![]() ![]() ![]() The 1970-71 “beaked” cars have all but disappeared and the quirky four-door is now quite rare in either series, meaning they both stand out on today’s roads. They are heavier and thirstier than their predecessors, which makes the driving dynamics best suited to cruising. The cars don’t have the elegance of the first gen T-Birds, or the atomic styling of the “Bullet Bird” era, but they do have an interesting look that has aged quite well. This era of Ford Thunderbird can still be purchased quite reasonably. As the last of the line, few changes were made. The 1971 model year saw the last of this generation of T-Bird, with the 1972 car becoming upsized. Body styles remained the same and motors ranged from 390 cid to 429 cid. Sales slid to below 50,000 for the first time since recession-sick 1958.įor 1970, the Thunderbird got received a new body shell that was longer and lower, with a projecting beak in the center of the grille, and full-width inverted “U” taillights. The 1969 T-Birds were the last to use this body with a few detail changes, including more people opting for buckets seats. Overall, sales dipped slightly to below where they were at for the 1966 model year, at 64,391 units. Thunderbirds were little changed for 1968, though the 429-cid, 360-hp Thunderjet engine was added to the options list and the 427-cid engines were dropped. Engines ranged from 275- and 315-hp 390-cid V-8s, through two high-performance motors of 427-cid, offering 410 and 425 hp, up to the 428-cid, 345-hp Thunderbird Special. All of the new Thunderbirds were longer and heavier than the preceding model, with full-width grilles, hidden headlights, and full-width taillights. The Landau models had a vinyl roof and a decorative bar dressing up the C-pillar. In addition to the four-door Landau sedan, a two-door coupe and Landau coupe were also offered. Ford sold nearly 10,000 more Thunderbirds in 1967 than it did in 1966. Despite what purists must have thought, the move was an attempt to broaden the car’s appeal and sell more units, which was easily accomplished. Underneath, the car began to utilize body-on-frame construction instead of a unibody setup. Even more drastic, the company dropped the convertible from the Thunderbird lineup for the first time. Added to the T-Bird range this year was a four-door sedan model, with forward opening “suicide” rear doors, which included part of the roof. ![]() History of the 1967-1971 Ford Thunderbird:įord took a bold step in redesigning the Thunderbird in 1967. If not, then disregard this statement.71: Los Angeles (D.S.O. Otherwise, if you are building a new performance engine, you may need a different length pushrod. (Incidentally, I am assuming this is a stock engine with OEM parts. IF the cam is not at it's base curcle, final tension is forcing the intake valve to open and the pushrod must endure the preload.Īlso, it may be necessary for your hydraulic lifters to bleed off, so if you are at the base circle of the cam, AND have the stock pushrods (8.673")/valve train, AND the bolt still won't bottom, then just leave it where it is and walk away for fifteen minutes and check afterwards to see if the lifter has bled down.then you may continue tightening. You cannot just throw the valve train on and then randomly start tightnening bolts, or indeed, you can bend pushrods. However, the rocker arm mechanism that is being installed must have it's cam lobe at the base circle. Assemble the valve train and when the rocker nut botttoms/hits the shoulder, you just torque to 18-20 foot pounds. You just screw it together and you're done.sort of. Your 429 Thunderjet came from the factory with non-adjustable positive stop rocker arms and valve train. This ain't no chebby nor are the valves adjusted in the manner that the chebby is. I just don't understand why I keep reading that the 68 429 thunderjet engine has non-adjustable valves and when I bottomed out the self-locking nut, boy my pushrods bent like crazy.
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