![]() ![]() They tell us that less is more, something that the car buying choices show.īy the seventies, Ford was left with just the heartland to sell into and there faced the trouble of the attitude of some in the mid west, that a deluxe car was not a sign of hard work leading to success, but rather someone becoming to big for his britches. The fact that sales were so high shows that it was correct despite all the vitriol that came at them from our coastal dwelling betters, who never tire of telling us how smart and sophisticated they are. I am glad that Ford made a last attempt at a high end Tbird in the 70s. There was no mistaking the snob appeal of the Lincoln.īy 1976, the last year for the 1972 body shell, there were no less than three Luxury Groups: Creme and Gold, Bordeaux, and Lipstick. But then, Frank Cannon drove a Mark IV on TV, not a Thunderbird. The Mark had many features that were standard on it but optional on the T-Bird, but still, the Ford was probably a better deal even with that factored in.ĭespite this, sales of 1974 Marks and T-Birds were neck and neck, with 57,316 and 58,443, respectively. For nearly three thousand dollars less – a not-inconsiderable sum in 1974 – you could get a very comparable car – assuming you could live without the chrome Parthenon grille, hidden headlights, spare tire hump and oval opera windows. Consider that the 1974 Thunderbird had a base price $7,330 while the Mark IV was a princely $10,194. While the Continental Mark IV was the cream of the crop in Ford’s personal luxury coupe lineup, an argument could be made for choosing the Thunderbird instead. “Bandit, this is Velour Bird headed eastbound on I-55. This particular survivor also has a CB radio, which was all the rage circa 1975-79. As much as I love the Mark IV, I kind of like the Thunderbird’s instrument panel treatment better. Inside, the Thunderbird had its own unique door panels, upholstery, and instrument cluster, featuring round gauges set in a color-keyed panel, unlike the Mark IV’s rectangular gauges swathed in woodgrain trim. I remember seeing an ad for it when I was in grade school in the ’80s, leafing through our science teacher’s vintage cache of National Geographics. It included special burgundy metallic paint, color-keyed vinyl roof and premium bodyside moldings, and a burgundy interior in velour or optional leather. Today’s featured car is a Burgundy Luxury Group Thunderbird, which was available in 1974 only. Ford kept interest up with lots of special decor models. As the man said, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it…īetween 19, the Thunderbird received very few updates, primarily new colors and wheel options. Of course, this was a premium car, and folks ponying up for a new T-Bird were not concerned with such things. The 429 was dropped and all Thunderbirds now had the 460 as standard, for a less than stellar 11 mpg. Thanks to the new rear bumper, curb weight was up to 4800 lbs. ![]() I don’t think I’ve ever seen a 1972-73 Thunderbird with buckets and console. One of the T-Bird’s defining features, bucket seats, were eliminated in 1974. Sales went up again, with over 87,000 Thunderbroughams sold for 1973.įive mph bumpers were added to the back of all 1974 T-Birds to match the front one, with restyled taillights as well. It was initially an option (like on the ’72 Mark), but was also made a standard feature soon after. It first appeared on the Continental Mark IV in 1972 as an option, was made standard in 1973, and then the T-Bird got its own version that same year. Also new was an opera window in the C-pillar. Thanks to the 1973 federal bumper standards, the ’73 T-Bird got a new nose, with requisite chromed battering ram, new grille, headlights in separate pods, and new, larger parking lamps. The windshield and side glass were identical between the two, and primary differences boiled down to exterior and interior styling. As previously mentioned, the ’72 shared a lot of parts with the Mark. Either way, you could have any transmission you wanted, as long as it was the 3-speed C6 automatic. The 429 CID V8 was standard equipment, with a 460 optional. ![]()
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