1960 Ford Thunderbird

Marketed as a spacious, luxurious boulevardier, the Thunderbird was introduced in 1955 in response to the Chevrolet Corvette, which had been launched two years earlier. A luxurious car in the day with optional power windows and a removable hardtop, the 1955 T-bird found 16,155 buyers compared to a mere 674 for the Corvette, which was almost discontinued due to poor sales. Available only through the 1957 model year, the two-seat Thunderbird was transformed into a four-seater for 1958 to improve marketability. Temporarily discontinued after 1998, the Thunderbird was reintroduced for 2001 as a two-place personal car that embodied the spirit of the well-remembered original version.

Ford began offering the Thunderbird with a range of motors in 1957 with the introduction of the E-Code dual 4-barrel carburetor on the 312 CID V8 and the F-code supercharged V8. The large V8s were still reserved for the more upmarket Lincolns.

The four-seat 1958 through 1960 Thunderbird was known as the 'Square Bird' and it combined both luxury and sportiness. The styling of the 1960 Thunderbird was similar to the two prior model years, with the addition of a new grille, minor trim changes, and triple taillight clusters. The 352 cubic-inch V8 engine delivering 300 horsepower was standard, and just 377 examples were fitted with the optional J-Code, 430 cubic-inch 'Thunderbird Special' V8 engine. This optional power unit, also known as the 'MEL' engine, was initially a Lincoln option, becoming optional on the Thunderbird in 1959. Its 350 horsepower was certainly impressive but it was the incredible 490 pound-feet of torque that provided startling performance.

For 1960, the Thunderbird was available as a hardtop, a hardtop with an optional sliding sunroof, and the convertible.

Despite the painful recessionary environment of 1958 and 1959, the second-generation Thunderbird was very successful due to its classic good looks, drivability, and comfort. Motor Trend awarded the 1958 Thunderbird its 'Car of the Year' award.

Ford built a total of 92,843 examples of the Square Bird in 1960, with 11,860 being convertibles.