This Landau model is very classy with its vinyl roof and the fancy bar dressing on the C-pillar. One of the coolest things about this four-door T-Bird is the forward opening Suicide rear doors. This Thunderbird is in good overall condition and drives very well. Somewhat surprisingly, parts aren’t all that difficult to obtain, and a lot of these cars still exist in fairly decent shape. The 1970-71 “beaked” cars have all but disappeared and the quirky four-door is now quite rare in either series, meaning they both stand out on today’s roads. They are heavier and thirstier than their predecessors, which makes the driving dynamics best suited to cruising.

The cars don’t have the elegance of the first gen T-Birds, or the atomic styling of the “Bullet Bird” era, but they do have an interesting look that has aged quite well. This era of Ford Thunderbird can still be purchased quite reasonably. As the last of the line, few changes were made. The 1971 model year saw the last of this generation of T-Bird, with the 1972 car becoming upsized. Body styles remained the same and motors ranged from 390 cid to 429 cid. Sales slid to below 50,000 for the first time since recession-sick 1958.įor 1970, the Thunderbird got received a new body shell that was longer and lower, with a projecting beak in the center of the grille, and full-width inverted “U” taillights. The 1969 T-Birds were the last to use this body with a few detail changes, including more people opting for buckets seats. Overall, sales dipped slightly to below where they were at for the 1966 model year, at 64,391 units. Thunderbirds were little changed for 1968, though the 429-cid, 360-hp Thunderjet engine was added to the options list and the 427-cid engines were dropped. Engines ranged from 275- and 315-hp 390-cid V-8s, through two high-performance motors of 427-cid, offering 410 and 425 hp, up to the 428-cid, 345-hp Thunderbird Special.

All of the new Thunderbirds were longer and heavier than the preceding model, with full-width grilles, hidden headlights, and full-width taillights. The Landau models had a vinyl roof and a decorative bar dressing up the C-pillar.

In addition to the four-door Landau sedan, a two-door coupe and Landau coupe were also offered. Ford sold nearly 10,000 more Thunderbirds in 1967 than it did in 1966. Despite what purists must have thought, the move was an attempt to broaden the car’s appeal and sell more units, which was easily accomplished. Underneath, the car began to utilize body-on-frame construction instead of a unibody setup. Even more drastic, the company dropped the convertible from the Thunderbird lineup for the first time. Added to the T-Bird range this year was a four-door sedan model, with forward opening “suicide” rear doors, which included part of the roof. History of the 1967-1971 Ford Thunderbird:įord took a bold step in redesigning the Thunderbird in 1967. Take a wirebrush and scrap them if the metal does look rusty.71: Los Angeles (D.S.O. Doors any any decent shape? Check and see if that are not rusted out.

Does the car still have the fan shroud? I'll take the air cleaner (and all of it including that snorkle part that goes down to the manifold) too if you want to part with it. A lot easier then trying to take the tail light lenses out of it. What do you want for the tail light lenses, side markers (front and back) and that bracket (again depending on condition)? Heck I'll take the entire bezel off the back if you are willing to remove it. Front grill the emblem is missing or was taken off. No telling how much rot and decay is under it. I am afraid to ask of the body as I see its sitting in a field. How does that look? Looks like someone ripped off the original side mirror and put on a matching set of something else. Are the tail light lenses okay? No cracks? Also like I mentioned before the bracket on the transmission where the shifter rod attaches (previous photo I sent you).

1968 thunderbird 429