question about a 67 tibird

[jeffb]

i bought a 67 promo recently. its the lovely pea green. this one has fender gunsites. from all the pics of 1;1 birds i find, there were none. in searching for 1/25 scale pics, ive found some with, some without..wha happened?

[unclescott58]

Ah, the mystery fender ornaments. They came on the chrome tree of every AMT '67, '68, and '69 Thunderbird model kit, including the Allison In Thunderland funny car. But, there was no mention of them in the instructions. And no place to use them on the kit. Yet they appear on some (if not all) '67 Thunderbird promos.

So what are they? And why are they there? Some early full-size '67 Thunderbird prototypes had them. They were really clear plastic blades that were front fender turn signal indicators. Similar to what was seen on '64 - '66 T-birds, and on many Chrysler products at the time. In Motor Trends earliest reviews of the then new '67 Birds, you can see one photo of a car with the blades.

By the way, I may have the same ugly pea green promo. But, if I remember correctly, mine is not a true promo. But a friction toy, with the little friction motor on the front axle. Fictions are identical to promos other than the chassis, and they are most of time painted in colors not offered from the factory on the real car. True promos do not have that motor, and are almost always painted in a factory offered color. Besides the fender blades, I don't remember that exact pea green being a color you could get on a real '67 Thunderbird. I bet you have the friction too. And I'm sorry to say, as cool as fictions can be. Most collectors do not value them as high as promos.

Despite the blades and values. The ugly pea green. I'm keeping mine.

[keyser]

There were a few cars built with chrome fender indicators. 

Here's a pic of one. There were 5 Apollo TB's built in 67 too, and I can't find it, but at least one had them. Another that is in Google search does not.

There were also bumper mounted fog lights down inboard of the bumper turn signals in 67.  

Funny, I didn't really like these until saw a nice 67 restomod. I've now got 2 builders and a maroon promo. I like the 67 best of the 3, as it had the 1 year only bumper mounted turn signals. I have a 67 instruction sheet, and it maybe had a notation about them?? I used the ones from the Allison Thunderbird tree for it, as well as the glass and some other bits to restore one of the builders. 

[CometMan]

That was the only generation of Thunderbird that had a four door version, (they had suicide doors) it would be interesting to see a kit or promo of that version!

[unclescott58]

There were a few cars built with chrome fender indicators. 

Here's a pic of one. There were 5 Apollo TB's built in 67 too, and I can't find it, but at least one had them. Another that is in Google search does not.

There were also bumper mounted fog lights down inboard of the bumper turn signals in 67.  

Funny, I didn't really like these until saw a nice 67 restomod. I've now got 2 builders and a maroon promo. I like the 67 best of the 3, as it had the 1 year only bumper mounted turn signals. I have a 67 instruction sheet, and it maybe had a notation about them?? I used the ones from the Allison Thunderbird tree for it, as well as the glass and some other bits to restore one of the builders. 

Those are not the ones found on the "promo" models or seen on the Ford prototypes. The above are aftermarket. The proposed factory signals were plastic blades

Edited June 16, 2016 by unclescott58

[unclescott58]

Okay to finish what I was trying to say. The Ford proposed blades were farther out near the edge of the fenders. What is seen above look close to what Ford used on the '66 Thunderbirds. They are not right for '67 Birds.

[Edsel-Dan]

I know of NO Promo or Kit of the 4dr 'Bird,

BUT.........

DO KNOW one WAS Built

Sorry, NO Pics.

I did Not have a Digital Camera at the time

 

Somewhere out there is a Brown & Yellow  4dr 70

HOPEFULLY Still close by so I can get it back!!!

(I BUILT IT!!  Rear door line was TOO steeply angled!!)

2 inch masking tape was used for the Vinyl Roof texture

Model was built to replicate the real one owned by 

a Car Club member (Buddy Schuman) back then

 

Rear of roof was Not raised to match car. just scribed new door lines and added extra door handles

 

[unclescott58]

Doing a quick Google search I found several pictures of '67 Thunderbird promo models with the turnsignal blades. They also appear on the box art of the AMT kit for that year. I also found one early Ford publicly picture online of a 4-door Landau with the blades. And what I thought was in Motor Trend, was really in the November 1966 issue of Car & Driver. The opening picture of their Thunderbird vs. Eldorado road test show a 4-door Landau with the blades. In Car Life's Febuary 1967 road test they show a cutaway drawing of the car with the blades. So there are a few sources out there for anybody who wants to see what they look like. Or should have looked like.

Speaking of models of the 4-door Landau. I didn't know until doing this search that Brooklyn makes (made?) a die cast model of the 4-door in 1/43 scale. It looks pretty nice. But, I prefer the non-Landau 2-door Thunderbird much better. I'm not a big fan of vinyl roofs or the landau "S" bars.

[peekay]

Okay to finish what I was trying to say. The Ford proposed blades were farther out near the edge of the fenders. What is seen above look close to what Ford used on the '66 Thunderbirds. They are not right for '67 Birds.

Just had a look and my 67 promo has the blades as you describe, ie closer to the edge of the fender. Never noticed before that the real car doesn't have them - looks better without them, too.

[jeffb]

i had a 4dr in the works, but some other caster beat me to it

[disabled modeler]

Some promos were molded in not so good colors but I still like them anyway.  I have a 67 promo but its very rough has no fender markers on it ether.

[fury3]

There WAS a 1/25th scale kit of the 4 Door Hardtop/Sedan 67 Thunderbird produced as I have one painted in factory colors from MCW." Modelhaus" produced the top quality kit over the last few years. It is no longer listed on their website, but a builder may be able to locate one on E-Bay or other similar sources. I'm sorry, but I'm unable to post photos. FYI, the kit is of the promotional style AKA hood molded shut. Fury3 

Edited June 17, 2016 by fury3
additional information

[Edsel-Dan]

OK, By "Kit" I was NOT talking RESIN!!!!

 

AMT, MPC, IMC, Lindberg, Pyro, Premire, Life-Like

No Mass Producing Kit company offered either Kit or Promo

in 1/25-1/24 scale (Nor 1/32)

 

A FEW Diecast in 1/43-1/50 or even 1/64 scale were ALL

 

The RESIN came out MANY years AFTER the car Passed into the history books!!

 

It is too bad that Modelhaus no longer offers the model it would be Nice

 

Hopefully Modelhaus is bought by some one with the skill

& energy to keep the quality

and the 67-71 era T-Bird 4dr is again made availabe

[Ron Hamilton]

i had a 4dr in the works, but some other caster beat me to it

Jeff,

 

With The Modelhaus retiring soon, you may consider re-visiting the 4-Door T-Bird. I would love to do a 4-door companion to this one.

Please do it with an opening hood.