Looking back: 1983 Ford's "Aero" T-Bird

**91 s-10baja** · 01-07-2013, 07:22 PM

Truly a ground breaking design!

The Thunderbird became a lot more exciting with its landmark “aero” redesign for 1983, dramatically signaling Ford Motor Comany’s turn to clean, low drag styling.
1983 Ford Thunderbird Promo

**Andrew L** · 01-07-2013, 07:57 PM

Love it! The styling at this time was such a departure, same for the Cougar and Mark VII, and it really was for the best.

**ZanatWork** · 01-07-2013, 08:49 PM

When that car came out, I was a kid a just a few years from my license. I was a Ford kid in a Ford family, but the late 70's/early 80's sucked for domestic cars...period.

Worse, Ford had all but disappeared from NASCAR and that was the only racing besides the Indy 500 that got televised whatsoever.

Then, '83...the Mustang gets a minor (but handsome and worthwhile) update, more Blue Ovals replace boring F O R D scripts on cars (strange to say, it was a big statement), and the Daytona 500 was led by a couple of the new "aero" birds...if sadly won by a Pontiac. Buddy Baker would get a TBird into Daytona's victory lane that July.

This is when it all changed, for me. There was a visible...I dunno, confidence all of a sudden. The paint scheme on the Mustang GT along with its 18-hp upgrade made it really striking compared to what was on the road, the F-series had taken the sales crown a bit earlier and was wearing its Blue-Oval grille-ornament proudly, and even more boring vehicles (midsize LTD) were very handsome for the time.

The Aero TBird, though...especially in Turbo Coupe fittings...was freakin' delicious. Yeah, its motors were pretty forgettable and it would be a few years until it got the much-needed intercooler...but I got to watch Bill Elliott kick everyone's ass to the moon in that bodywork, and that was a great way to get to driving age.