Not Storing for the Winter

[BirdsAndBugs]

In the 12 years of ownership of our 05 we have never stored the Bird over winter. It is our daily driver. Here is a photo from last year's winter, this day all Bird flights were canceled until later in the week.

No Bird flights today for TBN size.jpg

Snow is pretty to look at. Just glad I don't have to contend with it.

[Brad]

As soon as we bought our three retros, we took the hardtops off and have never put them back on. My only concern would be if the cars fade some, the tops will no longer match. Might be time to do some polishing, waxing, buffing and all that good stuff.
Georgia has some great weather. Year around driving.

Modern paints don't fade like the old ones did. I had my original hardtop off the car for 10 years and when I put it back on the paint still matched perfect.

[EllisonCal]

Hey Greg in the Villages, maybe there will be a TBN branch in Heaven where we can all get together and discuss the good times we had with the other TBNers over the years. This Thursday I'm flying out to Litchfield Park (Phoenix,AZ) to attend the funeral of a high school buddy. I've stayed in touch over the years and I've been anticipating this day for a long time. He was operated on 20 years ago for tongue cancer and he used to brag to me that he was probably the only person I'll ever know who quit: Smoking, Drinking and Eating all at the same time! What a positive attitude and strong genes to survive these past 20 years. He celebrated his 75th birthday last January. Major Steven N. Olek, USAF retired. I've had him visit me in Charleston since his surgery and I've been to see him and his wife several times in Arizona since his surgery in 1997.

[wcoates]

Never use the hardtop? That is such a classic Thunderbird look and really is when these cars look their best in my opinion.

Greg you and the Elvis impersonator with at least two Birds have my dream, one Bird where the top never goes up and one where the HT never comes off. Enjoy them any way you choose. This will be the first of my 6 years of winter ownership where the baby gets stored. Enjoy then 'til the first real snow.

[RustyFrye]

I don't store it for the winter, but with the Saturday forecast of 3 - 5 inches of snow I guess it may be parked for a bit.

[007Cruiser]

I don't store it for the winter, but with the Saturday forecast of 3 - 5 inches of snow I guess it may be parked for a bit.

I’ll believe it when I see it. The roads here have already been pre-treated.

[Howlandd]

Well here I am in Northern Minnesota (Park Rapids on your map) and I was just driving my 02 yesterday at a chilly 15 degrees. As long as the roads are dry I will be driving it. My only worry is salt spray from a wet road. The heater works great as does the defroster so why not drive it???

[4LOWBIRDS+7]

Let me think, will I store any Thunderbirds? I think not, they all will get their turn on the road. Our first snow today.


25114949_1551962334880180_642417154_n.jpg?oh=f7f2693d45d4cdd06872dde2fd013355&oe=5A2DAE20.jpg

25105720_1551962371546843_1112634413_n.jpg?oh=39653bd35dd4ef5437efcb0ff0429c42&oe=5A2D9A7C.jpg

[007Cruiser]

I see that you still haven’t learned to park.

[4LOWBIRDS+7]

I see that you still haven’t learned to park.

That is a long story, two birds have been hit when I park in the space. So this is how I now park, with permission from the city.

[carntz]

That is a long story, two birds have been hit when I park in the space. So this is how I now park, with permission from the city.

Please have your "city people" call my "city people", so they can be educated on how Retros need to be parked within the city.

[couture]

Well so far today we got 5 inches of snow in the north Georgia mountains so my bird is in the garage, probably for the winter as we will be heading to Florida for Jan & Feb as usual.

My 53 F-100 and my 34 Chevy street rod are also grounded for the winter ion the garage.

We use our new Honda AWD Ridgeline as a daily driver most of the time.

[11TH GEN]

Richard, I am about 40 miles South of you. Coming down pretty steady.

[jerrym3]

I take my retro out in the winter weather and roads permitting. I'm in north Jersey. My car has never been driven in the snow. Since 2004, when I bought it, I can remember one long drive in the rain, and that was due to me taking the car on a business trip from New Jersey to northern New England.

Otherwise, bone dry (Got caught in a bit of a sprinkle this past summer while driving on the highway, I didn't even have to put the top up).

But, I don't put the hardtop on anymore. I know it's a nice look, but since winter driving for me is very rare, it's not worth the effort.

Getting our first snow tomorrow, so I took her out for a spin this morning.