How Thunderbird Concepts Got Started

Have you ever wondered how we got started with Thunderbird Concepts?
I bring this up because I always wonder how people get started with
their unique business. I don't want to bore you with the long story,
so I decided to keep the story of how Thunderbird Concepts
started short and sweet.

Our obsession and craze with the "retro bird" started in 2001
when we saw the 2002 Ford Thunderbird prototype at the
International Auto Show in Las Vegas. This new Thunderbird
was really quite revolutionary at this time because it was the
start of a new fad in car design. Everybody jumped on the
retro-redesign car design thing. I thought that Ford
really nailed it with this "retro reissue redesign".
It was a mirror reflection of the best Tbirds...
the 1955-57's! (in my opinion... although the 62 was really nice too)
I just could not stop looking at the new Tbird.... I probably
looked at it for a good 4 hours... no kidding.
I knew right then that I needed to get the
new Ford Thunderbird.

My partners and I decided to pre-order the new Tbird in
2001 at about $20,000 over sticker price. (not the best
move at the time, you could say. But it was worth
it to us)

I then decided on duplicating the "Roadster Tonneau"
that you saw on the 1962 Ford Thunderbird. This was a huge
project that took a lot of time, money, and energy. So,
to make a long story short.... a year later we had the
fully functional two-piece roadster tonneau that
required no modification to the Tbird. We have
been selling them all along and have continually added
new and exciting products to our product line over the years
to form what Thunderbird Concepts is today. Have you
ever heard the expression; "do what you love and
you will never work a day in your life". Ok, I'm not going
to lie and say it's not work, but it sure is a
fun job that we enjoy doing on a daily basis. We
wouldn't have it any other way. Tbird owners are always
positive because the Tbird is their pride and joy.
We get to talk with Tbird owners every day about how
fun and exciting it is to cruise around, modify, and play
with their Tbird. That's why it is a fun and positive
"job" for us here at Thunderbird Concepts. We look
forward to many more years of adding new and
exciting accessories and stories to our website.
Thanks for listening to the story of our humble
beginnings. I hope you enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed your story about how you got started with Thunderbird Concepts, starting with just one product and now has grown to many.

I, too, was impressed the first time that I saw the first 2002 Thunderbird at the International Car Show in Salt Lake City. It was on a turntable, and I think I stood there, for what seemed like 2 hours, knowing that I would probably never own one, but it was fun to dream!

In the spring of 2004, we were in Portland for the Portland Auto Sweep Meet. On our last day there, as we drove out of town, we drove past a Ford dealership, and I always like looking at new Fords, so we went into the showroom, and there was a 2004 Pacific Coast Roadster. Both my wife and I fell in love with that car, but figured that we could never afford it. But on the drive home we kept talking about that car.

After we got home we attended a car show in Moab, Utah and a man there had the James Bond edition and a Pacific Coast Roadster. He told me that if I was serious about buying one, that I should do so soon, because they were difficult to find. I got on the internet and was able to look at the inventory of all the Ford dealers in Utah. And lo, and behold, a Ford Dealer within 8 miles of our home listed the only Pacific Coast Roadster in Utah. My wife and I both went to the dealership and I told them that I wanted to see their Thunderbirds. They said that they only had 2 of them—a red one and a maroon one. I told them they should also have a light green one, according to their inventory listed on the internet, so I asked if we could look and see if we could find it. The salesman said to go ahead and look. At the back of the lot—dirty and dusty—was a Pacific Coast Roadster. When I told him about it he was surprised. I told him that I was interested in buying the car, if they could give me a good deal. I explained to him that the car is a limited edition car. He said, “I don’t care, I just want to know if you want to buy it-- all the Thunderbirds are on sale for $6000 off the list price. After a couple of days, we ended up buying the car.

About 2 weeks later, the dealership called and told us we were right, that it is a limited edition car, and that they had had several other dealers calling and offering to pay several thousand dollars over list price, if they still had the car.

We felt like that car was meant to be ours. We have used it mostly for trips and have really enjoyed the car! It has 8,000 miles on it now.

John Linebaugh (Feb 1st 2008)

I just thought I would pass along how I got my 2002 T bird. I was at an Classic Thunderbird Club International convention in Chicago in July of 2000. Ford had a black Promo model with all red interior. I was smitten. I owned a red 55 T Bird However it was not the most comfortable to drive long distances. When I got home to Minnesota, I went to the Ford dealer and ordered one and put down a deposit. And I waited. No news on when I would get it. Several were delivered in the area in Sept of 01 but no news on mine. The end of March of 02 the dealer received a build date for my car. Then I worried about what I would have to pay for the car. I heard all the stories of what some dealers were charging. On top of it, I did not even have a contract for the sale just a receipt for my deposit. April 24th it all came together and I paid for my 02 T bird at invoice price.

I have enjoyed Driving it everywhere. I made several trips to the east coast. And it currently has over 67,000 miles on it. I guess I can hope that Ford will make it again. This time I hope the do a better job on the design like they did on the latest Mustang.

Thanks for your interesting comments.

Dave Trucksess 8-15-08

I would like to thank you for the e-mail with the companies history, it was very interesting to me, it shows that you truly love what you do. (and you make other people happy by doing it) I first fell in love with a 1957 T-bird, it belonged to my first date, it was a blind date, he was not much but I SURE liked his car. It has been my dream car for many, many, many years. When it was reissued in 2002 I thought that possibly I might finally get my car.

Well many more years went by and it was never parked in my garage. I have to admit I have had some relatively nice cars in the past, ( my hubby is a real car man so he always makes sure I have a nice car to drive) but my dream car never seemed to be one of them. Then one day as I was driving to work and HARK there on the front of a car lot was a beautiful black BIRD. I got to work and looked it up online and there was no info on it so I called my husband and asked him if he would just go and look at it.

In a very short time it was sitting in front of my office for me to inspect, well the minute I opened the door and saw the red and black interior I was really hooked. ( I guess he could tell, my finger could not be pried off the handle) Well to make a long story short (or at least a little short) I now have my dream car and everytime I get in it to drive to work it makes me smile. I should tell you that my husband is a GM guy and I never thought it possible that he would purchase any kind of Ford product, well he not only purchased it he loves it almost as much as I do, although he does ask for permission to drive it.

In closing I would like to thank you for a place that I can find the finishing touches for my little Ebony Bird. Keep up the good work.

This Is How Thunderbird Concepts Got Started