OMG...so Beautiful...in 1972 when I graduated from high school, my best friend had a 1967 Cougar XR7 and his Dad had a 1968 LTD Wagon...with the "green glass" which told the world it HAD Air Conditioning! His Dad also had a 1967 Thunderbird with this tilt steering wheel....I got to sit in the drivers seat and operate it....was like the deck of the Starship Enterprise to me, a kid who drove a 1962 Rambler American! I swear it was this bronze brown color, but I can't be sure...too many years ago.....Congratulations to your friend for this STUNNING T-Bird.....Jim Farley should bring his entire team to see this car design and get FORD out of the ditch!!!!!
Greetings from a fellow 1972 graduate. I bought a ‘67 Cougar XR7 a month after graduation. Lt. Green metallic, black vinyl top, buckets & console. Miss it… soooo wish I could have kept it, but alas, eventually needed it as a trade-in.
The fit and finish on the Ford products looks so much better than GM cars of that era. I remember GM cars in the seventies with misaligned body panels, poor paint, and tinny sounding doors when closed.
Once you get into the mid-70s all of the Big 3 were slacking on fit and finish quality. I think late 60s GMs were pretty solid and fit well. But once you get into 71+ the GMs were a little lower in body and interior quality while the Fords stayed fairly solid till '75 or so.
Agree with you 100% except for the Riviera and Eldorado of this era were pretty special. That would change in 1971 for the worst. 71 Eldo’s and Riv’s would lose their special and careful craftsmenship and sound like rattle traps when you closed the doors.
I am VERY G.M. oriented but, I have no choice but, to admit that Ford did an excellent job with the Thunderbird, Mustang, and the Lincoln Mark series. I love the wrap-around rear seat backs. They always gave the Thunderbird that extra touch of exclusivity. This year Thunderbird used some of the softest springs ever placed in an automobile. With these cars, it is vital to keep the shock absorbers up-to-date.
I was a Ford guy for over 20 years, especially T-Birds 1955-1966. That all changed the first time I drove a Riviera. They rode and handled SO MUCH BETTER. But I am getting the impression that the CZcamsr prefers a soft ride, judging by his self-proclaimed preferences.
@@MostlyBuicks Ford always placed the ride above the handling with its cars. G.M. tried to find a happy medium while Chrysler placed more importance on handling. Little of that is relevant today as most of the world's new cars have forgotten ride comfort altogether. When I go on a long trip, I bring my 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood. :)
Back in those days, a luxury car was supposed to isolate you from the road. That’s why the 67 Thunderbird road nice and smooth. When I was a kid, a friend had a 67 Thunderbird, not only was it smooth it was so quiet with the windows closed.
The QUALITY is superb in these shared platform cars. Having owned both a 1966 Thunderbird and a 1968 Lincoln Continental, which rather ‘bracket’ the production and features of these automobiles, I quite enjoy this video!
It is a beautiful standard interior of a well optioned Thunderbird! Such amazing attention to detail everywhere one looks. Marc, that steering wheel "flower pot" chrome is reproduced and relatively easy to replace. The shifter is closer due to the Tilt-Away mechanism, which was made optional for '68 and '69 (when it included a collapsible steering wheel per new Federal regulations). Fun fact: the Mark III's header panel with the warning lights was used on Thunderbirds as well beginning in '68. Adam, I still hope that someday a 4-door Thunderbird Landau makes its way into your collection, preferably in a dark color.
I love the 4-door, but it's not for everyone. Adam, look for a Hardtop with no vinyl top or two-tone. The standard roof is a thing of beauty, a lovely bevel on the C-panel, and a convergence of body lines that are somewhat obscured when the roof belt molding are applied.
Our family had a new '66 Town Landau. As a boy, I became jealous of a neighbor that bought the new '67 the night they came out. I frankly thought our '66 interior was more elegant.. especially with the formal Landau top that did not have side windows in rear seat..( which they brought back again in 69 and then 71), which was super private with its button tufted upholstery and elegant wood with silver inlay trim. But I swooned over the '67 and their many features. One item that our neighbors new T-bird had was a 'service indicator'. It was a little box under the dash near the ignition switch. it would spit out a little card. After a few weeks of ownership, a card came out, thanking them for their purchase, and welcomed them to the private world of Thunderbird. At 3,000 miles, a little card came out reminding them to do an oil change. Back in those days, Ford would send Thunderbird owners little presents every 6 months or so. One was an inscribed owners plaque that you can mount on the dash, or outside on the door.. another was Thunderbird porcelain tea cup set. Another was a 1/25 AMT model car- all put together with a transistor radio built into it. - I LOVED that gift! Thanks for the memories and another great video!
My uncle was a Ford mechanic and disliked Thunderbirds for all of the electrical gremlins and complexity. I loved them for their beauty and aircraft styling - so unique.
Your uncle was right! The day I got it, the windows and doors froze! No one except the dealer could get me out! But I still loved it. Until a couple of kids decided to drag race into the rear end. The dealership could never fix the "thumping" sound. Only 6 mo.old.
That brushed metal dash is 1000 % more elegant than the 1968 treatment. Same with the steering wheel. This really is one of the great interiors of the 1960’s. I owned a 1987 Turbo Coup. manual transmission with the standard cloth interior that was just fabulous. The whole car was very special, but as we all know, this kind of dash no longer existed.
Hey Adam, I always love when you have Mark as a guest. He’s a wealth of knowledge and has a fun sense of humor. I also love when you do the comparison videos, that’s always very interesting. And as always, I love your sounds….MMMMMM…..Aaahhhhh…….Love it and take care!
My aunt in her early 20s had a 62 TBird, black with red interior. In the summer my cousins and I would pile in and she'd drive us to the pool at the Polish Falcon Camp. I think mostly because she had a crush on the lifeguard. I remember his name was Billie...classic no? In any case we'd have a blast. She'd never get in the pool because it would ruin her platinum blonde beehive hairdo, it cost her a fortune. Now in her late 70s, I didn't say that, she's still a fun, wild girl!
My sister's first boy friend had a 62 Red Tbird convertible with a black interior. My parents did not care for this guy much. I got to ride in that car once, he was speeding down the narrow beach road at high speeds, I started crying.
@@fleetwin1 Yep, good ol Bruce Romano. The old man gave him his walking papers when he brought my sister home late claiming he was "on time" according to "romano time".
I was in high school when the Mark III came out. I've never gotten tired of looking and learning about them. Still prefer the '69 interior over the later designs, especially the high back seats.
Hey Adam, this Thunderbird interior is spectacular!!! I love the tilt away steering wheel, my 69 Cougar XR7 had the tilt away steering wheel too!!! 👍👍🙂
BTW, the interiors of the Thunderbirds and Marks from the 60s and early 70s are the best ever to come out of Detroit. There's nothing quite like them, even today. They were nothing less than fantastic works of art,. The I.P. bluish green lighting was mesmerizing. Ford's attention to detail from that era can not be beat.
Adam,my first car I bought when I was 15 was a 78 Thunderbird in Dove Gray.Great car and I loved it.Showed up at Academy Ford with a shoebox full of money and the nice salesman asked me how old I was.Told me to bring dad with me.Went to my beloved father and he was surprised with my story and saw the look in my eyes and took me to the dealer the next day and got me a better deal.He was so proud that he paid the insurance for the first year and filled the tank and said,my boy go have fun but be careful.Mike the Greek
Had a beautiful black 4-door '67 Thunderbird. It had the most comfortable, quiet and smooth ride I've ever experienced! And the 8 track acoustics in the interior were incredible. Loved that car!
Wow! An evening with Mark and Adam! That’s about as good as it gets for us car geeks. Gorgeous cars indeed! Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing your wealth of information with us CZcamsrs.
The Industry knew that a lot of changes were coming in 1968- collapsible steering columns, padded steering wheel, side marker lights- the "flower pot" sterring wheel, across the line from Ford, was Ford engineering working toward what would happen in 1968. Safety conscious designs for interiors actually began from Ford in 1956, the lineup of which was marketed as safety first designs. Seat belts became available, knobs, switches, levers were intended to be safer, the 1956 steering wheels were deep dish with the intent of being less likely to cause injury. They were safer than anything else in the industry.
I've posted on other Adam videos my parents' having owned a 68 T-Bird 429 coupe and '67 T-bird 428 4-Door. Both were great cars. The 4 door was Brittany Blue with a dark blue brocade cloth and vinyl interior....just breathtaking and very durable. All the metal pieces mentioned here were beautifully rendered in my parents' car. The 4-Door interior was really over the top, with just as much attention paid to back seat luxury and appointments as the front. Ford changed much in the interior from '67 to '68, the '68 feeling more mid-century minimalist and the '67 positively Rococo in comparison. No question the switchgear and materials in the '67 were superior to the '68. And yes, both cars' steering wheel releases no longer worked at about 100K miles, and Ford dealers could have cared LESS about fixing them. They hated working on these models...we fortunately had a JPL scientist friend who worked on friends cars in his spare time and could fix anything. Kept them running like champs. Miss those cars tremendously. Weak spots included those damned weak York AC compressors; crappy stereo speakers; water pumps; hood hinges that NEVER sat correctly, causing the hood to never sit flush at the back; weak center hood latch when the hood screamed for TWO latches to keep it from fluttering; cheap, sluggish motor for sequential turn signals; on the 428, a very dangerous hose splice at the carburetor from the metal fuel feeder tube to the carburetor inlet tube...about two inches long with pinch clamps, and if it ruptured...gas would be pumping all over the top of the engine. Often overlooked in servicing the car. The 428 was a wonderful engine, turbine smooth, quiet and refined. Many of them were destroyed in car fires caused by this stupid design flaw, exacerbated by indifferent maintenance by Ford dealers at the time who would forget to regularly replace it.
My 1968 Mustang GT/CS had a Tilt Wheel. Yes, complicated, including a tin car under the hood as a vacuum reservoir. Lots of crossover between T-Bird and Mustang interiors, including the deluxe overhead console with map lights. Same 4 courtesy lamps, too.
I was in the 4th grade at a private residential school and the decision was made that I would be leaving to go back home after Christmas and back to public school...I was picked up by my Dad in December and he was driving his new '67 T-Bird. The burgundy beauty had 2 doors and a 390 V-8. I thought the hidden headlights were cool and loved that back seat style. As a kid I only knew my Dad to drive Lincolns; so I thought this car was a space ship when he rolled in to pick me up--it was Sunday and the song 'Sunday Will Never be the Same' was playing on the radio while Dad gunned the gas from a stop light...I loved that 1967 Ford Thunderbird--and still do. Thanks for this video!
Beautiful cars. In the early 1980s I had a ‘67 Thunderbird hardtop in Tahoe Turquoise with a Parchment interior. An absolutely gorgeous car and after the second gas crisis in 1979-80, practically worthless. I was in college at the time and it was the wrong car to have on a student budget. I had a terrible time trying to sell and finally took $700 for it. Timing is everything and, of course, I’d love to have it today. I hope it’s preserved somewhere. One interesting thing, the gauge bezels have a soft black rubber lip. A nod to passenger safety before the more rigorous safety efforts in 1968.
These were exceptional cars with superb fit and finish. On top of it all, they were reliable. Friends owned them and I drove many miles in the T-bird, always arriving in style.
I have a 64 Galaxie 500 fastback that has the slide away or swing away wheel. It's nice. You just move the park lever a bit more towards park and it releases. In the locked position it is very solid.
The padding on the vinyl roofs of both cars is still In phenomenal shape and the look is so exquisite. A great compare and contrast. I would love to see the Riviera and the Eldorado of this era thrown into mix. These were the pinnacle of personal luxury American cars of the era. You can tell gasoline was cheap by the size of the cars and the engines that propelled them. The style and luxury of these cars said “ I’ve made it “ in a way that most modern cars miss. So glad you guys share these beautiful automobiles with us.
The 1967 Thunderbird interior is one of the most durable interiors, you often see these that look like they were dug up, but the interiors will still look great. 67 is really the last year, ok maybe 68, where the standard interior was gorgeous. A car ordered with not a single option other than power windows (manual windows in a PLC is a no no) and it is perfection. Never again would the standard Thunderbird be as gorgeous in and out.
67 Thunderbird was my 1st car back in the 70s. White black vinyl top with a 390 under the hood. Loved that car. Loved how the steering wheel swung to side and the parking brake would release automatically when you put it in drive. The flower pot steering center could be twisted off and hollowed out to hide things in. The power steering was amazingly easy to turn and the brakes were hard to get use to, they were sensitive. Best car I've ever owned.
7:30 Most rear seats have the subtle outline of the rear wheel housings visible on their surface to allow 2 passengers to sit as far back as possible within the car's wheelbase. Ford did an amazing job of hiding that outline in both the wraparound seat in the T-Bird and the more conventional seat in the Lincoln, but I'll bet the seat sinks more in the middle than on the sides. Ford definitely did more to give these interiors a solid monocoque look than any manufacturer has done since. It's great to see cars like this preserved.
This was really informative and interesting. Ford did a good job on the interiors and they made the Lincoln appear difference although there were commonality with the Ford. It is interesting how Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Mark were on the same path in the early days and diverged in 1977 and came back together in 1984 and stayed on that path until the end. It is is interesting to note the quality of the cars and the details. It is sad it is not like that anymore. Ford really had something special with Thunderbird and the Mark series. Thank you Adam for your friend and the video.
Absolutely 100 percent agree. The 1967 T-Bird interior was the best of the so-called "glamour bird" interiors IMHO. But I loved my 1968 and I love my 1971 as well. The 1968 was decidedly a bit down market as mentioned here and the 1971 has many many interior pieces replaced by plastic. Still beautiful for their times.
I was about six when I climbed into the back seat of my uncles T bird. I remember those wrap around rear seats very well. My Dad was in the front passenger seat. It seemed like a rocket car to me. And I was obsessed with NASA and Appollo.
I'd give just about anything ot be able to sit in the front ( or even back) seats of one of these, they both look so immensely comfortable! I think these are towards the top of the list of favorite Ford products of all time. 60s t birds were all pretty excellent with both interior and exterior styling that stood out even among it's peers. The Mark III, on top of being an equally stunning design, would also serve as a starting point for American luxury car styling for the next 20-30- but without the malaise of the later emissions and fuel crisis era vehicles.
My second car, in 1973 at 18 years old ,was a 1969 4 door Thunderbird Landau. LOVED the car...loaned it to my brother who hit a 45' bright yellow Bluebird school bus and totaled it. In perfect weather. In a 35 mph zone. HOW was this even possible????????
So fun to watch the steering column in action, something I'd somehow missed despite carpooling in one of these as a kid. The stylish divorcee driver (go-go boots and all) soon graduated to a Mark III, and my most indelible memory from both is the ceiling-mounted warning lights.
I have always been fascinated by the interiors of many of the older cars. It seems in some cars it was almost an afterthought while others were very well thought out. The use of different materials and a variety of colors made for interesting interiors. It seems todays cars while very colorful in lighting tend to be mostly gray and pretty bland.
1964...1965...1966 Tbirds all had this style of interior. Hands down, they had the greatest interior design. The earlier 61s through 63 were no slouches either.
This generation T-Bird has so many interesting features, like the interior design, the tilt-a-way wheel, the hidden headlights, and of course the sequential turn signals but it's also clear how all those things have contributed to the rarity of these cars. You get some mystery vacuum leak, or something goes wrong with that steering column, or god forbid the complicated mechanism that operates the turn signals, you've got a problem. Unlike other Ford products of the late 60's and early 70's (Mustangs and even some Lincolns), I can't imagine they are easy to work on and you won't just waltz into Autozone and walk out with a sequential turn signal box for a 67 T-Bird...
Thank you I sell parts on eBay and pick up a large lot of 67-68 parts this helped me identify some of them love the car I owned a 68 for years wish I still had it
Hey Adam, thanks for another excellent review of these two beautiful cars from the Ford Motor Company. The Thunderbird and the Mark llls, and IVs are two of my top 10 all time favorites. I owned a 1970 Thunderbird, that I loved, and I also had a 1990 Mark Vll, I loved that one too. Unfortunately, my 1970 Thunderbird with a 428 cid, that could only get 8 to 10 mpg, was the wrong car to have during the 73 oil crisis. To this day I still question whether or not it was real, or a tactic to raise gas prices. It was a very dark time in America. Thanks again Adam, I really appreciate your reviews of those two fantastic cars.
My Brother had 1967, 1973, 1974, and 1975 Tbirds. I was only 10 or 11 when he had the 67. In retrospect, it seems to be the most unique of them all.I also remember thinking it strange that such a large car was only a 4 seater. I was also intrigued by the what i called the pop up steering wheel.
Some super-interesting observations there on the '67 T-Bird interior. 1) We have adjustable columns today, but they take purposeful action --- that was instantaneous and automatic. 2) Wired into the transmission, (can only happen), in "PARK" and dome light-activated with a solenoid switch release that moves it at a 45 degree angle! 👌 Agree, "simple in function but complicated in execution" and as stated, one reason those cars have become so rare today.
As the owner of a '67 myself, I am blown away at the integration of the tilt steering wheel with the door. I don't know if mine has it or if it's broken, but I never knew that existed.
One interesting interior feature, or lack there-of, in the Mark III is vanity mirrors on the inside lining of the sun visors. Instead the mirror is a standalone piece located in a pocket in the glove compartment. Not really sure if the T-bird also features this but something you should check out Adam.
Adam- I have to agree the interior in the 67 T-Bird is stunning. It would be really cool to see it compared to a 64 Riviera interior. They both are really awesome!
Many fond memories of long trips to Canada in Grandpa’s tan w/ black interior 1968 Thunderbird. That machine made 80 mph seem like 45 even without console or grandiose interior or 428.
I stated it before. While it was OBVIOUS that the 73-76 TBirds and the corresponding Mark IV were the same basic car, the relationship between the 67 T Bird and Mark III was much LESS obvious. I never knew they were related back then.
I also took my dash apart and cleaned everything. The heater was so hot I could burn my fingers when adjusting the airflow in the middle two vents. I loved the car and used it as a daily driver from 1999-2003, afterwhich I sold it to buy a 50 meter tower that I used to conduct a wind test that later became a wind farm.
Thunderbirds got under my skin early when I was a teenager. I had a ‘baby blue’ two door ’68 with a landau top Glad you mentioned how low those cars were. You didn’t climb in, you stepped down and the interior wrapped around you. It’s 429 Thunderjet engine developed 360 horses and it had a great back seat. If I had a J Leno sized garage I would collect every year that came out.
Love those tilt-pop wheels. I had an early production '67 Cougar that featured the rare optional tilt-pop wheel. It was complex, and I had to partially rewind the solenoid to make it function properly again. My Dad and I did a full restoration on that car, and there was not one single part left on the body shell. Reconnecting all those vacuum lines (had AC too) was quite fun...
With my first car being a 1964 Thunderbird given to me by my Dad in 1972, I have been spoiled by Ford's incredibly fine workmanship which made their luxury offerings arguably the best in the 1960s and early 1970s. I currently have a 1965 Thunderbird convertible and 1969 Lincoln Mark III. Unfortunately, Ford began selling style over substance by the later 1970s. The best example of that is the Lincoln Mark V...which is a total styling success, but with build quality (both materials and workmanship) no better than a standard Ford. I have had four Mark V examples - trying desperately to "fall in love" - but have always come back to the earlier Ford Luxury offerings like the 1965 T'Bird and Mark III for their unique combination of superb style and material quality. Only Jaguar's interiors (e.g. Vanden Plas) have impressed me as much those on the two classic Ford products I have kept for decades now.
Design was king during the mid to late sixties. A golden age.
OMG...so Beautiful...in 1972 when I graduated from high school, my best friend had a 1967 Cougar XR7 and his Dad had a 1968 LTD Wagon...with the "green glass" which told the world it HAD Air Conditioning! His Dad also had a 1967 Thunderbird with this tilt steering wheel....I got to sit in the drivers seat and operate it....was like the deck of the Starship Enterprise to me, a kid who drove a 1962 Rambler American! I swear it was this bronze brown color, but I can't be sure...too many years ago.....Congratulations to your friend for this STUNNING T-Bird.....Jim Farley should bring his entire team to see this car design and get FORD out of the ditch!!!!!
Greetings from a fellow 1972 graduate. I bought a ‘67 Cougar XR7 a month after graduation. Lt. Green metallic, black vinyl top, buckets & console. Miss it… soooo wish I could have kept it, but alas, eventually needed it as a trade-in.
My friends was the gold color
I've always loved old Thunderbird dashboards. Absolutely beautiful!
The fit and finish on the Ford products looks so much better than GM cars of that era. I remember GM cars in the seventies with misaligned body panels, poor paint, and tinny sounding doors when closed.
Once you get into the mid-70s all of the Big 3 were slacking on fit and finish quality. I think late 60s GMs were pretty solid and fit well. But once you get into 71+ the GMs were a little lower in body and interior quality while the Fords stayed fairly solid till '75 or so.
Agree with you 100% except for the Riviera and Eldorado of this era were pretty special. That would change in 1971 for the worst. 71 Eldo’s and Riv’s would lose their special and careful craftsmenship and sound like rattle traps when you closed the doors.
The interior of the Thunderbird is just as beautiful as the exterior. And once again we are fortunate to have Mark comment on it.
I love Mark's amazing design vocabulary
I am VERY G.M. oriented but, I have no choice but, to admit that Ford did an excellent job with the Thunderbird, Mustang, and the Lincoln Mark series. I love the wrap-around rear seat backs. They always gave the Thunderbird that extra touch of exclusivity. This year Thunderbird used some of the softest springs ever placed in an automobile. With these cars, it is vital to keep the shock absorbers up-to-date.
I was a Ford guy for over 20 years, especially T-Birds 1955-1966. That all changed the first time I drove a Riviera. They rode and handled SO MUCH BETTER. But I am getting the impression that the CZcamsr prefers a soft ride, judging by his self-proclaimed preferences.
Those are the best years for Ford in my opinion.
@@MostlyBuicks Ford always placed the ride above the handling with its cars. G.M. tried to find a happy medium while Chrysler placed more importance on handling. Little of that is relevant today as most of the world's new cars have forgotten ride comfort altogether. When I go on a long trip, I bring my 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood. :)
@@Jeo-fq1zw I agree. For all Americans cars too. :)
Back in those days, a luxury car was supposed to isolate you from the road. That’s why the 67 Thunderbird road nice and smooth. When I was a kid, a friend had a 67 Thunderbird, not only was it smooth it was so quiet with the windows closed.
Both real landmark cars - gorgeous too. All 1960’s era T-Birds are fabulous cars with intriguing design and high quality materials and construction.
that interior belongs in a museum for industrial design
The QUALITY is superb in these shared platform cars.
Having owned both a 1966 Thunderbird and a 1968 Lincoln Continental, which rather ‘bracket’ the production and features of these automobiles, I quite enjoy this video!
Amazed by this car's interior. Never saw this before. I am 65. TY Adam.👍👍
Amazing cars!! Am I the only one who misses seeing a beautifully sculpted hood throughout a drive?!
It is a beautiful standard interior of a well optioned Thunderbird! Such amazing attention to detail everywhere one looks. Marc, that steering wheel "flower pot" chrome is reproduced and relatively easy to replace. The shifter is closer due to the Tilt-Away mechanism, which was made optional for '68 and '69 (when it included a collapsible steering wheel per new Federal regulations). Fun fact: the Mark III's header panel with the warning lights was used on Thunderbirds as well beginning in '68. Adam, I still hope that someday a 4-door Thunderbird Landau makes its way into your collection, preferably in a dark color.
Nooooo. Only a 2d. The 4d isn’t my taste.
I love the 4-door, but it's not for everyone. Adam, look for a Hardtop with no vinyl top or two-tone. The standard roof is a thing of beauty, a lovely bevel on the C-panel, and a convergence of body lines that are somewhat obscured when the roof belt molding are applied.
Our family had a new '66 Town Landau. As a boy, I became jealous of a neighbor that bought the new '67 the night they came out.
I frankly thought our '66 interior was more elegant.. especially with the formal Landau top that did not have side windows in rear seat..( which they brought back again in 69 and then 71), which was super private with its button tufted upholstery and elegant wood with silver inlay trim. But I swooned over the '67 and their many features. One item that our neighbors new T-bird had was a 'service indicator'. It was a little box under the dash near the ignition switch. it would spit out a little card. After a few weeks of ownership, a card came out, thanking them for their purchase, and welcomed them to the private world of Thunderbird. At 3,000 miles, a little card came out reminding them to do an oil change.
Back in those days, Ford would send Thunderbird owners little presents every 6 months or so. One was an inscribed owners plaque that you can mount on the dash, or outside on the door.. another was Thunderbird porcelain tea cup set. Another was a 1/25 AMT model car- all put together with a transistor radio built into it. - I LOVED that gift! Thanks for the memories and another great video!
My uncle was a Ford mechanic and disliked Thunderbirds for all of the electrical gremlins and complexity. I loved them for their beauty and aircraft styling - so unique.
Your uncle was right! The day I got it, the windows and doors froze! No one except the dealer could get me out! But I still loved it. Until a couple of kids decided to drag race into the rear end. The dealership could never fix the "thumping" sound. Only 6 mo.old.
When, I was a kid my neighbor had one...I thought he was the coolest dude on the block next to my dad with his muscle car💪👍
That brushed metal dash is 1000 % more elegant than the 1968 treatment. Same with the steering wheel. This really is one of the great interiors of the 1960’s. I owned a 1987 Turbo Coup. manual transmission with the standard cloth interior that was just fabulous. The whole car was very special, but as we all know, this kind of dash no longer existed.
Gawd I loved the 1960's Thunderbirds.
My Father owned a 1966 T-Bird.
It had the Push Away Steering Wheel.
I was so sad when he sold it.
Hey Adam, I always love when you have Mark as a guest. He’s a wealth of knowledge and has a fun sense of humor. I also love when you do the comparison videos, that’s always very interesting. And as always, I love your sounds….MMMMMM…..Aaahhhhh…….Love it and take care!
My aunt in her early 20s had a 62 TBird, black with red interior. In the summer my cousins and I would pile in and she'd drive us to the pool at the Polish Falcon Camp. I think mostly because she had a crush on the lifeguard. I remember his name was Billie...classic no? In any case we'd have a blast. She'd never get in the pool because it would ruin her platinum blonde beehive hairdo, it cost her a fortune. Now in her late 70s, I didn't say that, she's still a fun, wild girl!
My sister's first boy friend had a 62 Red Tbird convertible with a black interior. My parents did not care for this guy much. I got to ride in that car once, he was speeding down the narrow beach road at high speeds, I started crying.
@@fleetwin1 Yep, good ol Bruce Romano. The old man gave him his walking papers when he brought my sister home late claiming he was "on time" according to "romano time".
I have an incredibly rare 1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 manual with the 4 piston Kelsey Hayes front disc brakes, factory mag wheels and the Swingaway wheel.
I was in high school when the Mark III came out. I've never gotten tired of looking and learning about them. Still prefer the '69 interior over the later designs, especially the high back seats.
Hey Adam, this Thunderbird interior is spectacular!!! I love the tilt away steering wheel, my 69 Cougar XR7 had the tilt away steering wheel too!!! 👍👍🙂
BTW, the interiors of the Thunderbirds and Marks from the 60s and early 70s are the best ever to come out of Detroit. There's nothing quite like them, even today. They were nothing less than fantastic works of art,. The I.P. bluish green lighting was mesmerizing. Ford's attention to detail from that era can not be beat.
Adam,my first car I bought when I was 15 was a 78 Thunderbird in Dove Gray.Great car and I loved it.Showed up at Academy Ford with a shoebox full of money and the nice salesman asked me how old I was.Told me to bring dad with me.Went to my beloved father and he was surprised with my story and saw the look in my eyes and took me to the dealer the next day and got me a better deal.He was so proud that he paid the insurance for the first year and filled the tank and said,my boy go have fun but be careful.Mike the Greek
Great video guys! 1967 my favorite year for the Thunderbird. Ford just killed it on the interior..an awesome ride, for sure!
The 1967 Thunderbird interior is unbeatable.
Superb classic
IMHO, the BEST interior design ever!!! The Mark III gets an honorable mention.
I think this was the prettiest TB ever. Inside and out.
Had a beautiful black 4-door '67 Thunderbird. It had the most comfortable, quiet and smooth ride I've ever experienced! And the 8 track acoustics in the interior were incredible. Loved that car!
Wow! An evening with Mark and Adam! That’s about as good as it gets for us car geeks. Gorgeous cars indeed! Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing your wealth of information with us CZcamsrs.
The Industry knew that a lot of changes were coming in 1968- collapsible steering columns, padded steering wheel, side marker lights- the "flower pot" sterring wheel, across the line from Ford, was Ford engineering working toward what would happen in 1968. Safety conscious designs for interiors actually began from Ford in 1956, the lineup of which was marketed as safety first designs. Seat belts became available, knobs, switches, levers were intended to be safer, the 1956 steering wheels were deep dish with the intent of being less likely to cause injury. They were safer than anything else in the industry.
great summary of Ford's safety commitment in the 1950's.
I've posted on other Adam videos my parents' having owned a 68 T-Bird 429 coupe and '67 T-bird 428 4-Door. Both were great cars. The 4 door was Brittany Blue with a dark blue brocade cloth and vinyl interior....just breathtaking and very durable. All the metal pieces mentioned here were beautifully rendered in my parents' car. The 4-Door interior was really over the top, with just as much attention paid to back seat luxury and appointments as the front. Ford changed much in the interior from '67 to '68, the '68 feeling more mid-century minimalist and the '67 positively Rococo in comparison. No question the switchgear and materials in the '67 were superior to the '68. And yes, both cars' steering wheel releases no longer worked at about 100K miles, and Ford dealers could have cared LESS about fixing them. They hated working on these models...we fortunately had a JPL scientist friend who worked on friends cars in his spare time and could fix anything. Kept them running like champs. Miss those cars tremendously. Weak spots included those damned weak York AC compressors; crappy stereo speakers; water pumps; hood hinges that NEVER sat correctly, causing the hood to never sit flush at the back; weak center hood latch when the hood screamed for TWO latches to keep it from fluttering; cheap, sluggish motor for sequential turn signals; on the 428, a very dangerous hose splice at the carburetor from the metal fuel feeder tube to the carburetor inlet tube...about two inches long with pinch clamps, and if it ruptured...gas would be pumping all over the top of the engine. Often overlooked in servicing the car. The 428 was a wonderful engine, turbine smooth, quiet and refined. Many of them were destroyed in car fires caused by this stupid design flaw, exacerbated by indifferent maintenance by Ford dealers at the time who would forget to regularly replace it.
My 1968 Mustang GT/CS had a Tilt Wheel. Yes, complicated, including a tin car under the hood as a vacuum reservoir. Lots of crossover between T-Bird and Mustang interiors, including the deluxe overhead console with map lights. Same 4 courtesy lamps, too.
Ford had a great looking steering wheels in 66' on T-Bird, 7 Lire Galaxie, and even Mustangs.
I was in the 4th grade at a private residential school and the decision was made that I would be leaving to go back home after Christmas and back to public school...I was picked up by my Dad in December and he was driving his new '67 T-Bird. The burgundy beauty had 2 doors and a 390 V-8. I thought the hidden headlights were cool and loved that back seat style. As a kid I only knew my Dad to drive Lincolns; so I thought this car was a space ship when he rolled in to pick me up--it was Sunday and the song 'Sunday Will Never be the Same' was playing on the radio while Dad gunned the gas from a stop light...I loved that 1967 Ford Thunderbird--and still do. Thanks for this video!
Beautiful cars. In the early 1980s I had a ‘67 Thunderbird hardtop in Tahoe Turquoise with a Parchment interior. An absolutely gorgeous car and after the second gas crisis in 1979-80, practically worthless. I was in college at the time and it was the wrong car to have on a student budget. I had a terrible time trying to sell and finally took $700 for it. Timing is everything and, of course, I’d love to have it today. I hope it’s preserved somewhere. One interesting thing, the gauge bezels have a soft black rubber lip. A nod to passenger safety before the more rigorous safety efforts in 1968.
These were exceptional cars with superb fit and finish. On top of it all, they were reliable. Friends owned them and I drove many miles in the T-bird, always arriving in style.
I have a 64 Galaxie 500 fastback that has the slide away or swing away wheel. It's nice. You just move the park lever a bit more towards park and it releases. In the locked position it is very solid.
The padding on the vinyl roofs of both cars is still In phenomenal shape and the look is so exquisite. A great compare and contrast. I would love to see the Riviera and the Eldorado of this era thrown into mix. These were the pinnacle of personal luxury American cars of the era. You can tell gasoline was cheap by the size of the cars and the engines that propelled them. The style and luxury of these cars said “ I’ve made it “ in a way that most modern cars miss. So glad you guys share these beautiful automobiles with us.
The 1967 Thunderbird interior is one of the most durable interiors, you often see these that look like they were dug up, but the interiors will still look great. 67 is really the last year, ok maybe 68, where the standard interior was gorgeous. A car ordered with not a single option other than power windows (manual windows in a PLC is a no no) and it is perfection. Never again would the standard Thunderbird be as gorgeous in and out.
67 Thunderbird was my 1st car back in the 70s. White black vinyl top with a 390 under the hood. Loved that car. Loved how the steering wheel swung to side and the parking brake would release automatically when you put it in drive. The flower pot steering center could be twisted off and hollowed out to hide things in. The power steering was amazingly easy to turn and the brakes were hard to get use to, they were sensitive. Best car I've ever owned.
7:30 Most rear seats have the subtle outline of the rear wheel housings visible on their surface to allow 2 passengers to sit as far back as possible within the car's wheelbase. Ford did an amazing job of hiding that outline in both the wraparound seat in the T-Bird and the more conventional seat in the Lincoln, but I'll bet the seat sinks more in the middle than on the sides. Ford definitely did more to give these interiors a solid monocoque look than any manufacturer has done since. It's great to see cars like this preserved.
This was really informative and interesting. Ford did a good job on the interiors and they made the Lincoln appear difference although there were commonality with the Ford. It is interesting how Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Mark were on the same path in the early days and diverged in 1977 and came back together in 1984 and stayed on that path until the end. It is is interesting to note the quality of the cars and the details. It is sad it is not like that anymore. Ford really had something special with Thunderbird and the Mark series. Thank you Adam for your friend and the video.
Absolutely 100 percent agree. The 1967 T-Bird interior was the best of the so-called "glamour bird" interiors IMHO. But I loved my 1968 and I love my 1971 as well. The 1968 was decidedly a bit down market as mentioned here and the 1971 has many many interior pieces replaced by plastic. Still beautiful for their times.
This is what men want to see. Automotive excellence. Getting into the design and intricacies. It matters. So, thank you. !
I was about six when I climbed into the back seat of my uncles T bird. I remember those wrap around rear seats very well. My Dad was in the front passenger seat. It seemed like a rocket car to me. And I was obsessed with NASA and Appollo.
The 67-71 Thunderbird are some of the best Birds made.
I used to have a 1967 Thunderbird. I loved that car. It had all the options. The tilt-away steering wheel was so cool.
I'd give just about anything ot be able to sit in the front ( or even back) seats of one of these, they both look so immensely comfortable! I think these are towards the top of the list of favorite Ford products of all time. 60s t birds were all pretty excellent with both interior and exterior styling that stood out even among it's peers. The Mark III, on top of being an equally stunning design, would also serve as a starting point for American luxury car styling for the next 20-30- but without the malaise of the later emissions and fuel crisis era vehicles.
Man, I love seeing these old vehicles before my time restored and looking fancy.
Whenever I see these cars, I am amazed that the US car makers ceded their place in the marketplace.
My second car, in 1973 at 18 years old ,was a 1969 4 door Thunderbird Landau. LOVED the car...loaned it to my brother who hit a 45' bright yellow Bluebird school bus and totaled it. In perfect weather. In a 35 mph zone. HOW was this even possible????????
I had a 67 4 door…absolutely loved that car.
So fun to watch the steering column in action, something I'd somehow missed despite carpooling in one of these as a kid. The stylish divorcee driver (go-go boots and all) soon graduated to a Mark III, and my most indelible memory from both is the ceiling-mounted warning lights.
The console reminds me ever so slightly of a 1963 Buick Riviera.
I have always been fascinated by the interiors of many of the older cars. It seems in some cars it was almost an afterthought while others were very well thought out. The use of different materials and a variety of colors made for interesting interiors. It seems todays cars while very colorful in lighting tend to be mostly gray and pretty bland.
Must agree with you about the bland monochrome cars of today.
Back in about 1981…I had a friend who owned one…
Killer ride !
Absolutely loved these cars, never did love the odd hub padded steering wheel though.
1964...1965...1966 Tbirds all had this style of interior. Hands down, they had the greatest interior design. The earlier 61s through 63 were no slouches either.
So well equipped and good looking.
Two flavors of beautiful FoMoCo luxury! I love to listen to Mark and his design insights.
I had one back in the late 70's. Wish I still had it.
An absolutely beautiful Thunderbird !!
I remember someone who had one of these, the interior struck me as stunning just really gorgeous.
This generation T-Bird has so many interesting features, like the interior design, the tilt-a-way wheel, the hidden headlights, and of course the sequential turn signals but it's also clear how all those things have contributed to the rarity of these cars. You get some mystery vacuum leak, or something goes wrong with that steering column, or god forbid the complicated mechanism that operates the turn signals, you've got a problem.
Unlike other Ford products of the late 60's and early 70's (Mustangs and even some Lincolns), I can't imagine they are easy to work on and you won't just waltz into Autozone and walk out with a sequential turn signal box for a 67 T-Bird...
That sloped center console reminds me of an NSX or an early 90s BMW 8 series. Very nice.
Thank you I sell parts on eBay and pick up a large lot of 67-68 parts this helped me identify some of them love the car I owned a 68 for years wish I still had it
nothing to be a shamed about with 200 k miles, now my Escort with 384 k , still proud as hell of it.
I always liked the Thunderbird
what a fine example, but I have to admit that the 64-66 T-Birds are my favorites of a car model that I have loved since I was a kid.
Beautiful like the last of the 60s but the '66 Bird interior was even more awesome
That T-Bird is a dream; so sleek and stylish😍
Hey Adam, thanks for another excellent review of these two beautiful cars from the Ford Motor Company. The Thunderbird and the Mark llls, and IVs are two of my top 10 all time favorites. I owned a 1970 Thunderbird, that I loved, and I also had a 1990 Mark Vll, I loved that one too. Unfortunately, my 1970 Thunderbird with a 428 cid, that could only get 8 to 10 mpg, was the wrong car to have during the 73 oil crisis. To this day I still question whether or not it was real, or a tactic to raise gas prices. It was a very dark time in America. Thanks again Adam, I really appreciate your reviews of those two fantastic cars.
The three hinges and cut outs for them are massive!! But obviously built to last
I always thoroughly enjoy videos when Mark appears. He is fascinating. And I normally cannot stand listening to designers
My Brother had 1967, 1973, 1974, and 1975 Tbirds. I was only 10 or 11 when he had the 67. In retrospect, it seems to be the most unique of them all.I also remember thinking it strange that such a large car was only a 4 seater. I was also intrigued by the what i called the pop up steering wheel.
Thanks for the overview! Mark is a very entertaining guy, and you both have great taste in cars.
Some super-interesting observations there on the '67 T-Bird interior. 1) We have adjustable columns today, but they take purposeful action --- that was instantaneous and automatic. 2) Wired into the transmission, (can only happen), in "PARK" and dome light-activated with a solenoid switch release that moves it at a 45 degree angle! 👌 Agree, "simple in function but complicated in execution" and as stated, one reason those cars have become so rare today.
Thanks for sharing. Brings back memories of my dads 67 T-Bird. Another unique thing was ours was a 4 door with suicide doors.
As the owner of a '67 myself, I am blown away at the integration of the tilt steering wheel with the door. I don't know if mine has it or if it's broken, but I never knew that existed.
One interesting interior feature, or lack there-of, in the Mark III is vanity mirrors on the inside lining of the sun visors. Instead the mirror is a standalone piece located in a pocket in the glove compartment. Not really sure if the T-bird also features this but something you should check out Adam.
Adam- I have to agree the interior in the 67 T-Bird is stunning. It would be really cool to see it compared to a 64 Riviera interior. They both are really awesome!
Thanks for this. I miss my '67 Fordor. It was my first car.
The Lincoln interior seems a president's bedroom; the T-bird interior seems a rockstar bedroom. I like both a lot. Wonderful cars.
Many fond memories of long trips to Canada in Grandpa’s tan w/ black interior 1968 Thunderbird. That machine made 80 mph seem like 45 even without console or grandiose interior or 428.
Another GREAT Video Adam (and Mark). Your You Tube channel always gives me a smile when I watch. Many here appreciate your efforts.
I found a 1967 and a 68 tbird in my teen car challenge in the late 1980s. They were sweet looking.
I stated it before. While it was OBVIOUS that the 73-76 TBirds and the corresponding Mark IV were the same basic car, the relationship between the 67 T Bird and Mark III was much LESS obvious. I never knew they were related back then.
Love the T-Bird interiors, especially 64-66.
Ford interiors, before the NHTSA safety standards kicked in, were unparalleled.
I also took my dash apart and cleaned everything. The heater was so hot I could burn my fingers when adjusting the airflow in the middle two vents. I loved the car and used it as a daily driver from 1999-2003, afterwhich I sold it to buy a 50 meter tower that I used to conduct a wind test that later became a wind farm.
Thunderbirds got under my skin early when I was a teenager. I had a ‘baby blue’ two door ’68 with a landau top
Glad you mentioned how low those cars were. You didn’t climb in, you stepped down and the interior wrapped around you.
It’s 429 Thunderjet engine developed 360 horses and it had a great back seat.
If I had a J Leno sized garage I would collect every year that came out.
Adam, Marc may not have the quantity in his collection but he sure has the quality. 😉
Great video.
Love those tilt-pop wheels. I had an early production '67 Cougar that featured the rare optional tilt-pop wheel. It was complex, and I had to partially rewind the solenoid to make it function properly again. My Dad and I did a full restoration on that car, and there was not one single part left on the body shell. Reconnecting all those vacuum lines (had AC too) was quite fun...
The Swing-a-way wheel was optional in 1961. It was standard in 1962 through 1966, when it was replaced with this Tilt-a-way wheel in 1967.
I have a 68 Thunderbird in a similar color to your Mark. I've wondered why the dash changed so much from 67-68. I appreciate the explanation!
Gorgeous and Beautiful
Beautiful vehicle interior was amazing I remember this very well.
With my first car being a 1964 Thunderbird given to me by my Dad in 1972, I have been spoiled by Ford's incredibly fine workmanship which made their luxury offerings arguably the best in the 1960s and early 1970s. I currently have a 1965 Thunderbird convertible and 1969 Lincoln Mark III. Unfortunately, Ford began selling style over substance by the later 1970s. The best example of that is the Lincoln Mark V...which is a total styling success, but with build quality (both materials and workmanship) no better than a standard Ford. I have had four Mark V examples - trying desperately to "fall in love" - but have always come back to the earlier Ford Luxury offerings like the 1965 T'Bird and Mark III for their unique combination of superb style and material quality. Only Jaguar's interiors (e.g. Vanden Plas) have impressed me as much those on the two classic Ford products I have kept for decades now.
Love it! Thanks so much!