1972 Ford Thunderbird 429 cu.in 4 bbl
Summary:
The car of cars
Faults:
Replaced lower ball joints, control arm bushings and tie rod ends when purchased.
Transmission had severe leak and required rebuild.
Replaced other items such as brakes, hoses and belts, water pump, radiator, battery, starter and alternator during ownership.
Body had prematurely rusted and very severely.
Rebuilt engine mysteriously lost a connecting rod one night without warning.
Most performance problems were due to carburetor faults and several rebuilt distributors that seemed to wear quickly.
Windshield wipers had an annoying chatter and fixes lasted only a few months.
General Comments:
The epitome of the personal luxury car.
The car was beautifully styled and was a head turner, with its dark green metalic finish and vinyl top that was simulated aligator skin. Very sleek lines and its low cut roof made it appear to have had a custom "chop job"
There was plenty of room for the front passengers, the car was extremely quiet, very smooth ride and the power steering was totally effortless.
The performance was adequate for a 1970 era car with a "smog" engine although older, pre emission controlled models had much better performance.
The car was reliable, started easiest on the coldest Canadian mornings.
Most of the trouble experienced with this car is attributed to the neglect and outright abuse of the previous owners boyfriend. Not much could be done to easily repair the severeley rusted body, and by 1983 it was sent to the scrap yard after giving its engine to my next car.
There were chronic carburetor problems, mainly with blockage and the slightest wear or misalignment of its linkage would render both the choke and secondary stage of the carburetor inoperable. When it worked, the car had exceptional performance. Carburetor problems were finally resolved by retrofitting a Rochester 4 bbl from a GM product. An electronic ignition system for later model versions of the engine was installed and problems caused by the ignition points not holding adjustment were eliminated.
This would be a wonderful nostalgia car to put back into production especially with today's advances in rust resistance and fuel saving technology.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 12th February, 2004
17th Oct 2012, 05:10
Hi, I have to say that I agree with you, the 1972 Ford Thunderbird is the most beautiful car ever made, along with the 1963 Buick Riviera, 1966 and 1967 Buick Riviera, 1971 and 1972 Oldsmobile Toronado, and 1971 Ford Thunderbird.
These cars had a certain ambiance about them, which cannot be matched in cars of today. I think that SUVs are ugly, and so are Hummers. I do not understand why cars like the 1972 Ford Thunderbird are not resurrected and used today for common use. After all, people use Hummers, and the 1972 Ford Thunderbird is much more handsome than a Hummer.
I am looking for a 1971 or 1972 Ford Thunderbird in mint condition, preferably dark green or burgundy.
The reason I like these cars is because they are very handsome and easy to repair.
I know that not many Thunderbirds were made in 1971 or 1972, due to it being a limited production model, hence a brand new Thunderbird in 1972 would have cost about one thousand pounds more than an LTD of that year. However, the 1972 Ford LTD is also a very handsome car, and I might purchase one of those if the 1972 Thunderbird is too rare.
7th Sep 2006, 16:24
The 1972 Ford Thunderbird is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. However, not many were made in that year and they are getting harder to come by.