| Manufacturer / Kit: | Monogram #2244 |
| Vehicle: | 1984 Ford Thunderbird |
| Sponsor / Design: | Coors / Melling |
| Driver: | #9 Bill Elliott |
| Scale: | 1/24 |
| Condition: | New, box opened, may show signs of storage wear |
The 1984 Ford Thunderbird and Bill Elliott
In the fall of 1983, executives from the Coors brewery met with team owner Harry Melling to discuss sponsoring the #9 car. The talks obviously went well, because a small Coors sticker could already be spotted on Bill Elliott’s car during the last races of the 1983 season.
Elliott’s first career win at the “Winston Western 500” in Riverside then finally tipped the scales in favor of Coors becoming the primary sponsor for the coming season.
At the 1984 season opener, the “new old” Ford Thunderbird rolled out of the garage with the number 9 in a bright red Coors paint scheme. Although the design was admittedly not especially exciting (red on top, a sweeping gold dividing line below it, and a white base), it attracted fans like a magnet.
But why the “new old” Thunderbird? It came in a new paint scheme, but it was still the old model. Ford introduced the new Thunderbird in 1983. The old rolling brick was replaced by a modern, aerodynamic car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5USUzStq890
Only at Melling did they prefer to stick with the old model, since the team had gotten used to it and got along well with it.
The first four or five races of 1984 also went with moderate success for the Melling racing team and Bill Elliott. That is, until Ford’s top brass suddenly burst into the garage and politely but firmly asked them to put the current model on the track. After all, Ford wanted to market its new Thunderbird, and it didn’t look particularly good when a car two or three years old was beating the current models into the ground…
The first races with the new car weren’t outstanding, and it was only in the second half of the season that Bill Elliott was able to fight his way toward the front.
The Michigan race gave him his first win of the ’84 season, followed by the 500-mile race in Charlotte and the fall race in Rockingham, where “Handsome Harry” Gant was beaten by “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” by a bumper’s length.
Elliott and Gant finished the 1984 season tied on points in second place behind champion Terry Labonte.
The Model Kit
This Monogram model kit from 1984 is a Ford Thunderbird.
The kit is molded in red with clear and chrome-plated parts and includes a complete “Coors” decal sheet.
The vehicle is painted in two colors, which makes the build quite simple overall. This Monogram Ford Thunderbird fits perfectly into the NASCAR Grayside rules.
Important Notice:
This model kit is not a toy for children!
It contains small parts that can easily be swallowed. Never leave children under 14 unattended with a model kit like this!
Please note that the enclosed decals may be brittle due to their age. If you want to use them, be sure to pre-treat the decals and coat them with a suitable film before soaking them in water!
I do not accept any liability for the fit, condition, or functionality of the decals!
