Collecting Model Cars

Ford Torino

The Ford Torino produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. Fords plan was to have an upscale version of the Ford Fairlane, which Ford produced between 1962 and 1970. After 1968 the Fairlane name was kept for the base models with lower grade of trim. Making the Torino the upscale higher grade trim. By 1971 the Fairlane name was dropped altogether and all Ford intermediates were called Torino’s. Torino is Italian name for the city of Turin, which is considered the Detroit of Italy. This name came up as one of several originally proposed for the Ford Mustang while in development.

Most Ford Torinos were conventional cars, and generally the most popular models were the 4-door sedans and 4-door hardtops. Ford not wanting to be shown up by Chevrolet and Chrysler produced some high performance versions of the Torino by fitting them with large powerful engines, such as the 428 cu in and 429 cu in "Cobra-Jet" engines. These cars were classified as muscle cars. The Torino was selected as the base for its NASCAR entrants, and it has a highly successful racing heritage.

Models being produced between 1968 and 1976 have made some very collectable Torinos to add to your collections. See some of the top listing to add to your collections.

Back to Site Listing of All Model Cars and Kits!

Ford Thunderbird

The Ford Thunderbird began in 1955 and has seen around 13 different generations of the design in the last 50 plus years. Ford intended the Thunderbird to be a very personal Luxury car. It was never intended to be the sports car like the Chevrolet Corvette. Over the years the Thunderbird's have been upsized and downsized two seats to 4 seats cars.

Production stopped in 1997 and in 2002 a new 2-seat model was re-launched and brought the Thunderbird back to life.

There are three men that get the credit for the original Thunderbird. And wouldn’t you know it a retired GM executive lured from retirement by Henry Ford II; Lewis Crusoe to work with George Walker a vice-president and chief stylist for Ford and Frank Hershey a Ford designer. Walker and Crusoe met in France in October 1951. Crusoe liked a sports he saw and ask Walker can’t we have something like that? This part of the story is a little unclear but Walker said we are already working on it.

After the meeting Walker called chief stylist Frank Hershey and told him about the conversation. Frank liked the idea and began working on a design right away.

The idea was for a two passenger car in the ball park of 2500 lbs with the up and coming V8 slated for 1954. The car was to have top speed of over 100 mph. They presented a painted clay model to Crusoe in May of 1953 and he approved it in September after doing a little compare with some of the European trends. Henry Ford II approved the final design to compete with the new Corvette.

The name for the new design proved to be a major problem for Ford. The weird stuff they came up with just did not work. Stuff like (Artcturus, Beaver, Coronado, Detroiter, El Tigre and Savile) strange stuff for sure. The brilliant idea of Crusoe was to offer a $250 new suit to the person that could come up with a better name. Alden Giberson submitted Thunderbird on a list that was the final selection. He never claimed his prize but settled for a $95 suit with an extra pair of pants.

Ford has sold 4.2 million Thunderbirds in the last 50 years in about 13 different versions.

Vintage model car collectors will find quite a few of these to add to their car collections. Over the years there were a number of them that were special creations.

Back to Site Listing of All Model Cars and Kits!

Fords

The Ford Motor Company Based in Michigan a suburb of Detroit, the car manufacturer was founded by Henry Ford. The Ford Motor Company incorporated on June 16, 1903.

Henry Ford opened his factory in 1903 with $28,000 dollars in cash from 12 investors 2 were John and Horace Dodge. Yes you guessed it; they later started their own car company.

Henry Ford was 40 years old when he started the Ford Motor Company, which would later go on to become one of the world's largest and most profitable companies. Ford even survived the Great Depression. The Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years.

Model car collectors can choose for many different model car manufactures and well as many different models. You will find many vintage model car kits dating back to the first Fords in 1903. Today the model manufactures make kits for all the new Fords in production. You should be able to find most any of the Fords to add to your collection.

PopShops™ affiliate stores

Back to Site Listing of All Model Cars and Kits!