
And just for fun, we're tossing in winning models from Lincoln and Mercury. Chevrolet leads in wins, including extended family brands, with 1,126.Īs for who's leading the Ford pack, here's a list:Īnd, following is a rundown of every Ford model that's made it to victory lane in the Cup Series. Toss in wins for Ford divisions Lincoln and Mercury, and Ford's win total in Cup is 800.
1969 thunderbird race car series#
It was also the first win in the series for a Ford division. Technically speaking, and we love asterisks, Ford's success in NASCAR Cup Series started with Jim Roper's win in a Lincoln (model unknown) at Charlotte in 1949 and came in the first race in what is now the NASCAR Cup Series. That 1950 race marked Florian's only win in the series.
1969 thunderbird race car drivers#
Forian was the first of 85 drivers to win races for Ford. Jimmy Florian scored Ford's first NASCAR Cup win at Dayton (Ohio) Speedway in 1950.

23 was significant not only in that Harvick clinched the first seed for NASCAR's upcoming playoffs, the win also put Ford into racing's 700-win club for manufacturers, joining rival Chevrolet (790). It is intended that by the time of the auction the car will be in running condition, however as with any car that has not been driven in a number of years we would recommend that the car is fully serviced before regular road use.Kevin Harvick's win in a Ford Mustang in the Drydene 311 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover on Aug. It is intended that by the time of the auction the car will be in running condition, however, as with any car that has not been driven in a number of years we would recommend that the car is fully serviced before regular road use.Īnd windows, a Town & Country radio and a black convertible top. The names Barrett-Jackson,, Fantasy Bid, The Worlds Greatest Collector Car. The Thunderbird comes with electric seats and windows, a Town & Country radio and a black convertible top. Rides on 17 American Racing wheels and 55 Series tires. While there is a fair amount of road dirt and grime on the undercarriage, the bodywork generally appears very sound. There is a little surface rust on items where the steel has been exposed to the elements such as the exhaust manifolds and master cylinder. Despite having been stored in an unheated garage for the past few years, the car does not seem to have suffered very much. A prior owner of the car owned a golf club in New Jersey and we believe he restored the car. The current owner took possession of the car in a settlement in 1995 and the car has been laid up since this time. This, Fordistas know, is the engine that elbowed the 410hp, W-code. Another option, however, was the new N-code V-8, with 429 cubic inches and 360hp. Yes, a bench seat became standard, indicating where this class of car was headed. Also during this year the hardtop became available with a porthole as a no extra cost option.Īt the time of going to press very little history was known about this Thunderbird. In 1968, the Thunderbird looked to be moving in two directions at once. Other identifying features were a small rectangular air vent mounted just ahead of the door, a recessed steering wheel and a hood medallion with wings. The price of the Thunderbird Landau Sedan started at 5,026 (about 37,700 today), making it the most expensive 1969 Ford-badged sedan available in North America. The universal appeal of the styling made the Thunderbird an instant success and the 1955 model out-sold the more expensive Corvette by 24 to 1! With European style and American comfort, convenience and go, it was no wonder the Thunderbird proved to be irresistible.įor 1956 the Thunderbird featured a rear mounted Continental tire kit as standard equipment and in order to reach the fuel filler this had to be tilted. The Thunderbird design incorporated Ford features found on other models to create a product recognition with the hope of encouraging sales of other Ford cars as well. Ford knew that the two-seater V8 was going to attract a wider audience than the Corvette's racing/performance oriented market.


Although it had the same wheelbase (102in.) as its rival, the Thunderbird was designed to be more practical and luxurious than GM's Corvette. The classic Thunderbird was introduced in 1955 and was Ford's response to the Chevrolet Corvette. 1956 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE WITH REMOVABLE HARDTOPĮngine: V8, overhead valve, 272ci., 176bhp at 4,400rpm Gearbox: Ford-O-Matic three-speed Suspension: independent front, solid rear axle Brakes: hydraulic servo-assisted drums.
