"New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" - thunderbirdnest.com

Mar 21, 2005, 03:31 PM

From today's Chicago Sun-Times...

New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic [ED: Sez who?]
http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-clas21.html

tbirdman · Mar 21, 2005, 03:40 PM

Who are these people who create negative conjecture who have never even owned a bird? I know the truth, because I own one!!! I love it more everyday!!!!!!!!

archiea · Mar 21, 2005, 03:43 PM

OK, gang, we know what to do, fire up those emails and start educating these "informed" reporters...

PS: The new T-bird's captured me because of their style, elegance, and the community that they created. Its a romantic car thats not apologetic for being so. I was waiting to get my Mustang first when I got the T-bird... "recapture"? who knows, but it did 'capture" me... and alot of passer bys for that matter...

We need a smilie flipping the "other" bird for occasions like this...

Mar 21, 2005, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbirdman

Who are these people who create negative conjecture who have never even owned a bird? I know the truth, because I own one!!! I love it more everyday!!!!!!!!

To add one further inaccurate insult, under a photo of a Thunderbird in the print edition is this caption: "The 2005 Thunderbird never managed to recapture the magic that the 1955-57 classic had."

If this guy ever actually drove one, and he probably did because he's a pretty well know auto critic, I'd bet he didn't drive it in the city with the top down and see the heads turn to look. There's plenty of "magic" in this car, as we well know.

00mustng · Mar 21, 2005, 03:50 PM

......Really........may soft top does'nt drip rain water on me......too heavy to be a sports car?.....It never was a sports car.....not as well equipped as the competition....what competition??.....name another v8 roadster at this price point....especially pre-owned......SHEESH!!!!!!!

archiea · Mar 21, 2005, 03:53 PM

Hmmm, is this even true?

"A removable hardtop with the "porthole'' windows of the 1950s T-Bird hardtop added about $2,500, and still does. Many T-Bird owners have wanted that top for security reasons and because the convertible soft top drips rain water on them."

Anybody have this problem?

" It's suffered from a poorly done retro look, despite styling cues of the 1950s two-seater such as a big chrome "egg-crate'' grille, hood scoop and simulated air vents.

Sharp lines of the 1950s two-seater were even copied by Ferrari for its classic 1960 Ferrari 250 GT two-seater. They were replaced by overly smooth ones for the current-generation T-Bird -- as if the car was put in an oven and came out with a "melted butter'' look. Giving the T-Bird the round, swept-back fenders and bullet taillights of early 1960s four-seat Thunderbirds didn't help."

Ok, tastes are personal but c'mon... Po0rly done retro look... for 2002 car of the year?

" It followed the Chevrolet Corvette, which debuted in 1953 but lacked the T-Bird's comfort and luxury. The 2005 model is loaded with equipment, but so are competitors."

Ok,there is truth to that....

"The 1955-57 Thunderbird will forever be a classic, but it's doubtful that the modern Thunderbird will be anything but a slightly different used car, like the ill-fated Buick Reatta two-seater."

hmmmm...time will tell....

02TBIRD · Mar 21, 2005, 03:56 PM

It captures my magic everytime I get in it!! :)

02TBIRD

Bruce · Mar 21, 2005, 03:59 PM

The only rain water I ever felt were when the top was down. You know being negative sells more than being positive so let them critize while 50,000 of us have the time of our life in a new bird and that's all that matters.

archiea · Mar 21, 2005, 04:10 PM

yeah, but Bruce, be practical.. I mean this article pitches our cars as poorly designed, leaky, overpriced convertibles.. If I was a customer on the fence, this is like using bat to push me off.... Worse part is that factualy its wrong, and the issue of the author's tastes in retro design are disprotortunate as he doesn't even state the awards won in 2002; he worded it like its an industry statistic...

And no way 25K T-bird would be the T-bird that we know now... What I love about our bird is that they DIDN'T make it a 25K front wheel drive V6 drone with a thunderbird emblem pated on.. This is not to say thats what the 25K mustang is, but Mustangs were ALWAYS 25K cars (the V8 at least)...

---------------- M E R G E D ---------------

hey why are we preaching to the chior here, lets get some emails out!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

joebird · Mar 21, 2005, 04:11 PM

[QUOTE=archiea]Hmmm, is this even true?

"A removable hardtop with the "porthole'' windows of the 1950s T-Bird hardtop added about $2,500, and still does. Many T-Bird owners have wanted that top for security reasons and because the convertible soft top drips rain water on them."

Anybody have this problem?

I drove my Tbird through the worst rainstorm I have ever driven in and it did not leak a drop. I am pretty sure that this guy's problem with getting wet comes from his wet blanket. He must have read an ad for the 2002 model at some time or other, but he doesn't know anything about 2003 and later models.

Bruce · Mar 21, 2005, 04:16 PM

Archie, don't get worked up about it. Your the one having the fun and getting the looks so no matter what some reporter writes it isn't going to change our Bird's fun factor which is tremendous.

archiea · Mar 21, 2005, 04:17 PM

so many four lettered words cropped up in my head as I read this, I think I may have invented a few new ones for the occasioN!!!

AZTB · Mar 21, 2005, 04:22 PM

I refuse to lose sleep over articles from un-informed "reporters."

Mar 21, 2005, 05:05 PM

I am with you Jim, however wouldn't it be fun to take this a**hole out for the afternoon and go cruising!!!

My Raven · Mar 21, 2005, 05:16 PM

You are right, Bruce. He is just jealous. His daily driver and only driver is probably a Toyota Echo with 100k on it and no radio.

RustyFrye · Mar 21, 2005, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skozzy

I am with you Jim, however wouldn't it be fun to take this a**hole out for the afternoon and go cruising!!!

NO! To show him real excitement let's send him out to a late movie with CarolinaTKE and friends....

Gobird · Mar 21, 2005, 05:42 PM

I just sent a letter to Mr. Dan Jedlicka inviting him to visit out site and really find out what this car is really about. If you would like to do the same then try and contact him at the url listed below and list it under online editors. Don't know if it will do any good but it can't hurt either.

I feel all of us owe it to this car to respond to this person. We need this to be a mass emailing to this person and get his attention.

http://www.suntimes.com/geninfo/feedback.html

MikeB · Mar 21, 2005, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quickdraw

From today's Chicago Sun-Times...

New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic [ED: Sez who?]
http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-clas21.html

Here is the original article:

ChromeDome · Mar 21, 2005, 06:59 PM

Finally got to quote Spiro Agnew.... Called him a "Nattering Nabob of Negativism".....

5bird7 · Mar 21, 2005, 07:06 PM

If you really want to use some fodder against him. Here's an earlier article he wrote about the car:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-bird05copy.html#

This is the earliest article I found that he wrote. I never ran across any others that he may have written earlier but I'm looking on the web for them now.

update:
I found an early review of his on the 2003:

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/jedlicka.aspx?modelid=11206&src=vip

and here's the earliest article he wrote about the car:
http://suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-old06.html
it's a reprint of his Oct 2001 review.

MikeB · Mar 21, 2005, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quickdraw

To add one further inaccurate insult, under a photo of a Thunderbird in the print edition is this caption: "The 2005 Thunderbird never managed to recapture the magic that the 1955-57 classic had."

If this guy ever actually drove one, and he probably did because he's a pretty well know auto critic, I'd bet he didn't drive it in the city with the top down and see the heads turn to look. There's plenty of "magic" in this car, as we well know.

He seems to have forgotten the article written last July.

---------------- M E R G E D ---------------

Inside page from "Rolling Thunder." Opening page says "Ford Thunderbird looking good as it nears its 50th anniversary. On the inside page, the headline reads "Thunderbird still in a class by itself."

Johnny Gumballs · Mar 21, 2005, 07:53 PM

Thanks for the earlier articles Dot. I gotta let this crack pot's comments go. As all of us agree, there is nothing on the road today like our T Birds.

---------------- M E R G E D ---------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quickdraw

From today's Chicago Sun-Times...

New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic [ED: Sez who?]
http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-clas21.html

Thanks for the info Quickdraw.........
PS......if you look up the word dopey? would his face be there?

5bird7 · Mar 21, 2005, 07:57 PM

Even Dan says it several times in the other articles.

fums6 · Mar 21, 2005, 07:57 PM

Invite him to Thunder Fever!

rag2 · Mar 21, 2005, 08:03 PM

In almost 2 yrs. with this car I've learned there are 2 kinds of people that have an opinion on the t-bird......those that are absolutely pleased with the design without knowing anything technical about the drivability aspect....they love the spirit of it, back when you could take a drive for pleasure rather than drone transportation...they know it drives like it looks...aggressive. And the other group....those that are so intellectually insecure that they cannot cross the bridge and appreciate an American manufacturer's humble success at creating an image of a youthful driving experience, so their self denial turns to negative illusions. Poor idiots.

Mar 21, 2005, 03:31 PM	#1
Quickdraw Guest Member Posts: n/a	"New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" From today's Chicago Sun-Times... New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic [ED: Sez who?] http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-clas21.html

Mar 21, 2005, 03:40 PM	#2
tbirdman Member Tim Location: Midlothian, TX Joined TBN: Apr 2004 Posts: 355 Tim's T-Bird 2003 Mountain Shadow Gray Accent: Full	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" Who are these people who create negative conjecture who have never even owned a bird? I know the truth, because I own one!!! I love it more everyday!!!!!!!! __________________ *Livin' Life To It's Fullest*

Mar 21, 2005, 03:43 PM	#3
archiea Member archiea Location: city, CA Joined TBN: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,956 archiea's T-Bird 2004 Monterey Mist with Ash hardtop Accent: Full Accent Mist	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" OK, gang, we know what to do, fire up those emails and start educating these "informed" reporters... PS: The new T-bird's captured me because of their style, elegance, and the community that they created. Its a romantic car thats not apologetic for being so. I was waiting to get my Mustang first when I got the T-bird... "recapture"? who knows, but it did 'capture" me... and alot of passer bys for that matter... We need a smilie flipping the "other" bird for occasions like this... __________________ archie Select Shifting all the way!! PCR #363 GOLD 2007 VW EOS GOLD 98 Saturn<RIP> Last edited by archiea; Mar 21, 2005 at 03:49 PM.

Mar 21, 2005, 03:50 PM	#5
00mustng Member Martin Dickinson Location: Calgary, CAN Joined TBN: Jun 2004 Posts: 754 Martin's T-Bird 02 & 81 Insp.Yellow& Fawn/Bittersweet Accent: Full Accent& Fawn Cloth	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" ......Really........may soft top does'nt drip rain water on me......too heavy to be a sports car?.....It never was a sports car.....not as well equipped as the competition....what competition??.....name another v8 roadster at this price point....especially pre-owned......SHEESH!!!!!!!

Mar 21, 2005, 03:53 PM	#6
archiea Member archiea Location: city, CA Joined TBN: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,956 archiea's T-Bird 2004 Monterey Mist with Ash hardtop Accent: Full Accent Mist	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" Hmmm, is this even true? "A removable hardtop with the "porthole'' windows of the 1950s T-Bird hardtop added about $2,500, and still does. Many T-Bird owners have wanted that top for security reasons and because the convertible soft top drips rain water on them." Anybody have this problem? " It's suffered from a poorly done retro look, despite styling cues of the 1950s two-seater such as a big chrome "egg-crate'' grille, hood scoop and simulated air vents. Sharp lines of the 1950s two-seater were even copied by Ferrari for its classic 1960 Ferrari 250 GT two-seater. They were replaced by overly smooth ones for the current-generation T-Bird -- as if the car was put in an oven and came out with a "melted butter'' look. Giving the T-Bird the round, swept-back fenders and bullet taillights of early 1960s four-seat Thunderbirds didn't help." Ok, tastes are personal but c'mon... Po0rly done retro look... for 2002 car of the year? " It followed the Chevrolet Corvette, which debuted in 1953 but lacked the T-Bird's comfort and luxury. The 2005 model is loaded with equipment, but so are competitors." Ok,there is truth to that.... "The 1955-57 Thunderbird will forever be a classic, but it's doubtful that the modern Thunderbird will be anything but a slightly different used car, like the ill-fated Buick Reatta two-seater." hmmmm...time will tell.... __________________ archie Select Shifting all the way!! PCR #363 GOLD 2007 VW EOS GOLD 98 Saturn<RIP> Last edited by archiea; Mar 21, 2005 at 03:59 PM.

Mar 21, 2005, 03:56 PM	#7
02TBIRD Member Gary Himes Location: Little Rock, AR Joined TBN: Jul 2002 Posts: 503 Gary's T-Bird 2002 TRIPLE BLACK Accent: Partial	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" It captures my magic everytime I get in it!! :) 02TBIRD

Mar 21, 2005, 03:59 PM	#8
Bruce Life is real GOOD! Bruce C Location: Southeastern, RI Joined TBN: Aug 2003 Posts: 7,012 Bruce's T-Bird 2003 & 2005 Torch Red & Inca Gold Accent: Black & Black	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" The only rain water I ever felt were when the top was down. You know being negative sells more than being positive so let them critize while 50,000 of us have the time of our life in a new bird and that's all that matters. __________________ Bruce '03 Torch Red '05 Inca Gold 1 of 82 *'07 Saleen / Parnelli Jones 302SC Mustang* '

Mar 21, 2005, 04:10 PM	#9
archiea Member archiea Location: city, CA Joined TBN: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,956 archiea's T-Bird 2004 Monterey Mist with Ash hardtop Accent: Full Accent Mist	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" yeah, but Bruce, be practical.. I mean this article pitches our cars as poorly designed, leaky, overpriced convertibles.. If I was a customer on the fence, this is like using bat to push me off.... Worse part is that factualy its wrong, and the issue of the author's tastes in retro design are disprotortunate as he doesn't even state the awards won in 2002; he worded it like its an industry statistic... And no way 25K T-bird would be the T-bird that we know now... What I love about our bird is that they DIDN'T make it a 25K front wheel drive V6 drone with a thunderbird emblem pated on.. This is not to say thats what the 25K mustang is, but Mustangs were ALWAYS 25K cars (the V8 at least)... ---------------- M E R G E D --------------- hey why are we preaching to the chior here, lets get some emails out!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 __________________ archie Select Shifting all the way!! PCR #363 GOLD 2007 VW EOS GOLD 98 Saturn<RIP> Last edited by archiea; Mar 21, 2005 at 04:10 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

Mar 21, 2005, 04:11 PM	#10
joebird Member Joe Huey Location: Princeton, IN Joined TBN: Jan 2005 Posts: 77 Joe's T-Bird 2003 Torch Red Accent: Full Red Accent	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" [QUOTE=archiea]Hmmm, is this even true? "A removable hardtop with the "porthole'' windows of the 1950s T-Bird hardtop added about $2,500, and still does. Many T-Bird owners have wanted that top for security reasons and because the convertible soft top drips rain water on them." Anybody have this problem? I drove my Tbird through the worst rainstorm I have ever driven in and it did not leak a drop. I am pretty sure that this guy's problem with getting wet comes from his wet blanket. He must have read an ad for the 2002 model at some time or other, but he doesn't know anything about 2003 and later models.

Mar 21, 2005, 04:16 PM	#11
Bruce Life is real GOOD! Bruce C Location: Southeastern, RI Joined TBN: Aug 2003 Posts: 7,012 Bruce's T-Bird 2003 & 2005 Torch Red & Inca Gold Accent: Black & Black	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" Archie, don't get worked up about it. Your the one having the fun and getting the looks so no matter what some reporter writes it isn't going to change our Bird's fun factor which is tremendous. __________________ Bruce '03 Torch Red '05 Inca Gold 1 of 82 *'07 Saleen / Parnelli Jones 302SC Mustang* '

Mar 21, 2005, 04:17 PM	#12
archiea Member archiea Location: city, CA Joined TBN: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,956 archiea's T-Bird 2004 Monterey Mist with Ash hardtop Accent: Full Accent Mist	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" so many four lettered words cropped up in my head as I read this, I think I may have invented a few new ones for the occasioN!!! __________________ archie Select Shifting all the way!! PCR #363 GOLD 2007 VW EOS GOLD 98 Saturn<RIP>

Mar 21, 2005, 04:22 PM	#13
AZTB Donating Member Jim Dubé Location: Phoenix, AZ Joined TBN: Jul 2002 Posts: 5,003 Jim's T-Bird 2005 inca gold with performance white hardtop Accent: partial	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" I refuse to lose sleep over articles from un-informed "reporters."

Mar 21, 2005, 05:05 PM	#14
Skozzy Guest Member Posts: n/a	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" I am with you Jim, however wouldn't it be fun to take this a**hole out for the afternoon and go cruising!!!

Mar 21, 2005, 05:16 PM	#15
My Raven Soaring With My Raven ... Joseph Location: Raleigh, NC Joined TBN: Oct 2004 Posts: 4,695 Joseph's T-Bird 2004 Premium Evening Black with Platinum Silver hardtop Accent: Torch Red Full Accent TOTM Win: March 2006	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" You are right, Bruce. He is just jealous. His daily driver and only driver is probably a Toyota Echo with 100k on it and no radio. __________________ as . CBT Is Over But the Memories Are Forever Under Carolina Blue Skies ... . A Happy Cat & Proud Paw of The Carolina Panther Nation & 2009 National Champs: The UNC Tar Heels !!!.

Mar 21, 2005, 05:42 PM	#17
Gobird TBN Music Man Spence Haldeman Location: Sebring, FL Joined TBN: Jul 2002 Posts: 9,015 Spence's T-Bird 2002 Full T-Bird Blue Accent: Full TOTM Win: June 2006	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" I just sent a letter to Mr. Dan Jedlicka inviting him to visit out site and really find out what this car is really about. If you would like to do the same then try and contact him at the url listed below and list it under online editors. Don't know if it will do any good but it can't hurt either. I feel all of us owe it to this car to respond to this person. We need this to be a mass emailing to this person and get his attention. http://www.suntimes.com/geninfo/feedback.html __________________ IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE Last edited by Gobird; Mar 21, 2005 at 06:02 PM.

Mar 21, 2005, 06:59 PM	#19
ChromeDome Donating Member Ken Clayton Location: Ringgold, GA Joined TBN: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,202 Ken's T-Bird 2003 Whisper White with Whisper White hardtop Accent: Full Torch Red	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" Finally got to quote Spiro Agnew.... Called him a "Nattering Nabob of Negativism"..... __________________ Please Note.. Any spelling and/or grammer mistakes are copyright of the author.. Mistakes will be numerous and common...

Mar 21, 2005, 07:06 PM	#20
5bird7 Still Cruisin' :), Donating Member Dot , Location: Rhome, TX Joined TBN: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,613 Dot's T-Bird 57 Willow Grn; 02 blue; 05 Inca; with Performance White hardtop Accent: all white; full accent blue; partial white TOTM Win: Dec 02, Dec 06, Feb 09	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" If you really want to use some fodder against him. Here's an earlier article he wrote about the car: http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-bird05copy.html# This is the earliest article I found that he wrote. I never ran across any others that he may have written earlier but I'm looking on the web for them now. update: I found an early review of his on the 2003: http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/jedlicka.aspx?modelid=11206&src=vip and here's the earliest article he wrote about the car: http://suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-old06.html it's a reprint of his Oct 2001 review. __________________ www.PortholeAuthority.com Texas Thunder May11-15, 2011 Last edited by 5bird7; Mar 27, 2005 at 10:33 AM.

Mar 21, 2005, 07:57 PM	#23
5bird7 Still Cruisin' :), Donating Member Dot , Location: Rhome, TX Joined TBN: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,613 Dot's T-Bird 57 Willow Grn; 02 blue; 05 Inca; with Performance White hardtop Accent: all white; full accent blue; partial white TOTM Win: Dec 02, Dec 06, Feb 09	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" Even Dan says it several times in the other articles.

Mar 21, 2005, 07:57 PM	#24
fums6 Member Bob Moss Location: Carlisle, PA Joined TBN: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,572 Bob's T-Bird 2002 red with red/white hardtop Accent: full accent	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" Invite him to Thunder Fever! __________________ Bob Moss

Mar 21, 2005, 08:03 PM	#25
rag2 Member Ray n/a Location: New Bedford, MA Joined TBN: Aug 2003 Posts: 217 Ray's T-Bird 2002 torch red Accent: full	Re: "New T-Bird never recaptured original's magic" In almost 2 yrs. with this car I've learned there are 2 kinds of people that have an opinion on the t-bird......those that are absolutely pleased with the design without knowing anything technical about the drivability aspect....they love the spirit of it, back when you could take a drive for pleasure rather than drone transportation...they know it drives like it looks...aggressive. And the other group....those that are so intellectually insecure that they cannot cross the bridge and appreciate an American manufacturer's humble success at creating an image of a youthful driving experience, so their self denial turns to negative illusions. Poor idiots.