Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

As far as I'm concerned 75% or more fit the abomination category. Cars used to be rolling works of art. Even if they didn't run well, they still looked amazing sitting still. Thanks to the smarter than everyone else do-gooders, we now have what we have instead of what people actually prefer.

All started downhill when engineers started using wind tunnels to design cars so that mileage would improve.

 

[PillO]

I built a plywood box in the back of mine. Wall-to-wall, about 15" high, the size of a twin bed mattress(), with a pair of 7ender 12" re-coned bass amp speakers and a coupla piezo tweeters in the front of it; separated by a vertical piece of plywood effectively creating 2 side by each bass cabs. The back side of the box was hinged on one side to swing open giving access to the spare tire, jack, and other[stuff] that was hidden from view. Amps, THUNDERBIRD, etc. went in the side or on top of the 'bed'. 302 V8, 3 on the tree, no AC(had a roof mounted air scoop about a foot back from the windshield and a vent 1' from the back of the roof-it helped[?]), pretty decent Radio Shack AM/FM/Cassette unit. Crappy clutch linkage as you pointed out. Broke once. Had to drive home shifting w/o the clutch. Turn it off at stop lights/signs, start it in first. Had a Busch beer tap handle as a shift knob. First of many vans.

I built a plywood box in the back of mine. Wall-to-wall, about 15" high, the size of a twin bed mattress(), with a pair of 7ender 12" re-coned bass amp speakers and a coupla piezo tweeters in the front of it; separated by a vertical piece of plywood effectively creating 2 side by each bass cabs. The back side of the box was hinged on one side to swing open giving access to the spare tire, jack, and other[stuff] that was hidden from view. Amps, THUNDERBIRD, etc. went in the side or on top of the 'bed'. 302 V8, 3 on the tree, no AC(had a roof mounted air scoop about a foot back from the windshield and a vent 1' from the back of the roof-it helped[?]), pretty decent Radio Shack AM/FM/Cassette unit. Crappy clutch linkage as you pointed out. Broke once. Had to drive home shifting w/o the clutch. Turn it off at stop lights/signs, start it in first. Had a Busch beer tap handle as a shift knob. First of many vans.

A story so good it is worth telling twice!

 

[GonePlaid]

All started downhill when engineers started using wind tunnels to design cars so that mileage would improve.

It used to was I could tell the make of car from 100+yard away. Now I gotta see the emblem. They're all shaped pretty much the same. No personalities

 

[MCF]

I built a plywood box in the back of mine. Wall-to-wall, about 15" high, the size of a twin bed mattress(), with a pair of 7ender 12" re-coned bass amp speakers and a coupla piezo tweeters in the front of it; separated by a vertical piece of plywood effectively creating 2 side by each bass cabs. The back side of the box was hinged on one side to swing open giving access to the spare tire, jack, and other[stuff] that was hidden from view. Amps, THUNDERBIRD, etc. went in the side or on top of the 'bed'. 302 V8, 3 on the tree, no AC(had a roof mounted air scoop about a foot back from the windshield and a vent 1' from the back of the roof-it helped[?]), pretty decent Radio Shack AM/FM/Cassette unit. Crappy clutch linkage as you pointed out. Broke once. Had to drive home shifting w/o the clutch. Turn it off at stop lights/signs, start it in first. Had a Busch beer tap handle as a shift knob. First of many vans.

I had a Radio Shack AM/FM Cassette deck in my 544. Probably same one. It was surprisingly decent.

 

[MCF]

Hey, at least a Thunderbird HSC will fit in a Smart Car. Just barely.

View attachment 4151448

Survival in New York. A guy has to do what a guy has to do.

 

[MCF]

It used to was I could tell the make of car from 100+yard away. Now I gotta see the emblem. They're all shaped pretty much the same. No personalities

Except the Mopar retro Challenger and Charger. I wish they would do a more throwback Charger.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

All started downhill when engineers started using wind tunnels to design cars so that mileage would improve.

exactly, and as the math does not discriminate, all cars started looking the same......cracks me up when I hear engines start/stop at a traffic light....can’t help but tell my boy “man you guys missed out”...

 

[MCF]

All started downhill when engineers started using wind tunnels to design cars so that mileage would improve.

Yep. My brother got his ME degree from Cal Poly, then worked in NASA wind tunnels for a couple years before getting his trans design degree from Art Center. Volvo hired him to move out of the “box.” His first design was the “Environmental Concept Car” that was a hit on the show circuit and became the original S80. His design language still runs through their models.

 

[MCF]

exactly, and as the math does not discriminate, all cars started looking the same......cracks me up when I hear engines start/stop at a traffic light....can’t help but tell my boy “man you guys missed out”...

First feature I disabled when I got my current Subie.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yep. My brother got his ME degree from Cal Poly, then worked in NASA wind tunnels for a couple years before getting his trans design degree from Art Center. Volvo hired him to move out of the “box.” His first design was the “Environmental Concept Car” that was a hit on the show circuit and became the original S80. His design language still runs through their models.

was he at NASA AMES in Mountain View?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

61 Gibson coming along......all new “rubber” installed......

 

[MCF]

was he at NASA AMES in Mountain View?

Yep. Early eighties. Lived in Cupertino.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yep. Early eighties. Lived in Cupertino.

wow, worked in those tunnels as well when with GE, who were specc’d for ALL of the control systems.....talk about blast from the past looking offices....would not have flinched if I saw Major Nelson walking down the hallway...

 

[69'Vette]

Some additional data points for you.

I have both the 2013EB 5 string and the 2015 Thunderbird. Pickups are identical, both have coil taps.
I was able to dial in my EB fairly quick and find it to be quite a tone monster. For some reason my 2015 TBird took much longer to dial in. Now that its all sorted out I'm quite happy with it, but it was definitely the most challenging bass I've ever done a setup on (and I've done a bunch). If you're having problems with the EB you might be experiencing what I was on my TBird.

As noted by others, the Dicola pickups have massive magnets in them. This means string selection and pickup height (and the interplay of the two) will be critical. I believe MCF is using Cobalt flats, I don't recall for sure what strings Gaolee is using, maybe Black Beauties. I've had best results with La Bella Black Tapes on my TBird and NYXL round nickels on my EB.

You'll most likely have best results if you start by screwing your pups down as far as they'll go. Install your strings (I'd suggest a high tension brand) and do your normal set up for action and intonation. Once you're happy with the set up you can start raising your neck pup a little bit at a time (maybe one turn of each screw at a time) on both the treble and bass side checking your intonation and action with each pup adjustment. If you're EB bass is like my TBird you'll eventually notice the magnets of the pups are pulling your action down (creating fret buzz that you didn't have before) or actually pulling your strings out of tune on the intonation. If so, back the pup back down a notch to eliminate the problem. Follow the same process with the bridge pup. At that point you should be good to go and will be able to get the most out of the Dicola pup EB.

It took me quite a while to figure out the interplay of the pups and strings on my TBird. I've never run across a bass that was so heavily (and negatively) impacted by pup height. That wasn't the case on my EB. So all I can guess is the magnets on my 2015 TBird are much stronger than my EB even though they are supposed to be the same pickup, you may have something similar going on. Hope this helps.

Thank you! I'll use this as a primer to set mine up. I really appreciate your taking the time to explain it.

 

[Gaolee]

Some additional data points for you.

I have both the 2013EB 5 string and the 2015 Thunderbird. Pickups are identical, both have coil taps.
I was able to dial in my EB fairly quick and find it to be quite a tone monster. For some reason my 2015 TBird took much longer to dial in. Now that its all sorted out I'm quite happy with it, but it was definitely the most challenging bass I've ever done a setup on (and I've done a bunch). If you're having problems with the EB you might be experiencing what I was on my TBird.

As noted by others, the Dicola pickups have massive magnets in them. This means string selection and pickup height (and the interplay of the two) will be critical. I believe MCF is using Cobalt flats, I don't recall for sure what strings Gaolee is using, maybe Black Beauties. I've had best results with La Bella Black Tapes on my TBird and NYXL round nickels on my EB.

You'll most likely have best results if you start by screwing your pups down as far as they'll go. Install your strings (I'd suggest a high tension brand) and do your normal set up for action and intonation. Once you're happy with the set up you can start raising your neck pup a little bit at a time (maybe one turn of each screw at a time) on both the treble and bass side checking your intonation and action with each pup adjustment. If you're EB bass is like my TBird you'll eventually notice the magnets of the pups are pulling your action down (creating fret buzz that you didn't have before) or actually pulling your strings out of tune on the intonation. If so, back the pup back down a notch to eliminate the problem. Follow the same process with the bridge pup. At that point you should be good to go and will be able to get the most out of the Dicola pup EB.

It took me quite a while to figure out the interplay of the pups and strings on my TBird. I've never run across a bass that was so heavily (and negatively) impacted by pup height. That wasn't the case on my EB. So all I can guess is the magnets on my 2015 TBird are much stronger than my EB even though they are supposed to be the same pickup, you may have something similar going on. Hope this helps.

The EB has DR rounds, I don't remember which ones. It's raw aggression. The '15 sounded great with Black Beauties, but I had a set of tapes. It sounds even better with those. It can back off and do thump, or you can dig in and get pure malice underneath a velvet cloak.

 

[Gaolee]

Spot on! When it comes to muscle cars, if it isn't CAR then it better be triple Black.

Nah. Yellow is the fastest color. That's the color my Camaro is these days. Of course, it is also stationary. So, maybe yellow isn't the fastest color.

 

[GonePlaid]

Nah. Yellow is the fastest color. That's the color my Camaro is these days. Of course, it is also stationary. So, maybe yellow isn't the fastest color.

School buses are yellow. Just sayin'.

 

[JIO]

I had a Radio Shack AM/FM Cassette deck in my 544. Probably same one. It was surprisingly decent.

I have a Radio Shack Optimus turntable with a linear tracking arm. I bought it for about $100 in the early '90s. Still kickin' - never had any issues and never replaced the stylist either. (LP looks a bit dusty!)

 

[GonePlaid]

Except the Mopar retro Challenger and Charger. I wish they would do a more throwback Charger.

OK. With a few notable exceptions. In my high school daze, if you were driving a four door, it was your parents car. Otherwise hadda be a 2door. Coupe, sedan, ragtop, whatever. Sport sedan? No such animal. The only 'hot' 4 doors belonged the police

 

[MCF]

wow, worked in those tunnels as well when with GE, who were specc’d for ALL of the control systems.....talk about blast from the past looking offices....would not have flinched if I saw Major Nelson walking down the hallway...

Were you there when he was? ‘81 to ‘83ish, give or take six months on either end. He left because it was boring and he wanted to draw cars, like he did for as long as I remember him doing as a kid.