The Freewheelers Car Club

Marque of the Month

Thunderbird
September

	was introduced by Ford in 1954 (as a 1955 model) as a two-seat convertible.
	was never referred to as a "sports car" in any Ford marketing material.
	was reconfigured as a four-seat "personal luxury" hardtop or convertible in 1958.
	was built on the same assembly line as the full-size Lincoln from 1958-1966.
	was available with four "suicide" doors from 1967-1971.
	was last made as a four-seat sport coupe in 1997.
	was re-introduced as a two-seat convertible in 2002.


1955	1956	1957	1959	1960	1961

1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967 4-Door

1968	1970 4-Door	1979	1981	1995	2002

While the Thunderbird is not really a separate Ford Motor Company marque, it has always been different enough from the rest of the Ford lineup to be treated as a separate marque by most automotive historians. While most Ford models noticeably changed styling year-to-year, the Thunderbird adhered to a three-year styling cycle (at least from 1955-1969). The 1958-1966 models were unibody designs, just like the Lincoln of those years, and were built on the same assembly line as the full-size Lincolns. The Thunderbird was priced above the rest of the Ford line, at least through the classic (1955-1966) years.

Thunderbird was the first "Personal Luxury" car, so the change from two-seater to four-seater in 1958 did not damage the image. There were some performance variants over the years (E, F & M birds), but Thunderbird was more about style and luxury, not cornering and trap-speeds. Thunderbird was a trend-setter, with the first domestic bucket-seat and console interior (1958), formal roof line, windshield-bonded rearview mirror, full-width taillights, and aerodynamics just some of the features that started on the Thunderbird and spread to other vehicles, Ford and otherwise.

The demise of the Thunderbird in 1998 was thought by many to be the end of an era, so the re-introduction of the Thunderbird, as a two-seater, is a welcome sign that not everyone wants an SUV. We can only hope that Ford continues to refine the new 'Bird and let it soar to the heights once inhabited by its predecessors.

Did You Know?

The "E"-birds (dual-quads) were only made in 1957; 1500 were produced.
The "F"-birds (supercharged) were only made in 1957; 208 were produced.
The 1961 Lincoln Continental started out as a design for the 1961 Thunderbird.
The 1962 Thunderbird was to be front-wheel drive, but was not for reasons of cost.
The "M"-birds (tri-duals) were only made in 1962 & 1963; less than 280 were made.
The 1966 Thunderbird convertible was the last 4-seater convertible T-bird from the factory.
The 1968 Lincoln Continental Mark III was built on the 4-door Thunderbird chassis.
The 1968-1976 and 1983-1997 Thunderbirds and Lincoln Marks shared the same platform.
The 1983 Thunderbird introduced "aero" styling to the modern Ford line.
The 1989 Thunderbird SC brought back supercharging after 22 years.