clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/march 2019 newsletter-w.docx · web viewin the 1986 film...

March 2019

Thunderbird Owners of New York Web-page

http://clubs.hemmings.com/tony/index.html

Member, Classic Thunderbird Club International – Chap. 49

1955 1956 1957

Note Time Change for the March Meeting

OFFICERS:

PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-

3156c [email protected]

Vice PresidentDennis Benfante– 631-447-

3847 [email protected]

SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-

[email protected]

TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-

[email protected]

CTCI Advisory Council Rep.Bob Ceraso - [email protected]

Tech Advisor: 1955’sBob Ceraso - [email protected]

Tech Advisor: 1956’sStan Matusewicz -631-231-

[email protected]

Tech Advisor: 1957’s Lou Realmuto - 631-226-

[email protected]

Computer Advisor

Next Thunderbird Meeting

Bethpage Public Library

Monday March 4thth 2019 at 6:3047 Powell Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714

Newsletter Message Sal Perrotta

I experienced a chilling event last week, as I got on a flight back to Long Island from Florida. I must say it has not been the warmest couple of weeks here in Florida however, when I got back to NY I knew I made a great decision to spend my winters in South Florida and it is nice to be back.

I reported in last month's newsletter that I wanted to start a new series of articles titled "My first Car". I have received responses from 4 club members including myself so I have enough to include articles for the next 4 months. I would like to have more so please send me pictures or an article, I will add pictures and information about your car . Your first car experience is one of those life events we never forget and I know our members would enjoy reading about them so please send me something I will format it and add information about the car model if you like add hope you will add a personal story about your first car would be great reading for the club.

If you prefer write a story about your journey in your Thunderbird that would also be welcome. I know many of you have restored your car and some of you have added updates that improve the drive quality of your car as well as safety. I think this would also be fun and informative for our members to read about the effort you made to enhance your Thunderbird, so please outline the upgrades you have made on your Thunderbird.

As it happens every March it is Pizza night for our monthly meeting and our club will host this generally well attended event. I am sorry I will miss being there as it is always a meeting I enjoy. Be sure to read John Cattonar's report regarding club dues and attendance for Pizza night.

I understand that the annual Dust-off will be held at a new location the Harbor Crab Restaurant in Patchogue. It sounds like a great location and it is on a riverboat. I have been told the food is very good and you will enjoy a wonderful and scenic location on the river.

Please stay in touch with me through e mail or by cell and know that I welcome your input for the newsletter and welcome any content you may like to add.

Finally, in this month's news letter I included an article I found on the web written by Aaron Severson. It is a bit long but worth reading. I thought I read everything there was about the development of the Ford Thunderbird however, Aarons article provided me with some interesting facts I had not known about the development of this great car. Take the time and read "Little Bird: The 1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird"

SECRETARIES REPORT

Meeting Recap February 2019

JOHN CATTONAR, Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary

With the temperatures feeling like April, our February Club Meeting had a good turnout of 25 members, I guess feeling spring in the air. The meeting began at 7:15, of course with the pledge of allegiance.

As usual, Peter Cochrane our treasurer gave his report and noted that the both the club and the personal contribution funded the holiday and all cost were paid in full. Additionally, our club still has $1,998.70 in the club treasury.

Old Business: I discussed the party at Madison's and what a great success it was. I also brought up that we had a visitor from across the pond (England) at the party, who is in the process of restoring a 1957 Thunderbird in his home county of England. Bob Ceraso is helping him with parts. No one else had any old business to discuss.

New Business: Stan Matusewicz our club President, discussed the upcoming Car Club Presidents Meeting being held at the Merchant Marine Academy on February 23rd. Dennis Benfante will attend along with Stan.

For those that don't know, this yearly meeting is held each February with most if the car clubs from Long Island attending to develop a calendar of events for the year. The meeting is important to limit and avoid car show conflict. The primary goal is to insure all the clubs have the opportunity for good participation at their events. It is very challenging to avoid too many shows being scheduled on the same day however, the participation of the Long Island clubs helps.

Joe Marchione came up with a new place for our Spring Dust-off. It will be on April 7th at 1:00 P.M . at the Harbor Crab Restaurant in Patchogue. It's a river boat right and a very popular venue. It will not be a brunch but rather a luncheon. Cost will be $37.00 PP and the club will pick up the tax and tip. It will be buffet style set up, so you should have plenty to eat.

The headcount for the Dust off attendance is very important . Please be sure to let Pete know by e mail if you plan to attend and how many people will be coming with you

Please be aware that the funding for the Dust-Off is shared by the club along with your contribution. This is always a wonderful event and a great way to kick off the 2019 car season. The club leadership and our members look forward to sharing a meal with good friends and really look forward to your company so

please attend and please get your 2019 dues into Pete as soon as possible. The club cannot support unpaid members for this event.

Next up we reminded everyone that our March 4th 6:30 PM meeting will be "Pizza Night." As a reminder please note that if you have not paid your 2019 dues the cost for your pizza will be $ 20.00 and if your spouse wants a slice or two your total goes up to 25 dollars. Put another way, please get your club dues in to Pete.

Stan talked about the Vet Dogs Cruise which has been held for several years, sadly it may not be happen this year unless Bill Cadbury gets some more help in staging it. It should a topic for the Car Clubs Presidents Meeting. This is a worthwhile charity and they do need help. If you are interested in helping contact Stan..

Last but not least, Dennis Benfante announced that Steve Siben will once again sponsor our all Ford Show on July 7th. Steve is a real car guy. Good news, Thank you Steve and all the folks at the Law Firm of Siben and Siben.

Our meeting adjourned at 8: 20 with Dennis Benfante winning the 50/50, $45.00 for Dennis.

From: Sal Perrotta

As noted in the February edition of the TONY Newsletter I have added the "My First Car" article.. So far I have a couple of pictures of my first car and my first bike. Al Continelli sent a picture of his first car and Stephen Katsur sent a picture of his first Ford. Lucille Marchione set the bar for what I hoped to get from the club so I decided to start with her first car story as the first. I hope will be a fun experience for our club and I look forward to your support for this newsletter addition..

From: Lucille MarchioneMy First Car

I was 17 and about to graduate from high school in June 1969. I really wanted to get my drivers license before I graduated. When I got my learner’s permit, my dad began to let me drive the family car – a huge 1965 Pontiac Bonneville. I did very well and in a short time he had me driving on the LIE from Brooklyn part of the way out to our summer bungalow near Pt. Jefferson. He was not tolerant of slow drivers and I remember being on the entry lane getting on to the expressway and him saying, “Step on the gas, Step on the gas,” louder and louder. “If you can't get up to the speed of the cars already on the road then you shouldn’t be driving. You will get us killed.” So I did what he said and I have never had a fear of driving fast, when necessary, ever since. In addition, that March I took Drivers Ed, so in my mind – I was ready for that license. I was very sure I would pass that test.

My dad owned a large body and fender repair shop in Brooklyn, called Frost Collision. I worked in his office after school. Knowing I would be a driver soon, he saw a teaching moment in his shop by showing me a car with a big hole in the windshield. “That’s where someone’s head went through,” he told me. The blood was still on the glass. “You have to do better than that,” he said. Because of his type of business, he was very strict, knowing the consequences.

Unbeknownst to me, he had purchased a different damaged car from a neighbor who had an accident with his 3-year-old car but wanted to sell it and get something new. So my dad fixed it up for me as a graduation gift – assuming I would get my license by June. It was a beautiful 1966 Pontiac LeMans, the color was called Platinum Poly with a black top. My dad added a white Sprint Stripe along the side. He kept it hidden in the back of the shop and I never knew it was for me.

Although I was well prepared for my road test, I was not prepared for how nervous I would be with the examiner in the car. I took the test - I parked well, but – FAILED. “Wide Left Turn”, the examiner wrote on the report. Now I saw the disappointment on my dad’s face, I was scared, but he just said to take it again.

On the second try I was even more nervous than the first. As I pulled away from the curb to the first corner, the examiner said, “You stopped too hard.” Then he asked me to Parallel Park and as I backed up, I slightly hit the curb. The examiner said, “What did you hit now”. That was it - I was a total wreck. Of course, I failed again.

So now my dad said, “You have to pass the third time.” He took me to the back of his collision shop and finally showed me the LeMans that he had bought. “This is for you, but only if you pass that test, there will be no 4th try,” he said. I knew he meant it. But I had to have that car!!

The next week I went to a drug store and bought something called “Compoze”. I was not sure what it was, but a friend told me about it and said it would help keep me calm. I did not tell my dad – I know I should have, but I figured it was on the store shelf and the box also said it would keep me calm. I tried it the day before the test and then I took it again the morning of the test. All I kept thinking about was driving down the street in my ‘66 LeMans.

I was finally calm and determined to stay that way. I passed that test with flying colors. Not one error. That was May of 1969. After graduation, I began to work full time and drove to a job in Queens every day for the next 10 years, and I became a great NYC driver and could park my large car in the tiniest spot without any trouble. That was vital to finding a parking spot and getting to work on time. I often drove into Manhattan with no fear of zipping around with all the taxi drivers. I will have my license 50 years this May – and I am an excellent driver with a driving record to match. Thanks dad!

My ’66 LeMans will always be my favorite car. It had beautiful black bucket seats, was automatic and the shift was on the floor. It was VERY cool. There were no dings or dents in it. And the stripe just put it over the top for me. I felt so much pride driving it around especially since it was a really big car and I was really small. I especially had fun driving it during the summer with all my friends squeezing in the large back seat so we could all go to the drive-in movies. I took long trips, once going all the way to Niagara Falls. I kept it for about 4 years. Then my next car was a ‘69 Pontiac Grand Prix, which seemed even longer than the LeMans. The front looked like a rocket ship!

I really wished I could have kept the LeMans, but it got passed on to other members of my family, eventually to cousins in Staten Island, and then I lost tract of it. I always look for that model car whenever I go to car shows now but only see them occasionally. I love to show my two children the size of the cars their mother drove.

There is one final irony to this story. On my graduation day I was allowed to drive my car to the school for the first time to attend the ceremony. It was All Saints High School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. On my back seat was a gift, still wrapped from my then future mother-in-law and a box with new shoes so I could change after the ceremony. In my haste, I forgot to lock the doors. The gifts were stolen while I was getting my diploma- a new lesson learned even on graduation day! At least they didn’t steal my new car.

I have had many great cars since, but my silver ’66 LeMans will always have a special place in my heart, especially because of what I had to go through to get it.

Lucille Marchione 1966 Pontiac LeMans

From: Sal Perrotta (Gils Garage, CTCI Authenticity Chairman)

Another excellent feature from Gill's Garage, if you are not a member of CTCI you should be the information they share with their members is outstanding.

Checking Operation of Fuel & Temp Gauges

It is very simple to check the temperature and fuel gauges that

have been removed from the instrument cluster. The procedure is

the same for 1955, 1956 & 1957 gauges. Use a good 6 Volt lantern

battery and hold the terminals of the gauge to the terminals on the battery. It doesn't make any difference which

terminals are used, the gauge or battery can be turned either way.

Hold them until the gauge needle goes full scale from its power off

position. It should only take a few seconds. If it does not move or go full

scale the gauge is defective.

The gauges can be checked in the vehicle by grounding the yellow wire for the fuel gauge and the white wire with red tracer at the temperature sending unit for the temperature

gauge. With the gauge grounded and the ignition switch on the gauge

should go full scale. If it does not go full scale check the lead wire to the

gauge for continuity. If the lead wire is good and it does not go to full-scale

the gauge is bad.

CAUTION- Do not leave the gauge grounded and the ignition on, it can

short out the gauge windings and destroy the gauge.

CTCI Membership Applicationhttps://www.ctci.org/docs/Membership_Application_2019-1.pdf

From: Joe Marchione

https://www.ctci.org/docs/Membership_Application_2019-1.pdf

2019 TONY Dust-Off LUNCHOEN

DATE: APRIL 7TH, 2019

TIME: 1:00 PM (Rain or Shine)

LOCATION: HARBOR CRAB RESTAURANT

ADDRESS: 116 DIVISION STREET, Patchogue, NY (On The River)

COST: $37.00 Per Person

At our February meeting the club voted to change venues for our Dust-Off. The new location is the Harbor Crab Restaurant at 116 Division St. in Patchogue on the river.

We will have the lower level of the Riverboat all to ourselves and the parking is appropriate for our cars.

As the club has done in the past TONY will pay the Tax & Tip. Our member contribution is $37.00 per person and is a Luncheon Buffet.

It is critical that you send your checks to Pete or bring them to our next Pizza meeting on March 4th.

Pete Cochrane, 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

You can check out the restaurants website at harborcrab.com

LUNCHOEN BUFFET MENU

SALAD

SIDES

Red Roasted Potatoes Broccoli with oil and garlic String Beans

MAIN DISHES

Chicken Francaise Sliced Roast Loin of Pork Stuffed Sole with Crabmeat Stuffing Linguine with Shrimp and Clams

Soda and Dessert are also included

From: Al Continelli

10 Famous Cars From Movies or TV Shows

'Cars' Lightning McQueen

Disney's 2006 film "Cars" featured Lightning McQueen, a stock car who finds a home in Radiator Springs after a mishap on the interstate. The series has had 2 sequels, "Cars 2" in 2011 and "Cars 3" in 2017.

http://harborcrab.com/

'Batman' 1955 Lincoln Futura Batmobile

The Batmobile, made famous first in the comic book, then the 1960s TV series "Batman" and subsequent movies and TV shows by the same name, has become an iconic superhero ride of choice. A 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car is what eventually became Adam West's main ride.

'The Dark Knight' Batmobile

Cars get upgrades as the years pass with the introduction of new models, and so did the Batmobile for 2008's "The Dark Knight" in which Christian Bale played Batman.

'Spy Who Loved Me' 1977 Lotus Esprit

While James Bond has had a number of memorable cars to drive, perhaps none was more memorable than the 1977 Lotus Esprit that Roger Moore drove in the 1977 film "The Spy Who Loved Me" -- primarily because this car could turn into a submarine.

'Goldfinger' 1964 Aston Martin DB5

The beginning of James Bond's car gadgets began in 1964 with the Aston Martin DB5 as 007's ride in "Goldfinger," which had an ejector seat, machine guns, smoke screen and a futuristic map Bond could use to navigate the streets. The cars from the movie are so in demand one sold for $4.6 million in 2010.

'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California

In the 1986 film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Matthew Broderick's character Ferris Bueller convinces Cameron Frye, played by Alan Ruck, to take his father's prized 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, similar to the one shown, into Chicago after they called in sick to school.

'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' car

The 1968 film, which tells the tale of a magical car, was based around a 1910s European Grand Prix racer that is the center of the film.

'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' 1948 Tucker Torpedo

Jeff Bridges' 1988 film "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" told the story of the brief production of the Tucker Sedans in 1948, in which auto engineer Preston Tucker attempts to make the car of the future, much to the chagrin of the big automakers.

'Christine' 1958 Plymouth Fury

John Carpenter's 1983 horror film "Christine," an adaptation of the same year's Stephen King novel, focuses on a 1958 Plymouth Fury that changes its teenage buyer's personality for the worse.

'Ghostbusters' 1959 Cadillac Ecto-1

In the 1984 film "Ghostbusters," the Ghostbusters drove around the streets of New York in a converted 1959 Cadillac Ecto-1 fighting the supernatural. In the 2016 reboot, the crew drove around in a 1980s Cadillac

Fleetwood hearse wagon, seen above.

From: CTCI EarlyBird Magazine

From: Sal Perrotta

1. What two companies built a model called Hawk in the 50s?

A. Packard & StudebakerB. Hudson & NashC. Packard & DeSotoD. Edsel & Hudson

2. What car company dominated stock car racing from 1951 through 1954 with its Hornet models?

A. Packard B. Fraser C. Hudson D. Nash

3. Kaiser-Fraser corporation built what two passenger fiberglass sports car with sliding doors in 1954?

A. The VagabondB. The DarrinC. The VirginianD. The Manhattan

4. What company produced the Star Chief and Chieftain?

A. Buick B. DeSoto C. Nash

D. Pontiac

5. What compact car, introduced in 1959, saved Studebaker from going out of business?

28727

28729

28730

A. The LarkB. The PatricianC. The CaribbeanD. The Scottsman

6. Willys-Overland Corporation tried its hand at building cars from 1951 through 1954 with the Aero Willys. For what product was it better known?

A. Kitchen appliances B. JeepsC. Prefabricated housesD. Plastics

7. What distinctive styling feature was found on Nash cars of the early 1950s?

A. Enclosed front fenders B. Tail fins C. Portholes in the front fenders

D. Pillar-less side windows

8. What company was the first to introduce cruise control to its cars in the 1950s?

A. Ford B. General Motors C. Chrysler

D. Packard

9. What company, in 1953, was the last to build a wood framed station wagon?

A. Pontiac B. Chevrolet C. Ford D. Buick

10. What car company produced a model called the Hotshot from 1950 through 1952?

A. Crosley B. Nash C. Muntz D. Hudson

28731

28732

28733

28734

28735

March Quiz Answers

Question Number Answer1 A2 C3 B4 D5 A6 B7 A8 C9 D10 A

From: Sal Perrotta (A wonderful Web Article by Aaron Severson Great Read!)

Little Bird: The 1955-1957 Ford ThunderbirdThe old adage, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan,” could well have been coined for this week’s subject. Immediately embraced by everyone but sports car purists and Ford accountants, it remains among the most beloved (and most coveted) of all American cars. In the wake of its success, nearly everyone involved with its conception claimed credit for it, slighting each other and playing up their own contributions. This week, we try to sort out the origins of the 1955 Ford Thunderbird.

A TIME OF CHANGE

To understand the origins of the Thunderbird, we must step back to the end of World War II. In 1945, Henry Ford II, then 28 years old and newly released from the Navy, took the reins of his grandfather’s ailing company. The elder Ford’s cronies were finally swept away, but the Ford Motor Company was in very bad shape. It had lost its traditional hold on the low-price market to Chevrolet and it was bleeding money to the tune of $10 million a month.

Henry II realized immediately that he needed help to revitalize the company. He hired Ernest R. Breech from Bendix as Ford’s new executive vice president. Breech soon convinced Henry that Ford should emulate General Motors, so they began hiring executives, designers, and engineers from GM. Ford’s existing styling staff, led by Eugene (Bob) Gregorie, remained intact, although many of them subsequently left, but their ranks were soon filled out with GM alumni like Eugene Bordinat, Don DeLaRossa, Bob Maguire, Dave Ash, and John Oswald.

THE CONSULTANT

The biggest priority for Ford at that time was the 1949 Ford line, which would be the first all-new Ford products since before the war. Bob Gregorie’s staff had already developed not one but two new Fords: a big car and a new “Light Car” compact. Breech decided that the big Ford was too big and the Light Car too small, so the former became the new Mercury while the latter was sold to Ford of France to become the Vedette.

That decision left an urgent need for a new design for the standard Fords. Breech decided they needed outside help, so he hired a golfing buddy of his, George W. Walker, who ran a successful design studio in Detroit, with contracts from Nash and International Harvester, among others. Walker was a big, charismatic man, an ex-football player and bon vivant who could give Harley Earl a run for his money when it came to flamboyant personal style. Walker had tried to get a Ford contract years before, without success, but he was still enticed by the prospect of landing such a major account.

In the fall of 1946, Walker’s team, which included stylists Joe Oros and Elwood Engel, won a competition with Bob Gregorie’s in-house styling team to design the ’49 Ford. After that, Walker’s firm was hired on an ongoing basis as design consultants.

The 1949 Ford, styled by George Walker’s group, was the car that saved the Ford Motor Company and was hugely popular despite a host of early quality problems. The very similar 1950 model, this 1950 Ford V8 Custom coupe, was much improved.

The arrival of Walker’s people did not sit well with Ford’s own stylists. They were already subordinate to Engineering and now they had to compete with the highly paid consultants, whose boss had the ear of the company’s executive VP and of Henry Ford II himself. By the early fifties, Walker himself was rarely involved in day-to-day activities, but Oros and Engel, his lieutenants, were heavily involved in much of Ford’s design work. Many of Ford’s in-house stylists privately resented their presence.

Walker’s victory in the design contest was too much for Bob Gregorie, who soon resigned, followed only a few months later by his successor, Tom Hibbard. By 1952, Ford Styling was headed by Charlie Waterhouse, whose main function was to manage the relationship between Styling and Engineering. Gene Bordinat headed the Lincoln-Mercury studio and ex-GM stylist Frank Hershey was hired to head the Ford Division studios. Elwood Engel worked primarily with Bordinat, while Joe Oros was assigned to work with Hershey. George Walker was not formally in charge of Ford design, but his influence was strongly felt.

THE CHEVROLET CORVETTE

Although Harley Earl had fired Frank Hershey several years earlier for doing non-GM design work — a privilege Earl reserved for himself — Hershey still had close ties to GM Styling. (As our regular readers will recall, it was Hershey who was chiefly responsible for the tail fins of the 1948-49 Cadillac's.) Therefore, when Hershey’s former boss set out to build a fiberglass-bodied sports car, Hershey soon got wind of it. A friend called on him one night and showed him a sketch of the Corvette. Astonished, Hershey asked if Chevrolet seriously planned to build it. His friend said yes.

The original Chevrolet Corvette, which first debuted in January 1953, probably inspired the creation of the Thunderbird.

Ironically, shortly before that, one of Hershey’s stylists, J. R. (Dick) Samsen, had asked him if Ford would ever build such a car, but Hershey had insisted that the market was far too small to be worthwhile.

Nonetheless, Hershey thought that Earl’s two-seater — which became the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette — was a challenge that Ford couldn’t afford to ignore. The sports car market in America was very small at that time, perhaps 12,000 units a year, but the Corvette would still be a blow to Ford’s status. Thanks to the venerable flathead V8, Ford had long been the default choice of hot rodders and automotive enthusiasts, but their loyalty might be sorely tested by an actual Chevy sports car. The day after seeing the picture of the Corvette, Hershey went into work and told his staff that they were going to need to come up with a sports car of Ford’s own.

Ford didn’t call the 1955 Ford Thunderbird a sports car, but the racy checkered-flag emblem on the nose suggested otherwise. Some early Thunderbirds were raced, with mixed results.

Hershey quickly organized a few of his stylists in a separate room, away from the main studio, and had them start work on the new car, which he assigned to a young designer named Bill Boyer. In later years, Hershey said that that only he and Boyer worked on the design and minimized Boyer’s contributions. Boyer, however, admitted that several other stylists were involved, including Bob Maguire, Damon Woods, Dave Ash, Dick Samsen, Alan Kornmiller, and Joe Oros, representing George Walker.

Hershey also enticed a young engineer (whose name he later could not remember) to help him and Boyer establish the design parameters for the new car, laying out the engineering “package” (key mechanical dimensions). This quickly attracted the attention — and the enmity — of Ford chief engineer Earle MacPherson. MacPherson was determined to maintain Engineering’s control over design decisions and he didn’t take kindly to Styling initiating projects without his approval.

MacPherson’s annoyance nearly torpedoed the project, but chief product planner Chase Morsey heard about it and came to Hershey’s defense. When Morsey heard Hershey’s explanation, he agreed that the sports car project was a good idea and helped Hershey run interference.

The hooded, “Frenched” headlamps of the 1955 Ford Thunderbird (and other ’55 Fords) were inspired by the custom cars of George Barris and others.

CONFLICTING STORIES

George Walker tells this story quite differently. According to Walker, the two-seat sports car concept was the work of Joe Oros and another artist whose name Walker couldn’t recall; Oros developed the early sketches into a coherent design. Walker said it was an off-the-books side project until he noticed Henry Ford

II admiring the array of foreign sports cars at the Paris auto show. Henry asked why Ford didn’t have a sports car and Walker told him they already did. When they got back to the hotel, Walker called Oros and told him to get the design ready to show Henry when they returned to Dearborn.

Walker told this story to TIME Magazine in 1957 and it has become an established part of Thunderbird lore. What was less clear was when that conversation was supposed to have taken place. Many sources suggest that it was the 1951 Paris show, in October of ’51, but Ford archives have no record of a sports car project prior to Hershey’s, which began in the summer of 1952. Walker referred to the 1953 show, but by the fall of ’53, the two-seater was already well under way as an official project.

It would not have been out of character for Walker to embellish the story or invent it out of whole cloth — while being lauded on the cover of TIME as “The Cellini of Chrome,” Walker was hardly likely to resist claiming credit for Ford’s most glamorous car, even if he had nothing to do with it. Hershey, however, didn’t deny that Walker made such a trans-Atlantic phone call; he just said it took place after his own project was already under way (which would imply that Walker called from the 1952 Paris Salon de l’Automobile, in October 1952). It appears that at least the broad strokes of Walker’s story were true and he simply omitted or confused the names of the people involved, whether intentionally or through a lapse of memory.

Muddying the waters further, Tom Case, who subsequently became the product manager for the two-seater project, credits the idea to Ford general manager Lewis Crusoe, citing a sports car marketing study Crusoe had supposedly ordered. (Indeed, some histories suggest it was Crusoe with whom Walker attended the Paris salon, although Walker himself said it was Henry Ford.) According to Case, Crusoe conceived the Thunderbird as a promotion to boost interest in Ford passenger cars and that the early sketches that most closely resembled the final product were not by Hershey or Boyer, but by stylist Bob Maguire.

An additional wrinkle is a 1952 Ferrari 212/225 Barchetta owned by Henry Ford II, a gift from Enzo Ferrari. A low-slung black roadster, bodied by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, it bears some resemblance to the Thunderbird, although even a casual observer would be in no danger of mistaking one for the other. We don’t know how much the arrival of the Ferrari may have influenced the decision to develop the Thunderbird, but it seems likely that it provided at least some stylistic inspiration. (We do not currently have a photo of that car, but it survives today in excellent condition. It is now part of the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Collection; the author has seen it on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.)

TAKING FLIGHT

Whatever the truth about the two-seater’s conception, the project took on a new urgency in January 1953 when the Corvette made its public debut at the GM Motorama in New York. Later that day, a full-size model of Ford’s own two-seater was presented for management review. The Corvette demanded a response, so the two-seater quickly received approval as an official project. Ford Division chief engineer Bill Burnett hastily turned a 1953 Ford coupe into a chassis development mule his staff dubbed the “Burnetti.”

While early Corvettes had six-cylinder engines, the 1955 Ford Thunderbird came standard with a V8: the Mercury version of Ford’s overhead-valve “Y-block” engine, which had replaced the elderly flathead in 1954. All 1955 Thunderbirds had the 292 cu. in. (4,778 cc) version of this engine, but in ’56 a bigger, 312 cu. in. (5,111 cc) version became optional.

Despite the galvanic effect the Chevrolet sports car had on Ford management, there was considerable room for improvement on the basic Corvette concept. The early Corvette had a six-cylinder engine, no side windows or exterior door handles, and a crudely finished fiberglass body. Lewis Crusoe wanted the Ford to have a V8, proper roll-up windows, and a higher standard of trim. He had a good idea of the demographics of the car’s likely customers and wanted nothing that would embarrass or annoy an affluent businessman or middle-age banker.

Engineering, for its part, was adamantly opposed to fiberglass construction, which posed many problems. Even Chevrolet had been lukewarm about it, adopting it only for the sake of expedience; their original plan had been to switch the Corvette to steel if sales took off. The main argument for fiberglass was that it was much less expensive than tooling for a steel body, which meant a lower break-even point. In the end, the engineers won out and Ford’s two-seater would be built in steel by the Budd Company, which built bodies for various low-volume Ford cars. As a result, however, the tooling costs were high, which would have a significant impact on the two-seater’s future.

WHAT’S IN A NAME

By the fall of 1953, the two-seater’s development was proceeding apace, but it still didn’t have a name. Lewis Crusoe, who was fond of custom-tailored clothes, suggested “Savile,” after London’s prestigious Savile Row clothing district. Eventually, there was a contest, which stylist Alden Giberson won with the name “Thunderbird,” drawn from Native American myth.

In Native American mythology, the Thunderbird creates thunder and lightning. Many different tribes of the American Southwest, Great Plains, and Pacific Northwest have their own version of the Thunderbird, including the Lakota, the Ojibwa, and the Sioux.

That is the official version, but George Walker again had a different story. Walker later claimed that the Thunderbird name was suggested by Ernie Breech, who had recently joined the extremely posh Thunderbird

Country Club in Palm Springs, California. Walker said the contest was an afterthought, a PR gesture. In any case, Giberson apparently never claimed his prize, so Walker may have been correct.

Whatever its origins, the Thunderbird name was formally adopted on February 15, 1954, a few weeks before a mock-up of the car was shown to the public at the Detroit Auto Show.

THE FORD THUNDERBIRD TAKES SHAPE

The Ford Thunderbird had a unique frame and body, but many of its components were shared with the normal Ford line. This was not entirely an economy measure; Ford execs had suggested more complex, far-out treatments for headlights and taillights, but the stylists had preferred the simplicity of the stock pieces. In any case, it gave the Thunderbird a strong family resemblance to the rest of the 1955 Ford line, which was no bad thing as far as the sales organization was concerned.

Curiously, the basic 1955 Ford Thunderbird was a roadster, not a convertible, equipped with a detachable fiberglass hardtop rather than a folding top. A convertible soft top was a $70 option, while buyers could opt for both tops for $270 extra. The top’s familiar portholes were added in 1956 in an effort to improve rear visibility (although not all ’56-’57 hardtops had them).

The Thunderbird was rather large for a sports car and, thanks to its steel body, V8 engine, and plush trim, also rather portly for its size. Although early press releases suggested a weight of 2,837 lb (1,287 kg), a well-equipped 1955 Thunderbird with automatic and power accessories weighed around 3,240 lb (1,470 kg), more than half a ton heavier than a Porsche 356 or Triumph TR2.

Unlike the early Corvette, the Thunderbird came standard with a V8 engine. It was rated at 193 gross horsepower (144 kW) with manual shift, 198 hp (148 kW) with automatic. Where all early Corvettes had Powerglide, the Thunderbird could be ordered with a three-speed manual transmission, a three-speed with overdrive, or the three-speed Fordomatic. Suspension and brakes were standard Ford passenger car stuff.

Some 175.3 inches (4,453 mm) long on a 102-inch (2,591mm) wheelbase, the 1955 Ford Thunderbird is roughly the size of a modern Honda Civic sedan. The first Thunderbird was one of the

lowest cars in America: only 52.4 inches (1,331 mm) high, around 6 inches (152 mm) lower than a contemporary Ford sedan.

Although the Thunderbird offered a fair turn of speed for its era, Ford was cautious not to call it a sports car. Instead, Ford press materials described it as a “personal car,” a characterization that left many observers scratching their heads.

READY FOR ITS CLOSE-UP

Ford Thunderbird production began in September 1954 and the car went on sale a few weeks later. Even before its release, it started a great furor in the automotive press, which had had its interest piqued by the promising but disappointing Corvette.

The Thunderbird was not cheap. With an initial list price price of $2,695, quickly raised to $2,944, it was around $1,200 more than a basic Ford Mainline six. Adding the convertible top, heater, radio, and other accessories quickly took the T-Bird’s price well over $3,000. A fully loaded Thunderbird topped out at around $4,000, which was enough to buy two modestly equipped Ford sedans or for that matter a Jaguar XK140, which was faster and handled better.

Handling was something of a sore point for the early Thunderbird, with substantial body lean and desperately squealing tires in any aggressive maneuver. Testers who pushed the T-Bird too hard noted that despite significant initial understeer, its tail could break loose abruptly in hard cornering.

The Thunderbird was respectably quick. Road & Track, testing a well-equipped Fordomatic model, obtained a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed of 110 mph (177 km/h). Unfortunately, achieving such acceleration with automatic required some trickery. In order to reach the optimum 4,500-rpm shift points, testers had to start in Low, shift manually to Drive at about 45 mph (72 km/h), then shift back to Low at 50 mph (80 km/h) to keep the transmission from upshifting prematurely into third. Without such prestidigitation, 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) took a less-impressive 11 seconds. (Cars with the standard transmission or optional overdrive didn’t have this problem and were somewhat quicker.)

The obvious question is how the Thunderbird compared with its intended rival, the Corvette. Both rode the same wheelbase, although the Thunderbird was somewhat longer and notably heavier. The T-Bird was quicker than a six-cylinder ‘Vette, but couldn’t quite match one with the newly optional V8. Neither had impressive handling or brakes, but the Thunderbird was obviously far more civilized. Prices were similar, so it was no surprise that the Ford outsold its cruder rival by a vast margin. Corvette sales were a grim 700 units for 1955, while Ford sold 16,155 Thunderbirds.

(Ironically, the appearance of the Ford Thunderbird helped to rescue the Corvette from an early grave. Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov wrote an impassioned letter to Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole arguing that for Chevrolet to kill the Corvette just as Ford launched its own sports car would be a disaster for Chevy’s reputation. Just as the arrival of the Corvette revived the Thunderbird project, the appearance of the Thunderbird spared the Corvette the axe.)

The 1955 Ford Thunderbird’s signature hood scoop was functional after a fashion. Thanks to its very low cowl height, the T-Bird’s hood was too low to clear the engine air cleaner, so stylist Dave Ash suggested putting a bulge in the hood and making it a styling feature.

PLANNING THE FUTURE

Even as the Ford Thunderbird went on sale, its future was in doubt. Frank Hershey assigned Rhys Miller and Bill Boyer to prepare facelifts for 1956 and 1957, but its long-term prospects were murkier. If the Thunderbird was indeed a promotion, as Tom Case said, there was little reason to continue it once its tooling costs were paid off.

Lewis Crusoe understood that the main impediment to Thunderbird sales, aside from price, was the car’s limited practicality. With no rear seat and almost no trunk space, it was for customers who could afford two or more cars. In the fall of 1954, he asked Boyer and crew to explore the possibility of a stretched, four-seater Thunderbird, known internally as project 195H (the H standing for the number 8, meaning the 1958 model year).

In early 1955, Crusoe was succeeded by a new general manager, Robert McNamara, one of the “Whiz Kids” Henry Ford II had hired after the war. McNamara had no personal interest in sports cars and he was philosophically opposed to any car that wasn’t profitable. The Thunderbird was selling better than projected, but it wasn’t making much of a profit and there was little hope of any sales growth. McNamara considered it a losing proposition, but he did like the 195H four-seater project, which he eventually championed to become the 1958 “Square Bird.”

Purists deplored the Ford Thunderbird’s assortment of fake louvers and simulated scoops, but the public seemed to love it. The Thunderbird nearly ended up with Ford’s characteristic “check mark” side trim and later with chrome-plated scallops behind the front wheels (similar to those of later Corvettes), but neither feature made it to production. By comparison, the false louvers, added by Joe Oros, weren’t so bad.

FALL OUT

If Frank Hershey was truly the father of the Thunderbird, he was not well rewarded for his efforts. In May 1955, George Walker became vice president of Ford Styling, the first time the Ford Motor Company had such a position. Hershey had never cared for Walker’s team and being passed over in favor of Walker was a bitter pill to swallow. Shortly after Walker’s ascendancy, Hershey was gone; Dick Samsen says that

McNamara fired him, but Hershey later claimed that he resigned to avoid being fired by Walker. Hershey went on to work at Kaiser Aluminum.

Shortly before Walker’s promotion, Ford established a separate Thunderbird design studio. Headed by Bill Boyer, the Thunderbird studio had its own stylists and body engineers, allowing it a surprising degree of independence from the rest of the Styling department.

The studio’s first challenge was to turn the 195H four-seater concept into a production car, as we saw in our article on the four-seat ‘Birds.

The empty chrome gewgaw on the 1955 Ford Thunderbird’s rear bumper originally held the exhaust outlet, but a past owner relocated the exhaust pipes below the bumper. Stylists of this era liked the visual effect of the bumper outlets, but owners found they promoted rapid corrosion.

ENCORE PERFORMANCE

Meanwhile, Rhys Miller and crew were hastily readying the 1956 and 1957 two-seater Thunderbird. Hoping to increase the Thunderbird’s practicality, Lewis Crusoe had ordered Miller to improve cargo space. The initial solution was to remove the bulky spare tire from the trunk, replacing it with a Continental kit on the rear bumper. Unfortunately, the extra weight on the tail did ugly things to handling, leading Ford to soften the rear springs and slow the steering ratio in hopes of discouraging banzai cornering antics.

To compensate for the extra weight, the 1956 Thunderbird got more power. Cars with the three-speed manual transmission now had 202 gross horsepower (151 kW), while cars with overdrive or Fordomatic had a new 312 cu. in. (5,111 cc) version with either 215 or 225 hp (160 or 168 kW). Road & Track found that their Fordomatic ’56 was slightly quicker than the ’55, although they had some unkind words for its handling and brakes.

The 1956 Ford Thunderbird’s standard Continental kit presented many complications. The external spare, bigger bumper, and the bracing necessary to support them added nearly 300 lb (136 kg) to the rear end, making the T-Bird slightly tail heavy. It also sharply increased the

polar moment of inertia, leading to tail-wagging in sharp turns. Furthermore, while it increased trunk space, it made trunk access more difficult.

Thunderbird sales dipped slightly for 1956 to 15,631, perhaps because of a higher base price of $3,163. It also had renewed competition from the Corvette, which now also had a standard V8 engine, manual transmission, and roll-up windows.

Ford abandoned the Continental kit for 1957 in favor of a reshaped, longer tail that provided room for both spare wheel and a modicum of luggage. Under the hood, the Thunderbird fought back against the Corvette challenge with even more powerful engines. The base engine was now up to 212 hp (158 kW), while cars with overdrive or Fordomatic had a more powerful “D-series” engine with 245 hp (183 kW). For buyers who wanted more than that, two “E-series” engines were available, with either 270 or 285 hp (201 or 213 kW). There were also a few F-series engines with a Paxton-McCulloch supercharger and up to 340 hp (254 kW). By 1957 standards, they were quite fearsome, although with an option price around $500, only 208 supercharged ‘Birds were built.

The 1957 model year would be the last round of the Thunderbird-Corvette rivalry, but it was also the two-seat T-Bird’s best sales year. Thanks to delays with the 1958 four-seater, the 1957 Thunderbird remained in production until December 1957, three months longer than usual; total sales reached a record 21,380 units. One assembly line worker used a piece of soap to write a heartfelt farewell message on the hood of the final two-seater.

At 181.4 inches (4,608 mm) overall, the 1957 Ford Thunderbird was slightly shorter overall than the 1956 model, but the body was actually 5.3 inches (133 mm) longer than before, mostly in the tail; the difference reflected the deletion of the Continental spare.

SCENES FROM THE RESURRECTION

Robert McNamara may have had no affection for the “Little Bird,” but many were sad to see it go. In September 1957, Tom Case called the Budd Company to ask how much it would cost to keep the two-seater in production as a supplement to the bigger four-seat ‘Bird. McNamara, annoyed, told him to forget it.

After Lee Iacocca became general manager of Ford in late 1960, he told Case to call Budd again and ask if the dies still existed. Budd not only confirmed that the tooling was still available, they began an enthusiastic lobbying campaign to persuade Iacocca to revive the two-seat T-Bird. Budd commissioned its own marketing survey and went so far as to build a prototype “XT-Bird,” created by grafting the body of a ’57 Thunderbird onto the platform of a Ford Falcon. Tom Case argued forcefully for the XT-Bird, which could be tooled for an amazingly low $1.5 million, but Iacocca eventually said no. Although he liked the Little Bird, he preferred to develop his own new product rather than resuscitating an old one.

With that, the two-seat Thunderbird was really dead, discounting the curious tonneau-covered Sports Roadsters of 1962-1963. The four-seaters inevitably sold better — even in their worst years, they outpaced the Little Bird’s best year by nearly two to one — so from a commercial standpoint, McNamara was correct. Similarly, the Mustang sold far better than a revived XT-Bird ever would have, so it’s probably for the best that Iacocca demurred.

GRADUATION

The two-seater Thunderbird represented the end of an era: an era in which Ford was constantly reacting to everything Chevrolet did. After this, Ford took the lead in developing new product concepts. The Little Bird had been Ford’s answer to the Corvette and imported sports cars like the Jaguar, but the four-seater Square Bird was something new, as were the Mustang, LTD, and Lincoln Continental Mark III that came after it, leaving the company’s key rivals struggling to catch up. Chevrolet, for instance, didn’t have a real personal luxury car until 12 years after the four-seater T-Bird debuted. Ford still didn’t consistently outsell Chevrolet, but it forced Chevy to follow its lead, rather than the other way around.

In July 1960, Henry Ford II fired Ernest Breech, who had been his chief adviser, mentor, and viceroy for almost 15 years, declaring that he no longer needed Breech’s guidance. In a sense, the demise of the Little Bird was also a coming of age: sad, somewhat painful, but necessary.

The retro-styled modern two-seat Ford Thunderbird — the 11th Thunderbird generation and the last to date — was offered from 2002 to 2005. It shared the DEW98 platform of the contemporary Lincoln LS, along with its 242 cu. in. (3,980 cc) V8 and five-speed automatic. The DEW98 platform was not designed for open-top duty, so Ford opted for modest power output and soft suspension settings so that the somewhat willowy structure would not be as obvious.

That may be why the retro two-seater Thunderbird of 2001-2005 was such a flop. It was a studious modern imitation of the original’s styling, somewhat bigger (186.3 inches/4,732 mm long on a 107.2-inch/2,723mm wheelbase) and heavier (3,750 lb/1,700 kg), but sharing the same concept and general character. The “Retro Bird” was not unattractive, but it lacked a purpose. It wasn’t a serious rival to a Corvette or anything else and it was too concerned with looking backward to break any new ground. To our eyes, it resembled nothing so much as an overweight middle-aged man trying to stuff himself into his old college football uniform. The Retro Bird will probably become a minor collectible, but when the history of this century’s Fords is written, we doubt that anyone will be rushing to take credit for it.

Still, necessary or not, the demise of the original Little Bird is regrettable. It may not have been a brilliant performer or a ground-breaker, but even 50+ years on, it looks right, one of those rare designs that appeals to nearly everyone. It’s little wonder that almost everyone who ever touched it, whether during its conception or afterward, still wants a piece of it.

From: Sal Perrotta

This is the tenth installment of a 12 part series that reviews the history of the Ford Thunderbird from the first series to the last.

12 Generations of Thunderbirds in all.10th Generation (1987-1988): "Even More Aerodynamic Birds"

While the change between the '86 and 1987 Thunderbirds wasn't particularly radical at first glance, in fact all the sheet metal was new, the headlights now were aerodynamically shaped, the side glass now fit essentially flush with the doors and the Turbo Coupe now had vents in the hood and a new real front grille. It was an evolutionary step forward from the previous T-Bird and it was undeniably handsome.

But not much changed underneath the car as the Fox platform chassis carried through essentially unmodified. The base 3.8-liter V6 now had fuel injection and made 120 hp while the optional 5.0-liter V8 continued to offer 150. Thanks to the fitment of an intercooler, the Turbo Coupe's 2.3-liter four now ripped out 190 hp and was significantly more refined to drive. Sales of the '87 Thunderbird were solid at 128,135 units.

A new multipoint fuel-injection system boosted output of the 3.8-liter V6 to 140 hp for 1988, but other changes were slight and imperceptible. Sales bounced up to 147,243 units.

During qualifying for the 1988 Winston 500 at Talladega, Bill Elliott put his '88 T-Bird on the pole with a 212.809-mph run. But during that race Bobby Allison's Buick nearly went into the stands during a spectacular crash and NASCAR started fitting cars on their fastest tracks with power-limiting carburetor restrictor plates. So Elliott's 212.809 qualification run from way back then remains the quickest run ever by a NASCAR stock car. It may always be that way.

It was time for yet another T-Bird and this one would be the most technologically advance yet. And deeply controversial both inside and outside Ford.

From: Sal Perrotta (CTCI)

May 15-19, 2019 : CTCI Region 6 Convention "Western Classic Roundup", Flagstaff, Arizona

Set your sights on the West for the 2019 Region 6 Classic Thunderbird Convention which will be held at the newly renovated Little America in Flagstaff, Arizona on May 15-19, 2019. The Arizona Classic Thunderbird Club is proud to present the "Western Classic Roundup." Our location promises cool weather amid the Ponderosa Pines at an elevation of 6,909 feet. Our tours and scenic drives will provide a taste of Western beauty. Be prepared to be amazed at the diversity of our state.

Registration

Registration is open! The form is available below, and should be mailed with payment to: Judy Thompson, convention registration chair, 4055-28 N. Recker Road, Mesa, AZ 85215-7793. Checks should be payable to Arizona Classic Thunderbird Club. If additional information is needed, Judy can be reached at 602-625-2052. Additional convention information will be e-mailed to all CTCI chapters.

Hotel Reservations

The Little America Hotel & Resort in Flagstaff is offering a special rate of $139 per night plus tax. Parking for about 200 Thunderbirds as well as nearby trailer parking is provided. The hotel phone is 800-865-1401 (or 928-779-7900 for locals) and the promo "phrase" is "Thunderbird Regional Convention." Early registration is encouraged. The hotel features Southwestern decor and granite bathrooms and is close to major attractions such as the Grand Canyon, the Red Pillars of Sedona, the Lowell Observatory and Wupatki National Monument, among others. Registration forms will be available soon on our chapter website: www. arizonaclassicthunderbirds .org . Pre-registration is encouraged on the form provided. For additional questions, phone Chuck Thompson, Convention Chair at 480-773-0222.

Click here for the Registration Form Watch the EarlyBird and CTCI website for upcoming details!

From: Arlene Swenson

Helpful Winter Hints for your Automobile:

Keep your headlights clear with car wax!

Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights.

It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your

lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol!

Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia.

This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence &

clarity.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on its way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to

one part water & sprits' it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess.

Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around

car doors & rub it in with a paper towel. The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber.

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your

windshield & wipe it off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in

commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock &

the problems solved!

Member Date

Steve Siben 3/8

Katherine Groen 3/15

Eileen Condra 3/19

Louis J. Natalie 3/19

Marc Grodinsky 3/22

Sal Perrotta 3/24

Phyllis Perrotta 3/25

clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/march 2019 newsletter-w.docx · web viewin the 1986 film...

Documents