If there had never been a Chevy Corvette, chances are, we would have never known the advent of the Ford Thunderbird. In 1953, Ford released its first Thunderbird, a two-seater that quickly became a favorite among those who love classic cars.
The Ford Difference
Thunderbirds were very different from Corvettes in that their bodies were made of steel, and they also offered a V8 engine as the only option. They came off the line much faster than Corvettes did, as well. In the fifties, the Thunderbird was synonymous with sophistication and style, which up until that time were only available from Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar. During the first year, Ford sold over 16,000 Thunderbirds, which was about six thousand more than they expected.
Evolution of the Thunderbird
Four seats and a wider wheel base were on the itinerary for developing the new Thunderbirds as time went on. In the sixties, the “Bullet Bird” was introduced, which was a signature design of that decade. It was available as a convertible and as a hard top design. From there, the T-Bird took flight. The Thunderbird went through some incredible changes with the “Big Bird”, “Aero Bird” and “High Tech Bird”. Today, it remains one of the favorite classic cars in the industry.
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