Name of the car

[RBann]

This website is confusing. Anyway, here is my question.. How was the car given its name: Thunderbird? I saw a PBS program which stated the car was named for the Thunderbird Country Club in Palm Springs. Is this true? Author Bill Zehme currently has the loan of Nancy Sinatra Sr.'s Thunderbird, drove it to the Playboy Mansion today, and when I told this story about how the car got its name, no one believed me, including our host, Hugh Hefner. Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

[tbird]

Great question, looking forward to hearing the answer!

 

[cappellin]

Thunderbird Name

In the book "Thunderbird! an illustrated history of the Ford T-Bird" by Ray Miller, he quotes: "Ford Division's personal luxury car, the Thunderbird, is named for a legendary bird known to the American Indians as a good luck omen. The mythical bird was supposed to have caused thunder, lightning, and rain. It symbolized, among other things, Power, Swiftness, and Prosperity." etc...

from a FORD MOTOR COMPANY news release....

At least that is one answer -- sounds better than a Country Club.

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

The name of the Thunderbird was decided shortly before the car's early 1954 Detroit unveiling. There had been over a thousand suggested. Just to name a few, Astroflame, Cruisejet, Flag Star, Jet-Off, Pituresque, Robin Hood, Ty Coon, Whizette, and Wombat just to name a few. Finally Ford had a contest among their employee's that offered a $250 suit as the prize in the naming contest. Alden R. "Gib" Giberson won the prize. A $250 suit could not be found in the Dearborn area, so Gib settled on a $80 suit. As stated above, yes it was an indian name from the Southwest.

 

[cool57]

Originally posted by LON O'CONNELL
Alden R. "Gib" Giberson won the prize. A $250 suit could not be found in the Dearborn area, so Gib settled on a $80 suit.

Gib got "gigged"!

 

[FUN X 3]

Some additional trivia on the subject-

According to Michael Lamm's book "Thunderbird 2002", some of the other possible names were Fordster, Fordette, Beaver, Detroiter, Hep Cat, and Wheelaway. According to William Boyer's book "Thunderbird, An Odyssey in Automotive Design", Mr. Giberson had lived in the southwest and was familiar with the Thunderbird from native American Indian culture. He also became the designer of the first Thunderbird emblem, "a handsome turquoise and silver creation." Boyer also worked for Ford for over thirty years and was instumental in the creation and evolution of the Thunderbird.