Ford Thunderbird

Ford Thunderbird (1955-1957)

Ford Thunderbird
Production period:	1955-1997 2002-2005
Class :	Sports car
Body versions :	Coupé , roadster

The Ford Thunderbird was a sporty-oriented car model offered by the US car manufacturer Ford from 1955 to 1997 and again from 2002 to 2005 .

The car, known for short as the T-Bird , is one of the classics of American automotive engineering. It symbolizes the 1950s and 1960s in the United States . The name “Thunderbird” (English: “Thunderbird”) stands for one of the longest consistently used product names in automotive and industrial history, comparable to Corvette or Mustang .

history

Hard top with porthole on the '57 Thunderbird

In the beginning, the Thunderbird (1955–1957) was still a pure sporty two-seater and was placed as a competitor to the Chevrolet Corvette . The V8 engine that the Corvette only got later spoke in favor of the Thunderbird.

The later models (1958–1969) had the characteristic angular shape of the mid-1960s. The engine output grew from around 150 to over 300 hp, and the four-seater vehicles were significantly larger than the original model.

From 1968 to 1971 the Thunderbird was also available as a four-door version, with the rear doors opening in opposite directions - suicide doors like the Lincoln Continental from 1961–1970. At this point at the latest, the vehicles were officially available as a maximum of six seats. But there were also five-seater combinations with three front and two rear seats. At least for the vehicles from 1967–1971, it is true that they performed better than the competition from GM and Chrysler in terms of driving behavior and consumption .

In the 1980s and 1990s, however, the car lost more and more of its "face" and significance. Size and performance remained good in relation to other vehicles, but no longer had a technical advantage as in previous years. The engines in the 1980s were R4 turbo engines as well as V6 and V8 engines. There were supercharged V6, V8 and V6 engines through the late 1980s and 1990s.

Despite the changing consumer behavior, which brought SUVs and pickups on the rise, the Thunderbird had good sales figures until the 1990s. At the same time, personal luxury cars became less and less important.

With the last edition, which was produced from model year 2002 to the end of 2005, a reminiscence of the original version of this car was created, which is one of the most legendary automobiles in the world.

Thunderbird generations by model year

"Classic Birds" (1955–1957)

Ford Thunderbird, 1957

Ford Thunderbird Roadster

The original and now iconic Thunderbird two-seater was planned by Ford as an alternative to European sports cars, namely the Jaguar XK 140 . The hardtop of the 57 model became famous with its round porthole windows on the side .

The Thunderbird was powered by a newly designed V8 engine with a displacement of 4.8 liters (292 cui) which, with its four-way carburetor, developed 193  SAE hp (142 kW). A three-speed gearbox took over the power transmission as standard; A four-speed overdrive gearbox and a Ford-O-Matic automatic were available at extra cost.

In 1956 the Thunderbird was slightly redesigned. Features were the external spare wheel at the rear, wind deflectors on the A-pillars and ventilation slots on the front fenders. The 4.8 liter was now specified with 200 to 202 SAE PS, new was a "Thunderbird Special" V8 with 5.1 liters (312 cui), which made 215 with automatic 225 SAE PS.

The 1957 model got a major facelift with more accentuated tail fins and a one-piece bumper / grille combination at the front; the spare wheel was back in the trunk. The 4.8-liter was given with 212, the 5.1-liter with 245 SAE PS; In addition, a compressor variant of this machine was added to the range that produced 300 SAE PS.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1955	16,155	2944
1956	15,631	3151
1957	21,380	3408

"Square Birds" (1958-1960)

Ford Thunderbird, 1959

With the larger, four-seat Thunderbird, Ford created the class of Personal Luxury Cars .

From model year 1958, the Thunderbird was no longer a sports two-seater, but a comfortable, large four to five-seater, which was offered as a coupé and a convertible. The new coupé made its debut in January 1958 and the convertible in June 1958; the models were a good 40 centimeters longer and almost 500 kilograms heavier than their predecessors.

The 1.7-ton car was powered by a new 5.8-liter V8 (352 cui) that had a quadruple carburetor with 221 kW (300 SAE PS).

The 1959 models received only minor visual changes and a seven-liter V8 (430 cui), available on request and only with automatic transmission, which came from the sister brand Lincoln and developed 257 kW (350 SAE-PS).

For the 1960 model year, only details such as the radiator grille and chrome strips were changed. A sunroof was now available for the coupé at an additional cost, which 2,536 cars received.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1958	Coupé: 35,758 Convertible: 2134	Coupé: 3630 Convertible: 3914
1959	Coupé: 57,195 Convertible: 10,261	Coupé: 3696 Convertible: 3979
1960	Coupé: 80,938 Convertible: 11,860	Coupé: 3755 Convertible: 4222

"Bullet Birds" (1961–1963)

Ford Thunderbird, 1962

The Thunderbird received a new body in a rounded design for 1961, which was slightly heavier than that of the previous models. From this model year, automatic transmission, power steering and brake booster were standard equipment on all Thunderbirds. The V8 was enlarged to 6.4 liters (390 cui) and made 300, in the more highly compressed "Special" version 375 and equipped with three double carburetors instead of one quadruple carburetor 401 SAE-PS.

In 1962, the basic V8 was supplemented by a 340 SAE hp variant with three double carburetors. The Thunderbird Landau Coupé with a standard vinyl roof was also new, and the convertible was joined by the open Sport Roadster with a fiberglass cover over the rear seat area and real wire wheels.

In 1963 the 6.4 liter was available with 300, 330 or 340 SAE PS. The Sport Roadster experienced its second and final year.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1961	Coupé: 62,535 Convertible: 10,516	Coupé: 4170 Convertible: 4637
1962	Coupé: 68,127 Cabrio: 9844 Sport Roadster: 1427	Coupé: 4321 Convertible: 4788 Sport Roadster: 5439
1963	Coupé: 56,945 Convertible: 5913 Sport Roadster: 455	Coupé: 4455 Convertible: 4912 Sport Roadster: 5563

"Flair Birds" (1964–1966)

Ford Thunderbird, 1964

Ford Thunderbird, 1965

Ford Thunderbird, 1966

The fourth Thunderbird generation, again available as a Coupé, Landau Coupé and Cabriolet, had angular bodies. The technology remained largely unchanged. The Sport Roadster was no longer available, but a matching fiberglass cover for the rear seats from an accessory store could be fitted at the dealers. A 6.4-liter V8 with 300 or 330 SAE hp were offered as engines.

For the first time, the 1965 models could be ordered with front disc brakes for a surcharge.

An extensive facelift was carried out for the 1966 model year with a more angular radiator grille set away from the bumper and wider rear lights. The basic 6.4-liter, now equipped with double carburettors, only made 275 SAE-PS with a 9.5: 1 compression, the quadruple carburetor version was specified with 315 SAE-PS with a 10.5: 1 compression. New was a seven-liter (428 cui), which brought it to 345 SAE-PS.

The basic structure of the body remained unchanged during the production years, but the different years of construction can easily be distinguished:

Model year	front	page	tail lights
1964	Upper bumper to bonnet grill with cross bars lettering on bonnet	Lettering in front of the doors	continuous, with emblem, with chrome. "Thunderbird" on the lights in the middle of the bumper with the word THUNDERBIRD
1965	Grill with additional vertical bars emblem on the bonnet	Air inlets in front of doors indicated on the rear	sixfold subdivision with flashing lights
1966	Upper bumper and horns do not have an air scoop in V-shape emblem on the radiator grille	Air inlets indicated by lettering at the rear are omitted	triple subdivision with flashing lights

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1964	Coupé: 83.267 Convertible: 9198	Coupé: 4486 Convertible: 4853
1965	Coupé: 68.126 Convertible: 6846	Coupé: 4394 Convertible: 4851
1966	Coupé: 64.027 Convertible: 5049	Coupé: 4395 Convertible: 4845

"Glamor Birds" (1967–1971)

Ford Thunderbird, 1968

The fifth Thunderbird grew in all dimensions. The convertible was omitted, but a four-door sedan with counter-rotating doors (" suicide doors ") was added to the range. A total of three body styles were sold from model year 1970 (hatchback, notchback, four-door). There were five and six-seaters depending on the seating arrangement. The model was technically related to the Continental Mark III , which Lincoln offered from April 1968. An electronic anti-lock braking system (ABS) for the rear axle was also offered as a technical treat .

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1967	Coupé: 52,989 Lim .: 24,967	Coupé: 4603 Lim .: 4825
1968	Coupé: 43,006 Lim .: 21,925	Coupé: 4716 Lim .: 4924
1969	Coupé: 33,577 Lim .: 15,650	Coupé: 4807 Lim .: 5026
1970	Coupé: 41,963 Lim .: 8401	Coupé: 4961 Lim .: 5182
1971	Coupé: 29,502 Lim .: 6553	Coupé: 5295 Lim .: 5516

"Big Birds" (1972-1976)

Ford Thunderbird, 1973

The largest and heaviest Thunderbirds to date. A length of 5.73 m, an empty weight of around 2200 kg, as well as 7.0 and 7.5 liter engines and a very high consumption were the characteristics of the sixth generation. Technically, these were based on the Continental Mark IV .

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1972	57,814	5293
1973	87,269	5577
1974	58,443	7221
1975	42,685	7701
1976	52,935	7790

"Torino Birds" (1977–1979)

Ford Thunderbird, 1977

The seventh generation Thunderbird shrank slightly and was now based on the mid-range model LTD II , the successor to the Torino . This was accompanied by a price reduction from $ 7,800 to $ 5,100, which increased sales sixfold from 1976 to 1977 (to 318,000 copies). Typical design features of the new generation were pop-up headlights , a wide B-pillar with a small recessed window ("Opera Window") and a filigree C-pillar. In all three model years, there was a luxurious Town-Landau variant in addition to the basic model, a special model Diamond Jubilee Edition in 1978, and the Heritage Edition in 1979 (visual feature of the latter two: vinyl roof behind the B-pillar, no rear side windows). V8 engines of 5.0 provided the drive; 5.8 or (only until 1978) 6.6 liter displacement with 135 to 175 hp. Of this Thunderbird version, 955,000 copies were made in three years.

The "Torino Birds" are the first Thunderbirds, of which the Mercury Division offered a technically identical vehicle. It was marketed under the name Mercury Cougar XR-7 and 454,815 copies were produced.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1977	318.140	5063
1978	352.751	5411
1979	284.141	5877

"Box Birds" (1980–1982)

Ford Thunderbird "Town Landau", 1980

Following the trend of the times, the eighth Thunderbird shrank significantly (in length from 5.52 to 5.09 m, the weight sank from 1,764 to 1,412 kg), but retained the typical baroque design and numerous styling details of its predecessors (e.g. . Pop-up headlights). Technically, it was based on the so-called Fox platform of the Ford Fairmont . Basic and Town Landau models were offered, plus a Silver Anniversary model in 1980 (25 years of Thunderbird), in 1981 and 1982 again a Heritage Edition as in 1979. V8 engines with 4.2 or 5, 0 liter displacement (117-133 hp), from 1981 also a 3.3-liter in-line six-cylinder with 89 hp; the five-liter was dropped in 1982. In commercial terms, this generation of models was not successful with just under 290,000 copies in three years.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1980	156,803	6432
1981	86,693	7551
1982	45.142	8492

"Aero Birds" (1983–1988)

Ford Thunderbird, 1983

Ford Thunderbird, 1987

With the new generation of models, the ninth-generation Thunderbird changed from a luxury to a luxurious sports coupe. The new model, unofficially Aerobird called, was characterized by a much clearer and more modern subscribed, aerodynamic line of ( c _w value 0.35) and was a significant departure from decades tended Thunderbird style. The equipment variants Basis, Heritage (1983 only), Elan (1984–1986), FILA (1984/85), LX (1987/88) and Turbo Coupé were offered . The following engines were available: 3.8-l V6 (112–142 hp), 5.0-l V8 (132–157 hp) and (in the Turbo Coupe) the 2.3-l in-line four-cylinder with turbocharger ( 144-203 PS). For the 1987 model year, the Thunderbird received a revised body with flush headlights and flush mounted side windows. Ford sold 884,000 units of the “Aero-Thunderbird” in six years.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1983	121,299	9197
1984	170,533	9633
1985	151.851	10,249
1986	163.965	11,020
1987	128,135	12,972
1988	147.243	13,599

"Super Birds" (1989–1997)

Ford Thunderbird, 1989

Ford Thunderbird, 1994

For the 1989 model year, Ford presented the tenth Thunderbird generation, which explicitly took the BMW 6 Series as its model. The front without a traditional radiator grille was noticeable; instead, there were air inlets in the front apron. The basic coupé (1989–1992) and the LX with a 3.8-l V6 (104–108 kW / 142–147 hp) or a 5.0-l V8 (149 kW / 203 hp, from 1991) were available ; Replaced in 1994 by the new 4.6-l V8 with 153 kW / 208 PS), the Sport Coupé with the V8 (1991/92) and the Super Coupé (1989–1995) with a supercharged version of the 3.8-l -V6 (157 kW / 213 PS). In 1994 and 1996 there were slight facelifts with modified front aprons and a small cooling air inlet between the headlights. In September 1997, after 43 years, Thunderbird production temporarily ended. Of this generation of Thunderbirds, 889,000 were made in eight years.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
1989	107.996	14,612
1990	104.602	15,076
1991	77,688	15,318
1992	73,892	16,345
1993	129,712	15,797
1994	120,320	16,830
1995	114,823	17,225
1996	85.029	17,485
1997	73.814	17,885

"Retro-Birds" (2002-2005)

11th generation
Ford Thunderbird, 2002
Production period:	2002-2005
Body versions :	Roadster
Engines:	Otto engine : 3.9 liters (209 kW)
Length:	4732 mm
Width:	1829 mm
Height:	1324 mm
Wheelbase :	2723 mm
Empty weight :	1678 kg

In 2002, Ford launched the eleventh generation of a completely new model with a retro design that was to be reminiscent of the original Thunderbird from 1955 to 1957.

Rear view

The design came from J Mays , the technology from the Lincoln LS . The model was only available as a two-seater convertible with a 209 kW (284 hp) 3.9-liter V8 from Jaguar ( AJ-V8 ) at prices around US $ 40,000. Initially, the Thunderbird was offered in nostalgic paint finishes such as light yellow and turquoise and two-tone interiors. From 2003, standard paint colors from the Ford range were used and the interior was monochrome.

Ford anticipated sales of 25,000 units per year, but this was never achieved. In 2004 Ford sold 11,998 copies, in 2005 only 9548.

After more than three million vehicles produced and a total of eleven vehicle generations, the last Ford Thunderbird rolled off the assembly line on July 1, 2005. Production was discontinued without replacement.

Model year	number of pieces	Price from US $
2002	19,085	34,965
2003	14,506	37,550
2004	11,998	36,925
2005	9548	38,355

Trivia

• Private detective Dan Tanna , played by Robert Urich , drives a red 1957 Thunderbird on the Vegas TV series .
• The CIA agent Felix Leiter drives a white Thunderbird Convertible of the corresponding years in the 1964 and 1965 " James Bond " films " Goldfinger " and " Fireball ".
• In “ Diamantenfieber ” from 1971, James Bond was thrown into the trunk of a Landau Coupé and then abducted.
• A “retro bird” made an appearance in the 2002 film “ Die Another Day ” - here Bond's NSA colleague Jinx drives a red 2002 Thunderbird Convertible.
• British writer and Bond inventor Ian Fleming owned two Thunderbirds himself between 1955 and 1962. A black “Classic Bird” with hard top and a four-seater 1960's “Square Bird” with hard top. This passion is said to have earned him the nickname Thunderbird in his wife .
• Romy Schneider and Jack Lemmon drive a Thunderbird convertible in the 1964 US comedy "Leih mir seine Mann" ("Good Neighbor Sam").
• In the 1989 pilot of a planned reprint of the series " Peter Gunn ", Peter Strauss , alias Peter Gunn , drives an ivory-colored 1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible.
• In the film “ Born 2 Die ”, Jet Li drives a black “retro bird”.
• In “ American Graffiti ” by George Lucas , the “mysterious blonde” drives a white 1956 Ford Thunderbird.
• In the 1988 horror comedy Elvira, actress Cassandra Peterson drives a black 1959 Ford Thunderbird Convertible with whitewall tires and the nickname macabre mobile .
• In 1991, alongside Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon , a metallic-green 1966 Ford Thunderbird Convertible starred in Ridley Scott's road movie " Thelma & Louise ".
• In 1956, rock and roll singer Gene Vincent recorded a song called "Pink Thunderbird".
• In the 1960s, car models were often mentioned in song lyrics, as was the case with the Beach Boys : "[...] and she'll have fun fun fun 'till her daddy takes the T-Bird away [...]".
• In 1990 Marc Cohn dedicated a song to his father and his car with the title “Silver Thunderbird”.
• In Grease , the gang around John Travolta , alias Danny Zuko after the vehicle, calls itself "T-Birds".
• The title character of the German crime series " Balko " drives a Thunderbird Hardtop Coupé from the 1962 model year in the early episodes.
• In the television series " Highlander " Adrian Paul , aka Duncan MacLeod , drives a 1964 Ford Thunderbird Convertible.
• In Mafia , two versions of the 1957 Ford Thunderbird can be unlocked as special vehicles.
• In Mafia II the player can choose a Thunderbird as his vehicle.
• In Grand Theft Auto V one often encounters a slightly modified version of the Thunderbird (1955–1957). Here, too, the player can choose the car as his vehicle.

See also

• Mercury Cougar
• Lincoln Mark Series
• Buick Riviera
• Cadillac Eldorado

Sources and literature

• Automobil Revue , catalog numbers 1960, 1963, 1969, 1973, 1987, 1995 (dates).
• John Gunnell: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 . Krause Publications, Iola 2002, ISBN 0-87349-461-X .
• James M. Flammang / Ron Kowalke: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976–1999 . Krause Publications, Iola 1999, ISBN 0-87341-755-0 .
• John Gunnell: Standard Catalog of Ford, 4th edition . Krause Publications, Iola 2007, ISBN 978-0-89689-615-4 .
• Larry Edsall: Legends of Automotive History: From the Beginning to the 21st Century. White-Star-Verlag, Wiesbaden 2006, ISBN 3-939128-52-X , pp. 150-151.

Web links

Commons : Ford Thunderbird  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files