Pick of the Day: 1979 Ford Thunderbird

Do you have a car? Have you fallen in love with it at some point in your life, only to lose interest in it over time, only to revisit and rekindle warm thoughts? Our daily pick is best for the Model T – the 1979 Ford Thunderbird. This car is listed on ClassicCars.com for sale by a dealer in Utica, Ohio. (Click the link to see the list)

Everyone knows the story of the Thunderbird – how it evolved from a two-passenger limousine to a four-passenger luxury sedan, developed the personal luxury goods category and became even more successful in the 1960s. The Thunderbird had a partnership with Lincoln that began in 1967 and lasted until 1976, after which time the Thunderbird began to act as an intermediary, with its origins dating back to the 1972 Ford Torino and Mercury Montego. The Thunderbird also found new cousins: the Mercury Cougar and the cheaper but stylish Ford LTD II. Moving downmarket? Maybe, but don’t think of it that way—think of it as an evolutionary tweak. When the model year ended, 318,140 Thunderbirds had been produced in 1977.

The 1977 Thunderbird also looked a lot like the character, thanks to the 1950s Victoria-like crown (aka the “B-pillar”) that swept to the other side. Not only did this work during the disco era, but it also opened up opportunities for different paint and decorative treatments. The extensive options list ensures that most Thunderbirds you see don’t lack for luxury bells and whistles – despite being shorter and lighter, it’s still 100% Thunderbird. The mid-year addition of the Town Landau became the most luxurious Thunderbird, equipped with the standard 400 two-barreled gun, upgraded from the “responsive” 302-2V or 351-2V.

In 1978, Ford gave buyers more ways to personalize their Thunderbirds. Commemorating Ford’s 75th Anniversary^th On the anniversary, Ford launched the Diamond Jubilee Edition. Town Landau is also back, now more fully realized thanks to aluminum roof wrap decals, color-coordinated trim, accent stripes, cornering lights, power windows, air conditioning and more. The powerplant is the same as before.

In 1979, the Thunderbird received a slight facelift, with the most noticeable change being slightly different taillights. In addition to the standard Thunderbird, the loaded Town Landau also returns, while the Thunderbird Heritage appears to replace the Diamond Jubilee version. The 400 V8 was discontinued, leaving only two engines available.

My family was visiting relatives in California when these ptarmigans showed up. I begged my dad to rent a T-Bird or Cougar and luckily he got both for our trip north and south! Getting my dad to turn the headlights on/off was a highlight – I was in love! This 1979 Thunderbird lets you relive those days. While not a Town Landau or Heritage model, with 13,246 miles on the odometer, it’s still a worthy personal luxury car to collect. The seller says it comes with the optional 351, automatic transmission, power steering and brakes, air conditioning, and AM/FM with 8-track, but I also found the exterior trim group (which includes a two-piece vinyl top, dual-sport rear sight mirrors), dual-tone pain stripes and stylized wheels) and sports instrument cluster.

“This car runs, drives and looks like new!” says the seller. Of course, $14,900 sounds like a good deal for a nearly new 45-year-old personal luxury car.

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