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Someone asked me the other day what it was that made me decide that I wanted a Thunderbird, instead of, say, a Corvette or a Mustang. I didn't have to think about it for a minute.
One of the reasons I decided I liked TBirds was that my family had one when I was a kid - maybe 5 or 6. It was a blue early 60's bird (maybe 61-62?), and I have distinct memories of my dad driving that car and working on it.
I remember he loved that car. He'd had it for about 10 years. He used to let me ride with him all over the place with it, and even sneak and let me sit in his lap and turn the steering wheel, while he worked the peddles and brakes, out on some of the old country dirt roads near the house. He'd have caught hell from my mother if she'd have found out about that! He died in 1974 when I was 7, and I've always remembered his fondness for that car when I think about him.
Because of that, I always wanted one, so when the retro birds came out, I followed the news articles and ads with great interest. I was still active duty Air Force when they came out, and I couldn't really afford one at the time. When I retired from the AF in 2006, I told my wife that's what I wanted when I got out and got "a real job". We bought the 02 Torch Red in the summer of 07, and just recently swapped it for the 05 Medium Steel Blue.
Anyway, the best reason for me - and the real reason I bought the MSB recently - was that it reminded me of my dad. He would have been 67 today. I sure do miss him....but I think about him everytime I get into that little blue tbird. This weekend, I'm going to take Sam, my 5-year old grandson, for a drive in the bird. And, if I find an old back country dirt road....
bobby
One of the reasons I decided I liked TBirds was that my family had one when I was a kid - maybe 5 or 6. It was a blue early 60's bird (maybe 61-62?), and I have distinct memories of my dad driving that car and working on it.
I remember he loved that car. He'd had it for about 10 years. He used to let me ride with him all over the place with it, and even sneak and let me sit in his lap and turn the steering wheel, while he worked the peddles and brakes, out on some of the old country dirt roads near the house. He'd have caught hell from my mother if she'd have found out about that! He died in 1974 when I was 7, and I've always remembered his fondness for that car when I think about him.
Because of that, I always wanted one, so when the retro birds came out, I followed the news articles and ads with great interest. I was still active duty Air Force when they came out, and I couldn't really afford one at the time. When I retired from the AF in 2006, I told my wife that's what I wanted when I got out and got "a real job". We bought the 02 Torch Red in the summer of 07, and just recently swapped it for the 05 Medium Steel Blue.
Anyway, the best reason for me - and the real reason I bought the MSB recently - was that it reminded me of my dad. He would have been 67 today. I sure do miss him....but I think about him everytime I get into that little blue tbird. This weekend, I'm going to take Sam, my 5-year old grandson, for a drive in the bird. And, if I find an old back country dirt road....
bobby
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