’02-’05 Thunderbird OEM Parts-Why Can’t I Find Them? – Having trouble trying to find OEM Ford replacement parts for your 2002-2005 Thunderbird? Parts like front and rear struts/shocks, electronic control modules, replacement seat covers in the original OEM colors and styles? How about interior metal trim to match your 2004 Pacific Coast Roadster or 2003 ‘007’ James Bond? How about even simple accessories like Thunderbird floor mats with the Thunderbird emblem? The 2005 Thunderbird is barely ten years old. Why are OEM replacement parts so difficult to find? And why are the parts that are available so expensive? You have questions. We have some answers, so read on.
When a new car or truck model is put into production, the manufacturer also builds or outsources a supply of spare parts … replacements for repairs, as well as body parts for cars involved in collisions. Manufacturers can only estimate how many of each part may be needed in the future, and eventually even large inventories of spare parts run dry. This puts owners of those cars in a difficult position; either scour salvage yards and auto dismantlers, hoping to find what you need, try to locate an aftermarket replacement, or find a company that can refurbish or rebuild an existing part.
Older classic cars like the 1955-1957 Thunderbird have become so popular among collectors, that an entire industry has emerged devoted to making and supplying reproduction replacement parts for owners, restorers and collectors. Other even older classics have become so valuable that the cost of creating a custom replacement part from scratch is worth the expense. But what about cars like the 2002-2005 Thunderbird? They fall into a ‘no-man’s-land’ of cars that are too old to find supplies of original OEM parts, but too new for aftermarket manufacturers to be attracted to creating replacements. As a relatively low-production vehicle at just 68,095 cars built, the current demand for aftermarket replacement parts for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird is just too low to make it profitable for companies to make them. However, as in the case of the 1955-1957 Thunderbird, and the 1965-67 Ford Mustang, that may change in time.
Most observers agree that the new, 2002-2005 Thunderbird, or ‘Retrobird’ as it’s sometimes called, is destined to become a true classic in future years. How long that may take is a topic of considerable discussion. Some think it will take another 20-30 years or more before the new Thunderbird becomes a true ‘collector car.’ Others believe that the car has already ‘hit bottom’ in terms of market value and is already increasing in value. While there’s no consensus on this subject, the fact is that many ’02-’05 Thunderbird owners are already having a tough time finding replacement parts. Cars in need of repairs may sit in a dealer’s service department for weeks while trying to locate new or rebuilt parts.
It’s not all bad news. Many aftermarket companies do make OEM replacements for many components of the new Thunderbird. This includes items such as headlights, tires, mechanical and engine components, air conditioning condensers, belts, gaskets, fuses and more. But other parts, such as coil springs, struts and shocks, interior trim and replacement seat covers, and electronic control modules, are nearly impossible to find … discontinued by Ford years ago, and warehouse inventories depleted. Need a replacement Thunderbird hard top? You can’t buy a brand-new one anywhere. The company that built and supplied the famous ‘porthole’ hardtops for Ford went out of business, and the original tooling has vanished. Fortunately, used hardtops for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird are fairly easy to find, and cost far less than a new top even if you could find one.
When will all parts for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird become available again? Or will they ever be available? The short answer is, whenever the demand makes it viable for companies to manufacture them. And as mentioned previously, this could take many years. Eventually, specialty suppliers will emerge to meet growing demand. In the meantime, owners will continue to experience delays and frustration searching for needed parts.
If you’re looking for hard-to-find replacement parts, and can’t find them at your Ford dealer or local auto parts store, there are some options. First, do an online search using the original Ford OEM part number. There are a number of Ford dealers that specialize in stocking and locating hard to find parts. Most can perform a nationwide search of all dealer parts inventories to help you find what you need. If you can’t find the part you’re looking for through a Ford dealer, there are a number of specialty retailers that stock older, discontinued parts. Auto salvage yards and dismantlers are another option, however, these are used parts and must often be purchased ‘as-is’ with no warranty. Thunderbird owners clubs and online groups and forums are another option and can often provide sources for and information on discontinued parts.
Here at Powersport/Thunderbird Specialties, we carry a number of hard-to-find replacement and aftermarket Thunderbird parts, including front and rear coil springs, headlights, supplement driving/parking lights and Thunderbird emblems and script lettering. If we don’t stock the part you need, we can help you find it. We have access to databases and inventories other than Ford dealer inventories, along with specialty suppliers who don’t advertise or sell to the general public. We also have access to a database of Ford-licensed suppliers and manufacturers who specialize in a wide variety of different replacement parts.
As the 2002-2005 Thunderbirds become older and more popular among collectors, new sources for OEM replacement and aftermarket reproduction parts will emerge. Until then, it will take time and patience to locate hard-to-find and discontinued parts.
