The Ford Barn

Old Redneck · 10-02-2020, 06:08 AM

Today I am checking all the fluid levels, check the tires and make sure the lights work.Horn don't work yet?? Heater does we are driving in the Mountains temps 37 in the morning so will need heater.60 in the day. We are going with the Pittsburgh T-Bird Club. Most of them are driving Modern T-Birds the ugly ones. Ford sure did screw them up I think. Front or back ugly, had to be drunk when they design them.55, 56 and 57 are the real T-Birds in my book.I will let you know how the tour goes. Hope I don't come home on a rollback. That would be awful.

40cpe · 10-02-2020, 11:18 AM

You have been driving and sorting it over the last few months so you have a good feel for its capabilities. It will do well. Ford built them to run, you just need to get your confidence in it built up.

Daves55Sedan · 10-02-2020, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Redneck

55, 56 and 57 are the real T-Birds in my book.

I'm not really a T-Bird guy, but I agree that they completely threw away the concept of offering a 2-seater sports car altogether in the '58 and later model years. I suppose the marketing "experts" at Ford thought they could sell more T-birds by turning them into a semi-mid-size 4-seater car. But what about competing with the chebby Corvette?

Old Redneck · 10-02-2020, 03:49 PM

My wife like the seat as far up close to the Steering Wheel and that with a bench seat my knees are up behind my ears. Not to comfortable for me. That why I want to put a split or bucket seat in the T-Bird.If you know someone that has seats for the later T-Bird for sale let me know that in good shape.Then I would have them redid to match like what in my T-Bird.

CSPIDY · 10-03-2020, 01:11 PM

Ken,
I kind of felt out of place with all the modern birds today until you showed up.
Nice real bird indeed.
Dave
White 57

Old Redneck · 10-03-2020, 02:58 PM

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We are back Home and in one piece. The T-Bird ran pretty good but those Coker Radial Tires bounce a good bit. I had them balance but it did not act like I did. One fellow said put 40 pounds of air in them will make a big difference. They also said they had a good bit of trouble with. Then on the way home my tack blew up quit working. I could hear the cable clicking. So it the cable or the head tack the problem. There was a 57 on the tour and he had Air Condition Classic Air a neat setup no big box. It has Air and heat in this unit. WE sure do learn a lot from each other. Today was a good day and I enjoy it.

55blacktie · 10-03-2020, 02:58 PM

Old Redneck, try contacting Gil Baumgartner (CTCI). He installed buckets in his 57 T-bird. He's rather tall and did not find the original seat comfortable.

Old Redneck · 10-03-2020, 04:51 PM

Thanks Dave sure did studying you 57 T-Bird. You got it in very nice shape. I hope to get mine in decent shape down the road. Mine does seam not to be hard on gas. I want to make a trip down to Hill's to buy what I need. Going to order the Air Conditioning for my Bird. Glad to hear from you. Thanks for showing me your T-Bird.

dmsfrr · 10-03-2020, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Redneck

My wife like the seat as far up close to the Steering Wheel and that with a bench seat my knees are up behind my ears. Not to comfortable for me. That why I want to put a split or bucket seat in the T-Bird.If you know someone that has seats for the later T-Bird for sale let me know that in good shape.Then I would have them redid to match like what in my T-Bird.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Redneck

.... I want to make a trip down to Hill's to buy what I need. ....

As long as you're going there, ask the folks at Hill's about bucket seats. I'm very sure you aren't the first person with that request and they've probably done it several times before.

5851a · 10-04-2020, 05:00 PM

I thought Ford did an admiral job with the 11th generation of the Thunderbird with all of the government standards along with safety which the early birds have 0. I just about drool over original early birds though. Have read the engine electronics on the dew birds can be a nightmare with no replacement parts since Ford and Jaguar parted ways. As the wife says "If wishes were fishes we'd all have a fry"

10-02-2020, 06:08 AM	#1
Old Redneck Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesburg,Pa. Posts: 1,909	Saturday first tour with the T-Bird Today I am checking all the fluid levels, check the tires and make sure the lights work.Horn don't work yet?? Heater does we are driving in the Mountains temps 37 in the morning so will need heater.60 in the day. We are going with the Pittsburgh T-Bird Club. Most of them are driving Modern T-Birds the ugly ones. Ford sure did screw them up I think. Front or back ugly, had to be drunk when they design them.55, 56 and 57 are the real T-Birds in my book.I will let you know how the tour goes. Hope I don't come home on a rollback. That would be awful.

10-02-2020, 11:18 AM	#2
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,024	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird You have been driving and sorting it over the last few months so you have a good feel for its capabilities. It will do well. Ford built them to run, you just need to get your confidence in it built up.

10-02-2020, 03:49 PM	#4
Old Redneck Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesburg,Pa. Posts: 1,909	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird My wife like the seat as far up close to the Steering Wheel and that with a bench seat my knees are up behind my ears. Not to comfortable for me. That why I want to put a split or bucket seat in the T-Bird.If you know someone that has seats for the later T-Bird for sale let me know that in good shape.Then I would have them redid to match like what in my T-Bird.

10-03-2020, 01:11 PM	#5
CSPIDY Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: West Newton PA Posts: 49	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird Ken, I kind of felt out of place with all the modern birds today until you showed up. Nice real bird indeed. Dave White 57

10-03-2020, 02:58 PM	#6
Old Redneck Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesburg,Pa. Posts: 1,909	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) We are back Home and in one piece. The T-Bird ran pretty good but those Coker Radial Tires bounce a good bit. I had them balance but it did not act like I did. One fellow said put 40 pounds of air in them will make a big difference. They also said they had a good bit of trouble with. Then on the way home my tack blew up quit working. I could hear the cable clicking. So it the cable or the head tack the problem. There was a 57 on the tour and he had Air Condition Classic Air a neat setup no big box. It has Air and heat in this unit. WE sure do learn a lot from each other. Today was a good day and I enjoy it.

10-03-2020, 02:58 PM	#7
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird Old Redneck, try contacting Gil Baumgartner (CTCI). He installed buckets in his 57 T-bird. He's rather tall and did not find the original seat comfortable.

10-03-2020, 04:51 PM	#8
Old Redneck Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesburg,Pa. Posts: 1,909	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird Thanks Dave sure did studying you 57 T-Bird. You got it in very nice shape. I hope to get mine in decent shape down the road. Mine does seam not to be hard on gas. I want to make a trip down to Hill's to buy what I need. Going to order the Air Conditioning for my Bird. Glad to hear from you. Thanks for showing me your T-Bird.

10-04-2020, 05:00 PM	#10
5851a Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 1,664	Re: Saturday first tour with the T-Bird I thought Ford did an admiral job with the 11th generation of the Thunderbird with all of the government standards along with safety which the early birds have 0. I just about drool over original early birds though. Have read the engine electronics on the dew birds can be a nightmare with no replacement parts since Ford and Jaguar parted ways. As the wife says "If wishes were fishes we'd all have a fry"