We need a vet killer not a lady thriller | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models

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We need a vet killer not a lady thriller

  • Thread starter Thread starter thefive0guy
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thefive0guy

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If the t-bird is going to be a fighter we need a good sized V-8 with some power, a better body for racing and ext. When the t bird was first itroduced it was a jewel even when the first vet hit the streets it still beet it but it slowly got slower and slower until it lost its shine. Freinds lets polish the shine back into this rock.

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The Thunderbird in its new iteration isn't meant to be a sports car, although it has very decent performance for its weight, it was designed to be a luxurious two seat cruiser. And Ford definitely succeeded in building such a car.

The 1955 Thunderbird was more of a personal car concept than a sports car, the result of a decision made by Louis D Crusoe, one of the two men responsible for the birth of the Thunderbird. And the Thunderbird was thus the first car in what is now considered the "Personal Luxury Car" segment of the automotive market.

Seldom in the history of the automotive industry has a company achieved the success Ford reached in creating the Thunderbird. The car stunned the automotive world and the effect is a lasting one.

Absolute evidence of the two-seat Thunderbird's impact on the motoring world came just four years after the last 1957 was built when Today Show host Dave Garroway referred to it as "an American classic." Generally, it takes decades for a car to receive such recognition.

The 2002 follows that tradition-and this was confirmed when Motor Trend selected the 2002 Thunderbird as "Car Of The Year."

Ford gives us a choice-if you want a Vette Killer, buy a Mustang, such as the Saleen or Roush modified cars. But if you want a car that will get you and a passenger from point A to point B comfortably, and allow you to have fun on the way, then buy a Thunderbird.

Oh yeah-the Vette was introduced in 1953, and did not have a V-8 for a couple of years-I think the first one with a V-8 was the 56.

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Thank you for the reply but I just wish ford would produce something from them a real performance car not just onother million different variations of the mustang. even if the t bird is just style we need a car to show up the vet the mustang is ment to fight the camaro let it do its job.
 
I agree with Birdman and if it has to be a Ford connected "Vette killer" you can put your name on the two year waiting list for the Aston Martin V12 6.0L/500 HP , 0-60 4.6sec.
Also Carrol "Cobra" Shelby Series 1 SC with the Aurora 4.0L V8/ 450 HP, 0-60 3.7 sec. and built in USA, Las Vegas,NV.
Both cars will cost over $200,000 but will kill the Vette!
 
You guy dont understand people dont see an aston martin as a ford even though it is people really dont see a GM engine as ford ether we nead something whith fords name on it from ford with a ford engine
 
FD-I still have yet to find a street-legal vette that can keep up with my 66 Tiger.

BTW, FiveOh, Ford is contemplating building the Indigo, a two-seat retro vehicle with a supercharged 4.0 V-8. I have pictures if you want to see what it looks like.

I'll post the pictures at the following site:
http://clubs.*********/clubs/vintagethunderbirdclubintl

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Thank you I have seen the indigo do you actually think ford will make it though? hmm. it would be nice but what are the chances. thats like saying the gt-90 will hit the street. Im just think the vet created chevys image for racing, I love the mustang I have a gt but you can only live of a pony car for so long.
 
Birdman93,

Last article I saw on the Indigo said it had a 625 HP V12. When was it changed to a supercharged 4.0L

The article I read said that the V12 would meet all of the Emission laws in all 50 states and was a 90% probability of hitting the streets with the V12.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V
 
Lon-I think what I have is older-the original specs call for the 4.0-maybe they decided to change it in favor of the larger engine-who knows-I only put down what I had.

And the GT-90 will probably be released sometime in the near future-at a cost of $225,000.

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thefive0guy: I think you've missed the reasoning behind the 02 Bird. It is not and never was meant to me anything other than what it is -- a beautiful cruiser. As stated earlier, that's what the 55's were and that is the tradition if the 02's. If you want a racer from Ford -- get a Cobra Mustang or a Saleen Mustang. They'll do the trick.
 
Sorry Five-O. I think you are on the wrong board. We all know that Ford has gone racing for 100 years and I expect they will do so in the future. The Thunderbird is not for YOU. A Lincoln is not for you but is still a Ford. What you need to look at is a Mustang that You can modify to beat the Vettes you want to compete with. That's what Mustangs are all about-- Modifications. Try modifications on a Vette!

I personally believe that Thunderbird owners are more into the classiic design of pure art of automobiles and the new Thunderbird represents what can come out of Ford. I hope that more styling is in the cue and racing (competing with Vettes) stays on the track.
 
Five-0

If memory serves me right, the Corvette came first. '53 vs. the '55 for the TBird. Anyway, as much as I love Fords and the Thunderbird, the Corvette was definitely the better of the two automobiles. There may have been some (serious?) thoughts about the Bird being better as far as performance, but Chevy had the upper hand over the years.

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Blue/Blue/Full Blue/ Premium/VIN ??? / 21 of 25
 
gmadams,
I hate to dissagree with you, but I have some friends that have a '61 vette and it drives like a TANK!!! Power steering was not available and the steering wheel is at least an inch larger than a '55 T-Bird. The old king pin front suspension is very unpredictable about which way it wants to go at speeds under 45 MPH. It does have lots of power and the 4 speed shifts better than my 5 speed Getrag that was built 30 years later.
The body has more rattles than any T-Bird I've ever ridden in and none of the pre '65 Vette's have decent fitting doors or hood.
Not to say I wouldn't have an early Vette if it was cheap enough, but it wouldn't be a touring car or daily driver. Maybe for a day trip or something, but not long trips.
My '57 has power window and power steering and is comfortable for long trips and has a large usable trunk, and gets 20 MPG at 70 MPH. I've driven the Bird across the USA from Seattle to Virginia to Maine and back to Seattle and never had a bad day. I've spent many a 10-12 hour day in it and know I couldn't do that in a Corvette.
Thanks for letting me spout......
George.
 
George-

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the first corvettes have a six cylinder in them? I seem to remember that the 53-55 only were available with the 6, and in 1956 Chevrolet added the V-8 engine in order to compete with the Thunderbird.

I do know that the Corvette was never sanctioned for NASCAR, and the Thunderbird was only used briefly in the late 50s/early 60s, when NASCAR rules made the Thunderbird illegal for competition. The Thunderbird did not return to NASCAR until 1983. An interesting note is that Johnny Beauchamp, driving a 1959 Thunderbird, was declared the unofficial winner of the first Daytona 500 race-only to have the position taken away when film footage of the end showed that Lee Petty crossed the finish line first in an Oldsmobile. Another note is that Dale Earnhardt Sr. didn't always race GM products-his first car was a 1957 Ford Victoria, and one of his Championship seasons was raced in a Thunderbird-so even the Intimidator himself knew a good car when he drove one!!

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Remember too that the first Corvettes, (53-54) were only available with the 2-speed automatic transmission. I owned a new Corvette every year from 70-77 and also had a 74 V-12 E-Type in 74. The corvettes rode like boards, but had torque to spare while the Jag had no torque, but was a rocket once moving. It rode better and handled better, but this new T-Bird beats them all hands down. As I've said before -- WHAT A CAR!
 
I've also owned 'vettes. They rode like buckboards....were very difficult to maintain...and were not half the fun of our new Bird. I have driven the new bird at Living legends and the Mystery drive. there is absolutely no comparison. Our new car is the best.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18
 
I guess that my post wasn't as clear as what I wanted to say. I was only (Trying to) state that the Vette had better performance than the TBird throughout the years. I agree that the Bird and the Vette although competitors in the show room, were not really in the same class. The TBird is DEFINITELY a better overall car. I was just trying to point out that the Vette had more muscle and horsepower. Believe me, I'm no diehard Bow Tie fan.
 
Gary and all,
I think we all agree that the Corvette is a more powerfull car but is not a boulevard cruiser like the T-Bird. This is a little off the subject of T-Birds, but kinda' shows where my basic loyalties are. "REAL TRUCKS DON'T WEAR BOWTIES". I have only owned one GM product in all my life and that was a '50 Cadillac 2-dr hardtop, and that was only for a few months. My '57 Bird may not go around corners like an early Vette, but it beats the socks off one for comfort and overall drivability.
GM started putting V-8's in Corvettes in '55 along with the passenger car line and did the first 4-speeds in late '57 in Covettes only. The 4-speed was designed by Borg-Warner for Ford, but was used by GM until they switched to Muncie.
Later,
George
 
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