For 1977, the Ford product planners in Dearborn reshuffled the deck, introducing a significantly smaller and more affordable Thunderbird, and sales took off.
A litle while back at Mac’s Motor City Garage, we shared the story of the premium-size ’72-’76 Thunderbrd, a close corporate cousin to the equally massive Lincoln Continental Mark IV (see our feature here). For 1977, the Dearborn product planners shuffled the deck agan in response to federal fuel economy standards and a changing consumer climate, introducing a significantly downsized T-Bird.
This one, based on the Ford LTD II (formely Torino) platform, rolled on a 6.4-inch shorter wheelbase of 114 inches, was eight inches shorter, and at 3907 lbs, weighed 900 lbs less than the old Mark IV-based ‘Bird. The diet plan included the drivetrain, as the big 460 CID V8 was replaced by a buyer’s choice of small-block V8s: 302, 351, and 400 cubic inches. There was but one transmission, a three-speed SelectShift automatic.
A conspicuous move downmarket, the seventh-generation Thunderbird displaced Ford’s smaler personal-luxury car, the short-lived ’74-’76 Elite, which was then dropped. Now the Thunderbird was competing head-to-head with the Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and with a price to match. As the video below proudly boasts, the bill was $5,434, thousands of dollars less than the previous Big Bird. Consumers took note and sales took off: fom around 55,000 units in ’76 to more than 318,000 in ’77. In fact, the ’77-79 seventh-gen cars are the best-selling T-Birds in Ford history, with close to one million sold over the three model years. Video follows
It’s sad the way Ford changed their 2-seat almost sportscar Thunderbird over the years into a massive bloated land barge. Even this “down-sized” version has almost no resemblance to the original concept. What was once the largest auto maker in the world has lost their way to the point where today they don’t even make cars anymore.
How true. By the time they realize it,they will be out of business.
Yes, how true. The sad fact is the same thing is happening to all of the Detroit automakers. The actual carguys have been driven out of upper management and replaced by bean counters and SJW’s.
thing is, they sold a massive number of these versions at a good profit which is what they’re in business to do. I doubt Ford made any money at all on the 55-57 models and their reason for being was a response to the Corvette and as a halo car to drive traffic which is valid but moving units and making money is more valid.
I always thought these were the rough draft of the Fairmont Futura. Still too much pre-gas-crunch bloat in them for my taste.
I think the ‘77-‘79 birds were gorgeous!