I have never been very attracted to the 1958-60 Ford Thunderbird’s gimmicky styling. However, I still must admit that this is one of the most important cars of the postwar era.
And while the T-Bird’s design was heavily informed by the sci-fi exuberance of the late-50s, it wasn’t nearly as overdone as a 1958 Edsel or Lincoln. So let’s take a closer look at this 1959 model I recently found for sale in my neck of the woods.
More than just a fancy standard-sized car
A big part of what made the first four-place Thunderbird so popular was that it wasn’t based on an existing family car. The T-Bird was given a unique body that was both unusually low and slightly more compact than a standard-sized Ford.
As a case in point, the Galaxie was 3.5 inches taller and had a five-inch-longer wheelbase. That translated into a much boxier shape than the Thunderbird’s, which was particularly apparent in front. In the above photos note how the T-Bird also had a more sophisticated bumper design than the Galaxie.
The Thunderbird’s lowness was also emphasized in rear styling, where the center of the trunk lid sloped at a radical angle down to a sculptured bumper. This presumably didn’t help trunk space, but it made the car look more exotic.
Perhaps just as importantly, the Thunderbird emulated a sports car’s long-hood, short-deck proportions. That made a particular difference in the design of its greenhouse, with its much smaller rear-quarter windows and thick C-pillar.
Interior may have been more important than exterior
The Thunderbird’s more close-coupled greenhouse resulted in a less roomy car — but that was part of its charm. Up front the T-Bird had then-rare bucket seats and a center console. The back seat was best suited for two people, ideally smaller in size. However, the interior was exceptionally exotic for its time — but was still more practical than the original two-seat T-Bird.
Richard M. Langworth (1987) noted that the Thunderbird’s center console was added because the car was so low that it resulted in an unusually large driveline tunnel.
Exterior styling was very much a product of its time
The Thunderbird may have played a key role in pioneering the American personal coupe, but the car’s styling was still a prisoner of the late-50s. The most extreme example of that was the dog-leg windshield, which may have made entry and exit more awkward than in the taller standard Ford.
The Thunderbird was unusual for having completely unique sheetmetal. Designers made the most of that by giving the T-Bird distinctive flourishes, such as unusually sculpted side styling and custom door handles which were integrated into a sheetmetal crease that morphed into a tail fin.
For 1959 Ford gains confidence in T-Bird’s viability
This 1959 model was only modestly changed from the previous year, when the Thunderbird was one of the few break-out successes of that recessionary year. Ford marketeers responded by exclaiming that the 1959 Thunderbird was “America’s most wanted, most admired car.”
Also see ‘1958-60 Lincoln: Failing to beat GM at its own game’
There was some truth to that sales pitch. More than 67,000 Thunderbirds were built in 1959. This was slightly higher than the Buick Electra line and far above senior Chrysler or Mercury models.
1959 Ford Thunderbird ads. Click on images to enlarge (Old Car Advertisements).
As we discuss further here, the Thunderbird’s popularity challenged Detroit’s long-held rules about how to succeed in the upper-reaches of the premium-priced field.
For 1960 the Thunderbird would do even better sales-wise. Production almost hit 93,000 units, which would stand as a record until the nameplate was moved downmarket in 1977.
The 1958-60 T-Bird might not be considered a timeless classic design in the same vein as a 1953 Studebaker Starliner, but it matched the zeitgeist of the times . . . and inspired the introduction of a remarkably diverse assortment of “personal coupes” over the next two decades. That ain’t nothing.
NOTES:
Production figures and specifications were from the auto editors of Consumer Guide (2006), Flory (2004) and Gunnell (2002).
RE:SOURCES
- Auto editors of Consumer Guide; 2006. Encyclopedia of American Cars. Publications International, Lincolnwood, Ill.
- Flory, J. “Kelly” Jr.; 2004. American Cars, 1960-1972. McFarland & Co., Inc.
- Gunnell, John; 2002. Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975. Revised 4th Ed. Krause Publications, Iola, WI.
- Langworth, Richard M.; 1987. The Complete History of Ford Motor Company. Publications International, LTD, Skokie, IL.
ADVERTISING & BROCHURES:
- oldcaradvertising.com: Ford Thunderbird (1959)
When I was a pre-teen, while the Corvette was a rare sight, it was the 1955-1960 Thunderbird that seemed more aspirational. Yes, there were minature plastic Thunderbirds in cereal boxes, and I wanted (but did not get) a Thunderbird, Jr. How George Walker could screw up the styling of the 1958 regular Ford still amazes me, but the 1958-1960 Thunderbird still looks right. When my uncle bought his first Rocketbird in the spring of 1961, I could not believe the sheet metal and that interior with that console and “Swing-away” steering wheel. For a no-nonsense “Whiz Kid”, Robert S. McNamara’s instincts were absolutely correct !
When I was 5 years old the 59 thunderbird took my breath away. It has that sporty luxury look. I finally ended up with one in my 50’s. A black convertible. I had it restored. It’s my baby. I have had it since 2004.
Why wasn’t the retractable Skyliner transferred to the 1958-1960 Thunderbird ? It would have made the Thunderbird even more of an exclusive personal car. The retractable had originally been proposed for the Continental Mark II, but it was already a money-loser before the first production car was built. The only reason I can think of is that the tooling was already existing for the big Ford platform and McNamara did not want to spend more money on tooling.
I’m not sure there would be enough room to do it right. IIRC the retractable shared the quarter panel with the Ranchero. You will notioe on the retractables there was a shorter roofline to go with the already huge trunk.
I owned a loaded 59 Skyliner for 32 years. The reason why the Retractable hardtop was put on the Ford Fairlane lineup was due to recooping there cost when it was in development. They did consider the Lincoln, Thunderbird,and Mercury. Final decision the Fairlane 500 fleet. They would sell more of them. As beautiful as they were, the Sunliners sold more than the Skyliners with the 59 being the least sold.
My recollection of a close-up encounter with a turquoise (in and out) ’59 T-bird as a pre-teen, includes a memory of my dad using the opportunity to give me the “if you get a good education and work hard at a good job, you, too….” lecture.
It truly was an awesome, inspirational car and at that time, it would have seemed like heresy to criticise it’s styling.
But how could l have known about styling then anyway? We owned a beautiful, but apparently too-thick-window-frame ’57 Silver Hawk at the time!