Forum format question

[Joe Johnston]

When I click on the Forums Home link I see the following:

"The resource for fifties and sixties Ford and Thunderbird automobiles." on a blue background.

For some reason I see no place to post anything about 55-57's. Am I missing something? Don't they qualify as a Ford, a Thunderbird, and or from the "fifties" as quoted in the header of the Forums Home page? I realize its only my opinion, but they would be more pertinant to a Thunderbird forum than the Falcon for which there is a spot for posting! Also the other years aren't called "Squarebirds" but are included in this forum. I'm confused, but that is easy to do!

Just saying......... and wondering why the omission of the first generation of cars that started it all???

J

[tbird430]

Maybe because there is and for a LONG time has been "stuff" everywhere out there for the 1955-57 Little Birds....

[simplyconnected]

Full-size Ford cars used many of the same parts (and systems) with their T-bird counterparts. That's why those sections are covered.

Mainly, this forum sticks kinda close around 1958-'60 Ford Thunderbirds with a recognition that Ford convertibles use the same parts (and schematics) across the car lines.

Ex: My '59 Galaxie front wheel spindles are the same part numbers as all Squarebirds'.

'55 Thunderbirds are totally different. They have 6-volt POS ground, 312 Y-Block engines (no FE's), and the same frame as their full-size Ford counterparts.

Squarebirds have sub-frames with unibody construction and 12-volt neg gnd systems. Squarebirds are just too far apart from other types of Thunderbirds.

[LuckyJay]

Might I suggest the following link:
http://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.org

[YellowRose]

Forum format question

Unfortunately, Joe, I cannot answer your question, and neither can Alexander Sosiak, our founder, since he is no longer with us. I can only surmise that Alexander did not include the Babybirds because, as Jon said, I am sure he knew that there were plenty of other websites that cater to the Babybird owners. The other reason that he did not include them might be because he was the owner of a couple of Squarebirds and a Lincoln. So he started Squarebirds.org and Lincolns Of Distinction because those were the cars that he owned. Yes, originally, Squarebirds.org was a Squarebirds only Forum as I understand it. Someone who has been here from the beginning of this Forum please correct me if I am wrong. When I arrived in 2008 as a member, it had already been expanded to include the Bulletbirds, Flairbirds, Full Sized Fords, Falcons, etc. Along the way, Alexander saw a need to expand the Forum to include these Tbird years of the Bulletbirds (Rocketbirds), Flairbirds and added the Full Sized Fords, but never included the Babybirds. Perhaps Sandyboy can shed some further light on this, or driller. Sandy helped start this Forum, and Alexander helped start Sandy's Forum on McLaren cars. Perhaps if Alexander had owned a Babybird, which certainly is a Ford and a Tbird and the grand daddy of all Tbirds, he would have started the Forum with them. I hope that helps answer your questions. Perhaps some of the old timers who knew Alexander well, and are still with us, know why Alexander did not include Babybirds in the Forum and can educate us on that. I just saw Jay's comment and the link to the Vintage Thunderbird Club, International (VTCI) website, of which many of us are also members of. That might be a good reason why he did not include the Babybirds. He probably knew that VTCI was covering them. The question you might ask then is if he knew that VTCI was covering all Thunderbirds, why did he start Squarebirds.org? I don't know the answer to that....

[YellowRose]

Forum format question

I checked Alexander's very first posts on this Forum starting on 10-30-2002. He posted his Rules Of Conduct and this post. If you ever want to find any threads or posts that Alexander made, just click on the Members List in the black banner, click on A and look for Alexander, his Forum name. There you will be able to click on what he posted. Here is what he said.

10-30-2002, 09:49 PM
Alexander
Webmaster

Join Date: Oct 30 2002
Location: New York City, New York, United States.
Posts: 3,391



Welcome!
There is no message board on the web exclusively devoted to my favorite automobile - the 1958 to 1960 Thunderbird, so I decided to create this message board.

Feel free to post your questions and comments on this board. You must register on this board before you can post.

__________________
Alexander
1959 Hard Top
1960 Golde Top

[Joe Johnston]

Very interesting!

I can only accept the common usage of parts logic to a point, yes, I know there are many common parts used across various models of about the same size and about the same years. The differences in drive trains brings up an interesting point, especially with the subject of Y-Blocks and FE engines being the example when Falcons had neither. Again, just curious why the deviation to include the compact Falcon but exclude the Little Birds. Even the Lincoln convertibles would be more logical (to me) as they are similar to the Thunderbird's convertible system.

I had assumed it was a personal preference and a decision made in years past by a forum founder, and I am fine with that. Just thought it a little strange and wanted to learn the story.

As a CTCI and a VCTI member, as well as following several forums, I have learned there is a bit of "politics" and several failed organizations behind the Thunderbird and its history. Intersting 'stuff' and perhaps the true reason of expanding beyond just Squarebirds will never be known, but.......the truth is out there!

Thanks for the replys!!

[Joe Johnston]

So that is how it all began!

Thanks for the info.

[dgs]

The classic Thunderbird world has long been divided into 'Two Seaters' and 'Everything else'. The fans of the baby birds are generally not fans of the '58 and up and visa-versa. Not sure why, other than they are very different kinds of cars and therefore appeal to different kinds of tastes. Even parts vendors tend to specialize along those lines as well as a couple of the clubs, I think.

There are exceptions, of course, and I'd say that most fans of one appreciate the other, but aren't 'fans' per se. My Dad has a '56 and I like it, but not nearly as much as my '60.

Besides all that, it comes down to the fact that Alexander owned a Squarebird, not a Babybird. I suspect that he opened new areas as he had readers who requested it. Note that those other areas don't have near the activity of the '58-'60 section.