This is my 1996 Thunderbird LX dubbed: 'Anna'. My friend told me she needed a name so jokingly I named her after this chick he was quite taken with at the time; and it stuck. She was born/built in September of 1995, which makes her a '96 model. The first time I saw her, I believe, was Thanksgiving of 1996. My aunt lives a state away and came up for the holiday and brought her boyfriend with her. He owned 'Anna' and they drove her up that day. I've always loved Thunderbirds, all years, and began to drool when I saw 'er. We asked him about the car, just chit chat; and never really thought much more about it. Fast forward to November of 1998. I've been in the workforce for not quite a year, I just got the loan for the CRX payed off (I had to have something when the Escort died) and decided I wanted a new car. I tried to get a '99 Cougar but the bank would'nt have it, because of the deal with my dad cosigning. Whew...Close call! This is about the time I started hanging out my friend who has a Mustang GT 5.0. I told him to keep an eye out for a red T-Bird with a 5.0 in it and let me know if he found one. Then one day, I'm sitting in the floor eating and watching T.V. and the phone rings. It's my Aunt a state away and wants to know if we'd be interested in buying that T-Bird that her boyfriend still owns. He remembered us liking it and needed to get rid of something since he was buying a house...and the rest is obvious. Not only was the Bird ten grand cheaper, but has more power and more room inside; and is just all around a better car. The fact that I'd always wanted one made it all the better. If you'd asked me what kind of car I wanted while I was in High School, I'd have described this car to you from the sunroof to the lettered tires and the V8.

I started racing 'Anna' at a local 1/8th mile track the summer after I got 'er. (Drag racing is a wonderful way to relieve stress)My current best time is 13.785 @ 101.64 in the 1/4. This was in pretty good weather in April. I figure it'll level out at around 13.9x - 14.1x when the heat and humidity set in.

This guy thought...well I'm not sure what he was thinking. I beat him by 'bout a whole second. I ran a 15.1x to his 16.x. He probably spent well over a grand on the appearance of that Del-Sol. I really would like to know what he was going thru his mind when my 'Land Yacht' walked off and left him. When I think about it...I think that little Del-Sol was pretty quick for what it is.