Many Thunderbird buyers were asking for two seats in the back, so they could show their vehicle off to more passengers, so a four-seater model was developed. Despite the immediate success of the small classic car, Ford product planners realized early that design changes would need to be made. The Thunderbird was created to fill a need for a personal car in the American automotive market during the early 1950s. The 1964 models were the fourth in the Thunderbird line to be completely redesigned.ġ964 Thunderbird ad featuring the interior (Robert Tate Collection) Some automotive historians have referred to the 1964 Thunderbirds as the sculptured look because of its side view design. Thunderbird offered the consumer a longer hood and a shorter roofline that most consumers had admired. The all new Ford Thunderbird was completely restyled for the 1964 model year. Images courtesy of the Robert Tate Collection/Ford Motor Company Archivesġ964 Ford Thunderbird Landau (Robert Tate Collection)

By Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher

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