Tag Archives: Thunderbird

Thundertang – Mercury Cougar

Ever ones to spot a niche market by 1967 Ford Motor Company saw a gap between their face lifted Mustang and Thunderbird models and planted the Mercury Cougar right between the two, in much the same way as General Motors the same year planted the Pontiac Firebird above the Chevrolet Camaro in it’s line up.

Mercury Cougar, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Mercury’s first generation “pony car” was only available as a two door hard top in either base as seen here or XR7 variations.

Mercury Cougar, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The Cougars platform was derived from the some one as the ’67 Mustang, but with a 3″ longer wheel base covered in an all new body.

Mercury Cougar, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

A 200hp 4.7 litre / 289 cui Windsor V8 powered the base version of the Cougar, though a GT option offered a 335hp 6.4 litre / 390 cui FE motor.

Mercury Cougar, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

With it’s headlights hidden behind the front grill and tail lights, sequential as per contemporary Thunderbird the electric shaver styling front and rear of the Cougar completely disguises it’s Mustang underpinnings.

Mercury Cougar, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Among the cars accolades Motor Trend named the Mercury Cougar as Car of the Year 1967, and the sale of 150,893 units in 1967 contributed substantially to the Lincoln Mercury divisions place in the market.

Gwinny seen here was purchased new from a dealer Chicago Il in January 1967 and shipped to the UK by the original owners nephew in March 2011 making her a one family car with 50,000 miles on the clock, both the 289 motor and exhaust have been replaced.

Thanks for joining me on this “Thundertang” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Sweet Seventeen – Ford Thunderbird

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Last, but one, in this series of road vehicles painted in racing colours is today’s tenth generation Ford Thunderbird painted up to look like the #17 DeWalt Fords driven by Matt Kenseth from 2000 to 2011.

Ford Thunderbird, Talladega Superspeedway

Ironically the Thunderbird had been phased out of NASCAR competition by the time Matt joined NASCARS’s top tier circuit in favour of the Ford Taurus. This photo was taken in the car park at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2009.

This blog is dedicated to Sweet Seventeen, who kindly lent me her headphones so that I could follow the Aarrons 499, and her partner Chris who is currently recovering from major kidney surgery. Hang on in there and get well soon Chris.

Thanks for joining me on this “Sweet 17” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at one of my all time favourite Formula One cars. Don’t forget to come back now !

Narrow Gauge Thunderbird – Auto Union 1000 Sp Coupé

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At the same time the Auto Union 1000 S models were launched in 1958 Auto Union launched a sports car based on the same chassis known as the 1000 Sp.

Auto Union 1000 Sp, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

The new 1000 Sp bore a striking resemblance to the 1955 Ford Thunderbird and was soon known as the schmalspur Thunderbird, translated literally “narrow gauge Thunderbird” but usually known in the UK as the Baby Thunderbird.

Auto Union 1000 Sp, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

The coachwork available as a hard top from 1958, or soft top from 1961, was by Baur in Stuttgart who are probably best known for their BMW conversions.

Auto Union 1000 Sp, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

Power for the 1000 Sp 2 stroke 3 cylinder motor was up from the original 44 hp of the 1000 S models to 55 hp which gave the 1000 Sp a top speed of 87 mph, 7 mph than its lesser powered siblings.

Auto Union 1000 Sp, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

Note the fashionable fifties column shift, not as fast as a stick shift but has the benefit of allowing your better half to snuggle up next to you with out interruptions for gear changes. Although the 1000 Sp’s were lower than the 1000 S models they were not significantly lighter.

Auto Union 1000 Sp, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

From 1958 to 1965 5000 of the hard top Auto Union 1000 Sp’s were built. Today’s featured vehicle is seen in the Malta Classic Car Collection in Qwara.

Thanks for joining me on this Narrow Gauge Tunderbird edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, Don’t forget to come back now !

Die Another Day – Ford Thunderbird

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Ford revived the Personal Luxury Thunderbird model in 2002 following the success of various retro models including the the VW Golf based Beetle, and BMWs all new retro look Mini and Chryslers retro P/T Cruiser Ford designers took styling cues for the rebirth of the the Thunderbird name, which disappeared in 1997, from the 1954 first generation Thunderbird.

Ford Thunderbird, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

The new Thunderbird turned heads where ever it went according to one journalist and received the Motor Trend Car Of the Year Award from an adoring press. For a short time 11th Generation Thunderbirds even sold at a premium off the forecourts however Ford chose not to back it’s new jewel with the kind of marketing to which the public for luxury trucks had become accustomed and so just 19,000 Thunderbirds were sold in 2002 about a fifth short of what had been anticipated.

Ford Thunderbird, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

Despite cameo appearances in the 2004 science fiction kids film Thunderbirds an marginally more adult orientated 2002 James Bond thriller Die Another Day in which Bond’s side kick US agent Jinx played by Halle Berry appeared in today’s all Coral coloured car.

Ford Thunderbird, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

Unfortunately the lack of marketing, and possibly the lack of performance options which appear to have been lavished by the bucket load on the 2005 retro futurist Sid Ramnarace designed Ford Mustang, killed the Thunderbird off for a second time in 2005 with just 67,518 examples produced including a limited production run of 700 for the 007 special edition commemorating “Die Another Day”.

Thanks for joining me on this “Die Another Day” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday when GALPOT will be paying a second visit to Niello Serrano Concours d’Elegance. Don’t forget to come back now.

$86 Option And Then Some – Ford Thunderbird

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The styling of the fourth generation Ford Thunderbirds built from 1964 to 1966 took a step back from the round edged styling of the third generation Tunderbirds, built from ’61 to ’63, to the Squarebird styling seen on the second generation models built from 1958 to 1960.

Ford Thunderbird, Frogmill, Andoversford

Initially fourth generation Thunderbirds were offered only with 300 hp 6.4 litre / 390 cui motors which could push the model from rest to 60 mph in around 11 seconds and on to a top speed of 120 mph.

Ford Thunderbird, Frogmill, Andoversford

For 1966 the ‘390’ FE V8 was uprated to 315 hp and a popular larger 345 hp 7 litre / 428 cui FE motor was offered as an $86 option that shaved 2 seconds off the rest to 60 mph time. The ’66 model featured today appears to have been imported into the UK from new in June 1966 and is officially registered as having a 7232 cc / 441 cui motor which does not appear to be a standard size for even the later models which went up to 7.5 litres / 460 cui in 1972.

Ford Thunderbird, Frogmill, Andoversford

Convertible versions of the ’66 Thunderbird were immortalised in the films; The Outsiders (1983), Wild at Heart (1990) and Thelma and Louise (1991).

Ford Thunderbird, Frogmill, Andoversford

In 1965 3 part horizontal sequential rear indicators which flashed in from the inside to the outside was introduced to Thunderbird. This Town Hardtop, seen at Frogmill in Andoversford at the beginning of the year, also features blind quarter panels introduced in 1966 at the cost of reduced rear visibility.

Ford Thunderbird, Frogmill, Andoversford

The fourth generation Thunderbirds were Personal Luxury Car market segment leaders running against the Buick Riviera and Pontiac Grand Prix, however production fell from 92,465 in 1964 to 69,176 in 1966 in part due to the introduction of the new Pony class Ford Mustang.

Thanks for joining me on this “$86 Option And Then Some” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don’t forget to come back now !

$600,000 Concept Candy – Ford Thunderbird Italien DRF76806

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When Ford wanted a new concept car based on the Thunderbird for the 1963 season the Thunderbird Stylists at Dearborn set to work and came up with a new roof line and aerodynamic styling that was turned into new fibreglass panels fitted to a ’62 Thunderbird by Vince Gardner working for Fords subcontractor Dearborn Steel Tubing Co.

Ford Thunderbird Italien, Blackhawk Collection

The sensational Thunderbird Italien joined the Ford Custom Caravan for the 1963 season and was shown the length and breadth of the USA while also making appearances in numerous magazines from 1963 to 1964.

Ford Thunderbird Italien, Blackrock Collection

After it’s career as a glamour puss was over like most Ford Concept Cars the Italien was scheduled for crushing but some how found it’s way into the hands of TV legend Dale “Wells Fargo” Robinson in September 1964.

Ford Thunderbird Italien, Blackrock Collection

Tom Maruska purchased the Italien in 2006 and by the end of the following year had finished restoring the Candy Apple Red Concept car to it’s original factory condition. In 2008 the unique Italien sold for a record $600,000 at Barrett & Jackson to Mr Williams of the Blackhawk Collection where the car was photographed last month by Geoffrey Horton.

My thanks to Geoffrey for sharing his photo’s.

Thanks for joining me on this $600,000 Concpet Candy” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for a Danville Concours d’Elegance edition of Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Squarebird – Ford Thunderbird Convertibe

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Despite the success of the original 2 seat personal luxury Ford Thunderbird launched in 1955 for 1958 at the insistence of Robert McNamara the second generation 1958 Ford Thunderbird was restyled as a 4 seat 2 door vehicle with coupé or convertible body styles.