Stainless steel 1960 Thunderbird

[Simon5005]

Not the prettiest of the Thunderbirds...........looking a bit Edsel-ish. 

[hammerogod]

1960 STAINLESS STEEL THUNDERBIRD DETAILS

TOTAL BUILT: 2

VIN: 0Y71Y166729

DATE: 20F (June 20, 1960)

VIN: 0Y71Y170331

DATE: 11G (July 11, 1960)

COST: $25,000 each (another $5,000 was later added to the total of each car for buffing out the stainless panels to achieve the appropriate sheen and brushed texture)

[hammerogod]

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT: Master-Guide Power Steering ($75.30) Power Lift Windows ($102.10) MagicAire Heater-Defroster ($82.90) Cruise-O-Matic Transmission ($242.00) Dual-Transistorized Push Button Radio with Antenna ($112.80) Aquamatic Windshield Washer-Wiper ($13.70) Outside Hooded Rear View Mirror ($8.10) Sun Ray Full Wheel Covers ($16.60) Whitewall Tires Rayon 8.00x14 ($35.70) Back-Up Lights ($9.50) Exterior Chrome Dress-Up Package (Non-stock polished stainless) Genuine Leather Interior ($106.20)

[hammerogod]

The car can still be found...even though it is not always easy.

It sometimes gets moved.

Anyway:

The best info I can find says it is at The Antique Auto Museum in Hershey PA.

But it could be anywhere.

I really want to see the car.

[roadkillontheweb]

I have that body style in fiberglass. Actually I own the factory mold that makes the bodies also. Of course it is 3/8 scale gokart called a Thunderbird JR that was made in 1958 -60 in cooperation and assistance of the Ford motor company

[hammerogod]

@roadkillontheweb

A neighbor (well, his kid) had one of those 3/8 T-Birds.

It was white and looked like the real thing except for the wheels and tires. (and the interior, of course).

That was back in 1960 and I was 12 yrs old.

By the time we finished High School the car was stuck in the back of a garage. (in running condition).

In the late 80's I saw it for sale..I didn't follow up on it's history after that.

Sorry I didn't

I would like to know if it is still around...might buy it now.

[caleb6868]

1967mustanggota You are so right. I'm 6ft 5 and I can't tell you how many times I hit my knees on those stupid doglegs lol

[tbird430]

One of TWO.

WOW!!



[tbird430]

One of TWO.

WOW!!

[1967mustanggta]

Other than being pretty cool - I wonder why Ford would get involved with such a thing. Never cared much for this body style - you will destroy your knees getting in out of them by beating them against the windshield post.

[Sarcasticscum]

Why stainless steel? Damn, you know it probably weighed nearly 2 tons..

[roadkillontheweb]

I own the 1/3rd scale body mold that made the fiberglass bodies for the 1958-60 Thunderbird JR that was used in dealership promotions in 1960. Not stainless but also not the standard steel full size model that everyone is familiar with. Next time I get a chance to make a body from the mold I will make a video of it. I do have a video of the 1957 Mold and a body from it that I own posted on line.

[inkey2]

so was it a "brushed" finish or highly polished?

[silverbird58]

@inkey2 my guess is , acid rinse

[blue95bird]

So cool - wish a magazine would do a "where is it now" feature on some of the one off show cars manufacturers build. I know some still exist even though most were crushed when they were on longer needed.

[wordreet]

DeLorean eat your heart out! B¬)

[AustralianRoad]

There were three moments in history when the FORD motor company and Allegheny Ludlum Steel Company produced Stainless Steel (SS) Cars. The first model was FORD 1936 with 11 produced, next Ford T Bird with two produced in1960 and Lincoln Convertibles 1967 with three being produced.

[AustralianRoad]

The cars were promotional vehicles for the SS product over many years and were eventually sold to collectors. Allegheny Ludlum Steel retains two and still uses them for customer visits and special events. The public in USA can see three examples of Stainless automobiles (1936 Deluxe, T-Bird, and Continental) which are on permanent display in the Crawford Auto Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

[jeepers2655]

wonder who still has these......museum????

[fordroad]

see posting by Australian road many thanks to this fine historian for the answers to my very same question.

[wizzard1956]

does anyone know if she exhists and what she looks like

[silverbird58]

@wizzard1956 go to dearborn musiem or cleveland musiem

[Spiritspast]

I never knew they did this, it's very cool.

Mine is turquoise with white vinyl roof...

love it..

[rustyfender]

i wonder what she looks like today

[Indogyearsimdead]

@rustyfender The same as they did then as they are on permanent display in the Crawford Auto Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

Strange there was no mention of the 66 Lincoln Continental.