Even we were pleasantly surprised when Martijn Bakker reported for our column with his Thunderbird. The fact that the ninth generation was delivered with a four-cylinder turbo engine was very deeply tucked away in the memory. Not so surprising, it is by definition a rare appearance in Europe and if you do come across one, it is usually a V8. “I came across this type of Thunderbird during an evening of scrolling through Google images”, he says cheerfully. “It suddenly appeared on my screen: what a great thing! It looks like my Sierra from 1987, because of the closed nose. A typical 80s thing from Ford that I am crazy about.” Martijn gradually discovered that the model was not delivered in Europe or was not popular and in America itself it is also a rarity. That is not surprising, if you look at its specifications: this 5.2-meter long monster is equipped with a 2.3-liter turbo with intercooler and a manual transmission. Good for 190 hp, a lot more than the V8 version, but not good enough to make the average American’s heart beat faster. In Europe they didn’t even dare to try. After less than two years of production, a new Thunderbird was released. “So there was very little chance that I would find one in my neighborhood. But suddenly, completely by chance, I found out that there was a Turbo for sale in Wallonia. The man I bought it from promised on the phone that the paint was in good condition. When I arrived, it turned out that the presumed morning dew that I saw in the photos was the weathered clear coat. Technically everything seemed to be in order and he knocked another hundred euros off the price. My father, who was with me, thought it was a terrible car. I was in love, the purchase was quickly made.” Garbage truck Music enthusiasts will be familiar with the song ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ by the Beach Boys, which dates from 1965. The lyrics are about a girl who takes her father’s Ford Thunderbird under false pretenses. She says she’s going to the library, but in reality she’s driving to the local hamburger joint to meet her boyfriend. But the fun comes to an abrupt end when dad takes the T-Bird away. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s still fun for the young couple, given the last lines of the test: ‘Fun, fun, now that daddy took the T-Bird away’. We’ll leave the rest to your imagination. For Martijn too, it was his father, owner of a Ford garage, who put a stop to the party. “My father only allowed me to buy it if I immediately gave him the keys and focused on my thesis. I would get them back when I finished my studies. So when asked if a charging cart was needed to pick up the Thunderbird in Belgium, my answer was ‘no’. After all, it was running, the salesman told me, and I saw the trip home as my only chance to drive this car before I would be without it for a year.” Unfortunately, to the great annoyance of Martijn’s father, the Thunderbird broke down several times in the middle of the highway, because the fuel supply sometimes failed. “But we made it and I enjoyed the trip despite everything. I had a Thunderbird!” Once home, the American had to go behind the fence, but after completing his studies Martijn immediately got to work. “Thanks to a part-time job as a garbage man, I earned some money. I used that to pay for the purchase and I could save up for the respray. That’s why I sometimes jokingly call the Thunderbird my garbage truck.” Dent in the door The costs of the respray exceed the purchase price, which was nevertheless very low. The result is impressive, because there is a sparkling Ford in front of us. The fun was short-lived, as it turns out. “A little less than three weeks after it came back from the painter and all the parts were reassembled, we were going to make a big road trip. Unfortunately, the technology threw a spanner in the works, there was something wrong with the turbo.” Martijn calls it a relief that it happened at home and not on the road. During his absence, a car also rolled into the door of the Thunderbird, someone had forgotten the handbrake. “The appraiser from the insurance company had no clue as to the value because it was the only one in the Netherlands. Fortunately, we eventually reached an agreement and I was able to have the door repaired.” The first long trip is now over, a holiday to Copenhagen. According to the owner, that went without any problems and with a somewhat calm driving style, the Ford is reasonably economical. “You notice that the finish is American-style while driving. You can hear the plastic creaking and moving. On the other hand: it is a 37-year-old car. With a low odometer reading by the way, when purchased it was at 74,000 miles, or more than 119,000 kilometers. Six thousand miles have now been added to that.” Martijn drove it to the annual Ford Family Day in Katwijk, a big event. The Thunderbird attracts a lot of attention there and the proud owner receives many nice reactions. “The hood is of course open, so that everyone can see that there really is a four-cylinder in it.” According to him, there are still a few points of attention, only the availability of parts is a problem. Something as simple as an air filter, for example, is no longer available. “But I accept that, it is incredibly cool to drive a truly unique car. Yes, there are more beautiful classics, but they are not as special as this Thunderbird.” History Ford Thunderbird The first Thunderbird came onto the market at the end of 1954, as a convertible. Of course with a V8, just like in all subsequent generations. As is customary in the US, the T-Bird became bigger and bigger, with the sixth generation as the highlight in that respect (photo). It is 5.70 meters long. In addition, from 1964 it got competition from its own house in the form of the Mustang. With the version on these pages we have arrived at number nine, built from 1983 to 1988 and still with a rigid rear axle and available with a V6, a V8 and a four-cylinder. With its 2.3-liter turbo engine it is the only Thunderbird ever with a four-cylinder. The facelift in 1987 brought it a different nose and the turbo got an intercooler, which increased the power from 155 to 190 hp, so this thunderbird is certainly not lame. The well-known oval Ford brand logo is missing, which has almost always been the case on the Thunderbird. From 1989 to 1997 Ford built the tenth generation, after which radio silence followed, until in 2002 a real retro model suddenly appeared on the market as the new Thunderbird. Production of this stopped in 2005. Maintenance history Removing the gas installation The first thing I did was remove the gas installation. With the tank and everything out I had to close the drilled holes in the cylinder spaces with hoses and bolts. The RDW After this I wanted to prepare the car for import at the RDW. It turned out that a bit of welding was needed at the front. A few new tires and securing the passenger seat were also needed. Steering box The car may have been technically ready but drove like a sea container. The wheels are balanced but the cause was the steering box, which could not center itself after a turn. The ball joints appeared not to have been greased properly. Removing the window sticker There was an ugly, weathered window sticker on the rear window. I used some thinner for that. Unfortunately that stuff works a bit too well and an edge of the roof lining came with it. That was solved by neatly covering it with a plastic interior part from a Mondeo. Paintwork Once technically approved and registered, its appearance came up. With an American you quickly get the predicate ‘old shed’ and with visibly flaked clear lacquer this was unfortunately also the case. I had saved up to have it resprayed in the same colour. Brake system The brake pressure system has the same ball system as the hydraulic suspension of a Citroën. The brake light was on and the pressure dropped. A relay was replaced but the ABS relay is also broken. Handbrake The handbrake got stuck and the cable was porous. A new cable was laid. Exhaust silencer The exhaust silencer was replaced on both sides. In addition, the water pump was replaced and the dynamo was overhauled because of a broken bearing. The latter does not seem to have been completely resolved because it still howls. The opinion of Carrec Technocenter Dennis Koldewijn: “This Thunderbird was purchased as a project car, the owner is gradually tackling the necessary maintenance and repairs. In my opinion, the brakes and the chassis are at the top of the list, there is a steering movement to the left when braking hard and the electronically adjustable shock absorbers are quite worn. Apart from that, the car is in a beautiful, original condition.”
Source: www.autoweek.nl
