In the world of automotive restoration, some projects are diamonds in the rough, while others are, well, raccoons in a Thunderbird. This week’s Roadworthy Rescues finds Derek Bieri facing the latter, as he unearths a 1968 Thunderbird in Texas, lovingly nicknamed the “Turd Bird” due to its unfortunate, shall we say, fragrant interior.
A raccoon family, it seems, had established a rather pungent homestead within the T-Bird’s confines, making it less than road-trip ready. Undeterred, Derek, ever the resourceful mechanic, pivots. Rather than subject his olfactory senses to further abuse, he sets his sights on a different beast: a 1971 International Travelall, dormant for a mere three decades. Because, as any seasoned gearhead knows, why drive one questionable vehicle when you can wrangle two?
The plan, as it stands, is to revive the Travelall, a feat in itself considering its extended slumber, and then use it to tow the aromatic Thunderbird back to the shop. This “two birds, one stone” approach – or perhaps “two problematic vehicles, one slightly less problematic vehicle” – presents its own set of complicated challenges, of course. Will the Travelall even cooperate after 30 years of rest? And how exactly do you extract a stubborn family of raccoons without resorting to, let’s just say, unconventional methods?
Roadworthy Rescues airs Wednesdays at 9:00 PM on Motor Trend.
