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Thunderbird Hubcap = What Year?


mercman from oz

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I bought this Thunderbird Hubcap at a recent Swap Meet and I need confirmation of the year.
Now, I have looked on eBay and see similar looking Thunderbird Hubcaps, but all of the ones that I saw have the word Thunderbird twice.
The Hubcaps that I want identified is shown in the first two photos, and there is no mention of Thunderbird.
The photo of hubcap displayed on lattice shows the different centre to mine with Thunderbird repeated twice.
Finally, the last photos show some of my Ford Thunderbird Hubcaps.

Thanks for your help.

_DSC6152.jpg

_DSC6153.jpg

Ford Thunderbird.jpg

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It's an accessory cap, about 1975 or '74, that's why it's hard to find.  While walking through my car part stash I noticed I have basically the same cap but center emblem is FORD not T-Bird.  A 1975 online "Ford Elite" brochure  shows similar cap in accessories section with a description of "Thunderbird inspired" so we're close. btw, it sure is heavy for a wheel cover.

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Here is a picture of teh 1972 Ford Thunderbird that appeared in teh original Sales Brochure.

Notice that it has this style of Hubcap, which is genuine Ford, and not Aftermarket.

As my just purchased hubcap has a slightly different plastic Centre that the ones that say Ford Thunderbird, I thought that my Centre might be for a specific year?

image.thumb.gif.b8a90aabb369947de0f3e539a61744c2.gif

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USA Readers may not realise this, but Ford Motor Company in Australia developed and designed an All Australian Ford LTD for 1973.

The 1972 Ford LTD 4-door Pillared Hardtop was the last USA big Ford sold in Australia.

So, as mentioned above, for 1973 we got our own 1973 Ford LTD.

For Hubcaps, Ford chose these Turbine Hubcaps, as fitted to the Ford Thunderbirds.

However, Ford Australia painted over the centre with the body colour.

If you look on the inside of these hubcap[s, you can still see the Thunderbird writing and bird on teh inside of the plastic centre..

Check out this Australian 1973 Ford LTD wearing these Turbine Hubcaps.

 

image.jpeg.8240f2cbbe8f169a571c86e2d302b3fc.jpeg

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