G
Grahamp
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- Joined
- Feb 11, 2019
- Thunderbird Year
- None
can someone recommend which kit is the best and easiest to install, price is not important
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Did you know that in 1960 the made 3 Thunderbirds completely out of stainless steel? Way before Delorean even though of it! Also all 3 are still around today! One is in a museum in my state or Pennsylvania.I don't know if the front-drive would have been a good or bad thing. But I understand Ford didn't want to try unibody on their own, and had the Budd Company make the bodies for the 1961 Thunderbirds. This continued through 1966. This is the Budd railroad car company, which might help explain why these things are built like a railroad car -- almost 5,000 pounds and so solid that they could beat up everything else in a demolition derby.
But that also explains why the front wheel wells are so huge you could throw a party back there, but the engine compartment has no room -- barely enough for a 390 big block.
Another tidbit -- they used a 1963 Thunderbird to film the movie Flubber. Why? Because of the body -- they were able to make it into a four-wheel-drive, so they could put it on a lift and film it with all four wheels turning. They only made one car this way, unlike most movies which utilize a handful of cars. I heard this from the people who built the car -- uh, tooting my own horn, they sent me the radio for conversion.
Railroad cars,? I love it! Gary, it might have been you that indicated the federal authorities required redesign of the '64 front end because other cars were being demolished in collisions? DougI don't know if the front-drive would have been a good or bad thing. But I understand Ford didn't want to try unibody on their own, and had the Budd Company make the bodies for the 1961 Thunderbirds. This continued through 1966. This is the Budd railroad car company, which might help explain why these things are built like a railroad car -- almost 5,000 pounds and so solid that they could beat up everything else in a demolition derby.
But that also explains why the front wheel wells are so huge you could throw a party back there, but the engine compartment has no room -- barely enough for a 390 big block.
Another tidbit -- they used a 1963 Thunderbird to film the movie Flubber. Why? Because of the body -- they were able to make it into a four-wheel-drive, so they could put it on a lift and film it with all four wheels turning. They only made one car this way, unlike most movies which utilize a handful of cars. I heard this from the people who built the car -- uh, tooting my own horn, they sent me the radio for conversion.
I don't know if the front-drive would have been a good or bad thing. But I understand Ford didn't want to try unibody on their own, and had the Budd Company make the bodies for the 1961 Thunderbirds. This continued through 1966. This is the Budd railroad car company, which might help explain why these things are built like a railroad car -- almost 5,000 pounds and so solid that they could beat up everything else in a demolition derby.
I believe the reason why the wheel wells in the 64 model tbird was so huge was because Ford was trying to do a front engine/front wheel drive setup like the Oldsmobile Toronado. After the gave up they just instead stuck a 390 into it.I don't know if the front-drive would have been a good or bad thing. But I understand Ford didn't want to try unibody on their own, and had the Budd Company make the bodies for the 1961 Thunderbirds. This continued through 1966. This is the Budd railroad car company, which might help explain why these things are built like a railroad car -- almost 5,000 pounds and so solid that they could beat up everything else in a demolition derby.
But that also explains why the front wheel wells are so huge you could throw a party back there, but the engine compartment has no room -- barely enough for a 390 big block.
Another tidbit -- they used a 1963 Thunderbird to film the movie Flubber. Why? Because of the body -- they were able to make it into a four-wheel-drive, so they could put it on a lift and film it with all four wheels turning. They only made one car this way, unlike most movies which utilize a handful of cars. I heard this from the people who built the car -- uh, tooting my own horn, they sent me the radio for conversion.