By 1958 the second-generation T-bird was totally re-designed and grew bigger all round, by adding an extra row of seats so it could accommodate four people. The ’1955 -’1957 T-Birds were known as ‘little birds’ being two-seater models only, and as such they were also labelled as ‘personal luxury cars’. The first time I ever saw a 1956 Thunderbird was in that film a white car driven by the ‘mystery girl’ Suzanne Summers. Some say the cars were the real stars of the movie, yet it is also the music that evokes that early Sixties era, combined with a great screenplay. I too in 1973 was a teenager and this movie opened up my world to American cars, lifestyle, rock ’n’ roll and good times. It featured a host of up-and-coming young actors, many of whom would go on to have successful careers. Filmed mostly in Petaluma, north of San Francisco in California, it was set in 1962 and documented early Sixties small-town teen life. The film dealt with the last day of summer vacation before a group of teenage friends matured into adult life and went their separate ways. Turning the clock back to 1973, I, like many thousands, flocked to the cinema to experience the feature film American Graffiti, produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by the legendary George Lucas.
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