This car was at at the all Ford show in Issaquah Washington today. According to the owner, KHJ Boss Radio apparently commissioned Bill Cushenbery to take a 1956 T bird and customize it as a promotional give away car in Los Angeles in 1966. The car survives today in totally unrestored condition, only sporting a newer 312 engine to replace the original 292, an orange paint scheme that covers the original Cushenbery bright blue an a badly repaired left front fender. The original interior was missing when the owner acquired it.
I saw that car sitting in Reno Nevada about 30 years ago. It looks the same. I have a picture of it somewhere. It was sitting in a lot next to a gas station.
Same radio station gave away Monogram/Starbird's 1:1 scale Big T in the early '60's.... I wonder what happened to it???
That promo idea spread Eastward to the I.E. KFXM 570 AM (used to broadcast from the California Hotel at Fifth and E streets in Berdoo) gave away a Corvette "Sting Ray". Another AM competitor, KMEN 1290 ? gave away a "Fink Ray", a horribly modified Rambler as I recall. You would call in to the station and nominate someone to receive it, the station would call them up and notify them they were the winner. No one would accept it. Mike.
Yes the Mustang tailights,'66 Ford headlights and funky drooping snout do not go with the T-bird body style at all.
. Who could forget, Robert W Morgan, KHJ, Los Angeles "All American" It would drift in and out and sometimes the slop form adjacent channels would wipe it out even on a 1946 6 tube General Electric tabletop on the coldest winter nights. I was thrilled when somebody wise came up with the cruisen series of records, KHJ channel 95 was the 1965 spotlight station on vinyl. I had the whole collection. .
I don't get on the H.A.M.B. too often but when I do I'm amazed at what pops up. This post in particular. I had Bill paint a '47 Ford at the same time this T-Bird was being built at his Burbank shop and got to see it being built start to finish. He was on a tight schedule to get it done and hired a guy who worked at Barris's to help out. I think his name was Steve Tate and was from Dodge City, KS. and drove a candy red Riviera. He did the rear of the car, Bill did the front. As someone pointed out, it wasn't one of his best designs but I can tell you the workmanship on that front end was top notch and the paint work was great. On a side note, at the same time Bill drove a Model A sedan painted a similar shade of blue that the T-Bird was painted. It was 260 Ford powered and had one of his patented custom dash boards. I'd like to know what happened to that car if anyone knows.
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