Author Archives: Tim Crawford

Colors offered by Ford for Thunderbirds

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1955-2005

This post is here to show the names and hues of exterior colors offered as options on Ford Thunderbirds throughout the line over it’s entire lifespan of 50 years. Colors are part of the emotional side of automotive design like styling and interiors the color and it’s name will evoke images and feelings that the onlooker will react to. Ford has tried to get this reaction to inspire the right stuff in onlookers that it’s cars would be liked and thus purchased, admired or sought after. The palette changes every year to cause a change in this reaction. some colors are always present while others come and go. This list reveals that 1955 comes in with the least amount of choices with 5 while 1971comes in with the most choices at 25 having 4 greens, 7 blues and 6 browns among the hues that year. You can find the detailed list for these and other cars at the website: https://PaintRef.com

1955 colors
1956 colors
1957 colors
1958 colors
1959 colors
’60 colors
1961 colors
’62 colors
’63 colors.
Exterior Colors for ’64 Birds
More 1964 exterior colors.
’65 colors.
’66 colors.
1967 colors
1968 colors
1969 colors
1970 colors
1971 colors
1972 colors
1973 colors
1974 colors
1975 colors
1976 colors
1977 colors
1978? colors
1979? colors
1980 colors
1981 colors
1982 colors
1983 colors
1984 colors
1985 colors
1986 colors
1987 colors
1988 colors
1989 colors
1990 colors
1991 colors
1992 colors
1993 colors
1994 colors
1995 colors
1996 colors
1997 colors
2001 colors
2002 colors
2003 colors?
2005 colors

Parts for Classic Fords

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Bird Nest ’58-’66 Thunderbird parts and cars

971-233-9000

1091 Willamette Falls Dr West Linn, OR 97068

Click on the colored text for their website to come up, https://www.tbirdparts.com

Get a free catalog, order parts, speak with an expert or buy a classic T-bird.

Survival Motorsports engine builders and parts

248-366-3309

Troy, MI area.

https://survivalmotorsports.com

Concours Parts & Accessories Ford parts from ’49-’73

800-722-0009

Click on colored text for their website, https://concoursparts.com

This supplier has original type parts with the FoMoCo labels/ stamps on them for a real restoration project.

MAC’s Auto Parts Thunderbirds ’55-’79 parts (web only)

877-305-8966

click on hyperlink here to go to website, https://www.macsautoparts.com/ford-thunderbird.html

Larry’s Thunderbird & Mustang Parts Vintage Ford parts

800-854-0393 or 951-270-3223

1180 California Ave #B Corona, CA 92881

click on hyperlink to go to website, https://www.larrystbird.com

Classic Industries Parts & Accessories Ford Thunderbird Parts

800-854-1280

18460 Gothard St Huntington Beach, CA 92648-1229

click on hyperlink to go to website, https://www.classicindustries.com/shop/all-years/ford/thunderbird/parts/

Collectors Auto Supply Inc. Thunderbird parts

800-414-4462

No address available unless you fill out a return form on their website

click on hyperlink to go to their website, https://collectorsautosupply.com/classic-car-parts/classic-ford-parts/classic-thunderbird-parts/

CASCO Classic Auto Supply Company ’55-’57 Thunderbird Specialists

740-622-8561 or 800-374-0914

Tech Help: 740-622-9700

795 High St Coshocton, Ohio 43812

Click on this hyperlink, https://www.classictbird.com/

Pat Wilson’s Thunderbird Parts ’58-’66

973-579-7205 or 888-262-1153

375 Rt 94 Fredon, NJ 07860

Click on this link, https://www.wilsontbird.com/

VTCI club (Vintage Thunderbirds Club International) Parts and Cars for sale page.

Click on link to see the page, https://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=5

This works like a want ad site or craigslist sort of. Lots of text descriptions no photos. honest club members parting cars out.

Thunderbird Headquarters ’49- ’72 Ford parts

800-227-2174

4020 Pike Ln Concord, CA 94520-1227

click on link, https://www.tbirdhq.com/

Ford Motor Company late retro birds ’02-’06

844-589-0060

click on link here, https://parts.ford.com/shop/en/us/parts/2002/ford/thunderbird/

Ford Thunderbird Parts Online (’58-’66 Thunderbird Connection)

602-997-9285

728 E Dunlap Phoenix, AZ 85020

click on this link, http://www.thunderbirdconn.com/ford-thunderbird-parts.htm

Services for Classic Cars

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ABC Transmission Service

253-472-9673

5032 S Tacoma Way Tacoma, WA

http://www.abctransmission.org

Mike Hall (independent Ford specialist)

253-927-0999

Tacoma, WA

Winners Automotive speed shop

206-241-0112

Auto customization/ restoration, electronics, engine, suspension, differential swaps

864 SW 136th St Burien, WA 98166

Durham Upholstery

206-243-3159

1421 S 192nd St suite 1 SeaTac, WA 98148

Tru-Line frame & Alignment shop

specializing in all things handling, suspension diagnostics.

425-462-0013

1423 130th Ave N E Bellevue, WA 98005

Burien Frame & wheel

Alignment and suspension repair

206-243-9600

14605 Ambaum Blvd S W Burien, WA 98166

Bill Bennison Mechanic

253-756-2030

5424 N 41st St Tacoma, WA 98407

Streamline Autobody & Paint

253-376-1917

Todd McCartney

6225 S Adams St #C Tacoma, WA 98409

Duey’s Transmission and auto repair

206-660-7756

14836 1st Ave S Burien, WA 98168

Near NAPA in same parking lot.

West Sound Transmission Service Inc.

360-337-2775

9504 Williamette Meridian Rd. N W Silverdale, WA 98383

Recommended by; Rears & Gears owner, John who says, he has sent dozens of transmissions to this company and has had only 2 comebacks over 10 yrs and those were not his fault.

Art Morrison Performance

800-929-7188

Located somewhere in Fife (just call to find out specific add.) This company specializes in design and manufacture of chassis and components (like front/rear suspensions, differentials, axles, brake systems, steering upgrades, etc.) AME (Art Morrison Enterprises) does all their work in house comprising 5 buildings. They make bolt-on restomod kits as their mainstay (take an old body and put modern chassis and running gear under it). They are world class and have won SEMA awards making them admired by engineers/designers and enthusiasts world wide. https://artmorrison.com

Rears and Gears

360-871-3531

4031 Mile Hill Dr. Port Orchard, WA 98366

Quality workmanship on differential and drivetrain components. Owners, John and Nikki Weber have your interests in mind when they work on your rig/classic. I have used them for my 1 ton truck and they are worthy of praise. https://rearsngears.com

Horse Power Machine (Engine machine shop)

360-479-0775

1550 Navy Yard Hwy. Bremerton, WA 98312

M-F 8am-5pm

2024 Fircrest Rod Run & Picnic

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On July 7th 2024 the club entered 1 vehicle while 4 members and 1 spouse attended the 36th annual Fircrest picnic / car show. We had lots of food and beverages and there were many cars to see. Some were all original and some were all custom. All were driven to the event. we had a very good time fellowshipping and enjoying the day and good food. We were set up a little close to the loudspeakers and it was hard to hear each other when the music was playing.

Members in attendance: L to R, VP Don Fisk, Pr. Michael Campsmith, and Michael Wooten. Photo by member, Tim Crawford
The Campsmith birdie.
Showing
Member, VP Don Fisk admiring the Campsmith Birdie; “1 Under”.
Plenty of food for the club.
President Michael Campsmith and member, Tim Crawford
1957 Chevrolet 2 dr post.
new and old combined Corvettes.
The iconic shape of the boat tail Riviera by Buick.
An all original boat tail Buick Riviera.
interior of the boat tail Riviera.
So tiny.
The 2024 show at Fircrest.
About 9:45am.
We are located just left of the backstop and the scissor lift (which has the loudspeakers on top).

Elks Car Show Bremerton

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Gary Hatley entered his 1961 Monte Carlo Red convertible Thunderbird in a local Elks Lodge car show (Bremerton) on July 13th 2024 and won the trophy for T-Bird: Best Stock!

35th Annual ELKS Lodge Car Show July 13th 2024 Thunderbird Stock WINNER
Gary Hatley
The Hatley Thunderbird
Not sure if this is the Hatley T-Bird.

Rally in the Valleys

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Duvall, WA

Large cedar near the big rock.

We had a great time driving and navigating on really cool roads that were fraught with 15-20 mph corners on 35-40 mph limits.

This “TSD” was held on Sunday, May 5th, 2024. It is a competition, that felt more like a game to us, to match the organizer’s time as closely as possible by adhering to the posted speed limits and not missing a turn while estimating the time you should be passing any posted distance, Hence the name; Time, Speed, Distance event. The host rainierautosports.com had layed out a great route and notes in a book to guide us. We saw great views of rivers and mountains went over wooden bridges and narrow roads that “roller-coastered” through lush green conifer forests. The route we were taken on went from Duvall to Index and back to Monroe then up to Granite Falls and finally Stanwood where we all gathered for a nice meal at a Thai restaurant. Awards were given out and we enjoyed time with our competitors. I would like to take a couple of passengers next time to introduce them to this discipline of auto sports. Real roads, real cars, real competition, feels like racing, never breaking a law. This really is a great way to use and enjoy your car. Navigating, while it sounds like just riding along, is not so easy or boring as just reading notes. One must be aware of what is coming in the instruction notes and how quickly they may come together, read the descriptions aloud in a way that the driver can efficiently use and answer any questions fast, know how to use the phone app and, when something is off, what to do. The Novice class is for beginners and there is a vintage class when there are enough of them.

This is the namesake of “Big Rock Park” in Duvall, WA where we started.
Starting place near the Safeway where coffee and restrooms were.
The starting scene.
Rainier auto sports club tent
#10 was a hot BMW
End of stage 1 was a park and ride lot.
Stage 2 end, waiting to start stage 3.
Robbin Smith Navigating.
End of stages are sometimes pristine.
My navigator had questions for the organizer.
The Wojnich mem. bench was our lunch stop in Index.
Granite walls in Index were the backdrop for lunch.
The P. O. in Index.
The food bank was the end of another stage.
We could use a general map to give us a bird’s eye view.
The finish line was a Thai restaurant in Stanwood, WA. We had this whole section. Over 40 people.
We were genuinely surprised.

The Weird and Wacky car show

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The WAW sign and entrance.
This car was is normally the only Pacer in any car show. it is a sleeper. slips show it doing high 12s (I think.)
The Corvette LS3 V8 with many custom add-ons. Jay Leno’s signature appears on the radiator cover.
The body and paint were re-done in the original color by a so-cal high-end shop that took on the job when 12 others refused to have a Pacer seen in their shop. “There is no body filler in this car”.
Stock interior with a custom shifter. That’s it.
So many unique features. This one is a wagon, even more rare. very roomy.
Plenty of docs to show their work and accomplishments.
Heidi, my wife, in red talking with the other owner sitting.
The owner on the right loves to talk about the car’s history and this one’s story.
It fits!
First Nissan year?
So few of them left.
Karmann Ghia
VW heater levers visible in the console area.
This car is normally on display at the LeMay museum in Tacoma, WA. Rear view
Pink Panther movies showed these a lot.
Citroen, French car.
Heidi liked it.
28hp Citroen.
Interesting to see close up.
The sponsoring club’s tent. Avants.
The interior
info card
’28 Ford speedster replica.
This sounded horrible even though it was running well. it was noisy and unbalanced.
Air-cooled engine.
The Autozam mid-engine tiny car.
Making printed shirts on site for $25.
Kiddie car with big ideas.
It’s not an internal combustion engine?
Karmann Ghia made electric.
Must be hard on things.
Dakar rally kit on a Miata.
Front view of the Rambler Marlin.
Domestic, foreign, domestic, foreign.
An endurance racing Miata.
The VW bus was somehow not a mini-van and never did sell like they did.
Made from ’65-’67 the Rambler Marlin was a statement by the small maker to the world, that it too could be a contender for the muscle car market.
The smallest class of vehicles that are road legal in Japan are called KEIs.
The tiny truck can haul a mini-bike.
An extended canopy roof to keep people and things dry and shaded outside the Nissan.
The Pontiac that was weird, the Aztec.
There are 3 dogs in the car, one is named “Bocce” (enunciated Bauchee). Owner said it was his (the dog’s) car… hence the license. plus it’s a Nissan Cube and there are 3 dogs so it’s Bocce’s cubed
one can barley make out the name “Pajero”.
They used to make military airplanes…
The Pajero was a champion on the desert racing circuits
Isuzu made this compact 2dr SUV from ’97-2001
Interesting cars like the Renault Alpine were all over.
rear engine aluminum construction, the Renault Alpine.
FIAT X19 mid-engine open top.
mid-engine FIAT
Front engine 2 door wagon
rear engine FIAT 500
2 door wonder.
Classic FIAT 500 with a luggage piece strapped on the rear rack.
Leather luggage straps above bumper
Right side filler door for the righthand drive.
Rolls wagon
Rolls’ unmistakable front end
The KEI car is a tiny car that’s road legal and these are two examples of them, the Suzuki Cappuccino on the right and an Autozam AZ-1. (a Mazda with a Suzuki engine)
SAABs were innovative in their design features and known for maximizing space and safety.
The SAAB 99 was made from ’68-’84 and was loved by many Americans.
’79-’94 Subaru offered the BRAT (bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter) shown here in lime green.