The Ford Thunderbird has gone through many iterations during its design and market focus. The original two-seater ’55-’57 cars were very much personal-luxury GTs, and the second and third generations were more family-car oriented, flashy yet able to carry four people.
While I am recently converted fan of the first-generation T’birds, I have never been fond of the so-called square birds or the bullet birds that came after. Strangely, the Thunderbirds that I like the best are the Jet Age-inspired fifth generation Thunderbirds that came after.
What’s to like about the red-headed stepchild of the T’bird line? Well, I love the Bunkie Knudsen styling mixed with the Lincoln options and build quality present in these cars. They are great Mad Men-era cars that exemplify everything going on in design at the time. To me, the front-end resembles the F-100 Super Sabre fighter jet.
The Pick of the Day is a 1967 Ford Thunderbird coupe offered by a dealer in Lakeland, Florida, that has just 20,000 miles on its odometer.
This posting in ClassicCars.com could be a template for how to create a great listing for selling a car. The ad includes a total or 91 pictures that detail every part of the car from top to bottom, and loads of pertinent information.
According to the seller, this Thunderbird is believed to have spent its life in West Virginia, where it was always garaged and pampered. The dealer purchased the car and brought it to Florida for a refresh, the listing says.
The car received a dual-stage repaint in the correct Light Green Metallic. The interior looks beautiful in the photos, in original condition with factory gold bucket seats and console, the seller says, with all-original door panels, dash, carpet and headliner
The factory air conditioning works as it should and blows cold, the seller adds. The car also has its factory wheel covers, which look to be in great condition, and newer whitewall tires.
The car’s sheet metal is laser straight, according to the listing, and the chrome and soft trim are in good condition, although the stainless trim has some dings. The car retains its 390 cid V8 engine with 4-barrel carburetor, power steering and brakes, power windows and original AM/FM stereo and speakers.
These Thunderbirds are usable, powerful, comfortable and inexpensive to maintain. They embody 1960s space-age design better than any car I can think of, and they have been a bargain for way too long. The collector car market has been embracing usable cars, the ones that you can drive whenever you like, and a T’bird from this era can accomplish lots of driving with ease.
Fifth-generation Thunderbirds are difficult to find in such fine condition. The asking price of $18,500 seems like a good value for a mid-century time machine, ready for you and your special someone to dress up in ’60s style and head out to dinner at the club.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day
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