COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

[007Cruiser]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

How does the old cliche go?

"It is sad to be an idiot but even worse to open your mouth and confirm it ..."

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt ~ Abraham Lincoln

[bwlewis]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

Not from a car show, but as we were walking away from the Bird in a restauarant parking lot, two ladies were approaching and quote, "Wow, that's a Thunderbird? I thought it was a Jag!"

[lmartun]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

I attended a car show at a local Ford Dealer yesterday. Got many positive comments about my Bird but one really surprised me. A guy in his 50s said that Ford did a great job creating the retro Bird but should have put in a V8 instead of the 6 cyl. and it should have had rear wheel drive. He said they would have sold a lot more of them. After I told him that it did,he walked away scratching his head.Some people have no idea what's going on in this world.

I've taken my TBird to many car shows and cruise nights. I've heard the V6 comment several times. Happy to correct that misnomer.


Lou

[lmartun]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

Hope I never have to replace my windshield. This sticker can't be replaced.

I lost a windshield two years ago, could not save that Wixom sticker. bummed.


Lou

[keithwand]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

WOW; I coulda had a V8!
Not nice calling your neighbors wife a back hoe!
It's a FORD; no way.
I'm done.

[MerlotBlue]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

In all fairness to the mis-informed. The car is sooooooo.......low production. Many people who weren't in a Ford dealership, that proudly displayed the few copies they were allocated, in 2002 may have never actually even seen a Retro-bird much less learned anything about 'em.

Then when these people do run across 'em out in the real world?

Not exactly rip roaring and in your face with the exhaust note or performance.

It's not hard to understand why anyone would mistake the T-Bird as another of the more common 6 cylinder cars that dominate the roadways of the nation now.

[MerlotBlue]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

MotorTrend did a roadtest of a Hyundai Genesis 4 dr sedan, 3.8 V6.

0-60, 6 seconds flat

(The V8 does it in 5.3.)

I don't believe my 2003 TBird (or 2004 Lincoln LS) was ever rated 0-60, 6 flat. (mid 6's probably for the 2003's and newer?)

Today, these ain't your grandfather's V6's.

But these really are a lot like your grandfather's V8s in how the power is laid out across the RPM range. The smallish V8 in these cars remind me of old 60s and 70s V8 power in how they produce so little power in the low end but start to really hustle in the mid-range and top end of the RPM range. Today's combination of computer controlled ignition timing and fuel injection, along with cam profiles that weren't possible in anything but full on race motors back in the day allow modern V8s to produce far flatter torque across the RPM range. Power made early in the range is where a fast 0-60 time comes from. Modern V6 and V8 motors now create the power in the 1500-2000RPM range that you had to wait until 2500-3000RPM for in similar sized motors with carburetors 30 years ago.



Sadly our "little" cars are pretty heavy and with no standard transmission available the V8 is so small that a really noticeable lack of torque and unfortunate gears in the rear end make 6.5-7.0 seconds the realistic 0-60 times despite the idea that today this car has more tricks under the hood than anyone would have imagined possible for a production car in 1970. Our cars were never designed to be sports cars but still a little more, OK a lot more, off the line performance would have been a welcomed addition. The kick in the pants you feel as the motors starts to really "spin" is a little more of the "Retro" theme I suppose but I'd have been happy to give that one up just the same.

It's the one recurring complaint you read here of how ford dropped the ball on an otherwise great little roadster that really does recapture the whole 1955-57 T-Bird idea as well as anyone could have hoped for. Just a few more cubic inches or even a standard transmission option and "taller" gears would have gone a long way to fixing the weak 0-60 times.

[keithwand]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

Going with misidentifying cars; we just had our house painted and 1 of the painters thought our 2011 MKS was a Bentley. Probably beacause of the 20 inch wheels.
I said I wish!

[Rondor]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

I am pretty satisfied with my T-bird's performence. I owned some pretty " bad" stuff in the muscle car days and modified several for racing and for a car like this to do what it does out of showroom by compairison is pretty impressive. I do not agree about stick over auto trans. From mid sixties on auto has been faster in 1/4 mile. My brother and I had matcing MoPar's in '65 except mine was auto his 4 speed. I won every race by .25 seconds or more.

[keithwand]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

Did you open the hood and show him the engine cover that says V8 or did the guy think you made it up special to throw him off.
HMMM. I'm not into mods but maybe I'll make mine a V18. Wheres that magic marker?

[justjon]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

I tell people that it is a Jaguar V8 and all Jaguar runing gear .... how about a Jag logo on the front fenders as long as were discussing defilement here?

[BITWTB]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

I've taken my TBird to many car shows and cruise nights. I've heard the V6 comment several times. Happy to correct that misnomer.
Lou

'Sounds like a good source to win some "bar bets".

[Vintage Merlot]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

How about changing the emblem on the engine cover to a Jag V8 badge? HMMMM...not a bad idea.. Let me get to my photoshop software.

[MATBird]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

justjon, buy a pair of these for $12.00 and really confuse them:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jagua...Q5fAccessories

[islandtime]

Re: COMMENT AT CAR SHOW

justjon, buy a pair of these for $12.00 and really confuse them:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jagua...Q5fAccessories

Oh George - that's just tooooooooo tempting!!!!