Ford Stock – Here’s What Made The 1966 Ford Thunderbird Special
When Ford rolled out the 1966 Thunderbird (T-bird), it was reputed to be the ultimate personal luxury car available in the American market. The Ford Thunderbird’s list of fashionable features earned it such a reputation amongst cars of its size in the 1960s.
Even critics never failed to praise its braking, amongst other things. The iconic slim and sleek coupe appears to be an improvement from its predecessors and showed why Ford was America’s most versatile Automaker.
With the 1964 model selling 92,465, and the 1965 model selling 74,972, the 1966 model brought in less successful sales figures. Only around 69,176 pieces of the 1966 Ford Thunderbird were sold, leaving it in the shadows of its predecessors.
For the most part, the Ford Thunderbirds’ designs remained the same for the 1966 version that received a minor modern facelift.
Let’s take a closer at the 1966 Ford Thunderbird.
The Fourth Generation Thunderbird That Introduced Contemporary Allure
The 1966 Ford Thunderbird aimed to introduce a modern look, something Ford considered the previous ones did not. It was the last new model of the fourth generation Thunderbird that ran between 1964 to 1966.
Assembled in Wixom, Michigan, in the United States, the 1966 Ford was made as a personal luxury car. The coupe appeared as a two door hardtop coupe or a two door convertible with front engines and front-wheel drive.
The third generation of the Thunderbird preceded it, while the fifth generation succeeded it.
Ford cars in the mid-50s through to mid-60s were known for their expressive style, unlike the Ford cars before or after the period. The 1966 version combined landau roof formality and space-age floridity brilliantly.
In a drive to add a bit of modern flair, the Ford Thunderbird was done in a unibody construction. Its wheelbase of 113.2 inches added to a modernized outlook.
The chrome level in the front was reduced while the front body panels saw the removal of the last vestiges from its bullet nose.
Inside The Quintessential Personal Luxury Car Of The 1960s
Ford Motor Company sought to create the ultimate personal luxury coupe, and they ended up with the 1966 Ford Thunderbird. It was largely inspired by jet-era luxury cars from Europe at the time.
The cars spotted an angled forward-center stack that held controls for air condition units and its stereo. Also, you could find a rich cluster of instruments that included 4 round aviation-Esque gauges, linear speedometer, and fuel gauge.
There were also gauges for charging, coolant temperature, and oil pressure for the 1966 Ford Thunderbird. A unique thing about the instrument panels is that they came padded along with the car’s sun visors.
The 1966 Ford Thunderbird was spoiled for high-end and useful interior features and gadgets. Cruise-o-Matic drives were added features as well as double-sided keys and door locks that were keyless as well.
Moving to the full-wide foam rubber seats, drivers and front passengers had retractable front seat belts that carried reminder light. Front and back folding center armrests were also available as well, and the coupe’s front bucket seats were adjustable.
While on the go, you’ll find the coupe has a solid power steering, while map and glove box lights allow vision in the dark. Silent Flo ventilation, MagicAir defroster, and heater made inside the car comfortable in any season or weather.
The Exterior Aimed To Take Attention From The Mustang
1966 marked the last year of production for the fourth generation of the Ford Thunderbird coupes. However, the two-door luxury coupe had to contend with the Ford Mustang for most of the attention from buyers and luxury car enthusiasts.
Despite this, the 1966 Ford Thunderbird carved its own unique following. Besides, it gave buyers more comfort than many cars from the time. One conspicuous detail about the exterior of the thunderbird was its headlights.
It bore a resemblance to an eagle’s eye, and it stood on a metallic grille with upright slats. It did not carry the usual blue oval badge of Ford Motors but spotted a bird figure.
To improve the look of the hood’s ordinarily flat surface, a little central bulge was added to give it a bold look. There were covers for the back wheels with quarter panels covering them.
Also, the rim spotted a different chromed rim about the wheel arch. The 1966 Ford Thunderbird was also available with a power roof that hid at the back of the cabin when drawn back.
For its exhausts, the T-bird carried built-in double exhausts. Their mufflers were aluminized stainless steel.
How Much Performance Did The Thunderbird’s Engine Allow?
The fourth-generation Ford Thunderbirds carried a 3-speed automatic transmission. The 1966 Thunderbird had a special 390 cubic inch FE V8 engine under its hood.
The figure for the torque stands at a solid 427 lbs/ft at only 2,800 RPM. All of this allowed the Thunderbird an output of 320 horsepower.
It all meant the Thunderbird couldn’t go around corners very fast, but drivers could expect a smooth ride. This luxury coupe is capable of a top speed of 130 mph and could go from 0 to 60 mph in just 9 seconds.
With all of these, most Ford Thunderbird lovers would be wondering why Ford won’t bring back the Thunderbird.
Ford Stock – Here’s What Made The 1966 Ford Thunderbird Special
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