Photo: Classic Cars
If Ford were to ask us, we’d reply that the Thunderbird should be next in line for a revival. And by revival, we don’t mean the botched attempt of the early 2000s, but a proper, Bronco-style relaunch.
The Ford Thunderbird came about in 1955 as a luxury entry and soldiered on for ten generations before being pulled in the late 1990s. Like many cars born during that era, each model was significantly different from the one before it, including in terms of design, and that means all you T-Bird fans out there have your own favorite.
For us, the top spot goes to the very first-gen, the two-seater that looked so beautiful it almost seemed Italian. But there are other generations that deserve their share of attention, too.
The fifth would be one of them. Introduced in 1967 with significant design changes (the most visible being at the front, where the model was gifted with something that looked like a beak because nothing was off-limits back then), the nameplate moved to being larger, as not to overlap with the slightly newer Mustang.
Not nearly as valuable today as their first-gen ancestors, the Thunderbirds of this generation have their share of fans, people willing to pay big bucks to get their hands on a perfect-condition one. Or, alternatively, one with problems to be turned into a summer project.
The 1970 T-Bird we have here falls in the latter category. It sells for peanuts, $10,500, but it does not come without issues. There's rust here and there, parts that need to be reinstalled, tires that need to be replaced, and the cherry on the cake, an Arizona Salvage title issued as a result of the car being stolen and recovered two decades ago.
Other than that, the vehicle should check all the right boxes: the original paint is still there, and so is the 429ci (7.0-liter) engine, with close to 87,000 miles (140,000 km) – and that should make for a very good start for a future project.
For us, the top spot goes to the very first-gen, the two-seater that looked so beautiful it almost seemed Italian. But there are other generations that deserve their share of attention, too.
The fifth would be one of them. Introduced in 1967 with significant design changes (the most visible being at the front, where the model was gifted with something that looked like a beak because nothing was off-limits back then), the nameplate moved to being larger, as not to overlap with the slightly newer Mustang.
Not nearly as valuable today as their first-gen ancestors, the Thunderbirds of this generation have their share of fans, people willing to pay big bucks to get their hands on a perfect-condition one. Or, alternatively, one with problems to be turned into a summer project.
The 1970 T-Bird we have here falls in the latter category. It sells for peanuts, $10,500, but it does not come without issues. There's rust here and there, parts that need to be reinstalled, tires that need to be replaced, and the cherry on the cake, an Arizona Salvage title issued as a result of the car being stolen and recovered two decades ago.
Other than that, the vehicle should check all the right boxes: the original paint is still there, and so is the 429ci (7.0-liter) engine, with close to 87,000 miles (140,000 km) – and that should make for a very good start for a future project.
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