![]() In retrospect, I should have skipped the leather seats. ![]() For about the price of a pedestrian Taurus, I netted a new Thunderbird. So here is what I finally got, thanks to the efforts of those at the now defunct Courtesy Ford in Charleston, Missouri. While I didn’t want it, I soon realized it worked well to visually balance the car in the rear, as I felt the standard Thunderbird looked a touch droopy in standard form. Naturally, during my shopping Ford upped the price of the Sport Option to $450, but tossed a “no charge” deck lid spoiler into the mix. After a little more shopping, I found a dealer who was willing to order what I wanted – what really helped was it being a small dealer having no Thunderbirds in stock. This seemed like a screaming deal.Īt one point during my search, a dealer inquiry found the closest black Thunderbird with the Sport Option to be in Louisville, Kentucky – two states away. For such a relative pittance, one got the suspension, rear disc brakes, and 16″ wheels from the now discontinued Super Coupe along with the mandatory 4.6 liter V8. What I sought was a Thunderbird with the $210 Sport Option. ![]() Most of the few V8 Thunderbirds to be found had a moonroof I didn’t want a moonroof. Many of those had the standard 3.8 liter V6 with various other trinkets. I sought a Thunderbird, but not just any garden variety example as found on dealer lots and seen here. Too bad dealers didn’t keep the exact specimen on their lot. ![]() Looking around in 1996, choices were present but the ideal candidate was obvious. Having 2.3 liters of ecstasy erasing any desire for another Mustang, this new chapter of life called for something more sophisticated and mature.įurther, it was going to have seriously more motivational force. I knew what I wanted, had test driven two or three examples, and it was just a matter of acting upon it. Additionally the Zeon company records could be used by local communities seeking to recall a vibrant part of their mid-20th century history and identity.The hankering had been growing for a while. Restoration of still extant signs along Route 66 is facilitated with access to the original drawings. The potential use of this collection crosses many humanities disciplines including art history, community planning, history of the built environment and local history. The internal and external dialogue is evident in notes, correspondence, and related paperwork. Specific tasks, staffing, costs of labor and materials are detailed in the files. The drawings and job file documentation provide insight into the detail and aesthetics of commercial sign making. Thus, the collection documents some of the vitality and allure of Route 66.Īirlines, automobile dealers, banks and loan agencies, barber shops and beauty salons, clothing stores, eateries, grocery and convenience stores, motels, and lounges, liquor stores, shoe shops, and theatres exemplify the vast array of clients utilizing the services and expertise of Zeon. However, their contracts spread throughout New Mexico (Aztec, Belen, Bloomfield, Chama, Cuba, Crownpoint, Deming, Española, Farmington, Grants, Gallup, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, Los Lunas, Magdalena, Milan, Mountainair, Pojoaque, Raton, Santa Fe, Socorro, Rio Rancho, Shiprock, Tijeras, Tucumcari, Zuni, and points between) and into southwestern Colorado (Durango), Arizona (Chinle, Flagstaff, Ganado, Window Rock), Texas (Amarillo, El Paso, Uvalde), and even a few locations in CaliforniaĮddie’s Inferno Cocktail Lounge, Star Florist, Roadrunner Coffee Shop, Paris Shoe Shop, and many other businesses lining mid-twentieth century Route 66 in Albuquerque and the surrounding Southwest contracted with Zeon for their roadside signs. The majority of Zeon’s work was located in Albuquerque, NM.
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