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There were two supercharged!
Thunderbirds built for the Thunderbird Program, a show car, and a test
car.
The show car (below) was introduced to
the public in late December 2002 but program had been scratched
at Ford at about the same time ~ short time frame for this concept.
Work was going on within the Thunderbird Program
at Ford to have a Supercharged model in the production line which meant
there had to be a test model. The test model which is
pictured above still exists. It's in the care of a private
collection and does get brought out for special club events on the East
Coast. There will be more info coming with photos. Let's just say
for now that it contains an engine and transmission from a Jaguar, and
modified to fit and work with the Thunderbird's electronics. .The above
model was actually driven and tested for the Thunderbird Project on the
roads of Detroit. Steve Legel, DDS, can attest to that after seeing it
on the road one day. |
Update Nov 2008: James Youngs, Thunderbird Project
manager, retired, has documented the above car with a personal, very
limited edition book that is titled From the Scrap Heap to the Concours
d'Elegance. The book covers his personal expericence working
with the project, the demise of the program, and the rescue of the car
for the future plus documentation of what it took to build the car to make
it work. You will not find the book on the retail market.
The following are Photos of the Concept
Show Car ~ as Ford advertised it and showed it on the Auto Show
circuit for a very short time. Update 2010. The Concept still exists!.
It came to my attention this July (2010) that RM Auctions will be auctioning
off this very Concept of the Supercharged Thunderbird on August 12, 2010.
You'll find it
at
this link for awhile. Sold for $66,000.
This Concept Show car is now in the hands of a
private collector in Dallas, TX - September 2010. On NOV 14 or 15,
2014, it will be auctioned off at Sam Pack's Classic Car Museum, a private
museum. It's vin# is 1FAHP60A82Y100397. |
