Nelson worked on an illustration with Marty Kallman, a studio designer then considered the best at drawing people and background. They decided to make a really great illustration of their proposal and present it to George Walker, head of the Styling Center, to hang on his office wall. Clever PloyĪlthough Kaufman and Nelson were disappointed, Nelson suggested a ploy Ned Nichols, his old boss at GM, had used to get his pet projects noticed.
Oros listened, then told Kaufman the project was done without authorization, to stop work on it, and to destroy the model.
When Oros returned, Kaufman showed the model to him and explained how it worked. So they made a fully detailed and painted small clay model of their proposal. Joe Oros was on vacation at the time, and Kaufman and Nelson knew they would have to have it done by the time he returned because it wasn’t an authorized project. Kaufman thought it was a great idea, so Nelson made a full-sized tape drawing of it. Nelson then told Kaufman one way to solve the problem was to cover the back seat with a fiberglass panel to create the illusion the 4-passenger Thunderbird was really a 2-passenger vehicle. They both thought there was still a market for a 2-passenger Thunderbird. After listening to the complaints of other designers, Kaufman and Nelson were themselves bemoaning the demise of the two-seater Thunderbird. Kaufman and Nelson got along well and had worked together before. Ken Nelson was the senior designer in the studio.
In June 1961, Boyer was reassigned, and Bud Kaufman became the Thunderbird studio manager. Designers in the Thunderbird studio were also upset because everybody had given up on the 2-passenger Thunderbird. Those letters continued with the ’61 Thunderbird. was receiving letters from fans bemoaning the demise of the two-passenger Thunderbird. It has also been documented by the Vintage Thunderbird Club International.Design of the 1961 Thunderbird Sports RoadsterĪlmost immediately after production of the ’58 Thunderbird began, Ford Motor Co. It has the factory gray plaid trunk trim and fender skirts, and was retrofitted with a Sports Roadster tonneau cover. It has VIN 1Y73Z137951, and the original engine, C1AE6015C. The car has been restored and refinished in the correct Indy Gold color (Rinshed Mason J56949) and has a black vinyl interior. The odometer of Natarus’ 1961 Thunderbird indicates it has gone just 69,645 miles. The sixth is Tim Natarus’ Wisconsin-based car featured here. Two other surviving cars are in Indiana, one is in Arkansas and another is believed to be in Iowa. The remains of the Tarnutzer car are believed to survive, and the possibility exists that it might be rebuilt. Tarnutzer collected Indy 500 cars and memorabilia and exhibited his collection at his former car museum in Wisconsin Dells. The documented Indy 500 1961 Thunderbird Festival Car destroyed by fire was in a blaze that devastated the Dick Tarnutzer collection in Lake Mills, Wis., in December 1999. Ford provided a total of 34 convertibles for the race, which included a single official Pace Car, an alternate Pace Car and 32 Indy 500 Festival Cars. was sponsoring the 1961 Indy 500, Thunderbird pace cars were fitted with that brand of tire. On Indy 500 Festival cars such as Natarus’ Thunderbird, white convertible tops set off a special shade of gold metallic paint.
#1961 THUNDERBIRD FULL#
Other Thunderbird equipment was comprised of full wheel covers an air cleaner five black 8.00 x 14 tubeless tires Cruise-O-Matic transmission power brakes power steering two-speed electric windshield wipers undercoating safety belt anchors coat hooks a parking brake lamp a glove box lamp an ash tray lamp back-up lamps and a fully lined and illuminated luggage compartment. The interior featured a “Lifeguard” padded instrument panel and cushioned sun visors an electric clock with sweep second hand automatic courtesy lights turn signals a deep-center steering wheel with a horn ring individually adjustable front seats a Safety-Swivel day/night tilt-type mirror double-grip door locks built-in armrests floor carpets full-width foam rubber seats all-vinyl upholstery and ashtray and a cigar lighter. Standard equipment on ’61 Thunderbirds included a 300-hp, 390-cid V-8 with dual exhaust, a fuel filter and an oil filter.
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