![]() ![]() ![]() Starting life as a two-seat version of the car Australians knew as a Customline was not the best pedigree for a model intended to carry Ford’s challenge to General Motors’ purpose-built Corvette.ĭuring three years of production, sales of the retrospectively nicknamed ‘Baby Bird’ barely exceeded 50,000 before being replaced by a totally new four-seat coupe and convertible.įorsaking the traditional separate body/chassis configuration that had dominated US automotive design for decades, the 1958 Thunderbird introduced unitary (integrated body/chassis) construction, a 5.9-litre V8 in place of the two-seat car’s 5.2-litre, 280mm of additional wheelbase and coil spring suspension.įrom 1959, the rear coils were replaced by leaf springs and a 430 cubic inch (7.1-litre) Lincoln V8 became optional. He got the suit and in October 1954, the world saw its first Ford Thunderbird. It didn’t take Giberson long to recall the legend of a huge, winged creature, whose flapping wings brought storms and prosperity to the land. With the reward of a $250 suit – pretty fancy rags in 1954 – the challenge was issued to suggest a more appropriate name. When Ford management suggested the two-seat convertible under development might be called the Savile, Giberson and fellow designers erupted in protest. Had it not been for a mythical creature revered by North American Indians and a stylist by the name of Aiden Giberson, Ford’s most important model of the 1950s could have shared its name with a three-piece suit. ![]() Want a classic car you’ll be noticed in? Then it’s hard to go past this car ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |