Book excerpt: For five decades, the Ford Thunderbird has been a car that has taken America on a wonderful ride through the changes of its time. From the sporty classic two-seater that people still go nuts for over half a century after it was first built, to the retro reincarnation of today and everything in between from sleek convertibles and suicide-doored sedans to supercharged coupes, the T-bird has been an enthusiast's car for all seasons. Thunderbird: 50 Years takes a look at the golden history of every generation of this American classic, and details the development and evolution of one of Ford's best-known models year-by-year, in text and 200 photographs. Chapter by chapter, each generation of the T-bird is placed within the context of its time to help illustrate why the car evolved as it did. From the ever-desirable finned two-seaters of the 1950s, stylish and sporty convertibles of the late 1950s and early 1960s, suicide-door cruisers of the late 1960s, land yachts of the 1970s, aerodynamic turbo- and supercharged coupes of the 1980s and 1990s, and today's retro-influenced reincarnations, all are covered from an enthusiast's viewpoint. Learn what's rare and desirable in the lists of options, colors and production figures. See examples of the most desirable and collectible 'Birds around, including excellent originals and authentically restored jewels presented in color.- Complete history of the Thunderbird- Spectacular photography by David Newhardt- Sidebars touch on pop culture status and impact- Very detailed appendix with production features and options