'The camaraderie is great,' said Hayes, one of the group's seven widows. Brock, the group's unofficial social director, heard about Hayes from a mutual friend, so she called to ask if she would like to join their next outing. His merlot red 2002 Thunderbird sat in the garage while she grieved. 'I decided it's hard to fly like an eagle with turkeys, so I needed a Thunderbird,' Ykema joked.īarbara Hayes of Selma, Calif., buried her husband, Jerry, last year.

Group member Alicia Ykema of Hanford, Calif., co-owner of a turkey farm, got a white 2003 T-Bird after a test drive. They feel like they are in charge, in preserving their own lives and culture.' 'People don't buy a car they wear a car, like a dress. 'These cars are very sensuous,' Rapaille said. It's by design, not chance, that the newer model T-Bird appeals to ladies, said Clotaire Rapaille, a French psychologist who used his training in Jungian archetypes to help Chrysler design the PT Cruiser and keep the Jeep true to its roots. 'Find a hobby that you like and expand on it.' She owns two T-Birds ? a sage green, all-original 1956 two-seater that she stumbled across at an estate sale and a 2004 merlot red model. 'When you get older, you can still have a lot of fun,' said Brock. The most recent T-Bird is a retro version of the original and has both hard and soft tops. The convertible has a removable hard top, some with eye-catching portholes, or a soft top. The original two-seater Ford Thunderbird, manufactured from 1955 to 1957, captivated the public with its European-inspired sporty looks. 'We're too young for the rocking chair,' Brock said cheerily.

Honks and waves from other drivers are routine. They drive single-file in a caravan, causing heads to turn wherever they go. The latest two-seater T-Bird, built from 2002-05, is the car of choice for a group of California ladies, some of whom found a new companion ? one with four tires and an engine ? after they were widowed.Īt least once a month, Maxine Brock of Visalia, Calif., and 10 like-minded friends ? they're all single, and most are 60 or older ? rev up their T-Birds and hit the road. Ladies seem to have a thing for the Ford Thunderbird, whether it's the stylish '50s original or the recent revival. ? It was the car of choice for Thelma and Louise, and also for the mysterious blonde in 'American Graffiti.'

New ford thunderbird