Old Ford pics

[alvin stadel]

Jeff in reguard  to #4020, it kind of gets me when I see a 57 bird look like that. I sold my T Birds last spring, got very good money for them, however there are some days I get a little sellers remorse, than I think about how I had to crawl in and fall out of the 57. It wasn't to bad with out a top on it, and once I was inside what a kick in the butt to drive. The man that bought the 57 looks older than me, and I told my wife as soon as the new wears off he's going to hate it, they are a young mans ride. It's to hard for us old guys to get in and out of.

[Jeff Norwell]

I've never owned one Alvin or even been in one for a spin.. but I have heard the same thing from many people....

[gasman826]

First gen Thunderbirds are really cool cars.  I worked in a really old Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership with several of the 'family' owning vintage vehicles.  I did maintenance on one of those birds with 312 w/2x4 and FOM.  I was taken by how difficult it was to get in and out of it, how uncomfortable it was once in, and how it rode like an old truck.  I would still over look its short comings and drive it anywhere.

[Marc]

Great pics Jeff! Always loved the old factory shots, and the "E" & "F" code black customs are just incredible.

[John Palmer]

I always liked the looks of an early T-Bird. 

But learned to HATE them after I smashed my left thumb in the door jamb while closing the driver door.  I guess you need to quickly learn they do not have a normal vent window frame to grab, like on a 57 full size car.

All I remember is OUCH!

[djfordmanjack]

My friend had a green 56 Bird and I remember fondly riding shotgun. seating is pretty much on the floor and the backrest is pretty steep, and those A pillars... but once in the car it is awesome. so much lower seating than lall the average other cars. it is way cool. I can still remember the rattling noise of his wire wheel imitation wheel covers....haha.... They are beautiful, especially the 2 seater years, and also the bullet and squarebirds. Drove a 64.it had power everything. Quite a luxury car ! nearly bought a 390 bulletbird a few yrs ago.  sweet, sweet luxury cars !

[CobraJoe]

[CobraJoe]

1960 Fairlane 500

[hemidave]

'59

[Tom S]

Anybody know what that odd device attached to the heater hoses is?

[Tom S]

A road trip i was on....and we got pulled over by New Jersey's finest.... "Honest, this thing can't go 90!"

true story

Can't go 90? Did he hand you a 'performance award' anyway?
Thought for sure that I was gonna get busted for something here.

[lalessi1]

Anybody know what that odd device attached to the heater hoses is?

Looks like a oil to water exchanger, just a guess. I have never seen one.

[Tom S]

Looks like a oil to water exchanger, just a guess. I have never seen one.

I was thinking along those same lines. Never seen anything quite like it either.

[John Palmer]

Anybody know what that odd device attached to the heater hoses is?

The dealership that I worked at 1965 to 71 worked on lots of Arizona Highway Petrol cars.  Since it was in the very hot desert Ford used the cars and the dealership to test various ideas to overcome special applications.

I saw many different things on those cars.  The shorty high performance cast headers, the high performance air cleaners like on this photo.  They tried many different radiator/shroud/expansion tank combinations to over come boil over after a long highspeed pursuit in 120 degree desert weather.  I saw several different vented hoods tried to vent out the hot air and allow cool air to easily enter.  Most of their issues was when the engine returned to idle "after a long pursuit".

The engine in the photo looks very much like a high performance police special engine.  Back in the day they had different versions depending on the climates they would be used in.  They used solid lifters, and many of the high performance (they called it Total Performance) 406/427 parts, but they still used a vacuum advance distributor in the police engines.  I think it's a heat exchanger off of a Ford boat engine that was used for either oil heating, or extra engine cooling.  I don't think it's actually a Ford Marine engine because they used mechanical distributors, at least on the engines I've seen.

[CobraJoe]