Best of the Best

[Gobird]

:thumbsup:Ok, I got side tracked for a while on this.

What I wanted to ask is , what do you think about your Bird Now. Some of us have had our Bird for 8 month to 14 month now. We all started out ready to get the car of our dreams. Is it still in that category? Mine IS!!!
Is this car all you expected it to be or are you disappointed in it. I think I know the answer to this for most of us.
I just took my baby out to a car wash today and took it for an air dry drive. Of course I played (a) CD that a lot of you now have. As I was driving down the road I thought about a year ago when I was waiting for a Vin. # or any other sign that my Bird was being built. It all came back to me just why I wanted this car and what it meant to me. I have owned 5 Birds in the past and none of them have meant as much to me as this one. This is the GREATEST T-BIRD I have ever owned.
I'm just asking what all of you think about your Bird after a year or so of ownership. We have had some small problems and they seem to be being taken care of by Ford , but over all what do you think. Is it what you expected.


As for me, I Love this Car.

[Edited on 11-10-2002 by Gobird]

[Edited on 11-10-2002 by Gobird]

[Edited on 11-10-2002 by Gobird]

[jawill2000]

DITTO I LOVE THIS CAR ! Now where can I get your CD?
:music:

[joelja]

No doubt about it....the coolest car on the road....not just my opinion, but also the dozens of strangers that come up to me and my car and make one positive comment after another.

However, the BEST and MOST UNEXPECTED thing about owning this car is the wonderful friends that I have made and the fun times we all have together.

I never even thought of that during the years I waited for this car. I thought I was JUST buying a really neat car....never did I anticipate the fun and friendship that this forum and our Atlanta group have created. That, alone, is worth the price of admission.

And speaking of our forum, thunderbirdnest.com,

we are now averaging 6 TIMES AS MANY POSTS per day as the other two Thunderbird forums combined. That is every day for the last 6 weeks, on a consistant basis. And we have only been in existance for 5 months.

The other two forums are boring and dead. We continue to have lots of interesting posts on fun topics from an ever increasing number of new members.

So, the car is great. But, the ownership experience is priceless....thanks to you all.

:pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj:

[rlstonejr]

as the great philosopher Rocky Balboa said, "AB-SO-LUTE-LY" :biggrin:

[Edited on 11-10-2002 by rlstonejr]

[mminasi]

First new American car I've ever bought and am really enjoying it. Bought it for long trips -- I travel for business and fear I may snap at some airport soon<g> -- and love the ride. Only complaints:

-- those windshield visors
-- would have liked cassette in the (otherwise very nice) sound system
-- heated seats would have been a nice option (I understand they're fixing that)
-- needs a slightly bigger trunk
-- wish I didn't need two people or a Rube Goldberg system to install/remove the hard top<g>

Love the comments I get on it.

[tr cruiser]

I guess Mark501 is speechless. :) I've had the pleasure of ownership ten months now and the T-bird has been everything I hoped it would be - and more. I'm going back to hardtop mode for the first time since February, and it kind of makes it feel new all over again!

[Gobird]

:lol:joelja, yes and we got those numbers without talking about Susters or Nudos. How did we manage that.:smokin:

[DavidA]

I've had mine for 14 months, 18,000 miles and every one of them has been a big grin. After owning over 150 cars, this one is at the top of the oist for fun, beauty and comfort. I LOVE THIS CAR!:thumbsup:

[Blue Heaven]

I have owned my T-Bird for only four months now, but it has long exceeded my expectations. This one of the greatest looking cars on the road at ANY price, which was proven today when we came across a small gathering of Ferrari 360 Modenas and Testarossas on their way to an outing. Each of the owners went over the entire car and had huge smiles on their faces (not too shabby from owners of a $200,000 car!) There were many other cars in this price range I could have purchased (and I drove most of them) but none would have brought the happiness this one has.
:music::pbj::pbj::smokin::thumbsup:

[RETRO T]

:thumbsup::pbj::music:
I L O V E it. Since March, I've been totally consumed with it. It brings me great joy. She never fails to draw questions at the gas station or anywhere else from persons young to old. This is the first thing that I ever bought that I was truely pure self-indulgence. I waited a long time...and I did it big. The only downside is that my desire for owning a cottage just got moved further into the future. I'm loving the car though right now!

[FyrDawg]

Like many of you, I had no way to rationally justify the purchase of this car. It was bought out of pure and simple appreciation for one of the most breathtaking automotive designs that Detroit has ever birthed.
When I saw the Thunderbird for the first time, I had no idea what was under the hood or inside the passenger compartment....and it didn't matter. I would have this car, no matter what the cost....and I love it more today than when I drove it off of the dealership's exterior display pedestal more than 10,000 miles ago.
Yes, it's been back to the dealership for a minor problem or two....but that is incomparable to the enjoyment that I've experienced from this car.
I'm in love...Is that wrong?

[Bryan Sloop]

I have never been more interested in any vehicle I have ever owned than the T-Bird. It is the first brand new car I ever had, and have loved everything about it. Best of all, it is so cool to have all of you to discuss issues and tidbits about the Thunderbird, and where to obtain info & items for it. I thank you all for your input and posts.

[ThunderBubba]

STOP THE PRESSES!!!
I hate to agree with Joel but probably the thing I like best about the Thunderbird is the owners. I have a theory that you must have a certain gene to be one of these people. to paraphrase Will Rogers "I have yet to meet a Thunderbird person I don't like".

[Edited on 11-11-2002 by ThunderBubba]

[Lady 007]

I agree with all of you, I wanted the car the VERY first night I saw one. I fell instantly in love at the speed of light. And was at the dealer even quicker! And I agree, the friendships we all have acquired was just icing on the cake! But I had no idea that is was be such an obsession! BUY BUY BUY and I read all I could on thunderbirds and their history. This is one great car.

[ralphd]

My college roomate owned a 1956 T-Bird and I fell in love with that car. We had the greatest of times "cruising" around South Florida. It was those fond memories that prompted me to go for the new bird.... and it has turned out to be a great decision.

I love the car and so does everybody else who sees it!

[lil55bird]

Well, let's try this again. We've had 4286 for almost a year now and still think it is one cool car. I think Ford did a remarkable job of capturing the personality of the early bird. It isn't the fastest, best handling, best riding, most powerful or most comfortable car on the road. Just the coolest.

[Mark501]

Well, I like this T-Bird a lot!

My Thunderbird Highway (http://www.ccc-cable.net/~mray/)

501

[02TBIRD]

MARK & LAURIE. YOUR SITE LOOKS GREAT!!! :thumbsup: 02TBIRD:wavey:

[fums6]

I love the car so much, I bought a hat that says "Thunderbird"! Never did that before, even for my Corvette.

[TbirdTim]

The Thunderbird is a great car. I've owned more expensive vehicles (such as a Lexus LX470 and a BMW X5) but they did not create the same passion and attention that I have gotten with the Tbird. That just goes to show that paying more for a vehicle doesn't always make it a more enjoyable. As previously mentioned, the single most unexpected best thing that has come from owning a new Thunderbird are the new friends that I have come to know across the USA that share their love for their new Thunderbird's too. That's the best part for me!:biggrin:

[5bird7]

Great site you have going there, Mark. Just another reason that makes us know that this car is special.
I ditto what's been said about the friendships that have formed because of the car and the forums we've
been involved in. Even after getting the car, I still frequent this site daily to keep up on what's going on
around the states.

[yelobird2002]

Then: Over three years ago when I saw the concept for the first time I "thought" this was one of the coolest cars ever.

Now: There is no thinking about it - "this is" the coolest car on the road.

I have answered more questions about this car to perfect strangers more than I have all the other cars I've owned combined!

Motor Trend Car of the Year.

Interior of the year.

Polk - Best entry level luxury car of the year.

What else can be said?
:fordsrule::pbj::fordsrule::pbj::fordsrule:

[Te42]

Every time I look at this car it brings a smile to my face. I can be in a bad mood, look at the car and the mood changes. I can't say that about my Corvette. I guess that means I like all of you love this car. Ford really did this one OK!:pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj:

[Hobobob]

I had thought abut starting a new thread intitled "Milestones", since I have just turned over 20,000 milestones. But this thread seemed to fit all the great things I can say about the car after 20,000 miles. We have enjoyed every mile and every one of the "I love your car" and "What a beautiful car", remarks. The only complaints are from my wife. She is only five feet tall and it irritates her that she can't raise the passenger seat so she can get the sun out of her eyes. I guess we both complain about the lousy sunvisors. When we're driving north or south we have to use our hands to keep the sun out of our eyes in the morning and late afternoon. But on a scale of 1 to 10 it rates about 9.8 with us. Does anyone have more than 20,000 miles on their new bird yet? Thanks Dot for your help on posting here.

[Gobird]

:thumbsup:Well, from what I can see there is no contest, the car is the answer and the second answer to this is the people. The people that own this car are the best people in the world. There was someone that said that people that love this car have to have a gene that connected all of us. I think that this may be true. The people that I have met in Destin and on this board are the most friendly people in the world. I have to say that Judy and I were treated like everyone else at Destin and we really appreciated that. It doesn't matter what you do or where you came from, we where just one big happy family.:pbj::pbj:

[brd4jk]

i have had my 13205 bird for about 7 months now 4100 miles on it . i belong to a tbird club vintage thunderbird kansas city. enjoy going to car shows parking between a 55 black bird and a 57 black bird and watching people looking at the old ones then look at the new one. this is the most fun and most looked at car that i have owned.

and i really like this site THANKS

triple black premium:thumbsup::pbj:

[Lady 007]

brd4jk, love your avitar.

[Golf2day]

..it 's become more then a car..it's bcome a"Thunderbird Community".

The car AND the community are terriffic !

[winterm]

What else can I say? It's all been said!
And so truthfully!

I LOVE THIS CAR! I still get "chills" and
a big smile everytime I drive it.

Ford hit a home run with this baby! Mine
is definitely a "keeper"!

[redbirdsal]

I loved the 2002 from the first moment I saw it in the Automobile Bldg. at the State Fair. A month later I was driving my Dream Car home! I've had so much fun with this car, and made so many wonderful friends...each event is more fun than the last, it just keeps getting better and better!

I can't wait for the next adventure! I miss you folks!

Sally

[Mark501]

Hobobob...

I have nearly 21,000 on my Thunderbird...Good miles!

501

[yelobird2002]

On a cold afternoon in January of 1999 I was sitting at my desk in the Service drive for the Ford dealership I was working for figuring repair orders to be closed. As I was working I had noticed off to my right side the Dealer Principal showing some 35MM pictures to a couple of mechanics. The Dealer principal had just returned the day before from the Detroit Auto Show. A few minutes later he walked up to my side and plopped down the stack of pictures. I started thumbing through them when on the 5th or 6th picture I stopped dead in my tracks and dropped my chin down on top of my desk. There was a picture of the most beautiful car I had ever seen. It was the new concept Thunderbird. There were 4 or 5 pictures of the car. I just could not stop looking at it. I knew this was love at first sight.

I asked the Dealer Principal if this was the new 2000 Thunderbird. He said it was only a concept and did not know if the car would ever be a production model or not. The rest of the day that was all I could think about.

Later that night when I got home I told my wife about this beautiful car and even got her excited about it a little bit. The next day I asked the dealer principal if he could get me a copy of the picture to show my wife. He told me to come with him to his office. When we got there, he printed off a picture from his computer and I took it home that night. After seeing the picture my wife fell in love with it also.

We talked about it off & on for a month and then on February 8th I asked a salesman that worked there if I could put a deposit on one of the cars. He talked with the Sales Manager and they both came out and told me that Ford does not know if they are ever going to build the car. I said, well if they don’t build the car you could give me back my deposit. They agreed and I wrote them a deposit check for $1000.00.

They gave me a signed buyer’s order and assigned a stock # of B2000. The conversations then started over the next few weeks as to when the car would come out if it were built.

About June of 99 we heard at the dealership that Ford did indeed intend on building this vehicle. We started guessing that it would appear in October of 99 as a 2000 model. We had also heard that each dealer would only get 1 or 2 cars. Of course October rolled around and no official word had been given yet as to when the cars would be built. We waited & waited and finally in May of 2000 Ford announced that the new Thunderbird would be introduced next year as a 2002 model.

Now the pulses started to quicken in anticipation of when the cars would be built. The dealer had now learned that he would be allocated 7 of the new Thunderbirds with my wife's and mine being car # 1 for this dealer.

October of 2000 my salesman called me at my new place of employment to let me know that they had received the spec sheets on the car and that my wife and I could come down and spec out the car. He also stated that the order could not be submitted until January 2001.

We sat down and looked at all the spec’s and decided on the Premium Hardtop in yellow with yellow hard top, full accent package and supplemental parking lamps. Our salesman punched this into the computer and gave us a print out of what was to be ordered. Finally after a year and 10 months since putting down the deposit we actually saw something in print about our car.

January 8th 2001 the sales manager submitted our order to the factory. Now we were wondering when this car would be built. The anticipation was really beginning to build up now.

About at the same time I found out about the web site Blue Oval News and signed myself up. Here I was able to post messages with people who were interested in the same car and many of them also had cars on order. I learned many things about the vehicle that even my dealer didn’t know about. This was just great. Finally toward the end of April 2001 Ford assigned a Vehicle Identification Number to the vehicle. We now had a tangible item to look at even though it was only a VIN number, but after 26 months of waiting you take what you can get. VIN 1FAHP60A02Y101396

Now in May 2001 it really got exciting as Ford said the vehicle would be built the week of June 11th and delivery ETA would be the week of July 16th. My wife and I could not believe it as we were soon going to have a one of a kind new Thunderbird. When the first week of June rolled around and production started it was a little sporadic at first. The plan was to build 100 to 125 per day but they were only putting out 10 to 15 a day and some days none at all as they started working out the production problems. Finally our car was built but a factory hold was put on the unit due to a cooling problem. In just a few days the problem was corrected as I was told by a source at the Wixom Assembly Plant known as Supercrew. The car was now ready to ship when a new hold came out about the hardtop having a minor flaw and all the tops were going to have to be replaced. About as soon as that problem arose a couple more problems came up. The trunk lining had to be replaced, the seats had to be replaced, and the door panels had to be replaced.

Finally all the fixes had been performed on most all the cars and they were beginning to ship. Ford was going to make their promise of delivering all the # 1 cars before the end of the 3rd quarter.

On August 6th our car was finally released to the rail shipper. Our 2 year and 6 month wait was about to end with the delivery of our new Thunderbird.

Luckily in my case, the local transporter for Ford at the Amarillo, Texas rail yard is where a friend of mine works as dispatcher. He was able to watch & tell me the progress of the shipment of our car daily. I finally received the call I was waiting for on the morning of August 16th. The car was here! I called my wife at work and at lunchtime my wife picked me up at work and we went to the railhead. My friend who worked there was going to take us onto the lot to get pictures of the car as it came off the rail car. But before we went out to the lot he said he hated to say it but Ford had put a hold on all the cars that had been shipped. He could let us look at it and take pictures of it but we could not start the vehicle on orders from Ford. Are hearts sunk to the bottom of our feet. So we went out to the car and took several pictures and sat in the vehicle checking it out for about 10 or 15 minutes.

We left very disappointed but kept upbeat that the hold would be removed in a day or two. After two weeks we finally got the word that the car had to be shipped back to Wixom, Michigan to have repairs made to the cooling system and on September 3rd it went back on a Hadley transport truck.

Still checking Blue Oval News several times a day we heard from Supercrew, Wixom Pooh, & Builderdad all insiders for us at Wixom that new parts arrived but did not meet Ford’s specifications. We finally heard that the parts had met Ford’s exacting standards and parts were to start pouring in so cars could be repaired and start coming back. This was September 7th 2001.

Of course then the dreadful day that hit America, September 11th came and all parts were stopped as they were coming in from out of the country and our borders were closed and all air travel was stopped. Again another bump in the road but this time it was not the fault of Ford. After all the ups & downs the car shipped on September 27th.

The car arrived on Sunday October 7th at the Amarillo railhead. Of course something had to go wrong and it did. Monday was Columbus Day and all the banks would be closed. So finally on Tuesday October 9th, our salesman, my wife and I drove over to the railhead, picked up the car and drove it back to the dealership rather than having it transported the two miles to the dealership. We took delivery at 1:00 PM that afternoon and ended our 32-month wait for our new Thunderbird.

Was it worth the wait? You bet it was. The best things in life are worth waiting for and this new T-Bird is well worth the wait!

Thirteen months of ownership now and our enthusiasim has not deminished one bit. We have also upgraded to the best Thunderbird sight on the net "Thunderbird Nest".

[FUN X 3]

Wow, yelobird2002, what a great story. I didn't have near the wait you did. I saw a neighbor drive a new blue premium down our street in May 02, and like you, my jaw dropped to the ground. I had no inkling Ford brought back the T-Bird...heck, I didn't even know it had gone away!

I spent the next two months researching everything and looking over dealer inventories for my car, and drove home my new blue premium on 7/24/02. Yesterday was the 5,000 mile service, and all 5,000 miles have been awesome. What a great car. Now I'm T-Bird crazy, buying all kinds of accessories, models, books, signs, patches, jacket, on and on. My wife thinks it's great. My co-workers think I've gone off the deep end...that's okay, if they had a Bird, they'd understand, right?

The new Thunderbird is FLAT-OUT COOL.

[Blue Heaven]

yelobird2002,
What a great account of your T-Bird experience! I think you summed it up for all of us... this car is fantastic!!

:thumbsup::biggrin::thumbsup:

[joelja]

yelowbird2002,

Because of your ordeal, you introduced me to the concept of "going to the railhead".
When I started my quest , I really had no idea what a "railhead" is and where in the heck I would find it. But, those of you who know me know how tenacious I am when I get my mind set on doing something.

As many of you may recall, I actually did go to the railhead the morning my car arrived by train, gave the trucking company manager on site a major B.S. story and conviced them to let me drive my car off of the railhead and to the dealership for PDI.

It was the first time that had EVER been done, according to the office manager of the trucking company. It took a huge amount of tall talking and red tape cutting at the railhead AND at the Ford dealership.
But there was NO WAY I was going to let them put my new baby on a dirty, old truck and risk having them screw up the delivery in some way. Not after a 3 year wait....from the cover of Motor Trend in March, 1999 to deilvery on April 29, 2002.

So because, of your story, yelowbird2002 I actually drove my car....still in all of the wrappers with about an inch of visibility out of the windshield between the dozens of stickers all over the windows.....up I-85 20 miles to Peachtree Ford.

I have video and 35MM stills of my car coming off of the train and being driven about 300 yards to me so that I could take it home.

An event of a lifetime!!!

:pbj::thumbsup::pbj::thumbsup::pbj::thumbsup:

[tr cruiser]

Thanks, LON. Your story brought back many memories since it mirrors my own starting with the 2001 auto show, the scramble to find a dealer and the long, long wait. It was kind of an act of faith to 'own' a car without ever having seen it in person or taking a test drive. All we had to go on back in BON were pictures, early reviews and speculation. That only heightened the anticipation. When the day of delivery actually arrived, it was like the birth of a child. It's amazing how the car still gets 'the look' every time I drive it down the boulevard.

Glad you agree that TBN is the heart of the new T-bird community!

[PEBAEB]

I agree with the crowd, I had this car on order for a year and have now owned it a year. I love it. as you may know we have many un populated areas here in California and so I have had ample opportunity to really drive this car on many a windy road thru the mountains. It never ceases to amaze me the way that it handles. If the sign says 30 mph you can bet that you can negoiate it at 60 to 65 no problem. Everywhere I go people want to talk about this new Bird from Ford. I see very few,like 3 on the road which is great to me. I know that you guys are in the eastern half of the US I sure wish that I could find a club near to me. I would love to take some trips in caravan style just to show off. All I can say is YOU GOTTA LOVE IT.

[Gobird]

My story isn't quite as dramatic but as a lot of us early buyers, sight unseen, we can relate to this. Mine was only a 1yr and 14 day wait for it. But it seemed like 2 years to me. You described this perfectly for a lot of us. I'm sure that 99% of us are satisfied with our new rides.:pbj::pbj:

[YLO BRD]

Loved all these stories, especially joelja and yellowbird2002. My wait was 18 long months but, it's been well worth it. I was in CA on vacation when I got the call that my car was ready for delivery. We rushed home, I didn't want to take the chance of not getting it the second it was available. I LOVE the car, how it makes me feel, the smiles it brings to my face and especiaLLy the new friends I've made because of it.

[Hobobob]

Mark 501
You've got me beat. How long have you had your car ? We got ours in September 2001. If we have a bad winter around here it will sit in the garage for a few months. By the way, any connection between your handle "501" and Levi jeans ?

[Mark501]

Hobobob..

I got my car on November 30, 2001. As of today, I have 21,273 miles. You're not the only one to ask about the "501" in my "Handle." I am from Arkansas and my area code was 501, but has changed to 870, so maybe I should change my handle? :-)

[Joybird]

Nooooo , it would be too confusing, I like your name, thats how we know you......

[15AGAIN]

As a post Script to Lon's story. When my car came through Amarillo, Lon went out to the rail yard and sent pictures of 15AGAIN to me. It was great getting to see my car before the dealer saw it. I had been discussing with the dealer for over two years and had placed an order and deposit in November of 2000. I picked the car up one year ago tomorrow after it had been on order for one year.
Lon's story just brings back all the discussions we were having about when the car would be built, when would it ship, etc. One year asnd 15,000 miles later, it is still the best car and the best experience of my life.
Love the car!!!!!:pbj::wavey:

[metinsure]

Go Bird
It was great meeting you in Destin, and the CD is great. Many Thanks
:pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj::pbj:

THIS IS MY FAVORITE CAR----ever

[FordMan7]

I could not agree more - it seems where ever you go EVERYONE loves the car and EVERY new t-bird owner I have met seems to share the passion for what is a truly neat car!

FordMan7:fordsrule:

[Gobird]

:lol:Maybe we should all get together and write a book, OK now we need a name or title for our book.:pbj:

[NC2k2TBird]

Gobird - as far as a suggestion for the title of the book - how about "Thunderbird - Car of the Millennium"

I can only say that this is a car that I hope to own for as long as I'm able to drive and enjoy it. I have only had mine since July 3, 2002 and have not regretted one second of it.

:thumbsup:

[Gobird]

I hope to get a 2005 when they come out and try to hold onto the one I have now. Will have to see how things work out.

[THNDRBRD02]

After 11 months & 18000 plus miles the car is all I wanted it to be. I love it maybe not as much as my used '56 when I was 18 but then your first love is always special, but the 2002 definitely deserves to be called "Thunderbird". And the people on this site are special,must be that "Thunderbird gene".

[Lady 007]

Gobird: "thunderbird nest"

[BotNew56]

Some great stories here! I, too, went through the waiting pains like many of the others.

About the time my old 4-door sedan was getting too old to trust, Ford announced the Thunderbird. That was really interesting to me, but I really hadn't thought about putting that much into a new car. However, I had always been a Thunderbird person. Have only had one, but I still have it.

When I was finishing college, I decided I would buy a Thunderbird. After all, my father managed a Ford dealership, and I really liked that car. The new 56's looked great, so I went to my father and asked him to order one for me. I had a job lined up, and I just knew I could pay for it (eventually). At first my dad said, "Why don't you get a nice four-door sedan? It'll hold its value." Finally he agreed to order one, and that 56 Bird was the first car I ever purchased. I did finally get it paid for. I was driving it when I met my wife in front of her dorm at Mary Hardin Baylor college for a blind date. It was our only car for seven years, until the birth of our second son, which finally made it impractical as an only car. We still hung onto it, though, and it is presently is looking good and is in good running condition.

So how could I turn down this opportunity to own a new Thunderbird with the pizazz of the original? When I told my family what I planned to do, my wife was concerned about the trunk space and I reminded her that we had at one time moved all our belongings in the '56 Bird. My second son said, "Dad, why don't you get a real nice four-door sedan?" After I told him who he reminded me of, I got no more argument.

Then came the adventure of ordering the car. I went to my local dealer and described what I wanted. They said sure, they would order that, and did. But then the shocker. They wouldn't sell it to me! Rather, they wanted to wait until it came in and see what they could get for it. In their words "We don't know what to ask for it."

Well, that wasn't for me, so I went to a dealership in Nashville and struck a deal. Then the waiting began. I was 5th in their order list. But, all of a sudden, the sales manager I was working with left them and took all the paper work. They didn't know what they had ordered or who had ordered it. I sure knew what I had ordered, in great detail, so they went to work rebuilding the orders. They honored our deal and reordered just what I wanted. One result of all this was I got moved up to second in line rather than fifth. The people at this dealership have been helpful and good to work with.

We picked up new Thunderbird arrived here on December 24th of 2001. What a Christmas present! This car is really great. We now have over 16,000 miles on it and have taken a number of trips. It is a joy to drive. I sort of hated to take the hard top off in the Spring. At the end of the Summer, though, I delayed putting it back on as long as I could, I was enjoying the top-off experience so much.

I really do appreciate the help from the people on this board and its predecessors. I, too, started out with Blue Oval News and have followed the board in its various incarnations. Without it, I wouldn't have learned about the Collections program, the overheating delay, have made a trip to Wixom, found a top hoist, soft boot, and many other useful critical pieces of information.

So, thanks to all the folks on the board who have helped make this Thunderbird experience so enjoyable.

John

[joelja]

A great story, BotNew56. Especially when your son repeated history by suggesting you purchase a 4door sedan.

We enjoyed seeing you at the Great Georgia Road Rally and hope to see you at many more of our events soon. Good luck.

[ThunderBubba]

BotNew56;

I just noticed your address. I was in Dillard Ga. on Wed., Thur, this week I would have loved trying to hook up with you. Maybe you would have let me oggle your 56:puzzled: Next time I'm headed that way I'll let you know.:thumbsup: By the way, Great Tbird story.