The last of the new Thunderbirds rolled off the Ford assembly lines almost ten years ago. With 68,095 total units produced for the 2002-2005 Model years, it is a fairly limited-production automobile, comparable to the number of units produced for the 1955-1957 Thunderbird, the original and now classic Thunderbird.
Values of the 1955-57 ‘Baby Bird’ has skyrocketed over the 60 years since its introduction, with prices reaching high five figures, and in at least one instance, over $ 200,000. The 1955-57 Thunderbird is now considered a true classic, and is highly collectible.
The question many owners of the new, 2002-2005 Thunderbird ask is “Will my Thunderbird become as valuable and collectible as the original two-seater produced for 1955-1957?” The answer, in my opinion is YES! I’m convinced that the ‘Retrobird,’ the 2002-2005 Thunderbird, will eventually reach the six-figure mark in value. The only real question is how long that will take.
The 1955-57 Thunderbird cost only about $ 3,500 when brand new, so a fully restored example that is now worth say, $ 70,000 is bringing nearly 20 times its original cost. Keep in mind, however, that it took nearly 60 years to appreciate that much. If the 2002-2005 Thunderbird enjoys comparable appreciation in value, that would indicate a possible value of a whopping $ 800,000 in another 50 or so years!
Sound crazy? Perhaps. But the precedent exists, and if the past is any indication, values of the 2002-2005 Thunderbird could well soar past the half million dollar mark in coming decades.
We’ll discuss this subject in more detail in future posts, so be sure to stay tuned!
