1978 Thunderbird?

[wrecker388]

I`m wanting to build one ,my parents have the car and told me i could have it,wanting a kit to get idea of what looks good... One of the land boats like this

[wrecker388]

if not i`ll try to scratch build,mostly square so shouldn't be all that hard

[JamesW]

The only one that exists is a Lindberg 1/32 and they're very hard to find. I've been wanting one in 1/24-25 cuz my first car was a 78.

[Chuck Most]

There's the body style before this, and the one after (the first Fox body variant) exists as a NASCAR stocker, but not a '78. Wouldn't mind having one myself in 1:24 or 1:25. I've never even seen this body done as a resin body for a NASCAR model, which kind of suprises me.

[dimaxion]

Any survey I see from a Model Maker , this is my first request . I am in for three . A three in one to be exact . All three years of this one :'77 - '78 - '79 . A '78 is what I owned , 1:1 . Great car . Thanx ..

[kevin]

i would cast one if someone can master it

[Nick W.]

I would love to have its cousin in a vintage 79! Xr-7 to be exact like mine! So i can add the little details to make it japanese!

[MrObsessive]

A while back on this board this particular car came up, along with the 1977-79 Lincoln Continental Mark V. Someone posted a link to another board that showed a fellow doing a master of the Mark V, and in the background------there was a master for a VERY well done '77-'78 T-Bird.

The Mark V was very well done too as a matter of fact!

I wish I could have saved the link, but unfortunately I didn't, nor can I remember the fellow who made the master or what message board it was on. I don't think he's a member of this one.

Anyone out there remember this thread??

I too would LOVE to see a resin (or even a full kit) of this car, as this was one of my favorites from my end of high school days back then. I was tickled when Ford first came out with the '77 as the previous one was WAY to big and bloated for what it was.

[wrecker388]

There's the body style before this, and the one after (the first Fox body variant) exists as a NASCAR stocker, but not a '78. Wouldn't mind having one myself in 1:24 or 1:25. I've never even seen this body done as a resin body for a NASCAR model, which kind of suprises me.

They weren't NASCAR's ,Torino`s were.

[Edsel-Dan]

Not in 81 they weren't using Torinos.

The 81 T-Bird IS a Nascar kit Only.

Otaki/Arii still occasionally offers the 72+ 'Bird kit. But as a Japanese market only

kit, it is rather expensive here.

[Dave Van]

MCW does a NASCAR resin 77-78 Thunderbird. And as Cup cars of this era are very close to stock...start with that. Add a chassis from a JoHan or AMT 1972 NASCAR Gran Torino stock car kit and all you will need to build is an interior. I have one part finished but stalled for a while now. The Lindberg 1/32 is junk....way off in all details....I know I have it.

You may be able to source a few interior parts from a Model King AMT 71 Bird....they are still out there.....contact MK if you need one.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Dave Van

[Chuck Most]

Not in 81 they weren't using Torinos.

The 81 T-Bird IS a Nascar kit Only.

Otaki/Arii still occasionally offers the 72+ 'Bird kit. But as a Japanese market only

kit, it is rather expensive here.

That '72 is also WAY overscale- it's listed as 1:24, but it's a bit closer to 1:20-ish.

[charlie8575]

Talk about a missing in action model.

I would like to see one of these in 1/25, too. I always thought these were nicely-styled, well-proportioned cars.

Charlie Larkin

Edited June 9, 2012 by charlie8575

[wrecker388]

Not in 81 they weren't using Torinos.

The 81 T-Bird IS a Nascar kit Only.

Otaki/Arii still occasionally offers the 72+ 'Bird kit. But as a Japanese market only

kit, it is rather expensive here.

'78 T-birds were`nt NASCAR's Torino's were in 78 , in '81 they were using Thunderbird's but the body style had changed in '79

[gray07]

Got this picture from my sister, would love to build this in model form.

[Edsel-Dan]

Bobby Allison drove Bud Moore's 77 T-Bird, Not Torino!!

the other mag showed one of the Lindberg 1/32 scale built as the Nascar!!

[Junkman]

Every time I suggest something like this, I get shouted down.

I even made a fake box art for it.

[wrecker388]

Bobby Allison drove Bud Moore's 77 T-Bird, Not Torino!!

the other mag showed one of the Lindberg 1/32 scale built as the Nascar!!

Never had seen one,sorry lol

[wrecker388]

Every time I suggest something like this, I get shouted down.

I even made a fake box art for it.

I love that box art! We just got my 1:1 car out today,and it moved under its own power ,not kidding the old 302 still fired

[Junkman]

Cars from this era still don't get the exposure they deserve.

They were not nearways as bad or ugly as common folklore wants us to believe.

This Thunderbird:

has paced each and every stockcar race in Holland since it was bought new in 1978 and is still used today. I don't even want to know how many races it has paced, or what the current mileage is. It is also used to haul a trailer full of equipment back and forth between the various tracks.

The only thing I have ever seen going wrong with it was a snapped fanbelt on a pace lap.

[wrecker388]

Cars from this era still don't get the exposure they deserve.

They were not nearways as bad or ugly as common folklore wants us to believe.

This Thunderbird:

has paced each and every stockcar race in Holland since it was bought new in 1978 and is still used today. I don't even want to know how many races it has paced, or what the current mileage is. It is also used to haul a trailer full of equipment back and forth between the various tracks.

The only thing I have ever seen going wrong with it was a snapped fanbelt on a pace lap.

with that said, my car that has been sitting since 1994, started and moved under its own power, despite a busted radiator, bad brakes,junk carb,and a trashy muffler, it moved from storage to our house, then back to storage with few problems

[Junkman]

with that said, my car that has been sitting since 1994, started and moved under its own power, despite a busted radiator, bad brakes,junk carb,and a trashy muffler, it moved from storage to our house, then back to storage with few problems

I keep telling you guys, these cars will make it right through World War 3 and back.

And they have the handling to boot. On regular gas. Unlike this overhyped Muscle Car rubbish.

[Plasticfanatic]

Ahhhh....the 1978 Thunderbirds and the Lincoln Mark V....two cars that I have wanted to do in stock version..in fact I have been looking for an "in stock..ready for delivery" NASCAR version to modified to street stock and have someone to cast me a copy...the body mods will be significant from race to street and a lot of plastic lamination and detail fabrication is needed to get a nice stock version...so having a solid resin body will eliminate any long term problems with difrtent material reactions if any.

I think I know the car Gary is talking about..I believe the modeler who did the 1978 Nascar Thunderbird to street car trim is a project to make it a lowrider custom...it was turning very very nice indeed.

[Plasticfanatic]

And here is a link to the on progress conversion Thunderbird...I found this some months ago when looking to see if this or the Linconl Mark V of the same year was already available in resin stock trim from from any manufacturer.

http://www.layitlow.com/forums/30-model-cars/140045-cars-you-would-like-have-casted-24.html

[MrObsessive]

Yup! This is is it!

I wonder if this ever made it beyond the master point as seen here?? I'd make a few changes body-line wise, but this is super excellent!