The Ford Thunderbird is a car that was made by Ford for many years, known for being stylish and luxurious. It stopped being made in 2005 after a long history.
The Chevrolet Corvette is a famous sports car that started being sold in 1953. It's known for being fast and having a unique look, often made with lightweight materials.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a small car that was made from 2000 to 2010. It has a retro look that some people love, but it wasn't always praised for how it drove.
Tail fins are the pointed parts that stick up at the back of some cars. They were especially popular in the 1950s and made cars look more stylish and fast.
The Pontiac Catalina is a big car that was made a long time ago and is known for being comfortable and stylish. Many people liked it for its size and smooth ride.
A turbo is a part that helps an engine get more air, which means it can burn more fuel and produce more power. This makes cars faster and more powerful.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a small, two-seat sports car that is very fun to drive. It's known for being light and easy to handle, making it popular with car lovers.
A personal luxury vehicle is a type of car that focuses on being comfortable and stylish. These cars often have nice materials inside and are made to feel special when you drive them.
The Y-block V8 is a specific type of engine made by Ford that has eight cylinders and was popular in cars during the 1950s. It helped cars perform well while being reliable.
A sales goal is a number that a company wants to reach in terms of how many products they sell. It helps the company know if they are doing well and if they need to change their selling strategies.
A halo car is a special car that a brand makes to show off what they can do. It's usually a really nice or fast car that gets people interested in buying other cars from that brand.
The Chrysler 300 is a big, fancy car that looks very stylish and is comfortable to drive. It's designed for people who want a luxury experience without spending too much money.
The Ford Galaxy is a roomy family car that can hold a lot of passengers and their stuff. It's designed to be practical and comfortable for everyday use.
The Ford Mustang is a classic sports car that first came out in the 1960s. It's known for its powerful engines and stylish design, making it a popular choice for people who love fast cars.
Fuel economy standards are rules that tell car makers how much fuel their cars should use. They help make cars more efficient and better for the environment.
Car
Mustang SVL
The Mustang SVL is a special version of the Ford Mustang that focuses on performance. It has a powerful engine and features that make it fun to drive.
The Audi S6 is a fancy car that goes really fast and feels great to drive. It's designed for people who want a mix of luxury and performance in their vehicle.
The retro Thunderbird is a modern version of the classic Ford Thunderbird car, designed to look like the older models while using new technology. It was first shown at an auto show in 1999 and was well-received by the public.
The Ford Taurus is a popular family car that has been around for a long time. It's known for being dependable and having plenty of room for passengers and luggage.
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We're talking about the Ford Thunderbird. By the end of this episode, you're going to be looking at 10th Gen SCs on Brake Trailer all day. These are some cool cars. There's some really not cool cars in this episode as well. But it's an interesting story. And I can't believe it's been 20 years since the Thunderbird died in 2005. It's pretty crazy. Let's get right into it.
Here's following World War II. Automotive designers found influence in the vehicles that propelled the Allies to victory. And while fighter plans gave us tail fins and jet aids in Signia, automakers would also borrow from the civilian rides that young American soldiers swooned over on the streets of England, Germany, and Italy.
In March or average autos, there was something that hardly roamed the road state side. Sports cars. As post-war occupations took root, servicemen got their hands on Jaguars, MGs, pre-war Bugatti's, and the like. They loved how lightweight, nimble, and fast these tiny two-seaters were. When their tours were up, some servicemen even brought them home. It didn't take long for domestic automakers to take note of the sports car craze. While several limited run options were offered domestically in the late 40s and early 50s,
Trevor Lay led the legacy automakers into the sports car market with the debut of their Corvette in 1953. The fiberglass roadsters sent forward executive scrambling for a rebuttal.
And to their surprise, a small group of Ford engineers and designers had already spent more than a year toiling away on a secret project. What they had come up with would not only combat the Corvette, but also shape and reshape the automotive landscape for the next 50 years.
In the past, gas, it's a tale of adaptation and experimentation, with a vehicle that at time struggled to find an identity and created a class all of its own. It's time to get to know the Ford Thunderbird.
Welcome to the show, everybody. I am your host, Nolan Sykes, joined as always by Bart Bidling-Mire across the table.
I have you to be here. Thank you for having me. You're welcome, Bart.
You should say joined as often, because I don't think I was here last week.
And joining us sparsely joining us, joining us peppered throughout this series is Jimmy Hilton. Happy to be here. Happy to be peppered in.
It fits because he's spicy. I like salt. I like salt on salty salty, too. He salted it.
Jimmy, what are you ordering for lunch today? It's family style. So I will be, you know, putting a little meat in the noodles.
I'll never forget when you ordered butter noodles at Cheesecake Factory.
A lot of people have told me about that moment. That it is a pivotal moment.
You've come a long way, though. No, I have definitely really opened my eyes to the Parmesan on your buttered noodles.
Yeah, was that before you were you? Yeah, that was before. Okay. Yeah.
You should change you in that way. That's good. And then you guys soon will be joined in marrow to marital bliss.
And then we'll be. Yeah. I'm so excited. You should be. I'm stoked. It's good. Good time.
You should be. Being married is cool. Yeah. It's fun. Get married.
Everybody get married. Everybody do what's right for what feels right for you.
That's what I was going to say. Marriage fits me well. The tropes of my wife.
She doesn't let me do the thing. That doesn't really fly to me. It's fine. It's good.
It's been nice. I've been having to take care of her after surgery. It feels good to take care of someone.
Anyway, Ford Thunderbird, Jimmy. Weird one. Yeah. Weird one. Yeah. I mean, it's like a Palm Springs car.
It is a Palm Springs. Well, it depends. The early ones. No, the new ones.
Like it's just very like pink. I mean, like it's pink. They're outrate. I don't know.
If I go to Palm Springs, I'm going to see one. You probably will see one. Yeah. I feel like every time I go to Palm Springs.
And they are. They that first gen what did have a lot of like coral colors. Very pastel. Yeah. I've rented one. That was like a sky.
Remember that one. Kind of Thunderbird. Yeah. Leaked oil everywhere. Did it. I feel like it did.
I don't know. And then the later ones, the 60s ones. I have like the pointy noses. I love those. Those are very cool.
And then yeah, like later on when they're like in the 80s and 90s. Yeah. That's when it gets a little weird.
That's when you get into the Phil Soulier territory. Yes. Director Phil here at Donut.
And then you get the 2000s retro reboot. Right. That Hallie Berry drove in die another day.
I don't remember that. I remember her being in it. I don't remember that she drove. So she drove. That was her car.
That is like such a PT cruiser car. Like it's in the same kind of ballpark where it's like trying to be classic.
The retro future. Yeah. Yeah. I would love to see someone make one of those like really sick. Just slam it on its nuts.
Yeah. Well, the SKFs on it. Yes. Many American manufacturers faced unprecedented challenges
during and after World War II. But for the blue oval, the era was especially turbulent.
In 1943, Edsel Ford, who had served as president of the Ford Motor Company since 1919, died unexpectedly.
Forcing his aging father, Henry Ford, to re-assume the role. But the job was beyond Henry's capacity.
His mental acuity had faded in recent years and his erratic decisions and unwarranted mistrust of his team cast serious doubts
on his ability to lead during critical wartime production. Oh, man. That must suck to have someone in charge
who's got fading mental capacities, making random decisions that you can't really explain.
Making bombers and Ford didn't make tanks. Do they make tanks? I think that was General Motors.
Yes, I feel you, Bart. Yeah. I like that. Yeah. Henry Ford, the guy who loved eating weeds around his house.
This isn't Henry Ford that out is. It is. Hank the Duce. Henry Ford, the second was in the 60s.
Okay. So this is OG Henry Ford. Well, don't call it a comeback. I mean, it wasn't.
In response, Edsel's son, Henry Ford, the second was called home from the Navy and named as vice president
at just 25 years old, vice president of Fomoko. Right. He's in the Navy. He's in the Navy at 25.
And they're like, hey, can you come back? That's how we need your captains of industry to come back home.
It's pretty crazy that they're that rich that they could be like, you know how I know we're in a war.
Yeah. Pull them out, but we need this guy to run Ford. Pretty crazy.
This was a crash course in industrial leadership. Just a few weeks after the end of the war,
he took over as president and CEO. Oh, they didn't pull him out of the war.
It was 43. I got it. So they brought him in Italy by that time. They're training him up. Yeah.
And at the end of the war, he takes. Right. Yeah. His nickname is Hank the Duce.
Upon his arrival at Ford, the Duce implemented a significant shake up in its leadership.
Hank was aware of his inexperience and recruited seasoned executives like Ernst Breach from General Motors
and brought in a team of bright young veterans from the Air Force known as the Wiz Kids,
which included future Ford president Robert McNamara.
Amid all these shifts, and as we mentioned at the top of the episode, MGs Jaguars and other European sports cars
began appearing on American roads, often brought home by returning servicemen.
Others turned to hot rotting and specially builders like Curtis, Ronco and Cunningham
debuted their own limited run roadsters to rival these imports.
In 1949, Crosley introduced the hot shot, the first mass-produced American sports car.
That same year, most major automakers launched their first all-new post-war designs.
Ford's low-slung shoebox style earned praise while GM and Chrysler stuck with more bulbous looks.
I go into car dealerships. You got any bulbous cars here?
I don't want any of you think if it's not bulbous. If it ain't bulbous, no.
No deal. No deal. Heels off. Still, GM led by Harley Earle set enduring trends
like tail fins first seen on 1948 Cadillacs and element designed by Frank Hershey.
Earle also pioneered concept cars like the Buick Y-Job.
And most importantly, championed the idea of a domestic sports car for GM.
When Hershey later joined Ford in the early 50s, he brought that inspiration with him.
We have a industry in flux at this time. There's a new kind of world order.
America hasn't, you know, aside from Pearl Harbor, we weren't really affected in the same way at all.
Our infrastructure is intact.
Yes, completely intact. That's our economy is completely intact and ready to just be thriving.
And we deal.
And we've got all these new roads. We've got all the new tech.
That's true. So we're just primed for a middle class explosion.
Say a people with expendable income to purchase cars like this Crosley hot shot.
That is so cool. What?
I wanted to say cute. But it's cool too.
It's like, don't they have one of those at the Peterson?
I don't think I've seen one of those in person.
That thing is so hilarious, dude.
I want to buy that and then just put a bit to Catalina island.
Just drive it. Yeah, that's good. It does. It's very, it's golf cart in proportions.
Yeah, dude, throw a freaking rotary in there.
Whoa, 12.
Yeah, dude, make like 600 horsepower with a turbo.
Call up Rob Dom. Call up Rob Dom.
Robby, baby. I got your next project for you.
Robby, baby. I saw Rob earlier this year.
Very nice guy. I want to meet him.
Talk to him about Miatas and Mazdas.
That'd be cool.
He's a cool guy.
We'll be right back after these messages.
Now back to the show.
Under Earl's leadership, the European inspired Corvette debuted at the GM
Motorama in New York City on January 17th, 1953.
It sent shockwaves through Detroit and Ford execs fell into a frenzy.
But unbeknownst to them, Hershey, designer George Walker and vice president of Ford's
car and truck division, Lewis Crusoe had been spending their free time taking
stabs at what a Ford sports car may look like for more than a year before the
Corvette's debut.
Within just weeks of the Corvettes unveiling full-size mock-ups of their new car
appeared in the war rooms at Ford.
The team had a tight deadline with a public debut set for February of 1954.
As the day drew near and the prototype neared completion, one thing had yet to be decided,
a moniker or a name.
What are we going to call this thing?
Well, name.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
Word.
What do you want to call this thing?
Well, the word, moniker.
Names like the Detroiter run about, civil, and beaver, all earned a second look, but
none properly reflected what they were building.
Yeah, I got that new Ford beaver review.
Got that car you wanted, boss.
Sure, jaguar.
That's a good one.
That's a good animal to name.
That's, what's the great animal?
Powerful, coolger.
Warrior, coolger.
That's a good one.
I mean there's a lot of animals out there Panther the Panther Tiger even platypus would have been good
But beaver anyway Ford was hoping to carve out a brand new niche and an internal contest was held to find the perfect name
Stylus Aiden Giberson's submission got the vote. So they're naming kid. Oh, oh, I'm sorry. His name was Alden Giberson
I was like Aiden. My name and kids Aiden back
It's a guy because it's Giberson or Giberson. That's probably Giberson. It's a school of Giberson
It's probably Giberson. When the doors to the first post-war Detroit Auto Show opened on February 20th
1954 thousands of people streamed into the Michigan State Fairgrounds
While the usual suspects displayed their latest sedans and pickups the Ford display attracted people for a different reason
And all new two-seater emblazoned with the name
Thunderbird
Oh
You need both the bird and the fun. Thank you Jimmy
Journalists hit the wire to give their takes on Ford's newest sports car
But Ford had an interesting response. They claimed it wasn't a sports car at all
But rather a personal luxury vehicle that wrapped performance and grandeur into a neat
3,000 pound package
What a name personal luxury vehicle
So what's the difference between a sports car and personal luxury what sports cars lacked in convenience
They generally made up for in performance the teabird attempted to offer both it had power brakes
Steering and windows plus an automatic transmission sound-deadening a removable hardtop and functional heater radio and other
Accessories it also had a steel body as opposed to the fiberglass Corvette
I'm assuming all of that was optional honestly. I would guess not honestly like this is
That that's what you get. It's the personal luxury car. Yeah. Yeah, and perhaps the most impressive aspect of the whole car sat under the hood
The 292 cubic inch
198 horsepower Y-block V8 featured in the concept shed light on a stark failure of its market foe the Corvette and its second year
1954 the fiberglass sports car still only carried one engine option the blue flame six cylinder that produced a
Paltry 155 horses 198 for the teabird. Yeah, it seems like a lot back then. Yeah in the mid-50s. That's pretty impressive
Darling, they got this thing called the Thunderbird
198 horsepower
The public response to the Thunderbird was overwhelmingly positive earning it a green light for the next model year
Following a few refinements the first production teabirds left the river Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan on September 9th
1954 when sales started on October 22nd some
4,000 people left deposits with their local dealers the Cleveland built Ford V8s found their way into the production model and could be paired with a
3-speed automatic or a 3-speed manual with or without overdrive
The move forced Chevy to take action finally giving the Corvette a V8 for
1955 yet plenty of differences remain between the two cars and in the eyes of consumers the luxury of the Thunderbird far outweigh
the Corvette's performance gains
Sitting at the top of Ford's lineup the new Thunderbird cost $2,944 in 1955 about 35,000 bucks today
Not that I was expecting more even at 40 dollars more than a Corvette Ford couldn't keep them on the lots
Ford smashed its sales goal of 10,000 units selling 16,155 teabirds in 1955
Meanwhile Chevy managed to move only 700 Corvettes
Damn, that's crazy
But it's that was their strategy right to do sites like all right if you're looking at a Corvette
We're gonna make you decide between a car that does one thing
And a car that does everything you're used to and the thing the other car does yeah, yeah, she's
Solid yeah, that's why the luxury right the luxury exactly the option
I mean, it's interesting because I think today
I mean certainly something we talk about a lot and other people in our car space talk about it's like oh
consumers these days
Just want convenience they want luxury right that's why manufacturers don't make sports cars
Just because like people won't buy them because they want all the convenience, but it's like it's actually happened in the 50s
Yeah, yeah, always like that always you love our treats. Yeah, love our
I love a good sweet treat. We love our sweet treats here Jimmy. Yeah
Ford had a winner on its hands, but they also had a big problem
It cost more to produce the car than they could sell it for in the eyes of Crusoe the VP of the Ford division
It didn't matter this was the brand's halo car it attracted buyers to the showroom for sedans wagons and trucks and away
From general motors and Chrysler products
Crusoe like Hank the doose loved the car. They both added model your touches
Crusoe suggested the iconic port hole window for 1956 to approve visibility
Very aquatic very yeah for I know improve visibility for who yeah for what's the mariners
Um and Henry Ford the second took inspiration from the Lincoln Continental
For the rear mounted spare which addressed an issue he had with the car
The trunk wasn't big enough to carry golf clubs
That was a problem worth solving back in the 1950s and if you can at least fit one club. You're good
One club which one club which one nine iron iron you can putt with that too
Sure, okay, but Robert McNamara working under Crusoe
argued that every unit needed to be profitable on its own
And the two-seat Thunderbird wasn't pulling its weight
He knew customers routinely asked dealers if the car came with a back seat
Some walking away because it was too small he believed this to be the answer to the production cost problem
While the 1957 model was too far along for changes
McNamara's vision soon prevailed the final two-seat baby bird rolled off the line on December 13th
1957 effectively ending any rivalry with the Corvette in truth plans for a larger Thunderbird had been underway since late 1955
When the 58 model debuted it was two feet longer featured a unibody design to retain its low-slung look
And it's seeded for people were people upset at this I doubt it because they've never
They didn't market their car as a sports car. Oh, so they could never so it's not like go back and be like right
Well, it's a sports car. What are you doing right? Oh
Yeah, this second gen Thunderbird. I do not
It's pretty I
Mean it's cool. I would definitely drive that. What year is that that's 58 that looks like an etsyl
It is somewhat etsyl like yeah when those headlights. Yeah, you're right, Jimmy. This is the dark times of forward
The 57 though. I think I rented a 57 to take our engagement picks, but I love those those first gen's man
Serious it's also really funny to think like yeah, it's got a big V8 for the time
But it nothing was like one of the slowest cars ever driven
Of course it's it's a big heavy boat. Yeah, 3,000 pounds though. Not bad. Okay. It was fun though
We took it up to like the top of stunt road nice. It's a good drive. Yeah, it's really fun
Just cruise the long PCH
And that's like the per 55 miles an hour in a car built in the 50s is like the perfect kind of like yeah speed great car
I want to buy one every car you drive you want to buy well Chloe in particular Chloe loved that car
I was like if this is the she have like was she wearing like a long scarf with sunglasses
And her hair she yeah, yeah, her hair was different. She did wrap something around to like protect it because we're taking photos
Yeah, so anyway, yeah, she had the whole 50s. That's how it would have been like dressed up like greasers or anything
I didn't have like 50s look have you seen that guy on TikTok or Instagram Reels who like dresses up as a greaser
No, what do you do so fun? He's just like things. I'm not worried about my car breaking down
And being judged by like others for being this it's so funny. I got to show it to you later. It's it's really funny
The third generation Thunderbird set the stage for the big two-door coups of the 1960s
It didn't just grow in size it packed more power to a 352 cubic inch FE series V8 making 300 horsepower
gave it the muscle to match its extended footprint and made it ideal for cruising the growing American highway system
McNamara's gamble paid off the 1958 Thunderbird earned motor trends car of the year and outsold its predecessor by 16,000 units
The momentum continued in 1959 with a 350 horsepower engine and a vast array of customization options including 19 solid colors
41 two-tone schemes
14 seat material and color combos. Oh, that's that line to divide the chrome line dividing. That's cool
By that's insane by the end of the decade annual sales climbed to nearly 93,000 units cementing the four-seater success
Nice, it seemed that nothing could stop the Thunderbird
But changes soon hit Ford and the Thunderbirds once niche market started to get crowded
As the 61 started rolling off the line the cars champion Robert McNamara became the president of Ford
The first to hold the position from outside the family since 1906
But it went last he left two months later to become newly elected president John F Kennedy's secretary of defense
Then the competition really came knocking olds will be able to introduce the star fire for 1960 as a direct response to the teabird
And yeah, and Buick followed in 1963 with the Riviera the Thunderbird even found itself in competition with the more expensive Chrysler 300 letter series
Ford's own line also carved in the sales the galaxy offered similar performance and could be had with four doors and so too could the mercury monoray
The personal luxury space became crowded in the mid-1960s
But the Thunderbird nameplate held strong through generational redesigns in 1961 and 64 the latter nearly receiving a front wheel drive layout
What that'd be crazy more room though
That's true as the pony core pony core pony core
That's what that's one of your open tabs
Yeah
As the pony car wars took off in the mid-1960s and a flood of new competition came gnawing at the teabird
Ford struggled to place it in its lineup
Leia Cokka vice president of Ford's car and truck group Leia Cokka had a unique idea
Known for helping to create the Mustang the car that ultimately stole the Thunderbird's sporty image
Ia Cokka had a talent for reading the market when it came to the Thunderbird he believed the public wanted more doors
Ia Cokka's version of the teabird now available as a two-door or a four-door with rear-hinged suicide doors
That's cool. It became an image car. It was less sporty than ever
But it upped the entire Annie on luxury also reduced costs by sharing production with the Lincoln continental mark three when designing the mark three
Ia Cokka told stylus to quote put a Rolls-Royce grill on the Thunderbird whose idea was
This is internet's interesting to me because I would have thought that Lincoln was the one that's like we want to do these doors
Because they're famous for it, but it sounds like it was backwards. Yeah, it was Ia Cokka say
Hey interesting you got this cool car interesting
For the new and large bird designers L David Ash and Bill Boyer cited inspiration
From new Ferraris and Ford cars of the 1950s for the exterior interior stylus retained the previous generations two and two seating arrangements and developed
25 possible material and color choices for buyers to ponder carrying on the custom of offering ample aesthetic options
Engine choices carried over from 1966 with a 390 or
428 cubic inch V8 both available
But either could now be had with a new four barrel carburetor. That's funny
This is probably just chugging around giant motors like two barrels. It's gnarly 428 V8 and a Thunderbird that be sick as hell
The updated Thunderbird also benefited from a marketing scheme produced by clothing retailer
Abercrombie and fish
They commissioned five fully option Thunderbirds
Tacked a polo on the end of the name and each was updated with exciting features such as telephones
TV's reading lamps and more what year is this this is in
66 though built for display and Abercrombie and fit shops each one cost close to
$15,000 up from a base price of $4,603
That's like spending
$145,000 on a $44,000 car today
These significant changes as well as the increasingly competitive field caused Thunderbird sales to drop almost 50%
Between 1969 and 1971
When the time came to reimagine the teabird a tidal wave of leadership change rushed the next generations development
I mean, okay this fifth gen
I don't it's just it's losing me. I don't care for it. I don't care for it. I don't mind it. I like it. I don't mind it
It feels like
The evolution of that front grill is pretty cool and I like that. They're trying to see where they can go with it
It does look more like a galaxy. I'll say I will say it looks very much more like a Lincoln now because they're sharing a lot of components
We'll be right back after these messages
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Now back to the show
As the faults of the fifth gen came into focus Henry Ford the second a.k.a
Hank the doose recruited bunkey nuts and from general motors to become Ford's president in the first quarter of
1968 bunkey nuts him
He started by laying out his vision for Ford's lineup to which many long-standing executives
Disliked. Uh-oh. This political infighting resulted in bunkey only holding in the role until September of 1969
At which point Hank the doose fired him in favor of career Ford man liiah coca liiah coca
I'll go go go despite bunkey's short stint his influence flooded upcoming Ford products during Tom Hanks has bunkey
Including the upsized 1971 Ford Mustang and the 1970 and 71 Thunderbird which featured the infamous
Eagle beak or bunkey beak grill
Well now I got a bunkey beak. Hey, you'll bring out the bunkey beak
Oh, that's a big I gotta see this bunkey beak. That's a beak
The bunkey beak. Oh, that is a bunkey beak. That's a big car. It's kind of lose it now. It just looks like a Chevy
It just look. Yeah. Oh
That thing looks like it's gonna dive into the river and pluck out a fish
I know you should have called it to eat a beaver
I
Where the beaver it would be it would be flat. Yeah
Prior to his release, Nudson made it known. He wished to revert the thunderbird to ruin the car forever
I hate this car. I don't like this car at all
He wished to revert the Thunderbird to its sporting routes
Those plans went out the window with his dismissal and with iakoka in charge the Thunderbird was only destined to get bigger
When the 6th gen debuted in 1972 it was the largest Thunderbird ever made
Critics lauded the big bird and public response was very positive
Ford sold more than 50,000 Thunderbirds in 1972 a 60% jump over the previous year
In 1972 see again, yeah, we're always talking. Oh cars are getting bigger
Industries die. This is the biggest Thunderbird ever and it's like the most successful by a huge margin
Yeah, well, it's more successful than the last one. Didn't they sell a hundred
They went in here anyways, but yeah, but yes, a 60% job. They're gonna revamp it. Yeah to make it bigger
And then it's awesome. We love our treats. We love having space. Yeah, you know
Our roads are big. We love that the the beak we love the beak in 1972
Ford also celebrated the production of the one millionth Thunderbird which rolled off the assembly line on June 22nd
Unfortunately for I a cocoa though
The good times
Would not last uh by 1974 the Thunderbird had balloon from an overall length of 214 inches in 1972
To 225 inches in 1974 that's longer than my
ram
That's crazy the latter carried a curb weight of nearly 5,000 pounds
Fully options heavy car and it's gonna be making like 180 horse
This was the biggest bird ever sold and its size would prove
Unsustainable as new federal fuel economy and emission standards went into effect amid the 1970s fuel crisis
By 1975 sales of the oversized and underpowered Thunderbird had fallen to 42,000
To meet the new standards Ford had to put the Thunderbird on a diet the car hit the gym getting
Does imagine cars like
Getting eight inches shorter and 900 pounds lighter what the gyms for you know I get shorter
You enough squats will get shorter doing my short gains
Yeah, eight inches shorter and 900 pounds lighter before making its seventh generation debut for
1977 amid the rising fuel costs mid-size personal luxury was all the rage on the roadway and the tea bird hit the mark
For the first time ever it sold more than 100,000 units in a year in fact
Ford sold more than 250,000 of the cars during each of the three model years of the seventh generation
Crazy how this thing goes in dips it feels like up and down and up and down
I think it's also
Has a lot to do with its competitors and I would you think it's competing both through its two-door and four-door and even through the 70s
But with the competing in Paula
Maybe because it feels like they're making similar moves to what that car was doing up to the 80s and then in
Yeah
The seventh gen featured a detuned 302 v8 which improved fuel economy and helped bolster sales
Ford also continued the tradition of offering many colors and many interior choices with the total of 16 exterior colors
12 matching or contrasting vinyl roofs and 13 colors for the bench or bucket seats dude
We just don't have the same options these days. Yeah, that's so cool. It's literally
You know
I know it's awesome
It seems like it didn't really get too affected too by the gas crisis
Besides that detune engine, right, but that's what 1978. This is
77 yeah 77 yeah
However to get prices down many standard features were removed no longer did the car come with AC
bumper guards color keyed seatbelts or power windows instead buyers could check up to 44 option boxes
Driving the price of the base model up of $5,000 around set around $27,000 today to as much as $12,000 or 64 grand
in today's money so like more than double with all the options
That's pretty gnarly there was this feeling that they had to compete with the German luxury
And that they could do it. It's like you could spend that much money
Or you could spend a lot less and have a car that kind of looks like it as the 80s began another leadership change over at Ford
Disrupted the teabirds development it lost three important advocates including i coca
I love that we're calling it development. Yeah, the deterioration
Who was fired in 1978. There's also vp gene boardenat and hang the deuce who were tired in 1980
Though it's arguable. He kept the hand in the business till his death
All three had influenced the next gen thunderbird but none remained to see it completed
The result was a compromised product built on the smaller fox platform
The new thunderbird was 17 inches shorter and adopted squared off styling
While the 302 v8 remained available
Ford introduced an even more feeble 4.2 liter v8 that made just
115 horsepower
For the first time ever an inline six was offered as well
The six cylinder delivered up to 26 miles per gallon compared to the v8's 21
But performance lagged and sales plummeted in 1982 just 45412 units
And only 40% carried the 200 cubic inch six cylinder engine
Ugh by the mid 80s the thunderbird hadn't
By the mid 80s the thunderbird had nearly returned to its roots
It was a sporty compact coupe capable of seating for
It also managed to recapture the personal luxury identity it helped define
And even wrote on a footprint similar to the original
But one thing hadn't come full circle
That performance though design worked for the 9th generation model began in 1978
The long lead time was needed to achieve advanced aerodynamics
The result was a rounded sleek arrow coupe
Which was a breath of fresh air compared to the boxy malaise air designs
Under the hood things got really interesting
The 5 also just got done praising the boxy malaise air designs
Pretty heavily
Under yeah under the hood things got really interesting
The 5 liter v8 returned to the bird
And a 3.8 liter v6 could be optioned
But the turbo 4 was what really got people talking
And its debut year of 1983
The 4 banger produced 142 horsepower
12 more than the v8
I did not know that
By 1985 the turbo teabirds horses jumped to 155
The turbo option initially came only with a Borgwarner 5 speed manual transmission
marking the first non-auto option in a teabird since 1960
With the gauge of success being sales you can say Ford had a winner on its hands
A total of 121,999 teabirds flew the coupe in 1983
Including more than 12,500 turbo variants
I think it's notable too that since the first 2 or 3 gins of Thunderbird
From today if you looked at subsequent generations you'd be like
That's a Thunderbird
I think this is the first generation where you're like
That's a Thunderbird
You know where it's in you know it is a shape of a Thunderbird
Those numbers continued to climb and Ford aimed to capitalize even further
The 9th generation still riding on the Fox platform
Went through a major refresh for 1980 set
I love that it's like every three years
I know
It's crazy
Major refresh for 1987 aesthetically and mechanically
While the updated interior and exterior shined
The addition of an intercooler on the turbo coupe
Gave it the same drivetrain as the Mustang SVL
Oh that's cool
When equipped with the manual transmission
It pushed 190 horsepower
Resulting in an 8 seconds 0-60 and 143 mile per hour top speed
Critics loved it
And Motor Trend named the turbo coupe it's 1987
Car of the year
Dude
I got it
I got to see this car
Would be cool
Oh my god
Build one of these to like a track spec
Pulling out a volcano in it
I actually do
I like these a lot
Yeah
That's cool
And that hood
The way the hood comes down on that is pretty simple too
It's gonna make it probably a good bonding car
What kind of beak is that
That's right it's the beak
It's the beak
A major overhaul arrived just in time for the 1990s
All centered around a single engine option
The S6 overhead valve 3.8 liter V6
Which came in naturally aspirated and supercharged variants
The Thunderbird won Motor Trends car of the year for the third time in 1989
Specifically the super coupe or SC for short
It's rated at 210 horsepower and pushing 12 pounds of boost
The SC could run 0-60 in 7.5 seconds
And hit a top speed of nearly 140 miles per hour
Honestly at that time
For how big this car is
That's pretty impressive
That's impressive
That's cool man
That's neat dude
And you can go neat
Swap out all the Foxbody components too if you wanted
Yeah dude
Now we're talking Jimbo
That's neat
These are cool too
I like these
Yeah
I like these
I can smell the cigarettes over it
That's a rad wood car
Yeah these are cool
These are hard to smell the cigarettes
Like
Pretty good
This is sick dude
Thunderbird SC
All right we all get
Thunderbird SCs
We're all getting probes
We're all getting SCs
We'll be the thunder boys
Yeah dude
Straight up
This iteration of the T-bird
Found particular success in NASCAR in the 1990s
In 1992
Alan Coolwicky drove a Thunderbird
In his championship run
1992
In 1997 Ford also won the NASCAR
Manufacturer's championship
It was a great way to celebrate the end of the Thunderbird
Because after 43 years of continuous production
Ford pulled the plug
That same year
For more than 40 years
The Thunderbird had been
Ford's most malleable model
It could take many forms
Because it's name always reflected
What it's set out to be
Personal luxury
The T-bird could be described as luxurious
Sporty, fun
And a cable
Personal
And occasionally
Fast
When management called it quits
On the iconic nameplate
An uproar ensued
Inside and outside of the blue oval
Ford's upper management listened
And as they watched
Retro-inspired cars
Like the Volkswagen Bug
And Plymouth Prouller rolled down the streets
Ford decided to get a slice of that sweet sweet
Stalls a pie
Almost as soon as the Thunderbird's demise
Was announced
A small team at Ford got together
To spend their evenings trying to save it
A little skunk work's action
The secret mission was reminiscent
Of the original Thunderbird's development
Global VP of design
Jack Telnack
Caught wind of the project
And became a major proponent
Until his retirement
His replacement, Jay Mayes
Famous for reworking the iconic VW Beetle
That it recently hit the streets
Brought his retro experience to the table
And push the plan forward
The end result was a throwback
To the original baby birds of the mid-50s
With a concept debuting
At the 1999 North American
International Auto Show
It generated positive enough response
That Ford's new president, Jack Nasser
Gave it the green light
The retro Thunderbird had a single engine option
A 3.8 liter Jaguar V8
That produced 250 horsepower
Jaguars Ford
It was making Jaguar Taurus
It was not the 3.0 V8
So Jaguar V8
This thing was connected to a 5-speed auto
With a select shift auto-stick option
When sales started for the 2002 model year
It appeared Ford had another winner on its hands
More than 30,000 sold that year
And the T-bird earned its fourth
Motor Trend Car of the Year award
I did not know it won that
That's crazy
It's got to be some kind of record
Ford
Yeah
Ford and a row
Or one model
Unfortunately though, lofty sales goals
Failed to hit their mark
Sales fell by more than 50% in 2003
And all the people who were excited about the car
Had already bought it
Yep
Exactly
And sales continued to drop year over year
It held on through 2005
Marking the 50th anniversary of the Ford Thunderbird
If we could just make it to 50
A proper exclamation point for an iconic model
In its five decades
The Thunderbird reinvented itself time and time again
Taking direct aim at Corvette
And defining style in the 1960s
To sharing assembly lines
With its upscale siblings from Lincoln
And reverting back to its former self
Just in time for its 50th birthday
The Thunderbird always remained true to its roots
As a personal luxury vehicle
While it has been 20 years since the Thunderbird flew
Ford did renew the trademark name in 2021
Could there be another resurrection in the future?
No, they're just keeping the name
Only time will tell
But obviously it's electric
With a name like Thunderbird
It better be
They'll call it the Lightning Bird
Lightning Bird
Only time will tell
But if history teaches us anything
It's that legends
Never die
Whoa
And that's the story of the Thunderbird
Dude, chills
Guys
Kills
Buy your
No, go
Set your Craigslist
Sale area to Palm Springs
10th gen actually is what you want
I feel like I never see these ones too now
The latest ones
The new one
Yeah
I don't see one
That was 20 years ago
The newest
I mean, there's
Not a lot of weird
That was 20 years ago
I know
Jeez
Dude
It's a classic
Dude
Xbox was out then
Original
Wow, the original OG Xbox
Wow
You could go buy a copy of Halo 2 in that car
So that's the Thunderbird
I'm hyped on them now
I'm more hyped on them than the probe
Honestly, the probe
I could
Yeah, I'll be on it
I like this more than the probe
Thank you guys so much
Thanks to our rider this week
Brian Corey
And our primary source for this episode was
Thunderbird 50 years by Alan H. Tast
Follow Bart at BidsBardo
On social media follow Jimmy
At RussellJimmy.jp follow me at NolanJSykes
Big thank you
To our crew as always
We got Audrey, Edgar
And Mark behind the camera there
And thanks to you for listening
As always
We will see you next week
Bye bye
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About this episode
Exploring the tumultuous history of the Ford Thunderbird, this episode delves into its evolution from a post-war sports car to a personal luxury vehicle. The hosts discuss the Thunderbird's initial success, its struggles with identity, and how it adapted to changing market demands over the decades. Notable moments include the introduction of various generations, the impact of leadership changes at Ford, and the eventual decline of the model. The episode wraps up with a reflection on the Thunderbird's legacy and its potential future.
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This week on Past Gas — the Ford Thunderbird. What started as Ford’s slick Corvette fighter slowly morphed into a bloated land yacht, a boxy malaise disaster, and finally a sad retro comeback. The Bird kept reinventing itself… and somehow kept getting worse. So how did Ford’s coolest car turn into its biggest identity crisis?
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