Collectibles

Micro - Miniature Ford Thunderbird

------------ From my point of view! June 1999, updated 2014 by A Line of Dot's

There is another size range of Thunderbird models that few pay attention to - the 1:84 scale and smaller.  A number of manufacturers have made the classic T-bird in that size range.  The first noteable model was made by Galoob under their MicroMachines label and came out in 1985.  As you go thru the listings below, you will notice that the peak of production for the micro model T-birds  was the year 1989.

As normally happens with manufacturers and their designers, the smaller the model, the less detail so most of the small scale models tend to be generic and combine features of the '55 and '56.  The '57 doesn't seem to have quite the same problem because of the angled fins and formed bumper.  A few '56 models have been made that can be labeled distinctly as representing that year.  Among those you will find the German-made plastic models that are designed for the railroad hobbiest.  The detail is rather good on the German-made small models and well-worth having in a collection. NEW Update: In 2013, a new manufacturer for the Thunderbird was noticed.  Oxford Diecasts of the UK, came out with a 1956 1/87 scale in diecast!  The detailing is good. Also noted starting with the 2011 models from Busch, the continental spare is now black instead of body color.  Don't know why the change since on the real cars, the spare is covered by a metal casing in body color.

Scroll or Click below to view the lists:

Charm Max

Charter/King

Funrise

Galoob

Galoob - Mini

Imperial

Mattel

McDonald's

Oxford Diecasts

Praline/ Busch

Road Champs

Galoob - Basic Description: 55/56; Plastic; made in China; "Micro Machines;"  size = 1 3/8" - 3.5cm; black chassis; silver painted trim; porthole top; no fender vents (no room for such); chunky mold.  Several wheel styles.
 
 

Year Made	Model #	Basic Description	Color
1985	6400	U.S. Classics Collection;  black windows; silver wire-look wheels; in 5-pack w/magnifying lens	red w/black cont'l kit
1987	6400	as above; new package	"
1987/88	6400	#3 US Classics Collection; silver windows;silver wire-look wheels OR 3-spoke swirl wheels; in 5-pak	white w/black top & cont'l kit
1988	64002	#3 US Classics Collection; black windows; silver 7-spoke swirl wheels	pink w/blue top & cont'l kit
1986? or 87?	?	?	Yellow with black hardtop & cont'l kit
?	/	?	White with red top and black cont'l kit
1986/88	6404	Trophy Series; gold trim; black windows; gold wire-look wheels; packaged w/ boat & plane	Gold w/orange-red & black stripes; gold cont'l kit
'89	64782	#3 Micro Lights; black windows;silver spoke wheels; Press on top to lite-up head & tail lights	2-tone w/turquoise above/cream below; cream top & cont'l kit
'89	64783	#4 Micro Lights;black windows; silver 5-pt. star spoke wheels; in 2-pak; Press on top to lite-up head & tail lights	pink, blue, white & black graphics w/black dots
'89	64792	#13 Micro Lights; black windows; silver 5-pt. star spoke wheels; Press on top to lite-up head & tail lights	2-tone w/red above/grey below; grey top & cont'l kit
		Note - yellow mini would be in the blue model in photo at right,  NOT the lt. green model which should have the orange cobra mini.
'89	64720	#1 Insiders; black windows; silver 5-pt. star spoke wheels; opens up to reveal yellow ultra-small '55 t-bird; in 4-pak	Blue w/white top; black cont'l kit
'89	64725	#6 Collection "Insiders"; turquoise windows;  silver 5-pt. star spoke wheels;opens up to reveal orange ultra-small Cobra; in 4-pak	Lt. green w/cream top; black cont'l kit
'89	64757	#8 Triplesiders Collection; hides orange ultra-small Cobra while large "Rover" hides T-bird.	as above (64725)
92/93?	.	Black windows; silver chrome trim; 7-spoke swirl wheels; tail lights painted red	Yellow chrome w/silver chrome top; black cont'l kit
'94	.	Color Change; 1 of 4 "free" cars in 8-pak w/4 "2000" cars	pink w/white top
'94	75076	Color Change; 1 of 4 "free" cars in 8-pak w/4 "X-ray"	blue changes to yellow; tan top; black cont'l kit - loses color changing abilities w/light exposure
		Mold Change - size= 3.8cm or 1.5"
1998**	#1	Ford Series;  definitely a 1956 model - slim & trim! chassis date 1996 but not marketed until 1998; silver windows; flat rimmed wheels; fender vent	Lt. blue w/white top; lt. blue cont'l kit
2004	Ford Series 2 - available in Canada	.	green with white top; black graphics

**The 1999 MicroMachines list a Thunderbird model in the "Museum" collection which is set #25.  Model is the same as the model in the Ford pak from 1998.
 
 
 

Galoob Mini - Basic Description:'55 w/ porthole top; made in China; Ultra Small; 5/8" - 1.5 cm

Year Made	Model #	Basic Description	Color
'89	64720	#1 Insiders; inside #64720; porthole top; black windows red tail lights; in 4-pak; silver trim	Yellow
'89	6318	Ultra-small Insiders; black windows; silver tail lights & trim; in 8-pak w/other mini's.	Red
'95	.	Ultra Small; silver windows & trim; red tail lights; 1 of 4 "free" mini's in 8-pak w/various other micros	Dark Blue
'95	.	Ultra Small; blue windows; silver trim; red tail lights; 1 of 4 "free" mini's in 8-pak w/various other micros	dark yellow w/white top
?	.	Ultra Small	black

Imperial - Basic Description: 55/56; made in China; Crown emblem on chassis; dated 1988; Plastic w/metal chassis; black porthole top; no fender vents; black cont'l kit; red painted tailights & headlights; gold painted windows

Charter King - Basic Description: 55/56; made in China; "China" imprinted on rear bumper underneath; very crude molding

Road Champs - Basic Description: 56; made in China; Plastic; Monster Wheels; 2-tone blue "V" graphics on top, hood & sides - on all; 1987 mold date on black chassis

Micro Wheeler - Basic Description - 1956 T-bird; made in China; similar to the above Road champs; unmarked chassis

	Praline - Basic Description: '56; made in West Germany; plastic; detailed; predecessor to the Busch Model; 1:87 scale or   2" - 5.3cm;  black chassis; All have black steering wheels.
The Pralines need a little explanation.  They came in a variety of colors in the early 1990's and in 3 styles (hardtop, "softtop" and topless) with several variations.	Colors available are  red; mint green; black; metallic blue; metallic brown; metallic silver (grey), metallic gold in two different shades; pink & lt. blue.	There may be other colors but these are all that I have ever seen.  I have only seen the pink in one style and no variations. It appeared to be the last color on the market.

When these models were put together; chrome trim was paired with either black or white tires but the grey trimmed models were only paired with the black tires.  As you can imagine; there are a number of different combinations that you may be able to find.  The only  interiors in the metallic blues that I've found are the creams and have not seen enough models of the other colors to say for sure about them.  Cont'l kits  are normally same color as the body color but two of my three  blue metallics have black kits - go figure...!!
 

These models were packaged in clear, hard plastic boxes with model numbers of #5200, 5201, 5202, 5203, 5204, 5205 - number designates whether it has chrome trim and type of top.

Interior Colors	Body Color	Trim  bumpers; grill;	Tires	HardTop	Soft top
cream; tan; dark grey; lt cream	(see above)	grey or chrome	white or black	gold, black; tan;	grey
The following are the only examples of the listed colors that I have seen -
red dash w/  grey seats	Dark gold	chrome trim	black tires	.	black soft top
white	pink	chrome trim	white tires	.	topless

Busch - Basic Description: '56 Thunderbird; Made in Germany; plastic; detailed; same as Praline; soft top version; black plastic chassis;  scale: 1:87 or 2 1/16" or 5.3cm. Black steering wheels.  Packaged in small clear plastic case with model displayed on cardboard platform. Variations occur on wheels, interiors, tires and side scripting. The 1996 models have the Thunderbird script on the front fender and hash marks are not painted. From 1998 on, the Thunderbird script appears on the rear fenders and the hash marks are silver painted. In 2011, a white porthole hardtop was added. Busch website

If you have more information on the Busch manufacturer and it's Thunderbird models, please let me know.

Year found in USA	Description	Color	Photo
1996+	white interior; chrome stock hubcaps & chrome trim; black steering wheel; black wall tires' Thunderbird script on front fenders;	mint green w/ white "soft top"
1996+	lt grey interior; chrome stock hubcaps & chrome trim; black wall tires' Thunderbird script on front fenders;	black w/ lt. grey "soft top"
1998	tan interior;   white-line tires; chrome wheels	red, topless
1998	white-line tires	metallic brown; topless  ??	.
1998	white interior ; white-line tires	light blue; topless
1999	red interl, wht dash;Thunderbird written on both r/fenders, "MAG" wheels w/bw tires, skirts, chrome f & r bumpers, hubcap on cont.	blk w/grey ST	.
1999	tan inter., white dash; 5-spoke chrome wheels; blk wall tires	teal w/tan ST
2000	cream interior; chrome wheels; white line tires [ed note - showed up on ebay in 2002]	green; topless
2001	red interior; black wall tires; chrome wheels	Black with red top
2001	black interior; white line tires; chrome wheels	white; topless
2001	cream interior; 5 spoke chrome star wheel; black steering wheel #45211	light teal (Thunderbird blue 55 color); cream softtop
2001	white interior; black wall tires; 5 point star chrome wheels	light blue; white softtop
2002	tan interior; chrome wheels; white line tires	yellow; topless
2002	white interior; 5 spoke chrome wheels;black wall tires	blue with white Softtop
2003	red interior; 5 spoke chrome wheels; black wall tires	white with red top
2004	grey interior; red dash;  black wall tires; chrome wheels	gold; topless
2004	cream interior; black wall tires; chrome wheels	black; topless	.
2004	Body: dark blue-violet, Seats: red	dark blue, topless	.
2004	Body: pastel rose, Seats: cream white.	light pink, topless	.
?	red  interior; white line tires; chrome wheels	dark red; topless
2009	chrome 5 point star wheels., black interior	red with black softtop
?	cream interior	black with black top	.
?	?	red with white top
2009	red interior; ; white line tires; chrome wheels	black; topless
2009	with white interior; white line tires; chrome wheels	Peacock blue; topless
2010	white interior;	Red; topless	.
2011	white interior, black steering wheel, black cnt'l kit; 45202	Red metallic; White Porthole hardtop
2011	white interior, black steering wheel, black cont'l kit; chrome wheels; 45200	Silver metallic; white porthole hardtop
2011	white interior, white steering wheel; black cont'l kit; chrome wheels;  45201	Lavendar metallic; white porthole hardtop

Other Companies:
 

Company	Photo	Year Made	Model #	Size	Color	Basic Description
Charm Max		2000	?	1 7/16"	yellow	'57; similar to the Funrise model; in Micro Collection pkg with 5 other cars.
Charm Max / AutoKit	.	?	?	1 7/16"	pink with painted chrome details	56; similar to the Funrise model;
Ferrero / Germany		'90's	?	5.5cm - 2 1/8"	mint green w/white non-porthole top	'56; plastic; cream interior; white chassis; green steering wheel; silver flat wheels; clear windshield; no back window; grey bumpers & grill; Came packaged in a plastic egg for Easter celebrations.
Funrise		1989	10001	.	red or yellow	'57; Micros Action Magnifiers, in 5-pak
Mattel		1989	7629-G1	.	turquoise	'55/'56; Hot Wheels, Micro Night Burners; light button in top lights up 2 holes in front & rear end.  Silver window; in 2-pak
McDonald's		1990	#2	.	yellow	'57; Mighty Mini 4x4; Li'l Classic; released in March 1991; wind-up w/big wheels & cont'l kit; (T.V. advertised) Came w/ Happy Meal Box w/gas station cut out & pumps. Golden arches molded on trunk.
Micro-Royal	.	19?	Miny's-203M'S	.	yellow	'57 same as Funrise; packaged singlely
Oxford Diecast		2013	Arrive in Style	1/87	Coral	'56 diecast with white porthole hardtop, coral continental kit
	.	2013		1/87	Peacock Blue
	.	2014		1/87	Thunderbird Green
	.	2014			Red	due this year

Lists:	1955 A-H	1955 I-M	1955 N-Z ??	1956 A-F	1956G-J	1956 K-N	1956 O-Z +?	1957 A-H	1957 I-R	1957 S-Z ??
	released in:  1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010

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Battle Bird,

Brooklin

Corgi

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