My 1961 Ford Thunderbird is 50 years old this year. Actually, I haven't taken the time to look up the car's actual build date, but just going by the car's model year and present actual calendar year this is the year it becomes a half century old.
Looking at the car it's hard to believe it's actually half a century old. Maybe that's a reflection on how old I am, because when I start using the word "century" I have thoughts of headlights that are attached on top of fenders that are attached to the sides of the cars. My '61 T-Bird actually looks kind of modern for an antique car.
Then we get into that great question of "How old does a car have to be to be considered an antique?" Based on Minnesota automobile license plate laws, any car 20 years old or older is an antique, although they have sub-categories within that antique definition that would indicate a car built after 1948 is a "collector" car. I've heard other arguements that a car must be 25 years old or 50 years old to be an antique, or that it must've been built before World War II (what, not enough people were killed in any the wars after WWII to create a new dividing point for antique cars?). And if the latter definition is used, how many years do we wait before we finally move that WWII boundary up to include some of the millions of cars built after then?
Regardless of whether or not my T-Bird is an antique, there is no question that it has become a half century old this year. And when we're talking about a mechanical product that is still performing its intended functions, I think that's very significant. And when I look at the odometer, it means this car averaged about 2400 miles per year; try making it to work within that many miles of driving in a year. And try looking as good as my T-Bird when you turn 50.
I don't think I'll be around when the car becomes a whole century old. So, I'm celebrating the half-century as a landmark moment in this car's existence by writing this blog dedicated to it.
Happy Birthday, T-Bird! or would that be, Happy Anniversary T-Bird? I don't think it really cares.

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