What if the 1961-63 Thunderbirds looked like this?

[Falcon Ranchero]

I actually like it; it looks cool. What do you guys think

[iamsuperdan]

Reminds me of the Chrysler Turbine car.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Just now, iamsuperdan said:

Reminds me of the Chrysler Turbine car.

First thing I thought too, but I think the Turbine and the Bird as they were built are more successful designs.  

[stitchdup]

that front bumper would go great on a pro touring build if you wanted to keep the chrome. just imagine it on the back of a 70 chevelle

[stavanzer]

45 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

Reminds me of the Chrysler Turbine car.

My First Thought too. Ford Turbine Thunderbird. Where's my 3D Print of this car? LoL.

[Ace-Garageguy]

8 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

My First Thought too. Ford Turbine Thunderbird. Where's my 3D Print of this car? LoL.

The reality:    

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/more-on-the-turbine-1957-ford-t-bird.1057028/

Edited August 29, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[stavanzer]

15 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The reality:    

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/more-on-the-turbine-1957-ford-t-bird.1057028/

Wow! I never Knew about that project.

You Find the most amazing stuff, Bill!

[Falcon Ranchero]

What would've been cool to actually see was the 1963 Thunderbird "Italien" concept fastback. Really gorgeous car.

 

 

[Exotics_Builder]

6 minutes ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

What would've been cool to actually see was the 1963 Thunderbird "Italien" concept fastback. Really gorgeous car.

 

 

If you have this, you can get close in the model world

[Falcon Ranchero]

'64 may have had a fastback, too.

[espo]

2 hours ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

I actually like it; it looks cool. What do you guys think

Almost to many design elements going on, sort of a busy look. 

 

29 minutes ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

What would've been cool to actually see was the 1963 Thunderbird "Italien" concept fastback. Really gorgeous car.

 

 

Much cleaner looking design. Almost wonder why Ford didn't offer this roof option at that time.  

[sfhess]

There's some similarity there to the 62 full-size Buicks, and there were some GM styling proposals in the early 60s that had a similar appearance to that Thunderbird proposal.

[TarheelRick]

I may upset some of you and if I do I apologize. But that first one looks like something George Barris may have puked out of his shop. Not much of a Barris fan, except maybe the Ala Kart.

[LDO]

It looks like it has the back end of a car on the front, with headlights where taillights had been. Like an awkward custom car. 

[peter31a]

I believe Elwood Engel was involved in the design of the Thunderbird as well as the Chrysler Turbine Car when he moved from Ford to Chrysler.

[The Junkman]

Those bulging headlamps....Edsel redux.  It would have killed the line.

[Richard Bartrop]

I think they made the right choice.

[Richard Bartrop]

5 hours ago, sfhess said:

There's some similarity there to the 62 full-size Buicks, and there were some GM styling proposals in the early 60s that had a similar appearance to that Thunderbird proposal.

Stylists did change jobs, and it would be interesting to find out if there's a connection.   The Chrylser Turbine car was the brainchild of a former Ford employee, and is basically a cleaned up version of a concept cat he designed for Ford.

[Brian Austin]

Would have fit in with the Thunderbirds TV series.  ?

[Falcon Ranchero]

Here's a neat idea; what if the '61-63 'Birds had an opening on the roof which popped up when the door was opened

 

 

[Exotics_Builder]

Some of the TBird "what-ifs" have shown up in model kits or transkits.  The above mentioned Kaucher Custom even though tied to the readily available at the AMT 62 mimics pretty close the 63 Italien.  The photo of the 64 fastback is actually an option in the AMT 64 Tbird.  And the AMT (original) 1962 T-Bird had a variation of that opening T-Top.  I can dig out the unbuilt kits to photo them if anyone is interested.

Edited August 30, 2024 by Exotics_Builder

[Falcon Ranchero]

25 minutes ago, Exotics_Builder said:

Some of the TBird "what-ifs" have shown up in model kits or transkits.  The above mentioned Kaucher Custom even though tied to the readily available at the AMT 62 mimics pretty close the 63 Italien.  The photo of the 64 fastback is actually an option in the AMT 64 Tbird.  And the AMT (original) 1962 T-Bird had a variation of that opening T-Top.  I can dig out the unbuilt kits to photo them if anyone is interested.

That's really interesting; I came across a '61 Thunderbird kit but never would've thought it came with all the concept ideas. I'll definitely have to pick one up next time I see one.

[Force]

On 8/29/2024 at 4:18 PM, iamsuperdan said:

Reminds me of the Chrysler Turbine car.

That's not a coincidence, the Chrysler Turbine car was designed by Elwood Engel who worked for Ford before he joined Chrysler and was in the design team for the 1961 Thunderbird.

[LennyB]

On 8/29/2024 at 11:45 AM, Falcon Ranchero said:

What would've been cool to actually see was the 1963 Thunderbird "Italien" concept fastback. Really gorgeous car.

 

 

I actually have this on my to-do list.  

[Falcon Ranchero]

I only know of 2 third gen 'Birds in town, some grey one, and a '61 I see basically daily as it lives in the next subdivision over from our 'hood. Always left outside tryina sell for $15,000; but was left in the snow out on his front lawn for two years, and in 2021 got a flame job- it looked way cool just black.