Vehicle Description
1972 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop
The 1972 Ford Thunderbird was the first of the 'Big Bird' models.
With a curb weight of over 5,000 pounds, these monsters were
creatures of their 'bigger is better' time. It's hard to understand
what inspired the good people at Ford to turn what had once been a
sporty performance runabout into something more along the lines of
a limo, but the early seventies were a strange and terrifying time
in America. Taking its design inspiration from the Lincoln
Continental, the 1972 Thunderbird had a massive front end, a hugely
roomy interior, and hulkling blocky styling. Oddly enough, the
gigantic '72 Thunderbird was available only as a two-door model.
Still, these big old land-yachts are comfortable to ride in, even
if they handle more like a boat than a sports car. The '72
Thunderbird had plenty of power under the hood, though. It shipped
standard with a 7.0 liter/429 cubic inch V8 engine, and buyers
could upgrade to a 7.5 liter/460 cubic inch V-8 if they needed more
horsepower to haul that two-and-a-half tons of steel around the
roads.
For consignment, something not oft seen, possibly due to its
obscurity in the lineup of Bird designs, a 1972 Thunderbird
hardtop. The first of the bigger is better era thathas a low
survival rate due to rust issues. This example is in original
condition, nicely preserved with original paint, an assembly line
fresh interior, and sporting a mere 25,442 title verified miles on
the odometer. Always garage kept and showing much like it would
have been in the used car section of your local Ford store in 1974.
Peabody, rev up the time machine, we're going back to 1972 to
breathe in some originality from the Blue Oval camp.
Exterior
Bathed in the factory applied coating of Dark Brown Metallic, the
larger than life straight steel panels are minding their gaps well
and nary a spot of rust, surface or invasive, is seen for miles. A
dark brown gator grain style vinyl top in very good condition
covers the roof with its Landau styleB-pillar bars and this car has
correct badging all around. Leading the way in the front are dual
headlightson each side within black bezels with shiny chrome
surrounds. Thisblack and chrome motif carries through to the beak
shaped grille, a stylingcue taken from Lincoln. Cathedral style
marker lamps hover at the pointed edges of the front quarter panels
and down low is a massive chrome bumper which gives the car a
somewhat smiling appearance when viewed from straight on. On the
sides a stainless and rubber guard strip runs stem to stern mid
body and integrates into the nicely arched wheel well moldings.
More stainless decorates the factory glass and looks just fab. A
quickglance at the side profile shows a very Lincoln design, which
is exactly what the designers of the time were reaching for.
Personal luxury at its finest!. Moving around back, a cavernous
trunk provides all the room for your travel goods and leaves room
to spare for when your mother-in-law decides to comment on your
driving. A full width red reflective tail light is placed just
below and moving further down is another larger than life chrome
bumper. Standard Thunderbird wheel covers are all around wearing
thin whitewall radials.
Interior
The T Birds of yore are famous for utilizing a band of brushed or
machined aluminum that starts on the door panels and runs through
the dash, but entering the luxury era for the T-bird this car uses
heavily padded Ginger vinyl which covers the uppers of the door
along with some chrome trimming with an applique inlay. Clean
cranks and actuators are noted along with a padded plastic full
length pull with more applique dressing up the driver's power seat
switches and mirror joystick. Down low is a band of Ginger
carpeting housing the door speaker and courtesy light.Moving inside
allows us to park our posteriors in heavily padded and buttoned
Ginger vinyl seats with a central fold down armrest. In the back is
a matching bench that sprawls from sidepanel to side panel.
Gingercarpeting covers the floors and is very clean and is
beggingto have my piggies wriggled through it. The dash is very
clean and original and is in padded brown, and wood applique with
plenty of original factory equipment. The headliner is nice and
tight as well as clean. Overall interior is very nicely preserved
just the way it came from the factory.
Drivetrain
Again, all original and unrestored with only light patina and some
surface rust. It is a 429ci V8 under the hood in all its Ford Blue
glory. This big mill is fed by the new 4-barrel carburetor with a
C6 3-speed automatic transmission on back. A Ford 9" axle with 2.75
gearing and TracLoc puts power out to the rear wheels.
Undercarriage
More originality is found underneath with black undercoated
flooring, rockers and frame. Surface rust is making an appearance
on the usual suspects, ie: the suspension, rear axle and some of
the brake components. A singleexhaust, in need of repair due to
invasive rusting in the pipes and muffler is on for the mighty
exhale. Power disc brakes are on the front of the independent coil
sprung suspension and power drums on the rear with the factory 4
link and coil springs.
Drive-Ability
For a mid 1970's car it starts reasonably quick and runs smooth.
The power steering works well, as do the power brakes and aside
from some notable rough running and hesitation due to vacuum leaks
things were top flight. A real trip back in time to say the
least.
The first year of the longer, lower and simplistic Bird with many
of it's components borrowed from the Lincoln parts bin. This one
has ultra low miles, spent its entire life in a garage, and with a
nice preserved interior, this one will be good to go with a little
TLC. Large and in charge, a cruiser from the square and rectangle
design era providing you with all the personal luxury you could
ever need.
2Y87N112861
2-1972
Y-Wixom, MI Assy Plant
87-Thunderbird 2 Door Hardtop
N-429ci 4bbl V8
112861-Sequential Unit Number
DOOR STICKER
STYLE 65K-Thunderbird 2 Door Hardtop
COLOR 5F-Dark Brown Metallic
TRIM KF-Ginger Vinyl
AXLE K-Ford 9" 2.75 TracLoc
TRANS U-C6 Automatic
DSO 16-Philadelphia
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our
showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just
1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The
website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888)
227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come
see the vehicle in person.
