Description: Two cars defined the newfound freedom of the 1950’s—the Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Thunderbird. Flush with cash, America could afford “play” cars as well as standard family trucksters. These two small two-seaters both started out with loads of style, sparkling performance and an air of exclusivity long missing from the Big Threes’ offerings. Zora Duntov took the Corvette racing while Ford tuned their ‘birds to be the ultimate boulevard cruisers. Fifty years later, Corvette is still a razor sharp tool while Thunderbirds like this 407 ORIGINAL MILE beauty are still the stylish choice for roaming Main Street. If you were looking for a brand new 50th Anniversary model, this could be your last chance!
Here’s the standard feature list straight from Ford:
2005 Ford Thunderbird Performance & Efficiency Standard Features -3,964 cc 4 liters V 8 front engine with 86.1 mm bore, 85.1 mm stroke, 10.8 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
-Premium unleaded fuel 91
-Fuel economy EPA highway (mpg): 24 and EPA city (mpg): 18
-Multi-point injection fuel system
-18 gallon main premium unleaded fuel tank
-Power: 280 HP SAE @ 6,000 rpm; 286 ft lb@ 4,000 rpm
2005 Ford Thunderbird Handling, Ride & Braking Standard Features -Four-wheel ABS
-Four disc brakes including four ventilated discs
-Electronic brake distribution
-Electronic traction control via ABS & engine management
-Immobilizer
-Spacesaver steel rim internal spare wheel
-Wishbone front and rear suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs
2005 Ford Thunderbird Exterior & Aerodynamics Standard Features -Body color front and rear bumpers
-Electric soft top convertible roof with glass rear window
-Driver and passenger power partial-painted door mirrors
-External dimensions: overall length (inches): 186.3, overall width (inches): 72, overall height (inches): 52.1, wheelbase (inches): 107.2, front track (inches): 60.5, rear track (inches): 60.2 and curb to curb turning circle (feet): 35.9
-Front fog lights
-Complex surface lens halogen bulb headlights
-Heat reflective glass
-Luxury trim leather on gear knob, alloy on doors and alloy on dashboard
-Metallic paint
-Fixed rear window with defogger
-Tinted glass on cabin
-Weights: curb weight (lbs) 3,781
-Windshield wipers with variable intermittent wipe
2005 Ford Thunderbird Interior Standard Features -12v power outlet: front and 1
-Air conditioning with climate control
-Element antenna
-Peripheral anti-theft protection
-Front ashtray
-Audio anti-theft protection: integrated in dash
-Alpine RDS audio system with AM/FM, Disc Auto changer and six-disc remote changer
-Automatic drive indicator on dashboard
-Cargo area light
-Cargo capacity: all seats in place (cu ft): 6.9
-Front seats cigar lighter
-Clock
-Coming home device
-Full dashboard console , full floor console with covered storage box
-Delayed/fade courtesy lights
-Cruise control
-Front seats cup holders fixed
-Door ajar warning
-Door pockets/bins for driver seat and passenger seat
-External temperature
-Floor covering: carpet in load area
-Floor mats
-Driver front airbag , passenger front airbag with occupant switch off
-Bucket heated electrically adjustable driver seat with height adjustment, lumbar adjustment, three adjustments and tilt adjustment , bucket heated electrically adjustable passenger seat with one adjustment and tilt adjustment
-3-point reel front seat belts on driver seat and passenger seat with pre-tensioners
-Front seat center armrest
-Garage door opener
-Lockable glove compartment
-Two height adjustable head restraints on front seats
-Headlight control with time delay switch-off and dusk sensor
-Illuminated entry system
-Internal dimensions: front headroom (inches): 37.2, front hip room (inches): 53.7, front leg room (inches): 42.7, front shoulder room (inches): 57.3 and interior volume (cu ft): 52.6
-Low fuel level warning
-Low washer fluid level warning
-Remote power locks
-Vehicle speed proportional power steering
-Front power windows with one one-touch
-Front reading lights
-Rear view mirror
-Remote audio controls
-Remote control remote trunk/hatch release
-Front seat back storage
-Leather seat upholstery with additional vinyl
-Seating: two seats
-Front side airbag
-Eight speaker(s)
-Leather covered electrically adjustable multi-function steering wheel with tilt adjustment and telescopic adjustment
-Tachometer
-Driver and passenger vanity mirror
-Ventilation system with recirculation setting
This Package 130A premium Evening Black Clearcoat beauty came equipped with the $2,500 removable hard top, the $1000 Light Sand appearance package, the $130 “Select Shift” transmission (engine oil cooler added at no charge) and the $125 convertible soft boot. As a premium package car, both Light Sand driver and passenger seats are heated, there’s dual zone climate control and an in-dash six-speaker sound system with the Audiophile speaker package up front and a set of chrome wheels outside. Total sticker price was $43,010!
The brilliant black over the upgraded beige interior with the black hardtop is a rare combination, too—only 416 out of the 9,295 cars came that way!
Cars like this are pretty difficult to describe…you kinda just want to say “imagine what it would be like to find one that hadn’t been driven.” Heck—any car driven for 407 miles through hailstorms would look pretty good, so imagine what one looks like that’s been parked inside since new!
Let’s get on with the condition:
Paint/body: A+
Interior: A+
Drivetrain: A+
Wear items: A+
Tops, retractable and removable: A+
Carfax report: A+
Getting the picture yet? The J Mays’ designed body looks fantastic from any angle, and this car was obviously exceptionally well cared for, with near-perfect paint and interior! The tires look like new, there isn’t a mark on the wheels, the underhood is factory-fresh and the fluids are clear. Don’t wait for a cleaner car, and certainly don’t think you’ll find one with fewer miles!
I’d never driven a new “retrobird” before this one came in, and I was prepared for the worst. I remember car magazines calling the cars sloppy and slow when they came out. Well, I went for a drive and loved it. It dawned on me why the car didn’t review well: They compared it to Corvettes and Porsches! Thunderbird has never been as quick as Chevy’s plastic fantastic or handle on the razor’s edge like Stuttgart’s 911’s. Ford wasn’t reinventing the sports car—they were renewing the T-Bird legacy of cruising, seeing and being seen, showing up in style and looking fantastic! Corvettes show up for special track days and Porsche’s famous Rennsport Reunions are NOT to be missed by Porschephiles. For the 50th anniversary of the Thunderbird, though, owners from all across the country showed up at Homestead Miami Speedway for…a drive-in movie and a car hop! How cool is that?
Mind you, these modern Thunderbirds are no slouch! 280 Horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque from the Lincoln/Jaguar-sourced 4.0 liter V8 sees to that. 0-60 Clicks by in just under seven seconds while the quarter mile is dispatched in a touch over fifteen. The big 235/50/17 Michelin tires wrapped around the gorgeous chrome wheels hold the car quite well in turns and offer up a fantastic ride. Throw your favorite road at this car, and it’ll chew it up just fine while returning you home refreshed and ready.
If there was one phrase to describe the new Thunderbirds, it would be “luxury sport.” I know it sounds a little cliché, but it’s true. Sit down, gaze over the aqua ‘bird on the steering wheel to the cool white gauges and aqua needles, crank up the stereo as loud as you like and check out the port hole windows in the hard top. With only 407 miles on the odometer you have the choice of packing it away as-is or driving it lightly and still having a nearly new car!
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