So you’ve got a 2002-2005 Thunderbird, also known as a ‘Retrobird,’ and are wondering if you should customize it. What are my options? How large a selection of aftermarket accessories is available? What are the most popular aftermarket parts and upgrades? How much will it cost? How will customizing my Thunderbird affect its future value? Lots of questions. Let’s explore some answers …
“Should I customize or accessorize my ’02-’05 Thunderbird?” I get this question often. First, you should know that there are many options for customizing your 2002-2005 T-Bird from appearance items like ‘Roadster Style’ tonneau covers, Continental Kits and fender skirts to performance upgrades, and collectibles like watches, caps, jackets, T-shirts, coffee mugs and die cast models. And there are accessories and collectibles in all prices ranges to fit any budget. Whether you’re looking for something as inexpensive as a Thunderbird key ring or a complete ‘total transformation’ with a bolt-on body kit, it’s all available.
Some of the most popular aftermarket upgrades and accessories for the new Thunderbird include hard tonneau covers. The 2002-2005 T-Bird came from the factory with a ‘soft boot’ that snaps in place to cover the retracted convertible top. One of the first aftermarket accessories produced for the new T-Bird was the ‘Roadster Style’ tonneau cover. Powersport created the Roadster Style tonneau cover based on a patented design by noted automotive designer and former Ford designer, James R. Powers. This classic one-piece design recalls the look and styling of the classic 1962-63 Thunderbird Sports Roadsters. Mr. Powers renderings and full scale clay model while at Ford led to the iconic 1961 Thunderbird and Sports Roadsters. Powersport’s Roadster Style tonneau cover is the only hard tonneau cover for the new T-Bird that can boast such a notable heritage. In fact, the Roadster Style tonneau cover was actually approved by Ford as either a factory or dealer option for the 2006 Thunderbird prior to cancellation of the 2006 model year. Powersport’s Roadster Style tonneau cover features a unique ‘waterfall’ drop between the bucket seats, raised headrest ‘nacelles’ and a ‘wind split’ feature line. It’s also the only aftermarket tonneau cover that has separate headrest caps that can be upholstered to match the seats or painted to match the exterior paint color.
Other hard tonneau cover designs include two-piece styles with raised headrests and flat, similar to one featured on a 2003 Thunderbird at the SEMA show that same year. Powersport also offers a unique two-piece tonneau cover with a contoured rear edge that conforms to the curve of the package area behind the seats.
Another very popular aftermarket accessory for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird is the classic half skirt fender skirt. First introduced on the 1955-1957 Thunderbird, the classic half skirt gives the new, 2002-2005 Thunderbird the classic ‘retro’ look of the first T-Birds. The half skirts are easy to install and add excitement and retro styling at a reasonable cost.
The 1956 Thunderbird was the first T-Bird to offer the Continental Kit … a classic automotive feature originally designed to hold a spare tire. There are two styles of Continental Kit available for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird. The first, the ‘Classic Continental Kit,’ features a non-functional tire cover and an integrated bumper extension, similar to the kits seen on the 1956 Thunderbird. The other style is a partial Continental Kit that attaches directly to the trunk lid and resembles the more modest ‘kit’ as seen on various models of Lincoln Continental.
For Thunderbird owners who want more understated aftermarket accessories, there is a complete line of stainless steel trim kits. These easy to install trim sets include side accent trim, rocker molding trim, lower door trim, wheel well or ‘fender’ trim, and trim for the hood scoop, tail lights and headlights. There’s even stainless steel trim for the gas door cover! One of the newer stainless steel trim accessories developed by Powersport for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird is the ‘grille surround trim.’ This one-piece trim attaches to the front bumper and recalls the look of the grille surround of the classic 1955-57 T-Birds. There’s even stainless steel trim for nearly every component in the Thunderbird’s engine bay under the hood, including header trim, headlight ‘buckets,’ air filter covers, shock & strut tower covers and inner fender trim.
For the T-Bird owner who really wants to make a statement and create a car that stands apart from the rest, Powersport offers the ‘California Custom’ total transformation package. This exciting body kit package is entirely bolt-on, and transforms the Thunderbird into a head turning custom show car without expensive body work. The ‘California Custom’ kit includes the signature front fascia, fender skirts and ground effects, Sport Hood Scoop and the ‘Roadster Style’ tonneau cover. For those who like elements of the ‘California Custom’ but don’t want the entire package, each component can be purchased separately or in any combination, allowing owners to ‘design their own’ custom Thunderbird.
Interior trim accessories include custom dash trim kits available in a wide variety of colors and styles from brushed aluminum to exotic woodgrain finishes to racy carbon fiber. These dash trim kits add an elegant personal touch and dress up the rather drab plastic ‘center stack’ on the stock Thunderbird.
Wire wheels and wide white wall tires are also extremely popular with Thunderbird owners who want an even more ‘Retro’ look. Powersport carries the only wire wheel currently available for the 2002-2005 T-Bird. Combined with the wide white wall tires, they make a stunning addition to an already unique car.
There are also a number of performance upgrades designed specifically for the new Thunderbird. The performance upgrades are discussed in detail in a separate blog post here.
In addition to appearance modifications and performance upgrades, there is also a very wide variety of Thunderbird collectibles and accessories. These include everything from Thunderbird key rings, coffee mugs, neon clock radios, and watches, to clothing items including Thunderbird caps, T-Shirts and jackets. Among the more popular clothing items, the recently introduced ‘Thunderbird 60th Anniversary’ collection features the unique Ford-approved 60th Anniversary logo to commemorate the Thunderbird’s 60 years as an American automotive marque.
How will customizing and accessorizing my Thunderbird affect its future market value? This question is asked a lot. Some T-Bird owners, often referred to as ‘purists,’ won’t add or change even the most minor part of their cars, preferring to leave them completely ‘stock’ as they came from the factory. Other owners love creating their own personalized, customized ‘statements’ and want their Thunderbird to be different from the others and stand out from the stock T-Birds. The possibilities are virtually endless, and limited only by the creativity, imagination and personal preference of the owner. You can do as much or as little as you want to suit your own taste.
The beauty of aftermarket modifications and custom accessories is that nearly all of them are 100% reversible. If you change your mind about anything you add, you can remove it later with no trace anything was ever changed. This eliminates any risk of lowering future market value of the new Thunderbird, although most 2002-2005 T-Bird owners I’ve spoken with, and there have been thousands, plan to keep their cherished Thunderbirds forever!
