Of all the marques in the world, Mr. Pack loved Ford best.
And as far as Ford models, the Thunderbird was his all-time favorite.
This is readily apparent looking through the catalog – with at least 10 Thunderbirds of all eras included in pristine, flawless condition.
These two are part of a rare Ford sale of the original auto show concept cars from the 2000s. The 2001 Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept was widely liked when it debuted, and production was fast-tracked. To keep the buzz while production tooled up, a 2003 followup concept in the Thunderbird Supercharged became more production-like in all its detailing, but far more powerful than the original concept (or the forthcoming production T-bird.)
The deeply retro-remake style is very hot and cold; very hit-and-miss. For every huge hit like the 2005 Ford GT, Mini Cooper or even the 1997 VW New Beetle — there are some flops.
The reborn Thunderbird was a flop by the time it hit market. Too old-looking, too impractical as a two-seater, too narrow a market and perhaps bad branding. The detailing seemed cartoonish and jokey in by the mid-2000s as a showroom model.
But Sam Pack loved T-birds through thick and thin.
These two each brought $55,000-plus, which is impressive for museum pieces that are not road legal.
2003 Ford Thunderbird Supercharged Concept
2001 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster Concept
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.