ibinubu12 Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 My 1988 Thunderbird 5.0L Sport is by far the best vehicle i have ever seen. The roar from the V8 makes my day better every time i hear it. Also, it is a supremely comfortable highway cruiser. Oh, by the way, using the 302's power adds a little something to the experience too!! :D Light ice blue, blue cloth interior, all stock except for the tires, battery. brakepads, and naturally, oil. 44,000 miles :happy feet: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 I'll be damned if I can find photo or mention of it anywhere on the internet, but when Ford developed the DEW T-Bird, J Mays and Jac Nasser each had one custom built for themselves, with Boyd Coddington wheels, aluminum inset grill, lowered suspension, dark grey, with saddle colored interior, 390hp supercharged engine (from the Jag, I suppose) and 6-speed manual (BMW) transmissions. One of the mags did an article on these cars. Big, big mistake for Ford not to have offered the engine and transmission as options. My '02 is now 5 years old, and has 95,000 miles on it, and almost every time I go out in it, I still get smiles, thumbs up, and compliments. Never experienced anything remotely like it in a car before. I'm with you Joihan, to me, the '55 is one of the purest and most beautiful automotive designs of all time. Always wanted one. This has been the next best thing (aside from niggling reliability issues). I'm really glad midlife crisis provoked me to take the plunge. No, I couldn't afford it, and never will be able to again. But what a ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joihan777 Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 I'll be damned if I can find photo or mention of it anywhere on the internet, but when Ford developed the DEW T-Bird, J Mays and Jac Nasser each had one custom built for themselves, with Boyd Coddington wheels, aluminum inset grill, lowered suspension, dark grey, with saddle colored interior, 390hp supercharged engine (from the Jag, I suppose) and 6-speed manual (BMW) transmissions. One of the mags did an article on these cars. Big, big mistake for Ford not to have offered the engine and transmission as options. My '02 is now 5 years old, and has 95,000 miles on it, and almost every time I go out in it, I still get smiles, thumbs up, and compliments. Never experienced anything remotely like it in a car before. I'm with you Joihan, to me, the '55 is one of the purest and most beautiful automotive designs of all time. Always wanted one. This has been the next best thing (aside from niggling reliability issues). I'm really glad midlife crisis provoked me to take the plunge. No, I couldn't afford it, and never will be able to again. But what a ride. I found these..... N-I-C-E, but seeing them is like rubbing salt in the wound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 Thanks Joihan. That's the grill and the motor. The wheels and color are different, and I don't remember the somewhat flamboyant hood. Show of hands: Who thinks the Thunderbird would be dead right now if they had offered that engine and a stick as options? And if they needed higher volume to justify the motor, they could have offered it as an option on the 49, or on a 427-based Galaxie too. Oh, that's right...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joihan777 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 (edited) Show of hands: Who thinks the Thunderbird would be dead right now if they had offered that engine and a stick as options? Ever wonder why the Retro-Bird was killed RIGHT BEFORE the S197 Mustang came out? Hmmmmmmmmmm. Lowering the price & giving it that engine & stick sure would have helped keep the T-Bird alive. Edited July 10, 2007 by joihan777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford-150 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 the Tbird had its retro-style model, now i believe they should go with a more sleek design, something mean looking, something that is a lot more in your face than a Corvette(which isn't hard to do) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joihan777 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 (edited) Found out about a folding hardtop prototype that [of course] didn't make it to production. Check out these pictures fellas.......... oh what could have been! This prototype was manufactured by Valmet Automotive of Finland. Edited July 20, 2007 by joihan777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furious1Auto Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 (edited) Now thats badass! Edited July 20, 2007 by Furious1Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachFord Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I have purchased and own four Ford Thunderbirds. My 02 cars are the Neiman-Marcus and The Thunderbird Blue, there's an 04 Merlot, and an 05 Inca Gold. These are most fun to drive and great looking cars Ford, in my humble opinion, has ever made. They, like the original Little Birds of 55 to 57 are icons of the company. Ford needs to resume production of the Thunderbird. Not every brand has to be a huge volume sales car. A car company also needs a heart and soul. The Thunderbird has done this for Ford like the Corvette has done for Chevy. Why can't Ford make 10,000 Birds a year and keep production at a similar level? They would sell, and they would give Ford something that also helps sell other cars in the family. Fusion, Taurus, etc. are fine for what they are; Mustang is an icon; so come on Ford, let's get the Thunderbird rolling again and leave it in production this time. I'll take the first one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachFord Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I have purchased and own four Ford Thunderbirds. My 02 cars are the Neiman-Marcus and The Thunderbird Blue, there's an 04 Merlot, and an 05 Inca Gold. These are most fun to drive and great looking cars Ford, in my humble opinion, has ever made. They, like the original Little Birds of 55 to 57 are icons of the company. Ford needs to resume production of the Thunderbird. Not every brand has to be a huge volume sales car. A car company also needs a heart and soul. The Thunderbird has done this for Ford like the Corvette has done for Chevy. Why can't Ford make 10,000 Birds a year and keep production at a similar level? They would sell, and they would give Ford something that also helps sell other cars in the family. Fusion, Taurus, etc. are fine for what they are; Mustang is an icon; so come on Ford, let's get the Thunderbird rolling again and leave it in production this time. I'll take the first one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Thanks Joihan. That's the grill and the motor. The wheels and color are different, and I don't remember the somewhat flamboyant hood. Show of hands: Who thinks the Thunderbird would be dead right now if they had offered that engine and a stick as options? And if they needed higher volume to justify the motor, they could have offered it as an option on the 49, or on a 427-based Galaxie too. Oh, that's right...... I think the Thunderbird would be dead anyway being dependent on the LS as a platform mate and the fact that they pretty much decided to phase out Wixom production of all vehicles. It should have been planned that the Thunderbird carry on in some form or another. Thats the problem with Ford that past several years... No clear direction and fumbling around with too many platforms... Oh by the way I do believe I know the special gray Thunderbird you are reffering to... And here is one of the ugliest tasteless Tbirds followed by the FAB-1 joke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Found out about a folding hardtop prototype that [of course] didn't make it to production.Check out these pictures fellas.......... oh what could have been! This prototype was manufactured by Valmet Automotive of Finland. I love the grille on that.... And that same retractable hardtop was used on the Mark X concept... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I found these..... N-I-C-E, but seeing them is like rubbing salt in the wound! That is one of the most beautiful Birds ever.... I love the extreme hood design and the louvers on the fenders. Production Birds should have had at least those fender louvers which are the right design and proportion relative to actual classic Birds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I agree. I had an 88 'bird that I adored. It was my first brand new car and I drove it until my mechanic said "And you are getting a new car soon".... That was in 2001. The car lasted at least another two or three years and I lost track of it. I had a digital spedometer... too cool. My dad's Town Car didn't have that. A great speaker system. It was a great car. I have a Grand Prix now... mainly because Ford doesn't have a midsized two door (but those are harder to get). The one thing I love on the Grand Prix is the Head's Up display.... I don't care what I have next time, as long as it has that. I love that. Never have to look down at gauges.... Ford please build the Thunderbird again, but the larger version... like they made at Lorain. It broke my heart to sell my 1985 Tbird. I run it up to 245,000 miles on that V8 and it was still running but needed work. I loved that car and I really wanted to restore it. I bought a 1989 Tbird that I kept a while and then in 2000 I bought a 1999 Mustang and traded the 89 Tbird. I still kept the 1985 Tbird but it really needed a lot of work. I eventually sold it to someone where I worked and he did some work on it and kept it running... So at least I sold it to someone who loves it... That Thunderbird will always be close to my heart... I so want a newer model... Not long ago I found a bright red 1997 V8 with very low miles, almost mint condition... As always I can never take advantage of an opportunity when it comes up... No cash... BUMMER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Oh by the way I do believe I know the special gray Thunderbird you are reffering to... That's the one alright - J Mays' own car. That's the very photo I remember from the magazine article. 390hp supercharged motor and 6-speed manual transmission. Lawdy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 That's the one alright - J Mays' own car. That's the very photo I remember from the magazine article. 390hp supercharged motor and 6-speed manual transmission. Lawdy! I get to live vicariously through 1/18 die-cast scale models of Thunderbirds. My favorites ones I have in gunmetal gray with burnt orange and contrasting black interior, merlot red with saddle beige/black interior and a nice Thunderbird blue like a robin's egg with black interior with white seat inserts. Unfortunately they are all burdened with the original concept Thunderbird wheels and I would rather they had the newer radial finned ones with the white rings in the center caps. It's a shame that some Fords never live up to their potential... They are just great at making one off concepts that are unobtainable while providing consumers with watered down product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joihan777 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 I get to live vicariously through 1/18 die-cast scale models of Thunderbirds. My favorites ones I have in gunmetal gray with burnt orange and contrasting black interior, merlot red with saddle beige/black interior and a nice Thunderbird blue like a robin's egg with black interior with white seat inserts. Unfortunately they are all burdened with the original concept Thunderbird wheels and I would rather they had the newer radial finned ones with the white rings in the center caps. It's a shame that some Fords never live up to their potential... They are just great at making one off concepts that are unobtainable while providing consumers with watered down product. Reason? Beancounters. Who apparantly drive Hondas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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