I have heard many people call Ford Thunderbirds "ThunderChickens" no matter the year, I was just curious if anyone knew how this came about. I get that chickens are birds and what not, but there has to be a better reason.
How did Thunderbird get nickname Thunderchicken?
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I've heard the term "Thunderchicken" applied to the giant bird decal on the hood of late '70's Pontiac Firebirds.
I suspect that it originated in the Bowtie camp sometime around 1956 when the Thunderbird got the 312 version of the Y-block. A whopping 47 cu in advantage over the Corvette's 265.
i cant wait to hear answers to this one i know when i was a kid and drag racing anything i happened to drive we called my friends t-bird thunderchicken because he never wanted to race with it lol
The four seat 'birds always had lots of engine up through the early 'seventies.
Later cars had 302s, and still later cars even had V-6 engines or turbo fours.
The old large dispacement mills could move even this heavy beast with some authority.
The later engines couldn't.
Remember, this was a "personal luxury car".
Low end torque was a part of the equation.
The earlier four seaters had it.
The later ones didn't.
Later cars had 302s, and still later cars even had V-6 engines or turbo fours.
The old large dispacement mills could move even this heavy beast with some authority.
The later engines couldn't.
Remember, this was a "personal luxury car".
Low end torque was a part of the equation.
The earlier four seaters had it.
The later ones didn't.
I can remember in High School (late 70's/early 80's) one of my friends had a '77 Thunderbird with a very weak 302 with a 2 barrel carb. It was a cool looking car but pretty gutless when it came to power. Any time we talked about that car, it was always "The Thunder Chicken."
OVERKILL
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Yeah, the smog 302 with the 2 barrel was a gutless wonder in the T-bird, which was, in the 70's, a HUGE car.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doC9UstnUBA
My buddies C-Prepare autocross ThunderChicken. It makes 400whp out of its turbo 4-cylinder and weights 2600lbs. The tires are 365mm racing slicks
My buddies C-Prepare autocross ThunderChicken. It makes 400whp out of its turbo 4-cylinder and weights 2600lbs. The tires are 365mm racing slicks
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: randomhero439
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doC9UstnUBA
My buddies C-Prepare autocross ThunderChicken. It makes 400whp out of its turbo 4-cylinder and weights 2600lbs. The tires are 365mm racing slicks
And THAT is why there is so much love for the Fox cars!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doC9UstnUBA
My buddies C-Prepare autocross ThunderChicken. It makes 400whp out of its turbo 4-cylinder and weights 2600lbs. The tires are 365mm racing slicks
And THAT is why there is so much love for the Fox cars!!!!
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: randomhero439
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doC9UstnUBA
My buddies C-Prepare autocross ThunderChicken. It makes 400whp out of its turbo 4-cylinder and weights 2600lbs. The tires are 365mm racing slicks
And THAT is why there is so much love for the Fox cars!!!!
Yes, that platform started out much lighter than the latter, front and rear IRS one (which I have owned as a Super Coupe).
Since the C/SP rules let one go pretty far with wheels/tires, engine mods, and less so with suspensions (but still fairly far), it is NO surprise the performance which can be found with these Blue Oval rides.
Originally Posted By: randomhero439
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doC9UstnUBA
My buddies C-Prepare autocross ThunderChicken. It makes 400whp out of its turbo 4-cylinder and weights 2600lbs. The tires are 365mm racing slicks
And THAT is why there is so much love for the Fox cars!!!!
Yes, that platform started out much lighter than the latter, front and rear IRS one (which I have owned as a Super Coupe).
Since the C/SP rules let one go pretty far with wheels/tires, engine mods, and less so with suspensions (but still fairly far), it is NO surprise the performance which can be found with these Blue Oval rides.
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