Ohio man somehow managed to sell his Ford Thunderbird on Facebook Marketplace by posting a picture of it engulfed in flames
- The Ford Thunderbird is one of the most iconic American cars ever made
- First produced in 1955, the Thunderbird was released as a competitor to Chevrolet’s Corvette
- One Facebook user listed his T-Bird for sale – with a picture of the car on fire
Published on Mar 06, 2025 at 9:53 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Mar 06, 2025 at 9:53 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This Ford Thunderbird owner has taken the concept of a “fire sale” a bit too literally.
The 1987 car was listed on Facebook for sale – nothing out of the ordinary, right?
Except for the fact that it was *literally* on fire.
And somehow, it still, in fact, sold.
DISCOVER SBX CARS – Bid now on supercar auctions powered by Supercar Blondie
Ford Thunderbird: A car from a bygone era
Here at Supercar Blondie, we’ve covered quite a few different stories on the legendary T-Bird car.
First produced in 1955, Ford released the Thunderbird as a competitor to the Chevrolet Corvette.
By far its greatest success came in the first five years of its lifespan.
The first generation Thunderbird, of course, saw the most iconic shape of the car being released.
In fact, during its first five years, the brand’s marquee offering frequently outsold its Chevrolet competition.
Most of them, though, have now been abandoned by previous owners from many years ago.
Some of them have been badly neglected and left to the ravages of time.
Fire-ravaged Ford listed on Facebook
And that brings us to today’s story.
An Ohio man listed his 1987, ninth-generation Thunderbird for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
Powered by a 3.8 liter Essex V6, the user’s car only had 41,000 miles – surprisingly low for a 38-year-old Ford.
It was also finished in a really nice, metallic black paint job, too.
There was just one small hiccup – the Thunderbird was on fire.
No, we’re not being funny or clever – it was genuinely listed ablaze.
It turns out that an electrical fire started in the engine bay, so the entire front end of the car got burned quite badly.
Burned Thunderbird… sells?!
It turns out that honesty actually is the best policy – especially for Justin Ryder.
That’s the man who listed his fire-fueled Thunderbird for sale in the first place on Facebook Marketplace.
Updates on Justin’s listing – the car was listed for $1,250 – show that the car, surprisingly, actually sold.
Whether it can be a restoration project for somebody is extremely debatable.
One half of the car is badly damaged, and in desperate need of repair.
Unfortunately, that’s the expensive end, with the engine, wiring looms, windshield, and dashboard all in need of desperate repair.
It’s massive shame, because this Thunderbird was an extremely pretty car before the fire.
We certainly hope it can be saved, although we must admit, we’re doubtful of it.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
