Volume 23 Number 1 July / August 2013

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The Thunderbirds of Queensland Inc. is a non profit organization ... the online PDF format Sounds of Thunder club magazine for all to see in colour, ... Rob Selleto and his neat 66 Ford XP Coupe, John Warren and his 57 Tbird, David.
Volume 23 Number 1

July / August 2013

Thunderbirds of Queensland Inc.

Facebook Group Login into Facebook and search for Thunderbirds of Queensland Everyone is welcome to join the group Your pictures and stories are most welcome The Thunderbirds of Queensland Inc. is a non profit organization dedicated to the restoration, preservation and enjoyment of Thunderbird passenger vehicles built by the Ford Motor Company.

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Club Calendar July

5th

7th

August

2nd

18th September

6th

31st October

4th

Committee and Social evening Max & Carole’s, from 7.30 pm, bring nibbles. Club Run: Lakeside All American Day, we have a designated spot in front of Lakeside Function Room. So see you at Shell Nudge 7.00am to cruise there.. Or see you there at your leisure. Committee and Social evening Bill & Lyn’s, from 7.30 pm, bring nibbles. Club Run: To the Sheoak Shack, Fingal Head. Meet at the Yatala Pie Shop 9.30am. Opposite side of the Highway to the BP but still easy access , and better pies! Committee and Social evening. Mick & Dianne’s, from 7.30 pm, bring nibbles. Club Run: Saturday overnight run to Toowoomba and Sunday Car show and Rock Festival at Helidon, Details to come. Committee and Social evening. Ron & Barbara’s, from 7.30 pm, bring nibbles.

Cruise Ins Every Friday night - Elizabeth Street Shops, Acacia Ridge. Every Saturday night - Kosmos Kitchen, Browns Plains Rd, Browns Plains, Opposite Grand Plaza shopping centre. Every Friday night - Petrie Country Markets Historic Village. Every Saturday night - Ferry Rd Diner Southport Note: See club roster for CommiƩee meeƟng address details 3

Designated Events July

14th 19/21st 21st 28th

August

2/4th 4th 10th 18th 23/25 25th

September

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1st 8th 21st 22nd

6th Annual PCYC Car Show Logan City Info ph 3442 1700 NZ vs AUS Trans Am Race cars at Lakeside Raceway Chevy Super Sunday, Eight Mile Plains Primary School, Info Ph 0421 089000. Note No Swap Meet. Gold Coast Muscle Car Expo, Worongary State School. Greazefest Kustom Kulture Festival, Rocklea Showgrounds. Info www.greazefest.com Mopar Sunday, Willowbank Raceway. Info Ph 0412 741383. Seaforth Rods Custom Classic car show, Seaforth, North of Mackay, Info [email protected] Just Rock Back to 63 Car show, North Ipswich Park, Info Ph 0422 574468 Rocky August Rod Roundup, Coolwaters Holiday village. Rockhampton. Info www.highway66rodders.com ph0423969210 Jimboomba Auto Extravaganza, Tully Park, McLean's Bridge. Info ph 3341 9618 All Aussie Fathers day at Lakeside. Mustang Muscle Car Spectacular, Rocklea Show Grounds. Rock N Rods Nostalgia Festival Townsville, Info ph0408 708877. Eliminators Rod & Car Show Beenleigh Show grounds. North Pine Country Swap, Old Petrie Town, ph 0417 617168. Rocklea Auto Roundup, Rocklea show grounds, ph 0418763886.

Gotta get me to the next event real fast !

President’s Report Hi Everyone….  I  cannot  believe  we  are  heading  into  July  already,  the  year  is  flying  by,  and  talking to members on the runs, every‐ one is busy, but still finding time to go  on  the  runs  and  enjoy  their  classic  rides. How we managed to fit the 21st  Anniversary  in  with  movie  nights,  car  shows,  hotel  and  picnic  cruises,  com‐ bined  club  runs  and  those  attending  cruise  nights  has  been  quite  a  feat,  a  lot of work, and even more fun. We are  extremely  delighted  this  year  to  have  been able to announce the release of the new club shirts, and new club feather flags for car shows,  club presentations and Christmas parties, It will  be great to see members wearing the updated club  shirts  over  the  coming  months,  and  no  excuses for  not  being  able  to  find  the  club  at  the  shows  we  attend, the flags should stand out really well.  I would like to pass on a well‐ de‐ served thank you to Johnny Carlisle, who has been putting in a huge effort on the  club web site, having had a key role in holding the 21st Anniversary sub committee  meetings and producing the 21st Anniversary Souvenir Issue. Johnny has been busy  updating the club web site with a new club “contact” page, new logos, uploading  the  online  PDF  format  Sounds  of  Thunder  club  magazine  for  all  to  see  in  colour,  plus  improving  the  home  page  links  to  the  rest  of  the  web  site,  also  up  loading  photos of club runs and keeping in contact with car enthusiasts around the world  on our Facebook page. Johnny has recently designed the new club business cards,  and upgraded the supplied flag poles with larger diameter tube to suit the larger  flags  and  to  handle  strong  winds.  With  covering  so  many  aspects  of  maintaining  and improving the club’s image in the last 3 months, the committee and members  would like to pass on our appreciation for Johnny’s time and efforts that he gives  to the club. Above are members at the last committee meeting, “celebrating John‐ ny’s 50th Congratulations Johnny.     The club would like to welcome new members..  Rob Selleto and his neat 66 Ford XP Coupe, John Warren and his 57 Tbird, David  Bood and his 64 Hardtop, Shane Fernan and his 1965 Mustang, 73 Ford XA Hard  top Superbird & 67 Impala and Michael Parsons and his 55 Tbird     Keep an eye out….  Lakeside on the 7th of July, always a great turn out and watch a few classics do the  1/8th  drags,  plus  we  are  joined  by  the  Sunshine  Coast  Harley  Club  making  for  a  great social day out, plenty of shade, and check out the new club flags.     Fingal Heads club run, 18th of August, to the Sheoak Café on the beach front, gar‐ age tour, walk on the beach or check out the local lighthouse or the local antique  store, this will be a step back in time to the lazy Queensland style of living, and will  be a great cruise.     Our new 5m High club Keep those Classics moving folks…  Feather flags    Kieran (Thunderbirds Club President) 

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Editor’s Report Welcome to another Issue of Sounds of Thunder, we have had to swell the size of the mag a bit to fit in all the stuff that we have for you this issue. As always there is lots of places to go and things to do. But Hey! I am looking for stories on members cars, how did you come to own your classic , and what have you done with it ? Send or post it to me and we’ll fit it in the mag. Also if you have a technical story on how you found best to fix a broken bird we’d like to share it around. See you on the Road, Ed.

New Members

Shane Fernan - 65 Mustang 67 Chevy Impala 73 Falcon XA ‘Superbird’ Hardtop Michael Parsons - 55 Thunderbird

Robert Selleto - 66 XP Falcon 6

John Warren - 57 Thunderbird

Nostalgia Run to The Barn & Scotty’s Garage

It was a picture perfect autumn morning with a nice cool nip in the air for our run out to The Barn and Scotty’s Garage. The air was getting cooler as we headed west across the Darling Downs towards Flagstone Creek.

The jackets were going to come in handy. This run dragged a few old faces out which was great to see, Nice to have Tony, Jay and Demi along been a while since you guys on a run but can’t imagine Tony wanting to miss out on a tour of Scott’s treasures. We arrived to the magnificent site of Scott’s new shed the old school look just right with the shed clad in corrugated iron and some great signage. The Original Goodyear sign looking marvelous along the roofline.

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Some headed for the Barn for morning tea others got straight into the tour of Scotty’s Garage. Oh what a feast for the eyes it is. Scott has divided the shed into two parts the front a garage scene with a few old cars including his 56 Tbird his Indian motorcycles and a load of fuel bowsers and petrolania.

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The rear section is a diner complete with dance floor and juke boxes. Some of the collection we recognised from earlier visits to Scott’s but a lot of new things have been acquired.

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Kieran received his TOQ Club Person of the year plaque from Dave on Scotty’s deck

Scott has accumulated a wonderful collection and it is well worth the country drive out to Upper Flagstone for a look. After lunch some of us took turns at photographing our cars around the shed as well as with the petrol bowsers out the front. What a scene it makes. Thank you Scott and Sarah for your hospitality. We all ate well and enjoyed the day immensely... cheers Johnny

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Another  Cooly  Rocks  On  has  been  and  gone.  This  festival  just  gets  bigger  by  the  year.  Overcast  weather with a bit of rain thrown in for good meas‐ ure didn’t halt the crowds they had record attend‐ ance over the weekend from what I’ve heard.      I  cruised  down  on  the  Saturday  morning  at  what  I  thought was early in my 64 Tbird thinking I’d grab a  car  park  easy  peazy  uh  oh!  no  way  the  place  was  packed already at 8am. Fortunately in a side street right near the action some guys were charging a  daily rate of only 10 bucks to safely park your car. It was a no brainer with the 10er going to a charity it  was money well spent…  I headed straight to the markets and grabbed a coffee immediately bumping  into Bill and Lyn Flanagan and Bill and Helen from the club. The plan was to meet up with club friends  at Twin Towns at 9.30am so I headed off to look for a  memento  to  take  home  from  the  day.  It  wasn’t  long  before  I’d  spied  a  cool  lounge  shirt  for  myself  and  a  little something for my daughter Mae.     By this time the parade was in full swing with hundreds  lining  the  esplanade  watching  the  floats  and  Rock  n  Roll club displays roll by. I made my way down to Twin  Towns to catch up with the gang. I was also meeting a  group  of  Tbirders  from  Victoria  who  had  flown  up  for  the  weekend.  These  guys  have  a  small  club  in  Melbourne  call  Jets  Classic  and  Custom  Car  Club.  It  was  great  to  meet  fellas  of  like  mind  from interstate and fun talking about their cars  and  escapades  down  there.  Dave  Galloway  from  the  Jets  was  the  guy  I  first  made  contact  with  through  a  Thunderbird  Owners  forum  he  moderates & the Jets Car Club Facebook Page.     Check it out at  http://tbird.forumotion.com/      

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After morning tea I headed off to check out the cars. The display was awesome as usual with plenty of  Thunderbirds to look at unknown to the club. After a bit of financial pondering I headed back to the  markets to find that shirt I’d spied earlier fortunately it was still there.. Now its mine :‐) 

By this stage it was after 2pm and the weather was looking ominous so I hit the road. By 3pm the rain  had arrived which is unfortunate for an event such as this. Apparently Sunday was fine again so all in  all it wasn’t too bad. This is a marvelous event and well worth the effort to travel and make a holiday  of  if you are not so close. Also a great way to catch up with TOQ members in the south east.      Until next year .. Keep cruisin’ Johnny 

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THE STAINLESS STEEL FORDS

In 1935, officials at Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an  experiment that would become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever devel‐ oped.    Allegheny Ludlum, a pioneer producer of stainless steel, proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel  car to Ford. The idea took shape in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan. That car became the centerpiece  of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses.    Allegheny Ludlum and Ford would later collaborate on two more stainless models, a 1960 Thunderbird  and a 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible. Of the 11 cars originally built, nine are still in use.     The stainless steel cars were perfect vehicles for increasing awareness of the quality of the metal. And  over the years, this quality has been shown in its stainless performance. Of the six stainless steel cars  that rolled off the Ford assembly line in Detroit in 1936, four exist today as living proof of the durabil‐ ity of stainless steel. One is on display at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh, PA.    Each of the original six logged at  least 200,000 miles in the hands  of Allegheny Ludlum officials  before "retiring" to private own‐ ership in 1946. Thousands of  additional miles have been  logged on the odometers since,  and the shiny bodies have out‐ lasted most of their non‐ stainless steel parts.   

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The experiment was an un‐ paralleled success on a num‐ ber of levels. Public aware‐ ness of stainless steel's many  uses increased with every city  and state the cars visited.  Through many years of active  use, metallurgists and engi‐ neers were amazed at the  superiority of the silvery met‐ al.      Since 1960, when two stain‐ less steel Ford Thunderbirds  were introduced, they have  been displayed throughout  the United States and Europe.  The two Thunderbirds came off the Wixom, Michigan production line on July 11, 1960, and each has  traveled over 100,000 miles, demonstrating the durability and timeless beauty of stainless steel.    With the exception of the body skin, bumpers and grille, which are made of T302 stainless steel, every  other component is standard 1960 Thunderbird equipment. Also included is the first T409 solid stain‐ less steel muffler released on a production vehicle. Both cars still have their original mufflers and T304  exhaust pipes after 25 years on the road!    The 1967 Lincoln Convertible was the last of the stainless steel cars produced by the Ford Motor Com‐ pany and Allegheny Ludlum Steel.   Once again, the companies proved that stainless steel's enduring beauty is matched by its toughness.     As with all stainless steel there is no need for painting. The corrosion‐resistant properties of the stain‐ less eliminate the problems caused by rust.    Except for the vehicle's body, all other parts and equipment on the car are standard for the 1967 Lin‐ coln Convertible. The vehicle's weight is just about equal to one with a standard steel body.    Three stainless Lincolns were built that year. Allegheny Ludlum Steel retains two and still uses them  for customer visits and special events. A full set of Stainless automobiles (1936 Deluxe, T‐Bird, and  Continental) are on per‐ manent display in the  Crawford Auto Museum  in Cleveland, Ohio.     Source:   alleghenyludlum.com

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1956 Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser Concept

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The Feather Ends It may be winter but spring has sprung at my place. With a bit of help from spanner man Ron we have decided to get to the bottom of the spring height phenomenon .As there are a few T’birds getting around with their noses in the air we are going to get down to tha ground. In years gone by the easiest solution was to snip a coil, this is a no no as I have discovered, it looks good but softens your spring rate so as to bottom out all too often. Or you could go to the other extreme as did Daz and fit air bags giving you the ride and park height that you like ! New imported springs are an unknown quantity, or new springs can be made here getting exactly what you want, lowered or standard. Glen has successfully replaced front coil springs in his 64’ convertible and 66’ Town Landau with locally made springs to get a good ride height. Ron and Carlos both have the off road look so a front suspension rebuild is underway, and we’ll let you know how it all goes.

Let me adjust your nuts !

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Parts and Service As requested we have compiled a list of repair or service shops who have been found to be of great help in the restoration of our Classic Cars, this is not a commercial ad nor do the “Thunderbirds of QLD Inc.” take any responsibility for workmanship or service! However if you have found a good shop that has provided what you require then let us know and we shall list them for others to try out. BHSS TBS, Capalaba: Brakes & Power Steering. RACE Exhausts, Capalaba: Exhaust Specialists. ANNVID, Capalaba: Auto Upholsterers COL ROBINSON & CO, Kedron: Power Steering Box Rebuilds FAST EDDIE’S, Tamborine: Tilt Tray Service 07 55436262 ACCESS TOWING, Parkridge: Tilt Tray Service 0418 721987 GLEN HENDERSON, Parkridge: Parts & Advice Anything Thunderbird. 07 3297 5342 EXHAUST INNOVATIONS, 5/33 Steel St Capalaba. KEITH FOR WHEELS , 11 Smallwood St Underwood, 3841 6244. Whitewalls, Wheels, and quality Alignments INNOVATIVE AUTO DEZIGN, Lapis St, Underwood,3290 2177 / 0411 311473, Specializing in compliancing of American & European Classic Cars. CHEVRON AUTO Labrador – Paul Immermann 55290422 General Auto Mechanic

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For Sale If you have something you would like to sell, please email the details to me [email protected] or give me a call. Cost free for members who would like to sell stuff. For members who are advertising their business or for non-members, the cost to advertise is $25 per annum. Cheers, Dave. FOR SALE A set of four 1963 Standard issue hub caps.

Call Doug Bradley:3358 2415 for Info FOR SALE 1963 Galaxie 500, 4 door Hardtop. Factory R/H drive, one of 4 imported new. Interior tidy, paint sad, minor rust, mechanically good , new suspension, starter motor, radiator, pertronix ignition. On club rego, original black & white plates. Drives well!! Only had 4 owners, some spares for separate sale. $18,000 Contact : Paul 0754 767389 or 0419 652908

FOR SALE : Ford F350 Truck, fully restored, in show condition, on club rego. $15,000. For more info call Glen : 32975342 / [email protected]

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Web Links International Thunderbird Club

www.intl-tbirdclub.com

Thunderbird Registry

www.tbirdregistry.com

LOVEfords

www.lovefords.org

Thunderbird Headquarters

www.tbirdhq.com

Bird Nest

www.tbirdparts.com/main.htm

Thunderbird Ranch

www.tbirdranch.com/

Home of the Thunderbird Italien & XM400 www.tbirdsquare.com/ Mercury Concept Car Squarebirds.org

www.squarebirds.org/

Automotive Mileposts Thunderbird

http://automotivemileposts.com/

Jim Wulf's Tbird Garage

www.tbirdgarage.com/Site_2/Welcome.html

All American Auto Parts Ballarat

www.allamericanautoparts.com.au/

Jim Osbourne Reproductions

www.osborn-reproduction.com/

The Old Car Manual Project

www.tocmp.com/

Vintage Ford Publications

http://mustangtek.com/Litterature.html

Auto Colour Library

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/

Historic Video Archive

www.historicvideoarchives.com/

Plan 59 - Museum of Mid Century Illustration

www.plan59.com/

Original Auto Interiors

www.originalauto.com

www.tbirdregistry.com The Thunderbird Registry exists as a tool for us to further our appreciation for The World’s Most Wanted Car …. The car everyone would love to own! This is the World’s largest on-line database for Ford Thunderbirds.

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Ahhh yeah I’ll have one of those thanks! 21st Anniversary... what a top night!