![]() The completed one-off generated interest at the time, but had meager power, European looks, and a correspondingly high cost, so it never proceeded to production. Development Ī smaller two-seater sports roadster was developed at the behest of Henry Ford II in 1953 called the Vega. ![]() Thunderbird production ended in 1997, then briefly resumed as a two-passenger, marketed from 2002 to 2005.įrom its introduction in 1955 to its final phaseout in 2005, Ford produced over 4.4 million Thunderbirds. Sales were good until the 1990s when large two-door coupes became unpopular. Succeeding generations became larger until the line was downsized in 1977, again in 1980, and once again in 1983. For 1958, the Thunderbird was redesigned with a second row of seats. Ford positioned the Thunderbird as an upscale model and it is credited in developing a new market segment, the personal luxury car. Unlike the Chevrolet Corvette, it was not marketed as a sports car. The Thunderbird entered production for the 1955 model year as a sporty two-seat convertible. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was offered variously as a four-seat hardtop coupe, four-seat convertible, five-seat convertible and hardtop, four-door pillared hardtop sedan, six-passenger hardtop coupe, and five-passenger pillared coupe, with the final generation designed again as a two-seat convertible.įord targeted the two-seat Thunderbird as an upscale model, but the 1958 model year design introduced a rear seat and arguably marked the expansion of a market segment eventually known as personal luxury cars, positioned to emphasize comfort and convenience over handling and high-speed performance. The Ford Thunderbird (colloquially called the T-Bird) is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford from model years 1955 to 2005 (with a 1997–2002 hiatus), across 11 generations. Sports car (first and eleventh generations).Meanwhile, you can find the car in Janesville, Wisconsin, where it's sleeping on a trailer. ![]() You might be able to buy the T-Bird at an even better price, as the owner also enabled the Make Offer button. One thing is certain, though: the car sells cheaply, as you can get it for just $3,500. However, based on the photo revealing the engine and the filter, it doesn't look like the car ever received a restoration, making a potential engine swap rather unlikely.Ī 1967 Thunderbird can become a head-turning daily driver with minimal restoration work, and this example might qualify for a refresh, depending on what you find during the in-person inspection. Ford indeed offered the T-Bird with a 390 V8 as the base offering, but it's unclear if the unit under the hood of this 1967 example is the original. It looks original, but considering the lack of information, it's important to remember everything is an assumption until you check out the car live.Ī 390 V8 powers the Thunderbird, but we're once again getting vague details. However, the seats seem to be in good shape. The interior looks good, but the headliner must be reworked. There are no photos of the vehicle's exterior as if the owner is trying to hide something, so your best option is to inspect everything in person. Unfortunately, the seller posted a very evasive photo gallery, so while I admit this Thunderbird is an intriguing discovery, the listing leaves a lot of questions without an answer. Their T-Bird is not road-worthy, but they promise you won't find a massive amount of rust on this car. The car has been sitting "for a while," according to the owner, who adds that the carburetor must be gone through. The car already runs, drives, and stops, but it seems to be a restoration project needing a refresh. The new Thunderbird was even larger, with Ford also launching a four-door Landau that many considered an alternative to Lincoln.ĮBay seller bustedknuckles85 has recently listed on the auction site what looks to be a very solid 1967 Thunderbird requiring a complete overhaul. The competition was also fiercer, with Ford's rivals becoming more committed to models that didn't compete directly with the T-Bird but ended up eating up its share anyway. It was no longer Ford's superstar, as the Mustang was already getting incredible love in the States. The Thunderbird desperately needed an overhaul, especially because it was losing ground fast.
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