The new trick up Ford's sleeve for 1967 was aįour-door Thunderbird with "suicide doors." But whether it remained "unique in all the world," as its advertisements still insisted, is debatable.
The all-new Thunderbird that resulted for 1967 was unquestionably quieter, more refined, and more roadable than any of its smaller ancestors. Veteran Ford designer Gale Halderman, who worked on every generation of Thunderbird from 1958 to 1989, recalled a general feeling that the Thunderbird had to grow larger, too, to maintain its position in the sales race.
The General Motors coupes were larger than the Thunderbird and, beginning in 1966, offered more conventional interior layouts. That said, it is nonetheless clear that from 1964 on, the product planners responsible for the Thunderbird were carefully watching the General Motors "E-bodies" in their rearview mirror - and perhaps paying a little less attention to the road ahead. Even as late as 1971, neither the fabulous boattail Riviera nor the new and outlandishly gothic Toronado could out-gun a five-year-old Thunderbird body shell wearing a year-old face lift. The Riviera snuck past the Thunderbird in 1969, only to be slammed back in its place in 1970. In 1967, the Thunderbird beat the Riviera and Toronado combined it even finished ahead of the lower-priced Pontiac Grand Prix every year from 1964 to 1968. In the 1960s, the Ford Thunderbird ruled the full-size, personal-luxury segment, consistently outselling the Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado, and Cadillac Eldorado. The 1967 Ford Thunderbird was dominant in theįull-size luxury market. If GM's cars were big, the 1967-1971 Ford Thunderbird would be, too. I promise to burn rubber no more than two or three times a day, and would be happy to enjoy the rest of the miles in the slow lane, the hum of the Thunderjet and the simple elegant interior providing all the entertainment required to reach one’s destination in comfort and satisfaction.Anxious to preserve the Thunderbird's popularity, Ford planners warily eyed General Motors's moves in the personal-luxury market. I wouldn’t mind taking a turn behind the wheel of this handsome 429-powered personal luxury coupe. Earlier this century I revived a $1200 1966 Thunderbird Town Landau from the dead, and its then-standard 390 V8 had plenty of torque to roast the tires. The Town Landau roof design, introduced in 1966, stood as one of three greenhouse designs available in 1969. Twin rocket-thruster tail lights join a center trim panel to span the width of the T-bird’s rear.
#1969 THUNDERBIRD RACE CAR SERIES#
New in 1968, the “385” series 429 shares little with the FE-based 428 CobraJet despite their nearly identical displacement. For perspective, a 2006 BMW 750Li also produces 360 HP (net) and weighs 4400 lb. Enjoy! The 360 HP (gross) monster reportedly moves these big ‘birds well despite their more than two-ton heft, according to Wikipedia. The black top and interior nicely compliment the Lime Gold Poly paint.ĭespite mentioning the standard 429 cid (7.0L) V8 six times in the listing, this is the best engine picture included. Hidden headlights? Yes indeed! This common luxury car feature of the time looks uncommonly good on this Thunderbird. AutomotiveMileposts reports rear axle options of 2.80 or 3.00, both of which favor relaxed highway cruising. The sturdy C6 three-speed automatic transmission and positraction rear differential translate the standard 429’s power into thrust. Though more conventional and less cockpit-like than the prior generation Thunderbird, this 1969 model certainly appeals to upscale buyers with rich-looking wood grain and shiny trim. for spotting this Evergreen State T-bird. The listing here on Craigslist says the big green bird runs “excellent,” and the shiny well-kept classic can be yours for $15,900. Introducing a luxury car with a beak so long it doesn’t even fit in the picture! Highly original and ready to drive, this 1969 Ford Thunderbird in Lynnwood, Washington features the powerful 429 cid Thunderjet V8, Vintage Air conditioning, and a host of replacement parts.
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