The Ford Thunderbird - An American Classic
The Ford Thunderbird has been hailed as an American icon, preserved in film and song. The Beach Boys, the popular rock group of the 60's, put the Thunderbird to music in their song, "Fun, Fun, Fun"
"And she'll have fun, fun, fun
til her daddy takes the t-bird away"
One of the Beach Boys, Dennis Wilson, originally owned a 1955 T-bird. It is now in the Hollywood Stars Cars Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, fully restored with the Beach Boys' autograph on the hood.
The T-bird is also remembered for her film debut in American Graffiti.
The T-bird was originally conceived to compete with the Chevrolet Corvette. The years following World War 2 witnessed the return of many veterans from the European front. While in Europe they had seen and fallen in love with the European sports cars. American manufactures took note of this and Chevrolet marketed the Corvette. So Ford was challenged to produce a competitor.
Three men were most instrumental in the creation of the original T-bird. Lewis D. Crusoe was a retired GM executive however Henry Ford II had enticed him to join Ford. George Walker was Ford's chief stylist and a vice-president. Frank Hershey was a Ford designer.
Crusoe and Walker were visiting in Paris when Crusoe saw a sports car in the Grand Palais. They were impressed by the design and Walker then called Frank Hershey in Dearborn. Hershey started working on the design. It was to be an open car that would seat two passengers. It would be equipped with An Interceptor V8 engine and be capable of attaining a speed of over 100 miles per hour.
Although designed to compete with the Corvette, it wasn't a true sports car. Ford conceived it as a personal luxury car.
For some reason, they encountered difficulty in creating a name for the car so Crusoe offered a prize, a $250 suit, to anyone who submitted an acceptable name. A stylist, Alden Giberson, entered a list with Thunderbird included.
The idea behind the name is controversial. Some sources say it was named for the Native American god of rain and prosperity. Palm Life Magazine stated the name came from an ultra exclusive housing district. It is also reported that Giberson got the idea when he witnessed an illusion of a bird struck by lightening during a storm.
The Thunderbird first met the American public at the Detroit Auto Show in February of 1954. However, it was not available at dealers until October of 1954. This model was a two-door convertible equipped with a V8 engine that could cruise between 110 and 120 miles per hour. The standard top was fiberglass but a fabric convertible top was an option. Featuring four way powered seats and push button interior doors, the T-bird was actually a small personal luxury car not a sports car.
However, it definitely appealed to the American public at the time and in the first ten days of sale, dealers received 3,500 orders. The total sales for 1955 amounted to 16,155 as Ford realized their goal of surpassing the Corvette.
Later however, owners of the 'Classic' would complain about the lack of a back seat and small trunk. This would lead to modifications and a new generation of T-birds however, the "Little Bird" remains an American icon.
Related Tags: car shipping, car transport, auto transport, auto shipping
Utah Auto Shipping Car Shipping Utah Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Improve the Value of Your Truck With a Truck Bed Cover
If you are a truck owner and are looking for a way to increase the value and also protect your inves - An Overview of Emergency Road Services
Anyone that owns a vehicle definitely understands that there are truly countless facets of driving a - Buying From Car and Truck Auctions in Canada
Buying a vehicle from an auction can be a good way to pick up a bargain as long as you know what you - 2011 Green Car Of The Year- Who's In It To Win It!
The Green Car of the Year award is a program designed by Green Car Jouranl to recognize and honor ve - Honda's 2010 Odyssey is Efficient, Practical and Convenient
If you are looking for a minivan that has a seating capacity of up to eight persons and handles almo - Greener Trucks For Delivery Work
Green' is a word you'll hear a lot when it comes to transportation, from bicycles to buses - but you - The Courier and Haute Couture
Some jobs just ooze opportunity to flaunt yourself and show off your latest togs but sadly that's ra - All-New 2011 Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry has been a continuous leader for years in the family midsize sedan class by being a - The Various Benefits Of Summer Tires
As you probably know , different tires are optimized for different conditions. Not only that, someth - A Couple of Tips on Buying a Used Cars in Toronto
If your old car has finally kicked the bucket and you need to get yourself a new mode of transport t
Most viewed articles in this category:
- How to Remove Window Tint
Applying tinting film to car or household windows may be fun, but removing it can be tricky if yo - Transporting Your Car
If you are relocating to another state or another country for employment or family reasons, you may - Choosing The Right Sticker For The Motorcycle Helmet
When people decide to buy a motorcycle, the dealer will usually throw in a helmet. This is because s - Suzuki's 2007 Xl7, “wave” Grand Vitara Debuts at the 2007 Scias
In the news: American Suzuki Motor Corporation has presented its array of cars and SUVs at the 2007 - Nissan Skyline GTR: A Racer That Is Affordable
If you've ever eyed a Porsche 911 or a Ferrari Testarossa, but thought the price was too steep, the - How To Buy Cheap Cars
There are a number of seized car auctions held in various places every month or at least quarterly. - Federal Agencies Expands Hybrid Fleet
Three federal agencies in Kansas recently added hybrid vehicles to their fleet. The hybrid vehicles - New Cars, New Gadgets Presented at the 2007 Naias
The 2007 North American International Auto Show has become an event of glamour, fashion and technolo - Aura Green Line Added to 3 Federal Fleets in Kansas
Three Kansas City area federal agencies added Monday the new 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid vehi - Top Vehicles by Autoweek Editors Honored at 2007 Naias
Everybody has favorites. Bill may like Ford cars. Susan may be attracted much by the power of pi