Sandie Kay of the Santa Clara Valley Thunderbirds exhibits off her 1957 T-Bird, which was a birthday current from her husband, on the T-Birds on the Wharf occasion Saturday. (Aric Sleeper/Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ — Owners of basic Ford Thunderbirds from the Bay Area and past flocked to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on an intermittently sunny Saturday for the twenty fourth annual T-Birds on the Wharf occasion.
From the unique “baby birds,” which vary in yr from 1955 to 1957 to the controversial “retro birds” comprised of 2002 to 2005, practically yearly and elegance of the Ford Thunderbird was on show on the Santa Cruz Wharf for fellow fanatics and passersby to admire.
Patrick Dike of Hollister stated he sneaked into the yearly automobile present on the final minute to point out off his black 1955 T-Bird, which he purchased in 1973 and drove when he was attending Fresno State. Although it sat within the storage for a decade or two, he’s restored in the previous few years, and likewise made some modifications that stray away from the hen’s authentic kind comparable to including portholes and solar visors, however the child hen nonetheless options its true coloration.
“That car was born black,” stated Dike. “It was actually born in 1954 so it’s one of the earliest models. I bought it in Sacramento after I saw a little ad for it in the Sacramento Bee, which I cut out. I paid like three grand for it and that was a good price.”
Kyndall McCoy of the Old Skool Classic Car Club within the East Bay was displaying off his gentle blue, restricted version 1966 Ford Thunderbird Landau on the wharf Saturday.
“The Landau model is a special edition,” stated McCoy. “Landau means it has special trimming and wood grain interior on the dashboard and the steering wheel. it has air conditioning, and Kelsey Hayes rims, which are spoked rims.”
McCoy stated that Thunderbirds are particular as a result of they’ve their very own distinctive character and the folks that personal them attempt to keep true to the type of the unique design. He stated he likes the 1966 mannequin due to the best way it rides and since he’s too tall to comfortably slot in a child hen.
“They are nice but I can’t fit in the first ones,” stated McCoy. “They were made smaller back in the 50s.”
Sandie Kay of the Santa Clara Valley Thunderbirds, which hosted the annual occasion this yr, was an official choose of the automobile present and was analyzing every T-Bird to find out who would take home the awards and bragging rights this yr.
“It’s very subjective,” stated Kay. “And we divide it by year. For me, I look at the color and if it’s shiny or if it needs some work and just the overall condition.”
Kay was additionally a participant within the automobile present and had her purple 1957 T-Bird on show. The basic automobile was a birthday present from her husband 31 years in the past and she or he has cherished it ever since.
“I didn’t specifically say I wanted a car for my birthday,” stated Kay. “But I was turning 50 and I said to my husband, life is short, and I’d really like a cute convertible. And I do look really good in it.”
Santa Cruzans Susan Schambeck of Norton Labs in Felton and her son Norton Schambeck of Norton’s Fab Lab in Santa Cruz have been displaying off their 1963 T-Bird, which he purchased in Monterey and had a weathered fashion that set it aside from the remainder of the brilliant and glossy birds on the wharf Saturday. The mom and son, each mechanics, prefer to work on the automobile collectively as a household.
“I completely rebuilt this in my driveway with friends and family,” stated Norton Schambeck. “This is probably the last show for it for a while until I fix a bunch of stuff.”
“We’re both mechanically inclined and we like old school stuff,” added Susan Schambeck. “It gives us quality time together.”
Jordanna Stoker and Jay Hefferman of Sacramento have been on the town for a live performance and being basic automobile homeowners and fanatics, determined to return and take a look at the T-Birds on the Wharf earlier than the present this night. Hefferman doesn’t personal a T-Bird however a 1949 Ford “Shoebox,” and stated he likes the nostalgic worth of basic vehicles and the truth that they’re comparatively simple to work on.
“I have a new Volkswagen and I can’t do anything to it,” stated Hefferman. “It’s a lot of fun to wrench on classic cars. And when you drive around you get people waving and giving you a thumbs up. There’s nothing like driving an old car. They’re not fast, they don’t stop fast. They’re not not really comfortable or safe, but they’re cool.”
