What will happen to Ford?

I've only recently become a minor Nascar fan (because I bought Nascar2), but I was wondering what will happen since Ford isn't going to make the Thunderbird anymore. They gonna use a Taurus or something? I'd hate to see a bunch of Escorts or Festivas trying to keep up with the Monte Carlos. BTW, what kind of Pontiac is in Nascar. Thanx. Dennis

<< BTW, what kind of Pontiac is in Nascar. >> The Monte Carlo's sister car, Grand Prix. Neither NASCAR car has much to do with the street car as both are Front-Wheel-Drive Six-cylinder cars in street trim. They don't have tube-frame racing chassis either. Robin.

: I've only recently become a minor Nascar fan (because I bought : Nascar2), but I was wondering what will happen since Ford isn't going : to make the Thunderbird anymore. They gonna use a Taurus or something? A friend of mine who works at Ford Motor Co. says he hasn't heard anything about them getting rid of Thunderbirds. Where did you hear this? He says that they are getting rid of the Probes. : I'd hate to see a bunch of Escorts or Festivas trying to keep up with : the Monte Carlos. What is wrong with Festivas!?!? I used to own one and it was the best damn off road car a college guy could have. I have been places in that little car big trucks with big tires could only dream about going. Of course when they got stuck, they were stuck, but with my trusty Festiva, myself and a copilot were more than enough to be able to pick the car up and turn it around! :) Just trying to defend my old girl. Honestly don't think she could have taken the high banks of Tally or Bristol though. Dan

Quoted text (11 lines)

> I've only recently become a minor Nascar fan (because I bought > Nascar2), but I was wondering what will happen since Ford isn't going > to make the Thunderbird anymore. They gonna use a Taurus or something? > I'd hate to see a bunch of Escorts or Festivas trying to keep up with > the Monte Carlos. > BTW, what kind of Pontiac is in Nascar. > Thanx. > Dennis

Yes, Ford is rumored to be going to the Taurus. I heard this on a radio show here a couple of weeks ago. NASCAR implemented a rule change a few years ago to allow 4-door 110" wheelbase cars. Now, don't flame ME for this; I'm just tellin' y'all what I heard. The rule change supposedly came about because of "Ford getting rid of the T-bird in a few years" (remember, this rule change came a few years ago). Pontiac uses the Grand Prix.

Don't know what Ford will do... Pontiac uses a Grand Prix body style. The Oklahoma Kid (sort of)...

Quoted text (11 lines)

> I've only recently become a minor Nascar fan (because I bought > Nascar2), but I was wondering what will happen since Ford isn't going > to make the Thunderbird anymore. They gonna use a Taurus or something? > I'd hate to see a bunch of Escorts or Festivas trying to keep up with > the Monte Carlos. > BTW, what kind of Pontiac is in Nascar. > Thanx. > Dennis

It's true, the T-bird is a goner. I heard something about them using Lincoln Mark VIIIs. I just wonder how they're going to put a spoiler on the trunk lid over that fake "spare tire" thingy. Patrick. ================================================= ===--- Patrick O'Neal (PatrickO on Hawaii) ---=== ===------- Shamrock Racing Enterprises -------=== ===-- (Remove NOSPAM from my reply address) --=== =================================================

The official word from ford is that they will use A Taurus body style next year to replace the T-bird. The racing Taurus will have a different front end from the street Taurus. This is not a permanent replcement to the T-bird. The Thunderbird will return in 2001. Ford is not completely going to stop the T-birds production until then, they are just down sizing it. -- Cowen Wilson http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/7137 --------------------------------------------------------------- Head Car Designer AJ's Nascar Garage http://www.webstorage.com/~ajs

On Sun, 23 Mar 1997 07:33:14 -0800, Patrick O'Neal >It's true, the T-bird is a goner. I heard something about them using >Lincoln Mark VIIIs. I just wonder how they're going to put a spoiler >on the trunk lid over that fake "spare tire" thingy. The Kranefuss-Hass team had skinned up a Lincoln and brought it to one of the races last year as a concept car. I personally liked the looks of it, and from my bench-racing thinking, it looked like it had the capability to be a formidable aerodynamic body. Of course, Ford doesn't want to bother promoting a car that blue collar middle Americans can't afford to buy... :-) ---Jim Sokoloff

Quoted text (7 lines)

> : I've only recently become a minor Nascar fan (because I bought > : Nascar2), but I was wondering what will happen since Ford isn't going > : to make the Thunderbird anymore. They gonna use a Taurus or something? > A friend of mine who works at Ford Motor Co. says he hasn't heard > anything about them getting rid of Thunderbirds. Where did you hear > this? He says that they are getting rid of the Probes.

The tbird is dropped at the end of this model year. Make 'em too heavy and put lots of cheap plastic inside, and even a great body design won't fly.

> This is not a permanent replcement to the >T-bird. The Thunderbird will return in 2001. Ford is not completely going >to stop the T-birds production until then, they are just down sizing it. >-- Ford will be completely stopping production of the T-Bird for a few years. This is due to soft sales. This info comes from a regional manager for Ford Credit (my wife's boss) and from "Ford World" newspaper, the in house employee news rag. In addition, the Probe, the Cougar, and the Aerostar will also be stopped. I'm hoping that when they bring the T-Bird back it will have those nifty turn signals in the back like the early seventies. (If you e-mail a reply, take the asterisks out of the return address.) Uncle Eyes "When they took the 4th amendment, I was quiet because I didn't deal ***. When they took the 6th amendment, I was quiet because I was innocent. When they took the 2nd amendment, I was quiet because I didn't own a gun. Now they've taken the 1st amendment, and I can say nothing about it." Found on a Newsgroup Posting. Thanks to whoever posted it.

Quoted text (9 lines)

> The Kranefuss-Hass team had skinned up a Lincoln and brought it to one > of the races last year as a concept car. I personally liked the looks > of it, and from my bench-racing thinking, it looked like it had the > capability to be a formidable aerodynamic body. > Of course, Ford doesn't want to bother promoting a car that blue > collar middle Americans can't afford to buy... :-) > ---Jim Sokoloff

You know, the most amazing facet of the Mark VIII that kh tried last year was that John Andretti managed to avoid wrecking it. Maybe that's what the Diamond Ridge team needs to give Robert Pressley! :) God Bless, Steve

On Mon, 24 Mar 1997 02:26:49 -0500, Steve Vandergriff >> The Kranefuss-Hass team had skinned up a Lincoln and brought it to one >> of the races last year as a concept car >You know, the most amazing facet of the Mark VIII that kh tried last >year was that John Andretti managed to avoid wrecking it. Maybe that's >what the Diamond Ridge team needs to give Robert Pressley! :) As soon as I saw the Mark VIII, my *first* thought was "how the hell did a WC team have time to skin up an entire new car?" Then my second thought was, "Well, I guess the kh guys are probably the best in the business, having been forced into regular practice." All it would take is one weekend of John bringing back both Cup cars for them to have enough "spare" time to do it... :-) ---Jim Sokoloff

Quoted text (10 lines)

> What is wrong with Festivas!?!? I used to own one and it was the best > damn off road car a college guy could have. I have been places in that > little car big trucks with big tires could only dream about going. Of > course when they got stuck, they were stuck, but with my trusty Festiva, > myself and a copilot were more than enough to be able to pick the car up > and turn it around! :) Just trying to defend my old girl. Honestly > don't think she could have taken the high banks of Tally or Bristol > though. > Dan

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! ROFLOL -DG-

Quoted text (13 lines)

> The official word from ford is that they will use A Taurus body style next > year to replace the T-bird. The racing Taurus will have a different front > end from the street Taurus. This is not a permanent replcement to the > T-bird. The Thunderbird will return in 2001. Ford is not completely going > to stop the T-birds production until then, they are just down sizing it. > -- > Cowen Wilson > http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/7137 > --------------------------------------------------------------- > Head Car Designer > AJ's Nascar Garage http://www.webstorage.com/~ajs

I heard that the next T-Bird will be a car to compete with the Vette. So I doubt it will be ready to race in NASCAR if that is true. Then again you never know. -- To all you villans out there I say, knock off all that evil! The Rusty Wallace Miller Lite stock car, awsome when opened up! GO#2! Mullins Motorsports Inc. http://www.***tron.com/~ddmj

Quoted text (15 lines)

> > What is wrong with Festivas!?!? I used to own one and it was the best > > damn off road car a college guy could have. I have been places in that > > little car big trucks with big tires could only dream about going. Of > > course when they got stuck, they were stuck, but with my trusty Festiva, > > myself and a copilot were more than enough to be able to pick the car up > > and turn it around! :) Just trying to defend my old girl. Honestly > > don't think she could have taken the high banks of Tally or Bristol > > though. > > Dan > BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! > ROFLOL > -DG-

I don't think that would happen. Then again hmmmmmm. Yugos, Festivas and LeCars. We could have a whole new series. I hereby copyright and patent the new TRASHCAR Pewter Cup Series :) -- To all you villans out there I say, knock off all that evil! The Rusty Wallace Miller Lite stock car, awsome when opened up! GO#2! Mullins Motorsports Inc. http://www.***tron.com/~ddmj

It would only make sense (IMO) for Ford to use the Taurus in NASCAR, but I don't think they're allowed to change the nose/front end too much... after all, Chevy got away with losing the V8 Rear wheel drive (Luminas never had RWD, a concept car may have had the V8 though..) and I think the '88 Grand Prix, they lost V8;s and RWD also. Why not Fords too? --John Melair They're not bugs! They're random features! ------------------------------------------------------ Sorry, but to try to get away from all the damn spammers, I had to change my email information, like everyone else. reply to johnm973 (at) voicenet.com, thanks

I heard that Ford is going to make a Taurus Coupe but maybe under the Tbird name. Anyway I hope not since the Tbird is the only "TRUE" stock car (Rear Wheel drive & a V8) in Winston Cup racing!

I am supportive of your opinion. Rebadging a Taurus as a "Thunderbird" is going to damage the Tbird's reputation. Christopher http://members.aol.com/ROSCS