1978 Ford Thunderbird Diamond Jubilee review from North America
"An affordable classic"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The front brakes needed replaced.
It needed a power steering hose.
It badly needed a comprehensive tune-up.
It needed a carburetor rebuild.
It needed a vacuum advance on the distributor.
It needs a paint job.
General comments?
This car was bought from the original owners in Nevada after being stored for 10 years.
All it needed before I drove it the 1200 miles home was a power steering hose, front brakes, and a serious tune up. The paint is very oxidized from years in the Nevada desert, but the interior is perfect. Still has the original center caps on the wheels and the blue-jeweled hood ornament.
The trip home was uneventful. The car cruised at 75 nearly the whole way and delivered me 15.6 miles per gallon.
Not many of these still around. It gets many looks and comments and I doubt that I will ever have another car. Even if the gas mileage is somewhat poor, it beats a car payment.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1978 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 351 Modified Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 109000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 110000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford LTD Country Squire |
| Date of Entry | 4th December, 2002 |