Thunderbirds last shot at Corvette

[Walter F.]

I can always remember the little two seater Thunderbird being matched up by Ford against the Corvette. When duel 4 bbls were put on the Corvette in 56 Ford also followed with the 312 with duel 4bbls. When Chevrolet came out with the Fuelie Ford supercharged the 312 to the tune of 300HP. Then came the square bird in 58 and it seemed like the battle of the two seater cars was over for good. Then in 59 Ford put the massive 430 Lincoln engine in the Thunderbird almost won the daytona 500 and posted 0 to 60 times of 7 seconds with 15.6 quater mile times and a top speed of 130. Anyone know what kind of times the 1960 Corvette was doing at the drag strip in stock factory form?

[Paul J.]

Re: Thunderbirds last shot at Corvette

Walter, Google "Corvette vs Thunderbird" there's a lot of material there.

We Corvette lovers owe Ford a lot for miscalculating Chevy's commitment to the Corvette and producing the two seater Thunderbird.

Paul

[Bill M.]

Re: Thunderbirds last shot at Corvette

Then in 59 Ford put the massive 430 Lincoln engine in the Thunderbird almost won the daytona 500 and posted 0 to 60 times of 7 seconds with 15.6 quater mile times and a top speed of 130. Anyone know what kind of times the 1960 Corvette was doing at the drag strip in stock factory form?

SCI got 6.6, 14.9 at 98 and 125top speed from a '59 290 FI 4 speed, 4.11
R&T got 6.6, 14.5 at 96 and 128 top speed from a '59 290 FI 4 speed, 4.11

A neighbor had a 430 square bird and he was interested in running our '59 (290, 4speed, 4.11), but we never did. Guess I should have...for pinks!