The lodge look owes its start to both the Great Camps and the baronial hunting lodges of the Old World. Tuned versions in sports-racers like the Ford GT40 and Shelby Cobra disproved the old adage about there being “no substitute for cubic inches.” In fact, the GT40 nearly took the world GT Manufacturers Championship away from Ferrari in 1964, its first full season. Ford’s ’69 midsizers were ’68 repeats save for new fastback and notchback Torino hardtops called Cobra (after Carroll Shelby’s muscular Ford-powered sports cars). A 115-bhp 200-cid six was standard for all but the Torino GT convertible, hardtop coupe, and new fastback hardtop (all duplicated in the 500 line), which came with the 210-bhp 302-cid V-8 as well as buckets-and-console interior, pinstriping, and more performance options than a salesman could memorize. The Cobra fastback coupe remained the most-exciting of this bunch, though its standard engine was downgraded to a 285-bhp version of the ubiquitous 351 small-block first seen for 1969. High-power and big-inch engines began disappearing at Ford and throughout Detroit in 1972. By 1980, only a mildly tuned 351 remained as an option for full-size Fords. This ran on regular gas with a two-barrel carb and delivered 210 bhp; with a four-barrel it made 230 horsepower on premium fuel, though emissions considerations soon put an end to that version.
But the challenge to combat stereotypes didn’t just begin and end with T’Challa. Chevy then unveiled an all-new line of radical “bat-fin” cars for 1959. Ford replied with more-conservative styling that helped it close the model-year gap to less than 12,000 units. Some critics blamed tepid buyer response on me-too styling, citing a close resemblance with the six-year-old Volkswagen Passat. At the same time, the Sunliner convertible and Skyliner retractable gained Galaxie rear-fender script (but retained Fairlane 500 ID at the rear). The glamorous droptop Sunliner was now a Fairlane 500 and came with the base V-8. Topping the range was the V-8 Crestline group of Victoria hardtop, newly named Sunliner convertible, and posh Country Squire four-door wagon. Assisting in their design was Gordon Buehrig, the famed designer of Classic-era Auburns, Cords, and Duesenbergs who’d also had a hand in the ’51 Victoria. There was also a novel new hardtop called Skyliner, a Crestline Victoria with a transparent, green-tint Plexiglas roof insert over the front seat. This was the Fairlane Crown Victoria, a hardtop-style two-door sedan with a bright metal roof band wrapped up and over from steeply angled B-posts. These were available with the lively “Challenger” small-block V-8 from the midsize Fairlane — initially a 260 with 164 horsepower, then a 289 with about 200 horsepower for ’65.
Nasser traded charges with Firestone officials in the media and before Congressional investigators, then ponied up $3.5 billion to replace some 6.5 million tires. Ford spent a record $6 billion to introduce Mondeo, Contour, and Mercury’s companion ’95 Mystique. Doing more with less, Ford introduced a new 215.3-cid overhead-valve six with 101 horsepower as standard for Mainline/Customline. More importantly, it was new against Chevy’s second facelift in two years. To some, the pre-’66 Falcons were the ultimate “throwaway” cars: designed to sell at a low price — initially just under $2000 — and to be discarded within five years (some said one year). All Falcons were reskinned for 1964-65 with pointy front fenders and generally square, less-distinctive lines. Together with ball-joint front suspension, also new, the Y-block greatly narrowed the engineering gap between expensive and inexpensive cars. Ford’s biggest cars of the 1960s were variously offered as Custom/Custom 500, Fairlane/Fairlane 500 (pre-’62), Galaxie/ Galaxie 500, and station wagon. With the Korean conflict ended, Ford Division built 1.2 million cars to edge Chevrolet for the model year (Chevy consoled itself with calendar-year supremacy), but only by dumping cars on dealers in a production “blitz” so they could sell for “less than cost.” Ironically, Chevrolet wasn’t much affected by this onslaught, but Studebaker, American Motors, and Kaiser-Willys were, because they couldn’t afford to discount as much.
Ford sold 20,766 Skyliners for ’57, but demand fast tapered to 14,713 for ’58, then to 12,915. The model was duly axed after 1959, a victim of new division chief Bob McNamara’s no-nonsense approach to products and profits. Still, the division was done in by an all-new Chevy, which tallied better than 1.7 million. Also like Chevy, Ford built these diverse types on relatively few wheelbases. In addition to participating in fashion shows, she uses her recognition and television appearances to promote the acceptance of all body types. Within the terra cotta family, however, there are several types of tile — some glazed, some unglazed, and all with slightly different characteristics. In the comics, however, they are Doctor Strange, Hulk, Silver Surfer and Namor. Deadpool 2 and Black Panther are worthy competition but Infinity War takes the cake. In addition, the Captain America: Civil War costume made T’Challa appear more confident, powerful, and intimidating. Disney added a number of “Encanto” items this past week, including a Bruno Costume for Adults and a Bruno Costume for Kids.