Styling Analysis: I 

Fastback Styling on '61-'63 Thunderbirds

In mid 1962, the Ford Motor Company created a promotional campaign called the Ford Custom Car Caravan through which the corporation could present customized Ford Division cars to the show-car public. Custom cars were really big back then, and Ford wanted to tap into that market.

One of several cars to be created was the Thunderbird Italien.  The car was designed in the Ford Division's styling studio, and constructed at the famed Dearborn Steel Tubing shop (this shop built the '64 Thunderbolts and the Mercury-based Super Cyclone). Based upon a '62 T-Bird convertible that was fitted with 1963 front fenders and doors (that were subsequently customized), the car was fitted with a scratch built fastback roof. That Thunderbird – recently rediscovered after years "underground" – has been found and is being restored in the shop of bullet Bird restorer Tom Maruska. 

With that history in mind, the purpose behind this article is to discuss fastback styling on '61-'63 Ford Thunderbirds. Keeping in mind Mark Benton's near-DNA level aversion to the traditional squared-off roof line that the factory offered, it turns out that a fastback roof really improves the design of the so-called "bullet bird."  Check out the following photos and captions:

The 1961-'63 Birds were quite handsome. This formal roof line, lifted from the 1958–'60 Birds, though, may not be the most beautiful roof for this car. This particular modified car is a 1962.

The Ford Custom Car Caravan was a very public, exceptionally successful three-year promotional campaign. Ford either commissioned cars, or "adopted" cars if the builder installed a Ford powerplant. The Italien is at the top of this article, the Silhouette (built by Bill Cushenbery, and running a Ford 427 here in place of the original Buick nailhead)), and the Fairlane Starburst (built by George Barris – look how the rear wheel wells don't match the front wheel openings).

The Italien was a truly beautiful car. Using the higher convertible windshield frame, the roof was tail and airy, and swept back nicely to a new tulip panel and new trunk. Notice how tall the side windows are, and note the size and location of the backlight. This photo was taken during one of the late 1963 shows in which the Ford Caravan appeared (check out the signage and the other cars). Also note in the incut character line on the roof, and how it resolved in a line that circled the lower part of the backlight.

In this contemporaneous restoration photo, you can see the incut roof shape that ties the rear window into the side of the roof. It is almost impossible to believe that the car looks this good now – it was a total disaster when I saw it in late 2005 – just before it was purchased. Photo courtesy of Tom Maruska.

This unusual, low-angle shot of the Italien was taken at the Cavalcade of Custom Cars that was held at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Of note here is the sweep of the roof line, and where the center point of the C pillar is located with respect to the center line of the rear wheel well. The rear wheel well was enlarged to lighten the rear quarter panels. 

This '62 Bird was built in the last couple of years, and features the installation of a full '61 Ford Starliner roof. Note the retention of the raised side panel on the roof and the fact that the factory roof – with its side-to-side convex shape – was retained. Note also how the "open" side windows have been preserved, and the fact that there is no tulip panel on this car (a tulip panel is the expanse of sheetmetal between the lower back edge of the rear window and the leading edge of the trunk). This is a nice design, but the rear window almost overpowers the rear of the car. The heaviness of the rear quarter panels is enhanced by the use of rear fender skirts.

This angle shows at what point the centerline of the C pillar sits in relation to the centerline of the rear wheel/tire set up. This is a LONG roof the graceful shape of which is seriously hampered by the retention of the raised side-roof panel. Squint and try to imagine how this would look if the side of the roof were coplanar with the roof, and painted the same color. Also, note here that this car started off as a convertible – the windshield is taller than the factory coupe. The wire wheels are a natural here, as they are on the Italien.

In this rear view, the problem with using the heavily-curved Starliner window becomes apparent. Seen from this angle, the wrap around aspect of the roof eliminates the sense that there is a side to the roof (a problem enhanced with the raised, differently-painted side panel). Note also how long the rear package tray is.  Also, the absence of a transitional tulip panel forces the flat shape of the base of the backlight onto the rounded sculpture of the inner rear fenders – that is a really clumsy transition. And, why do custom car guys just plant exhaust pipes, as afterthoughts, under the rear bumper? Why can't these guys cut an opening into the rear bumper, maybe flare it, and then use angled-tip exhaust pipes to be sympathetic with the "roll under" shape of the rear bumper?

This '62 was recently built in Orem, Utah and sold in Salt Lake City. This is a really interesting– and somewhat flawed – roof treatment. First, the good stuff: Note that the roof is shorter than the blue car, and features a smaller rear window. The backlight - that somewhat resembles a '60 Comet shape (but isn't), is set into a roof that more sharply curves downward at the back (contrast this with the more "flat" roof on the blue car): this stronger curve near the end of the roof is due to the fact that this rear window is MUCH shorter than the full Starliner backlight. This roof is also shorter, thereby preserving the tulip panel. Second, the problem: The embossed, side-roof panel has been preserved along with the upper chrome trim that, at the base of the C pillar, really "fights" with the side moldings of the rear window – those two chrome trim lines "converge" and interrupt the flow of the roof.  Think about these changes: Remove the upper side-roof chrome trim, and also remove the raised roof side panel. Because this roof is a lot shorter than the one on the blue 'Bird, raise the side of the roof to lessen the very harsh angle of the rear quarter window – that is, by raising the side of the roof, the lower part of the C pillar could be angle more steeply toward the quarter panel, thereby more closely paralleling the angle of the chrome trim on the side of the backlight.  (Photos of red Thunderbird: Courtesy, Eric Gustavson). 

In this near-profile view, you can see how much better this roof design would be improved by removing the upper roof chrome trim as well as removing the embossed side-of-roof trim. Again, think about this additional change: Raise the lower roof shape, as it starts to curve to the body, up into the roof which would do two important things: first, it would make those two lines more nearly parallel and, second, that would raise the height of the quarter window and flatten out the lower roof line a bit which would considerably "lighten" the side windows. Not that the center line of the C pillar is just a bit to the rear of the center line of the wire wheels. Note the presence of the pleasant tulip panel, and that the narrower rear window trim sits INSIDE the curvature going forward from the round taillight pod. 

Seen from this low angle, the "raciness" of this cool roof is more clearly seen. Now, let's think about earlier comments about this car – just imagine if that pesky factory side-of-roof embossed shape, and upper chrome trim, weren't there! This would be an even more beautiful car. I really like this rear window set up – it's better, in my judgment, than either the Italien or the blue car.

This basic design is really thoughtful. What this car really needs, merely, is a more thoughtful treatment of the side of the roof. And check out the fact that the designer/builder understood that the huge quarter panel needed to be "lightened" by tossing the unaesthetic skit away – only thing that could have been better would be to match the front and rear wheel well shapes.