All of a sudden, the T-Bird was the black sheep of the family who didn't get the much-needed lunch-money (advertising), and it didn't get the sales it deserved. The car exceeded its target price and its weight. full description and technical specificationsĭesigned to compete against the finest luxury German coupes on the market, the 1989 Ford Thunderbird was an underrated vehicle.Īfter the car was born, there were huge controversies in the Ford Motor Company, which led to the retirement of Anthony Kuchta, the man behind the project. Later on, in 2003, T-Bird received an updated version, which provided 284 hp. It was paired to a standard 5-speed automatic transmission. Since the T-Bird was built as a personal luxury coupe, it featured two seats at the front and a bench in the back, all leather-wrapped.įord chose to fit one engine under the Thunderbird's hood: a 3.9-liter V8 taken from Jaguar. But those didn't look too good next to the green LCD lettering placed on the bottom. A good thing was the new look for the instrument cluster, which featured four semi-circular dials, with red needles on white faces. In the end, it put just the same thing as in most of its other vehicles. The hardtop featured an oval window on the C-pillar, resembling older Thunderbirds.įor the interior, Ford tried for several years to find the materials which would suit best for the car. With a sloped silhouette, which started taller on the front fenders and descended toward the rear, the convertible inspired the old-style design theme, but in a modern interpretation. The retro-design style could have been seen on the front fascia, with its big and round headlights and the flat, chromed grille with square-grid mesh. The design was inspired by the first-generation of the T-Bird. When it unveiled it, the whole market was enthusiastic, but that enthusiasm didn't last long, and the T-Bird sunk with slow sales. It was based on the same platform as the Jaguar XF or the Lincoln LS. But it’s said to drive very well and has had some recent work done, including the installation of a new carburetor.With its retro-design look and modern features, the 2001 Thunderbird should have been a blast from the past and revive the brand name, but it was a flop.įord launched the eleventh generation of the Thunderbird in 1999 as a 2001 model-year. And the vinyl top could use some reconditioning and a bubble is present in at least one corner around the big rear window. There is that scrape which may have resulted in an altercation in the garage. The car is described as being in great shape, but that might be a little optimistic. If accurate, the seller’s ’74 might be one of the lowest mileage surviving examples at an average of 750 miles/year. The 1974 models took on a heftier appearance as federally mandated big bumpers were in play at both ends for low-speed impact protection. These cars are memorable to me watching the 1970s TV show, Cannon, where the rotund star William Conrad piloted one of these automobiles wherever he went. 1973 would be the car’s best sales year, but production took a hit in 1974 as the aftermath of the OPEC oil embargo sent buyers moving to smaller vehicles.įord’s biggest engine, the 460 cubic inch V8, was employed to propel the beefy Mk IV. It was a direct competitor to the Cadillac Eldorado and would see more than 278,000 copies built before the Mk V replaced it. It was a bigger and heavier car, sharing its platform with the Ford Thunderbird which was built at the same Michigan plant. The Mk IV was the successor to the 1968-71 Mk III. Located in Bath, Pennsylvania, this larger-than-life Lincoln is available here on craigslist for $10,000 OBO. This one is said to have just 37,000 miles and – other than a small scrape on the passenger side – it shouldn’t need much attention. Especially as a 2-door hardtop like the seller’s edition from 1974. At a full 19 feet in length and weighing more than 5,200 pounds, they didn’t get much bigger than this. Built from 1972 to 1976, the Lincoln Continental Mk IV was one of the true luxury land yachts of the decade.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |