THE VILLAGES, Fla. – The Central Florida Classic Thunderbird Club chose “Florida’s Friendliest Home Town” to play host to the Reginal Touring Convention of the Classic Thunderbird Club International (CTCI) last fall in The Villages, Florida. The Brownwood Hotel, Spa & Convention Center served as the epicenter for six days of celebrating two-seat Ford Thunderbirds from across the nation. Taking place from October 24 through the 29, the event included judges training, seminar speakers, a guided trolley tour of The Villages, a cruise to the Eisenhower Recreation Center, a “Welcome to The Villages” party, a tour of the Dezerland Classic Cars collection, a membership meet & greet, a tour of Warne Wubker’s Street of Dreams, a Premier Boat tour, a “Cruise The Town Square” night, a swap meet, driving tour to National Parts Depot and the Don Garlits Museum, plus formal CTCI show car judging and the requisite awards banquet.

This convention marked the first time ever that the CTCI had allowed all two-seat Thunderbird convertibles – the 1955, ’56 and ’57 classics as well as the 2002-05 “Retro Birds” – to be displayed together and eligible for awards. As we expected, longtime Shelby and Thunderbird enthusiast (and SAAC-MCR club founder) Jeff Burgy attended convention with his camera and took lots of photos during the show. Jeff sent us a collection of shots, and we picked some of our favorites to share with you in the gallery below:

FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY JEFF BURGY