1980 Ford Thunderbird

1981 Ford Thunderbird Sedan The eighth generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury coupe that was manufactured and marketed by Ford for model years 1980 to 1982.  To commemorate the 25th year of the Thunderbird, Ford introduced an all new body design.  Since the 1977 model year, the Thunderbird was marketed as the Ford counterpart of the Mercury Cougar XR7; in contrast to the Cougar sedan and station wagon, the Thunderbird was offered solely as a two door personal luxury coupe. For consignment a title verified original low mileage, (72,861), clean square and rectangle designed very original Thunderbird.  Owned by our consignor for the last 14 years and in the same family for all of its life, with a padded landau top complete with opera window, and bathed in subded silver this car is one nice looker.  It has its original engine and code correct original interior.  Design was changing, and this car was marketed to a totally different market than the original consumer group which took a tepid response.  There are not many around and certainly in this low mileage original condition. Exterior What is believed to be the original application of Silver bathes the straight design panels adorning the exterior.  The only curved line on this car are the wheel wells, and that is out of necessity, and they are somewhat squared off.  A silver padded opera window rear landau roof is on the rear passenger section of this car.  The top is very nice and has no cracks or errors.  Also, a black vinyl trim piece stretches from wheel well to wheel well, terminating at the rear bumper.  Body matching Silver bumpers are seen and these have a chrome trim strip running through the upper part of them.  On the bumpers we note some paint chipping and the chrome is becoming delaminated and shows dulling on these trim strips.  Overall the body remains solid with only a few small areas of surface rust and light bubbling.  Single hidden headlights flank a big chromed grille with Thunderbird badging, egg crate insert, and LTD II hood ornament.  All squared off and a few faults, but overall nicely preserved for this very original car.  Standard turbine style design wheel covers are wrapped by thin whites all around. Interior In the inside, gray tweed makes up the tuck and roll seating surfaces of the front split bench which bumps up against a central armrest in smooth gray vinyl.  In back a large comfortable rear bench with lots of piping plush tweed and a central bump take up the rear passenger space.  Upfront for the clean dash is more square and rectangle design for the instruments, which are bordered by glossy black plastic.  The original plastic and faux wood inserted steering wheel with cruise controls within its central spokes are within easy drivers reach.  A central vertical black panel houses the original radio, climate controls and a storage compartment.  Up top is a square clock with AC and heat vents on either side within the gloss black plastic.  Gray carpet is seen below and is clean, as is the fuzzy gray headliner, all clean but with a few depressions hangs from above.  The door panels are nicely apportioned with gray vinyl and lower carpet panels as well as window and lock toggles and a stylized long vinyl covered pull. Drivetrain A pop of the long hood, and we see the original factory installed 255ci V8.  This has a single 2-barrel carburetor on top and an original 3-speed automatic C4 transmission on back.  A Ford 7.5 rear axle brings up the tail end and turns the tires with a 2.26 gear ratio.  Our consignor notes that a new heater core was recently installed. Undercarriage Showing some slight patina with age, black unibody construction with clean and rust free floor pans can be noted throughout the underside.  New power disc brakes for the front and new power drums for the rear, and a fairly new exhaust system presents itself running to the rear.  Keeping this skate surefooted is