P6FH179038 - Thunderbird Registry Number 83898
|
83898
P6FH179038
1956
40A - A - XA - 14M - SU26
Kevin Bennett says: One of the last known custom cars to be completed by Cushenbery was the Surfin'Bird, a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, radically modified for 93 KHJ Boss radio's 'Big Kahuna' promotion in 1966.
Per the promotion, Bill Cushenbery was contracted by the Big Kahuna to build a custom outta-sight Surfin'Bird to be given away by the radio station in early August of 1966, and was given $5,000 to complete the project. The Boss radio jocks ran multiple promotional spots for the contest. At the sound of the Big Kahuna's Cockatoo, hopeful listeners would call in for chance to win the car. Contestants were given a tiki charm with a numbered tag that would be used to draw the winner. Several radio spots were created with fake auto body "grinding noise" in the background, to simulate being in Cushenbery's shop, while the Big Kahuna in his trademark Hawaiian pidgin english (Mahalo Nui Loa Cushenbery), requested features to be added to the car. These may be the only known audio recordings of Bill Cushenbery's voice. The starting point of the car was a 1956 Ford Thunderbird. The car was built in Cushenbery's Burbank shop and had a tight deadline for completion. Sources stated that Bill hired a friend that worked at the Barris shop to assist with the build. Bill supposedly worked on the "Ferrari front", while the other man (possibly Steve Tate) worked on the "Stingray rear." This car clearly shows the flamboyance of 1966, with a look that mimics other wild customs of the time period, like the Dean Jeffries "Monkeemobile". The Surfin'Bird was given away August 8th, 1966 on KHJ-TV Channel 9 The Dick Curtis 18 to 34 show at 5:30 pm. It is unknown to date who the original winner was or if any of the footage from that broadcast exists.
Kevin Dwayne Bennett
4/14/2021
312 V-8
Intact
|
