2003 Super Charged Concept Car

[Lindy]

Just to break-up the 2010 winter lull:- Anybody know the whereabouts of the one supercharged 2003 Thunderbird proto-type?

http://archive.cardesignnews.com/aut...upertbird.html

While the hood looks awesome, don't you think that it would have been problematic if caught in the rain, since COPs are sensitive to moisture? Also I think the exhaust, which was routed out the side of the license mount, would have easily dirtied up the tail end a bit, and how bout those intakes instead of the parking/driving lights? Wonder if they had some sort of in-line filters in the design? It would have been a wonderful option package, had it come into fruition, no?!

-Lindy

[5bird7]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

The show car was dismantled. It was only a show car and never had an operational supercharger on it according to Jim Youngs, thunderbird project manager at the time. I think worldclasswheels tried to get the hood from it when it was parted out. Stats protrayed with the show car, came from the stats off another test car (read below)

The Thunderbird project team had another test tbird that did have a operational supercharger on it. That car (red) does still exist in North Carolina under the care of one of our members here. Long story but the caretaker, Earl Tindol, is open for group visits to view the car and his Ford collection. Jim Youngs lives just a couple of hours away from it - it was his "baby" during the testing days.

Here's a link to photos of the red car. I do have more photos than that.
http://www.portholeauthority.com/the...ept/super.html

[Ediron]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

With the louvers in the hood it would have to be parked in a garage in S. Florida.Strict sunny day vehicle with Fl. summer downpours. It would have been a nice looker .

[Leroy]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

There's alot I don't like about this car, the first thing that hit me was in interior color,Yuk! This must be an 02, where's the select shift and the heated seats? Put the exhaust tips back were they belong and put the fog lights back too, put the air intakes in the grill. OK, the hump on the hood makes room for the turbo, but why all the holes? Why go to an 18 inch rim? And what's with the two-piece lockable so called tonneau cover, I call it a boot, I bet that stores real nice in the trunk. And were are the side marker lights? This car is a joke. Leroy

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[Lindy]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

--Dot, Thanks for the reference, not sure I had ever chanced across that page of your wonderful web-site!

In another slightly different vein: You know, the more I think about it, the 1957 super-charger was meant to compete against Corvette's new (in that day) fangled fuel-injected motor: But hey! Ours ARE fuel-injected ala 2002-05 technology, and they are pretty darn fast at that! What's more the '03-05 intake plenum looks very formidable when uncovered. In light of all that, our new Thunderbirds are pretty awesome cars.

Anyway, it would be interesting to read about the super-charger project which is now part of the Thunderbird developmental history, in the book mentioned.

-Lindy

[Lonestar]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

There's alot I don't like about this car, the first thing that hit me was in interior color,Yuk! This must be an 02, where's the select shift and the heated seats? Put the exhaust tips back were they belong and put the fog lights back too, put the air intakes in the grill. OK, the hump on the hood makes room for the turbo, but why all the holes? Why go to an 18 inch rim? And what's with the two-piece lockable so called tonneau cover, I call it a boot, I bet that stores real nice in the trunk. And were are the side marker lights? This car is a joke. Leroy
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concept
n
1. an idea, esp an abstract idea the concepts of biology
2. (Philosophy) Philosophy a general idea or notion that corresponds to some class of entities and that consists of the characteristic or essential features of the class
3. (Philosophy) Philosophy
a. the conjunction of all the characteristic features of something
b. a theoretical construct within some theory
c. a directly intuited object of thought
d. the meaning of a predicate
4. (Engineering / Automotive Engineering) (modifier) (of a product, esp a car) created as an exercise to demonstrate the technical skills and imagination of the designers, and not intended for mass production or sale[from Latin conceptum something received or conceived, from concipere to take in, conceive]

[Leroy]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

Hey Lonestar, I get the concept. Leroy

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[rpatton3]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

Has anybody actually done the Jaguar V8 transplant besides the cool red car listed above?

[5bird7]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

not that I know of, takes a computer degree in 2 systems to make them compatible.

[Lindy]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

Did Ford ever really need to consider the super-charger any way? Heck, look what we have in the 03-05's! I'm a pretty satisfied customer!

(source for pic: http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...9&d=1243737085)

[MerlotBlue]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

Did Ford every really need to consider the super-charger any way? Heck, look what we have in the 03-05's! I'm a pretty satisfied customer!

(source for pic: http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...9&d=1243737085)

I'm sure they did and for what it's worth.......I disagree with your assessment of power in the car. 280HP in a small V8 motor that's really lacking in torque where this surprisingly heavy little car needs it most the low and mid-range.


Weak acceleration was the one constant criticism of the car in what were otherwise generally really positive reviews of the car.

Tire destroying acceleration may not be a requirement for you....but these days most cars in this class can manage at least a 5-6 second 0-60 run and many do it even quicker.

The T-Bird definitely comes up short on this one and a super-charger would have been a welcomed addition for many of us who like the car in-spite of it's weak performance in this one category.

[5bird7]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

lol, at least the car fits the modern "green" theme in that respect but I can make our 02 sink you into the seat some. It obeys me when I train it right. Just ask George.

[bwlewis]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

I'm with you Dot, sometimes we forget that the car "learns" how we drive. I have a friend that used to own an '03. We went somewhere together one day and he asked me what I had done to the engine....as his didn't respond the same

[Lindy]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

but these days most cars in this class can manage at least a 5-6 second 0-60 run and many do it even quicker.

Yes, I noticed that the cars put out by Detroit and elsewhere in the world, that there is a great increase HP, curving up over the past ten years, probably largely due to technological advances. Too bad T-Birds retired before that curve peaked. Well, as for me, my SCT Xcal3 just arrived, and I'm gonna have a bit of fun with it on my '05! After that maybe Borla exhaust and then perhaps the cold air intake.

Dot, I've read about the training in various threads here, very interesting, I hope to train mine to get up and go.

[bobc4383]

Re: 2003 Super Charged Concept Car

Did Ford every really need to consider the super-charger any way? Heck, look what we have in the 03-05's! I'm a pretty satisfied customer!

(source for pic: http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...9&d=1243737085)

Broken link?

Bob