CARLISLE, PA – Ford's Thunderbird not only launched the Personal Luxury segment, but several times re-defined it. Through nearly a dozen generations spanning five decades, even the iterations that frankly followed more than led did so with a unique twist. Two-thousand twenty-five marks a bittersweet milestone in the Thunderbird saga: it's been 70 model years since the first two-seaters, and 20 since the last. And so the International Thunderbird Club (ITC) and the Classic Thunderbird Club International (CTCI) joined forces to commemorate the T-Bird in all its variety at this June’s Carlisle Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Unfortunately, while the clubs cooperated, the rain clouds did not. “We had close to 200 cars registered,” said ITC President (and CTCI member) Gerard “Bart” Bartasavich, “but I think people watched the weather and canceled.” Given the predicted rainfall, a turnout of about 125 cars was more than impressive. In fact, the ITC scored fifth of the 55 clubs registered for the Hemmings Club Challenge Award for most cars on the show field.
Thunderbirds occupied parts of five rows in the “yellow” field at the high north end of the fairgrounds, between the Maverick pickups and the big 60s-era Galaxies, and adjacent to the dirt oval where the Virginia Giant team offered monster truck rides. That's a small fraction of the Ford Nat's 3,300-plus cars on 82 acres; still, from either of the club tents it was possible to look north into a rising sea of Thunderbirds.
The two Clubs also collaborated on a Special Display of four exceptional '55-57 “Baby Birds” in Carlisle's Building T. Tom and Susan Mirro's extraordinary '56 was nominated for the 2021 AACA Zenith Award, and features a number of unusual options, including “S-code” custom paint; it is believed to be the only Thunderbird to leave the factory finished in Cinnamon, a color normally reserved for Lincolns.
David M. Berkey's Thunderbird Blue '55 was equipped with all available options when he purchased it for $350 in 1969; it has since been restored to showroom condition and has won major awards from AACA and CTCI. Rick and Jane Losey's Peacock Blue '56 is also well-optioned and has been featured in the Detroit Autorama. The Loseys bought a trailer to bring it to Carlisle from Michigan.
Impressive for different reasons is Richard Stuck's tribute to one of the two “Battlebirds” built by Peter De Paolo for the 1957 Daytona Speed Weeks – specifically, the supercharged Y-block-powered car in which Danny Eames cracked 200 mph in the flying mile, but failed to make the repeat run required for an official time.
Additional Special Display cars sheltered in the ITC and CTCI tents. Tom Young devoted 15 years to restoring his stunning red-over-white 1960 hardtop, which has since collected an ITC Senior Award as well as an AACA Grand National. Eric Bugaile's '67 Landau Coupe is all original. “Those cars don't get a lot of attention,” said Bart, “but since his is in such great condition we made sure he got in.” Kevin Kleinsmith's '85 Fila Edition is a 91,000-mile original and an AACA Senior Award winner. Richard and Bonnie Green's black '55, on the other hand, has been subtly customized – lowered and relieved of its bumper guards and various other trim pieces. “When you look at that car,” said Bart, “the first thing you see is a '55. Then you study it, and it's amazing what he did with it. He does not make it too obvious.” Bart also pointed to the 1990 35th Anniversary Edition SC belonging to Matthew Bruce, and to Debra Weaver's red '65 Hardtop.
Carlisle Productions scheduled two parades for Friday: Galaxies at 1 p.m. and Thunderbirds at 2. “I was told by [Event Manager] Ken Appell there was going to be an exclusive Thunderbird parade,” said Bart, “around the grounds and in front of the grandstands.” But the skies were already darkening around 1:30 when the T-Birds started lining up, and then a few foreboding raindrops quickly cascaded into a pounding downpour. “And I said, 'Look, guys, I don't know if this is going to happen.' So I called Ken and said, 'Ken, it's raining cats and dogs, I'm assuming it's canceled,' and he said , 'It's only canceled if you cancel it. We'll bring up a golf cart and lead them, rain or shine’.”
By 2 o’clock the rain had driven all but a few die-hards into the tents, but nine hardy Thunderbirders lined up anyway for a soggy procession to the grandstands at the heart of the field. At least there they found an audience: The metal roof over the bleachers provided some rare shelter from the storm. “We would have had three times as many cars if it wasn't raining,” said Bart, “but it was fun and they enjoyed it.”
Probably by sheer chance, the parade provided a reasonably representative sampling of Thunderbird's multiple incarnations. Leading was a '63 Limited Edition Landau, number 325 of 2000, an all-original example which Myrna and Steve Wishnick brought all the way from Florida on the Amtrak Auto Train. Immediately behind it Bill Harrington's black '96 LX crouched low over custom wheels, followed by a white '58 hardtop, also lowered on non-stock rims and rumbling like an old-school hot rod. Next came Mary Lou Panzano's red '65 convertible with New Jersey plates reading “TMATO,” then a red '94-95 SC, a white '87-88 Turbo Coupe, Anthony Cicero's dark brown '78, a c.1981 Fox-chassis model – and a pale blue Retro-Bird as an appropriate finale.
Awards at Carlisle are voted by show participants, with each participant receiving a ballot covering a random handful of the Ford Nats' more than 200 classes. More than half are dedicated to every conceivable variety of Mustang, but 10 classes were reserved this year for Thunderbirds.
The biggest winner may have been Nikki Salisbury, who's '56 scored in the '55-57 class; and also first and third in the 1958-63 class with a Rangoon Red M-code (triple-carb) '62 Sports Roadster and a Flamingo Pink '59 convertible, respectively. Nikki's Sports Roadster even elicited a Celebrity Pick from Ryan Hoffman of Harrisburg dealer Hoffman Ford. Marvin Hill's '57 aced the 1955-57 class and David Sullivan's '63 slipped into second in the Squarebird / Bulletbird category.
Brian Bollinger's red '65 Sports Roadster was voted Number One in the '64-66 class, and received a Celebrity Pick from Bart. Two more '65's, belonging to John Bujalski and Marilyn Yager, picked up second and third.
A single class covered 1967-79, won by Steven Manger's '70 Landau Coupe, a real period piece in Pastel Yellow. Richard Grushinski's '76 Big Bird came second, followed by the truly striking “Candyapple” Red '68 Landau Coupe of Martin Anderson. A white '79 T-top belonging to Kerry Wiland earned a Celebrity Pick from Robert Day of the Fairlane Club of America.
Another class covered Fox-platform 'Birds from '80-88, with awards to John Dullea (first-'87) Jose Gonzalez (second-'81) and Trent March (third '85). Turbo Coupes were classed separately, with first-through-third prizes for Bob Free ('88), Steven Mallett ('88). and David Anderson ('88).
MN12's were divided into three classes, with the '97 of Nancy and Rodney Coots scoring first among the atmospherically aspirated models, followed by Mark Chandler's '91 and Eric Hulings' '96. Luis Benevante's '92 was voted best of the '89-92 SC's, with second and third going to Rick Carpenter ('90) and Michael Laughlin ('89). Erik Kuszynski earned a Celebrity Pick from Pat DiPersia of the Super Coupe Club of America; but Robert Floyd's uniquely two-toned '89, with a matching trailer fabricated from the front and rear ends of another Super Coupe, was not unrecognized. Among the final SC's of 1993-95, Nolan Sigethy scored first ('93) while Ralph Graul collected second and third for his '94 and '95, respectively.
In the final class for the last T-Birds of 2002-05, Charles Bucchioni scored first ('03), Ron Davis Second ('03) and Paul & Felicia Rosina third ('02).
“And this year we gave an award to Tony Lake,” said Bart, “who came all the way from Australia. I brought him to the celebrity luncheon with [Carlisle co-owner] Bill Miller and Ken Appell, where they recognized him for coming all that way. He has a wonderful '69 four-door, and I always tell him I'm disappointed that he didn't bring it. So, I usually give him a model car and say, 'Now you can bring a T-Bird with you’.”
Additional ITC activities included dinners Thursday night at the Carlisle Country Inn & Suites, and Saturday night at Marcello's Ristorante & Pizza. For Bart, however, the high point of the meet was the four-car display in Building T. “Those people were ecstatic that we got them to center stage. They all stayed by their cars the whole time, and talked to people about their cars. That is the pinnacle of the Ford Nationals right there.
“It's not just the cars, it's the people.”
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY JOHN F. KATZ
