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Thunderbird 1959-1982 - the thunderbird

Name: Ford Thunderbird 1956
Brand: Ford

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Created in 2015

Text:

Roger Gloor

Photos:

Ford Motor Company

Archiv Automobil Revue

Ford Motor Company

Archiv Automobil Revue

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Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster (1962) - two-seater sports model with covered rear seat

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Thunderbird from 1976 (V8, 7536 cm3, 205 hp) - 1959-1982

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Summary

There were around 10,000 car brands and designers - most of them have disappeared. The Thunderbird, which was launched by Ford in the fall of 1954, is one of the vanished brands. But to the disappointment of many fans, there was little left of the car apart from its striking horizontal silhouette by 1958, when the Thunderbird evolved into a luxury runabout. In 1972, emissions regulations caused the vehicle's performance to drop dramatically and this was the beginning of the end for the "Thunderbird".

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Preview (beginning of the article)

As a counterpart to the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford launched the Thunderbird in the fall of 1954. With the 1958 model year, it became a bulky luxury four-seater, much to the disappointment of some fans: wheelbase 287 instead of 259 cm, length 522 instead of 461, originally 445 cm. Only the striking horizontal silhouette remained. From 1959, the "Thunderbird" was regarded as an own brand alongside Ford, Mercury and Lincoln. A striking feature was the solid chrome frame around the deep oval radiator grille as part of the bumper. A 5.8 and a 7-liter V8 with 304 and 355 hp respectively were available. From 1961 to 1963, the "T'bird" shone with its smooth side design, and in 1967 a full-width radiator grille with concealed headlights followed. The wheelbase and length - now on a box frame chassis - were stretched to 292/526 cm and to 298/532 cm for the four-door version offered for the first time.

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