Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

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Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

March 04, 2014, 10:59:09 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivZ0dMtxJaI

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #1 – March 05, 2014, 01:14:55 AM

The mn-12 was really a step backwards.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #2 – March 05, 2014, 07:12:32 PM

God, those roads look fun to cruise on.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #3 – March 06, 2014, 03:27:43 PM

Its pretty cool how it shows that the "aero" birds saved the T-bird marque for awhile. And then Ford let it die with never updating the MN-12 platform. And for the record I'm NOT a fan of those retro 'birds...

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #4 – March 06, 2014, 04:39:45 PM

I liked where this guy was going with the concept: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FoXyvaPSnVk/TAA3-pgmoYI/AAAAAAAC5t8/6Zsjobijsxs/s1600/Ford-Thunderbird-62.JPG

It took a lot of defining traits from the '55, but modernizes everything, while the DEW98 based Thunderbirds looked too round and "old". The newer D2C based Mustang did a much better job of "going retro" while looking modern. Still not exactly sure where a possible future Thunderbird could fit in - it has always had an identify crisis after the first few years.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #5 – March 06, 2014, 05:12:22 PM

Is that red MN-12 Australian?

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #6 – March 06, 2014, 05:32:26 PM

The thunderbird was fords response to the corvette. that's what it still should be. the cougar was a higher end mustang.

Everytime they strayed from that recipe it failed.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #7 – March 06, 2014, 06:51:22 PM

Quote from: Haystack;430159

The thunderbird was fords response to the corvette. that's what it still should be. the cougar was a higher end mustang.

Everytime they strayed from that recipe it failed.

Not so. The T-Bird was Ford's response to the Vette, but it sold in very low numbers for 1955, 56 and 57. When it was stretched into a four door for '58 sales exploded, and stayed fairly high into the late 70's (especially high when you consider how much competition it faced as a "personal luxury car", both from GM and from Chrysler with the Cordoba). Sales tanked with the Box Fox, rebounded somewhat with the aero Fox, and slowly but surely dwindled until the MN12 was discontinued in '97. The steady decline was largely due to Ford's neglect, but Ford's neglect was largely due to the segment being dead-ended. Large two-door cars are simply not in style anymore, and haven't been for some time, unless you're talking really expensive ones. Even Mustang sales are nowhere near what they were in the heyday...

When the T-Bird was reintroduced as a 2-seater it was a flop. Blame for this can be squarely placed on Ford's shoulders - the car looked effeminate, was way too heavy, severely underpowered, and overpriced. You can't even call it retro, because no 55-57 T-Bird was ever the melted bar of soap that thing was. It's like Ford was once again trying to compete with the Corvette... the 1953 Corvette, that is. I don't even really consider that thing a T-Bird. Just like I don't consider that 2-door Contour thing a Cougar.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #8 – March 06, 2014, 08:31:25 PM

When it was stretched into a 4 door, it was selling the name, not the car.

The thunderbird was designed to be a low volume limited production model in the first few years. in that video they talk about how they sold every car they could produce.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #9 – March 06, 2014, 10:15:48 PM

that was good, thanks for the link my83t

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #10 – March 06, 2014, 10:32:04 PM

Quote from: Bob;430187

that was good, thanks for the link my83t

Hey, thats what were all about Bob......sharing and helping each other and those with the curse/passion for these cars. Glad you enjoyed!

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #11 – March 07, 2014, 12:30:35 AM

Hey bob, have you taken your car out yet?

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #12 – March 07, 2014, 11:04:00 AM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;430162

Blame for this can be squarely placed on Ford's shoulders , .

Great history / documentary

in the long run ford + neglect + blame is moot because they won the race not looking for a stipend as many manufactures sought recently,, that is worth more than any downplay offered to their direction.

everyone else failed fiscally. Ford produced cars they knew had a marker on them for sale with a low inventory target.

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #13 – March 07, 2014, 05:08:35 PM

Quote from: jcassity;430215

Great history / documentary

in the long run ford + neglect + blame is moot because they won the race not looking for a stipend as many manufactures sought recently,, that is worth more than any downplay offered to their direction.

everyone else failed fiscally. Ford produced cars they knew had a marker on them for sale with a low inventory target.

Not to go all political, but Ford failed fiscally too. They actually failed first, which worked in their favour because credit was still available. They mortgaged the plants, and even borrowed money against the Blue Oval. Had they waited another year they'd have been in the same boat as GM and Chrysler.

Now, to give Ford credit, they did turn things around without walking away from debt and without digging into Uncle Sam's (and Aunt Canada's) pockets, and that is admirable, but timing was the big thing that saved them from having to do so...

Excellent T-Bird documentary Look for our cars at 26 mins in

Reply #14 – March 07, 2014, 10:57:19 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;430224

Not to go all political, but Ford failed fiscally too. They actually failed first, which worked in their favour because credit was still available. They mortgaged the plants, and even borrowed money against the Blue Oval. Had they waited another year they'd have been in the same boat as GM and Chrysler.

Now, to give Ford credit, they did turn things around without walking away from debt and without digging into Uncle Sam's (and Aunt Canada's) pockets, and that is admirable, but timing was the big thing that saved them from having to do so...

Timing and some great cars didn't hurt.......