Ford Thunderbird: 1961 – 1963 “Bullet Birds”

Following up two consecutive record breaking sales years was is no easy task for anyone. In an attempt to follow up with the Thunderbirds popularity the 1961 Bullet Bird brought about a couple of key firsts for the auto industry as a whole.

The 1961 model included notable first’s such as a “Swing Away” steering wheel and a floating rear view mirror, which has become commonplace in most automobiles today. Along with these interesting additions the 1961 model adopted a sleek style in front that resembled a bullet, hence the “Bullet Bird” nickname. Many options such as power brakes and power steering were made standard.

Sales didn’t increase over the previous two record breaking models, but sales continued to stay strong with production in the range of roughly 74,000. Over 10,000 convertibles were sold.

Notable public appearances for the Bullet Bird include being used as the Indianapolis 500 pace car and as the car for John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade.

1962 saw the inclusion of another limited production version of the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird Sports Roadster was born. Many different options that weren’t available in the standard Bullet bird were included such as special badges on the fenders, a grab bar on the front dashboard, and specially designed wire wheels. An interesting inclusion was a fiberclass cover that made the back seat look like it was a 2-seater. Less than 1500 Roadsters were made. A special M Model was also specially designed. Possibly one of the most limited Thunderbirds ever produced with only 120 produced.

1962 also saw the Landau model which boasted S-bars and a vinyl roof. The vinyl roof would continue to be a prominent feature in Thunderbirds for the next two decades.

Sales stayed strong throughout 1962 with total production coming in at over 78,000. A little under 10,000 convertibles were produced.

1963 brought about minimum change. Power door locks and am/fm radio were included in this model. The Landau continued to sell well with over 12,000 sold.

A special Limited Edition “Principality of Monaco” Landau model was also produced. This white car boasted a white interior with a decidedly customized feel to it. Inside the car was personalized with the owner’s name and the number 2,000 to represent the number of models it sold. Contrary to popular belief the T-Bird did not get renamed as the Lincoln Continental, although the styles reflected were relatively similar.

With no major introductions in the production of the car, sales slipped to a little over 63,000 Units. Only 6,000 convertibles were sold.

The years of the Bullet Birds marked intriguing introductions and surprising industry firsts. Some of them stuck and others were discontinued. Still the popularity of Thunderbirds remained strong and continued to expand into the next generation of T-Birds.