| Ford Division
Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan |
| Engine |
360-hp, 429
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
3-speed automatic |
| Steering |
Power-assisted |
| Suspension |
Standard |
| Brakes |
Disc F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Good |
| Noise Insulation |
Excellent |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Good |
| Shift Smoothness |
Very
Good |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Very
Good |
| Response |
Fair |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Good |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Poor |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Very
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Very
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Good |
| Driving Position |
Poor |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Fair |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Fair |
| General |
| Vision |
Good |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Very
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Fair |
|
The Thunderbird is
a gadgeteer's delight, substituting all kinds of switches, dials,
levers, louvres, and little electric motors for the more fundamental
virtues of a good automobile. It's a car for middle-aged men
who still read Popular Science. The
T-Bird exudes more image per cubic inch than any other car
on the road. And for '68 it's got more cubic inches than ever.
A 390 V-8 is standard, but the '68 T-Bird's claim to technical
fame is the fact that it is the sole receptacle of Ford's
brand new 429 cu. in. V-8.
The original T-Bird started the
bucket seat fad, and, curiously, 13 years later, the T-Bird
comes with a bench seat as standard equipment. The list of
options is endless, from bucket seats to cornering lights
to fiber-optic light monitors (both are better ideas from
GM) to a power trunk lid release, swing-away steering wheel,
a fiendishly complicated speed control device, an extra set
of brake lights mounted in the rear window, a light panel
to warn of all kinds of malfunctions, and a 4-note horn, to
normal options like air conditioning and 6-way power seats
(the driving position is abominable without it).
Maybe we shouldn't be so hard
on the poor old Thunderbird. Maybe we should try to understand
the car and the people who buy it. Maybe... |
