Hardmeyer - City Magazine

WE Drive |
THE THUNDERBIRD
EXPERIENCE
By Mike LaLonde
Photo Credit: Mike LaLonde
With the advent of the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette,
sports-car culture was born in the U.S. Following
the successful launch of the Corvette, Ford Motor
company followed suit with its 1955 Ford Thunderbird
roadster.
From the get go, the two brands were alike in basic design:
long, low, sleek two seaters with powerful engines. But after three
years of production, the T-Bird became a sports luxury car, and
the Corvette continued in the traditional sports-car direction, as it
exists today.
With a different mission in mind for the Thunderbird, Ford
introduced the four-seat Thunderbird in 1958. Awash in space-age
styling, the four seater became an instant success, launching what
is now known as the era of the Personal Luxury Car. Competitors
followed, with perhaps one of the most beautiful GM designs, the
1963 Buick Riviera to name just one.
The Thunderbird went through several successful transformations
since 1955, but perhaps one of the most beautiful designs
since the original ‘55 to ‘57 models are the Retro-Birds, a gorgeous
two-seat car that Ford marketed from 2002 to 2005.
These special editions have the latest in safety, comfort and performance
features, and follow the original 1955 T-Bird look with
modern design cues harking back to the original.
Recently, while viewing old and new Thunderbirds at the annual
Buggies’n’Blues celebration in Mandan, City Magazine visited
with three T-Bird aficionados about their cars.
Don Roloff, current spokesperson for the Dakota Thunderbird
Chapter of the Pioneer Auto Club here in our area, says there are
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