The 4th Gen T-Bird... [PIC]

DM hit the nail square on the head with this model !

Steve 

I have the entire DM T-Bird collection except for the white square bird.  I know that they were in the planning stages for a 1963 & 1966 when the China issue happened as I was consulting in the background.  I was most familiar with these two model years because my parents bought them both when new and both became my first & second teenage cars.  I have every book published on T-Birds, copies of period articles / reviews on the 1963 & 1966, dealer brochures, as well as the judging criteria for theses two model years.  I am a member of VTCI (Vintage Thunderbird Club International) since I purchased my 1966 convertible back in 2014.  This last year I collected every variation of the 1963 & 1966 T-Bird promo models, plus one beautiful 1967 promo.  This last year I also lost control when some nice 1:18 scale models of 1966 T-Birds were announced and I purchased at least one of every color & body style, a few duplicates just in case (in case what I don't know).  My goal is to find someone who can take a yellow hardtop, remove the top, switch out the hubcaps from another model, so I have a scale copy of my current yellow 1966 T-Bird convertible.  Not sure what I am going to do with the other dozen 1:18 T-Birds but they have made me adjust my closet storage.

More than 25 years ago I bought my first two DM models, the 1955 Olds and the 1962 white T-Bird Roaster.  More than 100 models later, hard to describe my disappointment when DM ended their precision diecast, including their T-Bird collection.  So close to finally having the two model years I wanted most, a 1963 & 1966.

@abaucom 

Your accounts of t-Bird interaction are totally fascinating. If it were me I'd have a tattoo on my right arm: Thunderbird Man

It was great to read your perspective.  I was born in 1952 so my intro and reaction to the various stages of T-Bird design was delayed until the late 50s.  Even as a little kid/car freak I loved the baby Bird (55 & 57 that is...hated the connie on the '56) and was sort of satisfied with the Square Bird design after initially being dismayed by making the mistake of comparing it to the unbeatable, sporty original design.  This all changed however when I set eyes on the new '61; I was amazed by how beautiful it was with a unique look that really appealed to my 9 year old sense of design...lol.  For the two years that followed the minor design changes made it look even better; I loved it then and still do.  Then came the '64 which just did nothing for me at all; the design seemed to me to be coarse compared to the sleek '63; especially the tail end treatment.  This impression never changed through the years, including when I acquired a black '64 HT as part of a real estate deal.  I disliked the car very much and didn't keep it long.  The original '55/'57 design is still my favorite but is followed very closely by the '63.  Each to his own as they say, but our differences make the car hobby all the more interesting.

Today, on the Lounge, I had already replied to another thread regarding my background with T-Birds, so I don't want to repeat much.  Hard not to repeat when a car nut for a particular auto.  Jack, I was born in 1951, and my car passion started in 1955, when I went car shopping with my parents and they bought his & hers 1955 Oldsmobile's.  That was age four and I remember it.  1957, age six, I remember our neighbor Penny, a beautiful red-head, driving me to school in her pink 1957 Bird, top down.  I felt so glamorous, not even knowing what glamorous meant.

Other memories:  After Dad bought our 1963 hardtop, at my age 12-year old urging, later next door neighbor bought a new 1964 T-Bird hardtop in a most beautiful color that was slightly pinkish metallic with white interior.  When I lived in Canada had a good friend who had restored a beautiful white 1964 T-Bird hardtop w/white interior.  T-Bird guys help each other and this friend helped me with my power window issues which I am always going to be grateful.  If I had unlimited funds, the one car I would buy is the 1963 T-Bird Roadster.  I love my 1966 T-Bird convertible, so underwater what I have spent on this car to make it perfect, but a rare 1963 Roadster would be the ultimate.

I recall, in taking photos for the DM review, that the pics looked more like a 1:1 than far more of the others did. The pics had to fit our database, so I went for sharpness and that gave the model a nice depth to it. A couple examples:

I would like to point out one detail on the DM 1965 T-Bird convertible that I think was exceptional.  In 1965 & 1966, T-Bird tire selections where: Blackwall's, thin Whitewalls, Red-band Whitewalls.  These red-band whitewall tires were only offered as an option on 1965-66 T-Birds.  DM got it correct with these red-band whitewall tires.

I have a 1966 T-Bird conv. and documents indicate it came from the factory with the optional red-band whitewalls.  The previous owner had these tires made in bias-ply, factory reproductions.  I had the tires reproduced looking like factory bias-ply, factory correct red-band whitewalls but made in radials.  Switching from bias-ply tires to radials on my 1966 car made driving it more enjoyable.  My car still has what looks like the factory correct red-band whitewall tires .

great post gents. Best ever 1/24 interior?

@abaucom You'd need almost unlimited funds. That Sports Roadster M-Code (390 cid w/ 3X2 bbl) was just one of 37 built. Even the 'standard' Sports Roadster was just one of 455 built. Last M-Code Roadster sold for $151,250.

Posted by: @geoff-jowett

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great post gents. Best ever 1/24 interior?

One of them, for sure!

This 65 T-Bird is what started my collection, my first DM model I was looking at 1:1 T-birds for sale, this model was next best thing..... love it...