is even more lavish. The individual front seats with wraparound console, embroidered tufted upholstery, deep-pile carpeting and woodgrain accents on the doors and the instrument panel combine to indulge its occupants with a level of embracing luxury, the likes of which other cars in the Thunderbird’s category did not provide. Oh, and let’s not forget the Thunderbird’s unique impact-absorbing Tilt-Away steering wheel with its nine different driving positions. It adjusts up and down and automatically moves out of the way to ease exit from the cockpit. Absolutely brilliant! And when you factor in the optional six-way power-assist front seats, few cars of the period could provide drivers the opportunity to create such a personal driving position.

Another unique feature is the articulated windshield wiper system that virtually eliminates unwiped area, thus providing drivers with a broader span of visibility—they were offered with either two speeds or variable speeds—and, of course, the headlamps that retract at the flick of a switch. And to everyone’s delight, the Thunderbird’s now-signature sequential taillamps made a return engagement.

With a curb weight of around 4,590 lbs., a powerful engine was needed to get the Thunderbird moving, so Ford equipped it with a base V-8 engine of 390 cubic inches and a 10.5:1 compression ratio. It had a 3.78-inch-long connecting rod stroke that allowed it to produce 315 hp at 4,600 rpm along with a usable 427-b.-ft. of torque at a very desirable 2,800 rpm.

For buyers who desired more excitement every time they mashed the accelerator to the floor, there was a 428-cid big-block V-8 with a mighty 345 hp on the option list. Ford said it best: “… 428 cubic inches of engine that will power you right to Thunderbird Country. . . where exhilaration begins at dawn.” Regardless which engine buyers chose, all transmissions were Ford’s C-6 SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic automatic; this heavy-duty three-speed transmission handles upwards of 475 lbs. of torque!

In addition to its handsome styling and powerful drivetrain, the Thunderbird was desirable due to its long list of standard equipment. It included an illuminated ignition switch with “keyless” locking; center console with illuminated ashtray; power steering; power front disc brakes; electric clock; a map lamp; courtesy door lamps; AM radio; illuminated glovebox; a rear center folding armrest; a lined and illuminated trunk; full wheel covers; and underbody sound deadening.

If that wasn’t enough, there was a long list of options, many of which the feature car is outfitted with. They include black vinyl roof; the overhead Convenience Control Panel; white sidewall tires; power windows and driver’s seat; automatic trunk release; air conditioning; AM 8-track stereo; power antenna; and tinted glass. The options available were leather-and-vinyl upholstery; two-tone paint; limited-slip differential; heavy-duty battery; reclining passenger seat and headrest; shoulder harness; the SL interior trim package; and cruise control aptly named Highway Pilot Control.

A Thunderbird between father and son

This particular four-door Landau resides just north of Boston with Mark Hunter, its devoted long-time owner. The Thunderbird is equipped with the 390-cid four-barrel V-8 and dual exhaust, and out of the 20 different exterior colors that Ford offered, it’s one of only 570 painted Pebble Beige. And its special combination of black cloth-and-vinyl upholstery instead of the standard all-vinyl interior renders it one of only 59 Thunderbirds ordered this way.

“This Thunderbird has always been fun to drive,” Mark stated with a wide smile. “It is extremely heavy, but rides smooth and easy. It is not the best handling car at high speeds, but was not made for that. It corners cleanly, and being an older car, you have to drive it and plan ahead. With its 390-cid V-8, it’s very fast. It accelerates with plenty of power, and the feeling and sound of the engine is an experience that today’s youth may never experience or understand.”

Mark’s enthusiasm for his Thunderbird is clearly obvious by his unbridled passion when talking about it. He told us: “There are things that make this car stand out. First and foremost are the “suicide doors.” They are the attention getter, and what everyone who sees the car gravitates to. I completely understand that, and I love it, too! But for me, there is so much more to this car, and it’s the little things that add up and bring the entire package together. The black vinyl Landau roof with the shape and slope fits the car perfectly and helps bring out the doors. Then there’s the turquoise Thunderbird emblems, the hubcaps, the hidden headlamps and full-width taillamps. Although people are drawn to the four doors, after a closer look, they quickly appreciate all the smaller details that make this Thunderbird so unique.

“The interior is spectacular. The tilt and swing-away steering wheel, the gauges, stereo and vents all fit and blend in. The door handles are unique and always are commented on. The front bucket seats are comfortable, and the console in between them adds to the look. The back seat is big, soft and very comfortable. With the interior light package, this car lacks for nothing in the luxury department.”

Being the exceptional automobiles that they are, the 1967-’69 Thunderbirds offer a level of individuality rarely found in other cars, especially those built during the same period. Their owners are passionate about them and appreciate them with total devotion, not to mention just how affordable these cars are.

Even the car magazines of the day were smitten by the 1967 Thunderbird. A road test was conducted by Car Life magazine, and at the conclusion of the article it stated: “…the entire car is slicker, quieter, smoother and more comfortable than its predecessors. In truth, the 4-door Thunderbird seems more smallish limousine than overly-ample personal car.”

As for Mark, this car is a mobile memory machine.

“This Thunderbird is more than just a car; it’s memories, not only of good times, friends, adventures and driving, but also of a bond I shared with my dad, who loved this Thunderbird; I know he would be happy with how the car looks and rides now. Having been a part of my life since I was 10 years old, the great adventures and memories through the last 50 years with it are, to me, priceless.”

Author Richard Lentinello is the publisher of Crankshaft, a quarterly journal featuring a variety of collector vehicles. Learn more at www.crankshaftmagazine.com.

Love T-Birds? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

SHOW US YOUR WHEELS!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

The post Car of the Week: 1967 Ford Thunderbird 4-Door appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Dan Ritzinger is loving this “survivor” T-Bird. He filled us in on this sweet Ford…

“This ‘bird is a ‘survivor’ that we purchased in Hermitage, TN. It is originally a California car. We upgraded the starting circuitry to 12-volt, replaced the 6-volt generator with an alternator, upgraded the distributor to electronic-pointless, and made other dependability related upgrades. It has the 292 4-barrel Y-block engine and automatic transmission, and both hard top and convertible top.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old Cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1955 Ford Thunderbird (Survivor) appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

JoElla Mang has done this T-bird right. These cars are lovely tourers.

This is what JoElla had to say about this pristine offering from Ford…

“I purchased this Thunderbird in 1987 in Pittsburgh, Pa. This car is my pride and joy. It has 114,000 miles on it. It is two tone blue/silver. I have shown it in several car cruises locally.”

“It has had body work and a full paint job, the headliner was replaced. The transmission was repaired but not replaced. It has been garage kept ever since I bought it. It is a lovely touring car and I drive it year round once or twice a week. It never sees rain or snow.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old Cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1987 Ford Thunderbird LX appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Mike Mastalir is the proud owner of this stout ’59 T-Bird. Along with great looks this car was made to go fast back in 1959. 

Mike added some history behind the Thunderbird Specials as well…

“Lost through history, is the fact that the inaugural 1959 Daytona 500 was won by a 1959 Thunderbird, until overturned after a close review of the photo finish, that rewarded the win to Lee Petty. Over four inch’s lower than the competition, lightweight unit body construction, and short 113″ wheelbase was too much to handle for the competition. Nascar banned it for the aforementioned reasons. This one is one of 675 3:70 gear, 300 horse Thunderbird Specials that were produced 62 years ago, the car that made Holman and Moody famous.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old Cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1959 Ford Thunderbird Special appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Neil Flavin is the proud owner of this pretty bird. This ’67 Thunderbird Tudor is one of the finest around.

This is what Neil had to add on his prized Ford…

“I purchased this from the original family and continued to make it roadworthy. Not one you see every day. It has a unique, artistic design with a lot of history behind the look, especially with the front end. The “Glamour Birds” may not be the most popular ones out there, but they are beautiful classics.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old Cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1967 Ford Thunderbird Tudor appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

It’s a good thing Jim Thibodeau doesn’t believe in bad omens. His initial experience with his fabulous 1956 Ford Thunderbird didn’t go too well. By the time Thibodeaux got the car home to Neenah, Wis., back in 1980, he figured there was nowhere to go but up.

“I was looking for an early Thunderbird — a ’55, ’56 or ’57 — and I had an uncle living in South Carolina and he said, ‘I see a few every once in a while,’ recalled Thibodeau. “And he found one and he gave me a call and the lady said they’d sell it. It was sitting in a shed and I sent a check and bought it. I flew down and drove it back in March. I ran into a snowstorm in Chicago. The wiper blade flew off the car, the arm was scratching the windshield. I’m just cringing. It was leaking every fluid imaginable, it had sat so long: break fluid, transmission fluid, motor oil, antifreeze, everything. Every gas station I was filling everything up. But I finally made it home.”

More than 42 years later, the Colonial White baby ‘Bird is still the apple of Thibodeau’s eye. He’s had some other cars come and go over the years, but the classic ’56 has stayed in his garage. And it hasn’t seen a snowstorm since it arrived.

It’s doubtful Thibodeau will ever bring himself to part with the ’56. Not since he found out that he and the car were born on the same day.

“Nov. 4, 1955!” he says. “It was an early production ’56. It was built on my birthday. I don’t think anybody else in the country has got one that was built on their birthday!”

“Got the original sales invoice from Ford … It was sold originally in Fred Jones Ford Co. in Tulsa, Okla., and it worked its way up to Indiana and then South Carolina somehow. I couldn’t track all of the owners. It may have had 10 owners, you just don’t know. When I bought it it was silver, with a black interior and red carpet, and the data tag said it should be Colonial White, Peacock Blue interior. So I had it painted in 1981-82, right around in there, and I’ve been driving it ever since. I wanted to make it original. I like original. If it would be been an original silver car, I would have painted it silver.”

Back in 1992, Thibodeau actually had a chance to take the car back to its roots — Jones Ford in Tulsa. He joined a bunch of friends on a road trip to a Thunderbird meet there.

“We found an old salesman there, and he said, ‘Yeah, I might have sold it!’ It was cool to at least trace the history back that far. That was quite a road trip. It was summertime and it was really hot. It was a brutal drive! … It was fun once, but I wouldn’t do it again [laughs].”

YEAR 2: AN EVEN BETTER ‘BIRD

The standard continental tire kit on the tail was the most obvious new feature on the second-year Thunderbird. It was an option the year before, when the new T-Bird made one of the most anticipated debuts in the Ford product line in many years. A total of 16,155 cars were built for 1955, and that number actually dipped slightly, to 15,631, for 1956.

Cars built before Nov. 14, 1955 had their continental spare tires raised for added ground clearance. Later, Ford dealers had to recall these cars to change the height of the continental kits by 1 3/8 inches. The 1956 frame had to be modified for this feature, since the original 1955 frame couldn’t tolerate the “cantilever” effect of the heavy continental kit at the extreme rear of the vehicle.

Other changes included the gas filler door losing the checkered flag emblem used to dress it up in 1955. Slight modifications were also made to the Thunderbird’s tail lights. Though still large and circular, the rear red lenses had a wider center protrusion with more elaborate chrome trim. The arch-shaped area above the round red lens was also restyled. A small, circular reflector was added to the chrome molding right at the top of the arch. Back-up lamps could again be ordered in place of the metal filler plate. Offered again was the same fiberglass hardtop used in 1955. A new version with “port” windows in its side panels was also available for 1956.

The hardtop in matching body color (with or without port windows) was optional at no extra cost. Having the top finished in a contrasting color did cost extra, though. Some Ford dealers added the porthole windows to the standard-style hardtop when buyers found their Thunderbirds claustrophobic or complained about blind spots. The hardtop version carried a base price of $3,158, while the convertible was priced at $3,233.

The 1956 Thunderbird’s interior door panels had new “stitching” embossments molded into the seams in the vinyl. The patterning on the seats, supplied by McInerney Spring & Wire Company, was also changed. In 1955, the vertically ribbed insert sections of the seats were separate from each other. The 1956 design brought the ribs across the center of the backrest. They ran nearly the full width of the seat back and gave the visual impression that the seat had been widened.

Standard equipment included the 292-cid Y-block V-8 engine rated at 202 hp; 12-volt electrical system; dual exhausts; three-speed manual transmission; dual horns; half-circle steering wheel horn ring; and glass-fiber hardtop. The option list included a four-way power seat; power brakes; power steering; power windows; overdrive; wide sidewall tires; radio; heater; wire wheel covers; and fender skirts. Three optional engines were also available: 215- and 225-hp versions of the 312-cid Thunderbird Special V-8, and a 260-hp version with dual quads.

66 YEARS YOUNG

Thibodeau knew he wanted to get his ’56 looking and running like new again as soon as he got it home, and luckily for him an accomplished Thunderbird restorer, Jewel Meetz, lived nearby. Meetz took care of the paint and bodywork, and Thibodeau handled a good share of the remaining work himself. 

“I just wanted a nice paint job. I was going to do the interior myself. I didn’t do a frame-off restoration because I wanted to drive the car. So I detailed out the engine compartment, put a new interior in myself, put a new convertible top, and that’s about it. I haven’t done much else since. I put new tires on it and it’s been a fun car!… I went to a lot of junkyards over the years before you could buy everything online. Yeah, lots of fun.”

“The white Thunderbird carries the 312 V-8 with an automatic transmission. It’s got power steering, power windows and power seats. It’s got the Town & Country radio and the original dash, and that all works,” he says.“Under the hood it’s got the dress-up kit, with aluminum valve covers, chrome air cleaner cover and the chrome oil filler cap. It’s got just about everything but power brakes.”

Thibodeaux said one the biggest decisions he faced with the car was what to do about the top. It arrived with a non-porthole hardtop, but not a folding soft top. Through an unusual swap, the ‘Bird now has a folding top and the hardtop has gone down the road.

“It had the non-porthole hardtop when I bought it and I had to do some research to find the convertible top bones, and I wound up paying $1,000 for just the frame,” he says. “Then I had to restore the frame, put weather stripping and the canvas on it. So then the hardtop just sat in my basement, and I really wanted a hot tub, and I knew a guy that sold hot tubs, and I said, ‘You want to trade a hot tub from this hardtop I never use?’ So he got the hardtop and I got the hot tub. … If it had been a porthole hardtop, I would have kept it.”

The ’56 looks and performs so well these days, Thibodeau says there isn’t much left for him to do the car, other than wash and wax it. He had electronic points and a new cooling fan blade installed to help with everyday driving a few years back.

 “And I put the steel-belted radials on it, which is a big improvement,” he adds.

He admits that his biggest goal with the ’56 these days is just getting it on the road more often.

“I don’t drive it enough … Probably five or six times a year. Everybody likes seeing it, it’s so unique,” he says. “Except a lot of young people, they see it and the first thing they say is ‘Is that a Corvette?’ They are just not in touch with old cars.”

“But it runs great now. It’s running better now than it ever has in the 40 years I’ve had it, which is amazing.”

SHOW US YOUR WHEELS!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Car of the Week: 1956 Ford Thunderbird convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Old Cars’ Brian Earnest was lucky enough to stumble upon this 1956 Ford Thunderbird convertible at the 2022 Iola Car Show.

Check out the video below

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Have you ever wondered what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars has you covered with the Old Cars Report Price Guide. We are your source for unbiased and real-world pricing. Subscribe today and find out what your car is really worth! CLICK HERE to subscribe.

The post Old Cars Out and About: 1956 Ford Thunderbird convertible appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

The post 1956 Ford Thunderbird Iola 2022 appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Surveying the impact of the 1958-1960 Thunderbird

The design had to be changed — no question about it. But with that change would come a shift in the direction of the Thunderbird concept.

It was early in 1956 when corporate thinkers at Ford Motor Co. began to press their ideas into practical form for the next generation of Thunderbird. The 1955 version was a sporty, personal car all the way around, but in an American manner. It was not meant to navigate the narrow streets and roads of Europe, nor was it intended to climb mountains. It could do those things, of course, but the car was designed with American roads and driving patterns in mind. It handled more like an American passenger car and not like a European sports car. Its suspension was American, its appearance was American and its drivers would be (mainly) American.

But there was one hugely significant drawback in the minds of select Ford thinkers. The car was impractical since it was intended for driver and one passenger. This limited sales and eliminated most families in search of a vehicle that could carry their bunch on vacations, short trips to grandma and grandpa, to school, to church and beyond. Ford relied on repeat business, and that meant families growing with Ford ownership would instill future Ford sales upon youthful minds. So it was an important focus for the company.

Granted, Ford had made convertible coupes, even with rumble seats, in its early days. But as the late 1950s and early 1960s loomed, that styling was passé. Ford’s meat-and-potato trade was based on family transport for the masses. A sports car motif was very limited amid that scope. It was possibly realistic if a second car was opted by families, even if that meant the kids had to stay home while Mom and Pop rekindled their youth in the small T-Bird.

This type of thinking was wishful more than accurate, so Ford targeted the personal luxury theme of the first-generation T-Bird, and made it available to more. More passengers, and more buyers. In doing so, it created the mold for a new personal luxury car category.

The second generation of the Thunderbird was to be hatched in the new Wixom, Mich., plant, slated for initial operation on April 15 of 1957. Also issuing from the plant was to be the Lincoln line. The T-Bird would be in prestigious company as production was planned.

The Thunderbird for 1958 was redesigned in concept to be a four-passenger vehicle with front bucket seats split by a console, and individual seating positions for the rear seat passengers. Granted, the new Thunderbird also carried sporty exterior lines that set it apart from other Ford products of the era. In contrast to the first-generation Thunderbird design, its features were bolder, larger and deeply sculpted in metal. Single headlamps became duals while the frontal appearance still echoed the first generation T-Bird. Gone was the rounded and removable hardtop of the 1955-1957 design. In its place was a fixed, square-topped coupe that made the car look like a two-passenger car at a quick glance. The car was also to be offered as a convertible. The Thunderbird’s wheelbase was stretched to 113 inches, nearly a foot longer than its original 102-inch span. Construction for the 1958 was unit-body form, a trendy move engulfing the thinking of American car companies at that time.

The 1958 model started its production run on January 13 of that year. First came the coupe. The convertible began its run on April 15. The cars were available at dealerships in June, which made it considerably late to buy a 1958 model given the fact that more than half of that model year had passed!

What was standard on that 1958 Thunderbird was a large, big-block eight of 352 cubic inches. The Lincoln version — with 430 cubic inches — was in store for the 1959 Thunderbird. The 1958 version cushioned riders with rear coil spring suspension, which was expected to be part of an air suspension system that never came to pass. For 1959, Thunderbird made a shift to rear leaf springs as the air idea dissipated.

Since production stood at more than 16,000 units for 1955, slipped several hundred for 1956, but rebounded to more than 21,000 for 1957, officials hoped the 1958 version would set the pace for an increase in future Thunderbird demand.

It did. Production of the 1958 coupe vindicated the larger-car version with more than 35,700 seeing production, and the companion convertible contributed more than 2,100 additional sales. The next year, 1959, saw a jump to more than 57,000 coupes and a whopping 10,200 convertibles. For 1960, the hardtop coupe nearly reached 78,500 units while its convertible variation was a hair less than 12,000. The 1960 version carried the sunroof option, which is appreciated by collectors today.

As with any type of car, there are challenges for collectors. The Thunderbirds of 1958-1960 were rigidly constructed. Ample welds in body construction and careful attention to production at the new assembly plant at Wixom resulted in prideful results. What was not foreseen was how dings could beome highly pronounced on the sculpted sides. Of course, dirt and salt and the adverse results of moisture were particularly harmful to the T-Bird’s unibody. Like other cars of the era, there were the typical pot metal issues, but as time passed, T-Birds could become plagued with weak suspension problems that can be expected for cars well over half a century old.

So, how did the first owners of 1955-1957 Thunderbirds accept the four-passenger version?

The inclination was to hold their early model. After all, many Ford owners had this in mind when they bought a new car. They generally planned to keep it between five to seven years. But when they wanted a successor, it was a roll of the dice as to which car company or model would be the successor to their dreams. Gone was the two-person car in the Ford line. Yet, the four-person Thunderbird would be available, if the buyer made the shift to this concept of a larger personal car.

This mandated a shift in the initial owner’s motoring desires. If early T-Bird owners made the jump to the four-passenger version, they realized more power, greater luxury and significantly more space. Though not as ample in space and luxury as Lincoln models, the four-seat T-Bird was a step upward for the Thunderbird name. Yet, the car retained the aura of a winner by name and lineage.

Overall demand among collectors has varied. The first-generation Thunderbirds retain high demand, as one might expect from the initial run of a hot new model, and the rarity of sportier two-passenger cars from American manufacturers. “Firsts” always account for something in value. The 1958-1960 T-Bird offerings lagged for years in collector demand and were, for a time, the target of negativism, much as the high-finned Cadillac of 1959 was seen by too many as a gaudy blunder. Not true for either today! The swirls of demand in the car industry for uniqueness and personal expression had deemed the second-generation Thunderbird and the high-finned Cadillac as cult cars. This they are, in all truth, since they reflect the era in which they were made — when bigger was better, stronger was demanded and luxury sold cars as a third feature.

Practicality leads a good number of collectors toward the four-passenger, second-generation T-Birds. They offer good quality, much more reasonable prices in comparison to the first-generation models and fine roadability for tours.

Collector circles today call the 1958-1960 version the “Square ’Birds.” In a totally honest description of the impact of the models, they may be called the “foursquare version” which, by application of the term’s meaning, stood for firm, and unwavering conviction, forthright in the aim for success in pleasing owners.

SHOW US YOUR WHEELS!

If you’ve got an old car you love, we want to hear about it. Email us at oldcars@aimmedia.com

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Have you ever wondered what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars has you covered with the Old Cars Report Price Guide. We are your source for unbiased and real-world pricing. Subscribe today and find out what your car is really worth! CLICK HERE to subscribe.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old Cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Car of the Week: 1958-1960 Ford Thunderbirds appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Dan Gordon did some sweet wheelin’ & dealin’ and came home with this amazing ’63 T-Bird. I’ll let Dan tell you the story…

“I got the car in 2013. I had a 1947 Ford Super Deluxe that I had restored and was interested in moving up to something a little more friendly at highway speeds. I was at the “Back to the Fifties” event in St Paul, MN and advertised on the window of the ’47 for sale or trade for a 1963 T-bird. A gentleman from Iowa had one for sale and was willing to trade for my ’47. I knew the ’63 had some issues after test driving, but thought they were within my mechanical abilities. Since purchasing the car I have replaced the entire brake system, fixed many electrical issues with the horn, radio, fuel gauge, lights and power windows and rebuilt the carb a few times. The car does well at freeway speeds. With the pandemic winding down, I am hoping to get back to going to more car shows.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Have you ever wondered what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars has you covered with the Old Cars Report Price Guide. We are your source for unbiased and real-world pricing. Subscribe today and find out what your car is really worth! CLICK HERE to subscribe.

*As an Amazon Associate, Old Cars earns from qualifying purchases.

The post Old Cars Reader Wheels: 1963 Ford Thunderbird appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.