![]() Stylist Alden "Gib" Giberson submitted Thunderbird as part of a list. Crusoe offered a $250 suit to anyone who could come up with a better name. There was some difficulty in naming the car, with suggestions ranging from the exotic to the ridiculous (Hep Cat, Beaver, Detroiter, Runabout, Arcturus, Savile, El Tigre, and Coronado were submitted among the 5,000 suggestions). Unlike the Corvette, the Thunderbird was never a full-blown sporting vehicle Ford's description was personal luxury car, and the company essentially created this market segment. Crusoe saw a painted clay model on May 18, 1953, which corresponded closely to the final car he gave the car the go-ahead in September after comparing it with current European trends. The concept was for a two-passenger open car, with a target weight of 2525 lb (1145 kg), an Interceptor V8 engine and a top speed of over 100 mph (160 km/h). Hershey took the idea and began working on the vehicle. Walker promptly telephoned Ford's HQ in Dearborn and told designer Frank Hershey about the idea. Walking in the Grand Palais in Paris, Crusoe pointed at a sports car and asked Walker, 'Why can't we have something like that?' Crusoe and Walker met in France in October 1951. Crusoe, a retired GM executive lured out of retirement by Henry Ford II George Walker, chief stylist and a Ford vice-president and Frank Hershey, a Ford designer. Three men are generally credited with creating the original Thunderbird: Lewis D. In 2002, a revived 2-seat model was launched, was available through the end of the 2005 model year. ![]() Sales were good until the 1990s, when large 2-door coupes became unpopular production ceased after 1997. Succeeding generations became larger and more luxurious, until the line was downsized in 1977 and again in 1980. In 1958, the Thunderbird gained a second row of seats for greater practicality. Ford described it as a personal luxury car, a description which named a new market segment. It entered production for the 1955 model year as a two-seater sporty car unlike the superficially similar (and slightly earlier) Chevrolet Corvette, the Thunderbird was never sold as a full-blown sports car. To see over 80 photos of this car, including under carriage please visit our website Ford Thunderbird is a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. In our opinion, the third generation T-bird especially the 1961 model is one of the most striking of the “big” birds. ![]() The car comes with receipts of maintenance and care dating back over twenty years. It goes down the road as it should with all lights in working order. This car is in excellent mechanical condition, with the turn of the key the engine starts right up and idles quietly. The interior is original with the exception of a carpet kit. This T-bird still shows a lot of originality with a re-paint some years back. This particular beauty comes out of long term loving ownership and excellent care. A total of over 200,000 Thunderbirds were produced in three years. It could be purchased with A/C, power windows, seats, AM radio and fender skirts. The T-bird had strong sales numbers and was a market leader in luxury, performance and automotive firsts like the swing away steering wheel that allowed for easy entry and exit. It was also the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500. ![]() ![]() The third generation Thunderbird was introduced in 1961 and had a short run of only a few years. ![]()
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