The Thunderbird (1967–1971)
The Thunderbird grew a little more when the 1967 models were designed. The wheelbase for the two-door hardtop was extended to 115 inches (up two inches), overall length was 206.9 inches (1.9 inches more), and passenger capacity was increased to six. The 1967 Thunderbird represented one of the most dramatic styling changes in industry history. It was a jet aircraft-like design featuring a long, thrusting hood and a short rear deck.
The front-end highlight was a crisp lattice-work grille deeply inset and outlined with thin, bright metal moldings on the top and sides. The grille was framed at the bottom by a new deep-sectioned bumper that blended into the sheet metal, and the headlights were concealed by doors at the outboard edges of the grille.
Inside were newly sculptured twin bucket seats, a full-length console, all-vinyl door panels with full-length arm rests trimmed in bright metal, and the all-new Tilt-Away steering wheel – an exceptionally popular Thunderbird comfort/convenience feature.
Also, for the 1967-model year, a four-door model was added. It was discontinued after the 1969-model year. The four-door didn’t help sales much – only 70,988 were built during the two years it was on the market – but today they are collectors’ cars and are rapidly gaining in value.
From 1967-69, a four-door model was produced and rapidly gaining value in the collectors’ market.
Into the ’70s
The 1970 Thunderbird introduced new styling featuring a long hood treatment and a unique bumper/grille treatment that made the bumper almost invisible.
Other exterior design features included a new extruded-aluminum grille (the “poke-thru nose”) flanked by dual headlights. A concealed radio antenna provided a non-cluttered look and eliminated antenna noise. Concealed windshield wipers and cowl air vents provided a clean, “sweeping” line from the hood to the roof, and back-up lights were “concealed” in the center rear panel.
Ultra-luxurious appointments were on the inside. Included were a standard full-width front bench seat with attractive, re-designed head restraints, individual bucket-style seat backs and a fold-down center armrest. Thick padded armrests extended the full-length of the front door panels. Safety innovations included a “Uni-Lock” three-point safety-belt and shoulder harness system.
The powertrain for the 4,551-pound car was the 429 V-8 engine and Ford’s Select-Shift Cruise-O-Matic transmission.
His–and–Her Thunderbirds
By 1971, Thunderbird – the name and the car – were so popular that the famed department store Neiman Marcus offered “His and Her” Thunderbirds in its catalog, which lists “gifts for the person who has everything.” The twin Thunderbirds were equipped with telephones, tape recorders and other special equipment, and carried a price tag of $25,000 for the pair.
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