1980-1982 Ford Thunderbird
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Tbird_1980.jpg
The 1980 Thunderbird was a unibody car, weighing 800 lb (363 kg) less than the 1979 model, and was 17 in. (432 mm) shorter. It was also more aerodynamic than the 1977–1979 series, and as a result had better gas mileage.
The Box Birds were not well received by the general public, and were considered by many to be only a Ford Fairmont with Thunderbird styling. Mercury's own version of this car was the Cougar. The Box Birds possesed a unique body style that was all their own, were luxuriously appointed, and fuel efficient for their size. The six cylinder models were known to get up to 30 US mpg.
The 1980–1982 Thunderbirds offered flip-up headlights, and were the only Fox-body cars to have them. Digital instrumentation was also available, along with a variety of trim packages from which to choose. Though somewhat underpowered, they drove well, could easily keep pace with traffic on the open road, and offered considerable luxury in their size class.
Power was somewhat scarce due to the new emissions control laws coming into effect in the late 1970s. A quick breakdown of the available powerplants by year is as follows:
- 2.3 L (140 in³) 4 cylinder (1980–1982) - 88 hp (66 kW)
- 2.3 L (140 in³) 4 cylinder (1980–1982) - 147 hp (110 kW)
- 3.3 L (200 in³) 6 cylinder (1980–1982) - 88 hp (66 kW)
- 4.2 L (255 in³) V8 (1980–1982) - 120 hp (89 kW)
- 5.0 L (302 in³) V8 (1980) - 157 hp (117 kW)
See also
- Ford Thunderbird main article
External links
- Thunderbird Registry forums for all generations (http://forums.tbirdregistry.com/)
- T-Bird Ranch picture page (http://www.tbirdranch.com/8082specific.html)