What's my Job #1 William D. Bowman / Aerodynamics Engineering Staff / Ford

[Ray B.]

It also makes me think of the grille of the 1969-70 Ford Limited.
If it's a Thunderbird, I would have said 1970. The actual grille of the car has more blades. Was this changed for a reason revealed in the wind tunnel?

[fyreline]

Yes, at first I thought that it might be a 1970 Thunderbird grille, too . . . but as you noted, the number of bars is wrong and the '70 T-Bird grille is all one piece, including the short left and right side sections.  The 1971 T-Bird grille has mixed wide and narrow bars, which the one he's holding does not. The 1972 T-Bird Grille still looks the closest to me . . . if it's a Thunderbird grille at all!

[Otto Puzzell]

Around 1968-1972?

I believe that is correct (will corroborate shortly).

[Otto Puzzell]

The piece he's holding looks like the center grille section of a 1972 Thunderbird. Did the man in the picture work for Ford?

Ford was established a few answers ago. 

[fyreline]

Ford was established a few answers ago.

We were told that the car was a Ford. My question was if the man in the picture worked for Ford. Can we assume, then, that he does (or rather, did)?

[Otto Puzzell]

Yes, he worked on Fords, for Ford, at Ford.  

[fyreline]

LOL - That about covers it! 

[Otto Puzzell]

Around 1968-1972?

I believe that is correct (will corroborate shortly).

Confirmed: the magazine article appeared in 1968. So, it very well could have been a prototype grill piece for the Beak Bird.

[Otto Puzzell]

The Black Hole is calling

[Otto Puzzell]

I tried not to answer, but it kept calling 

[streamliner]

Was he better known for his non-Ford work?

[Otto Puzzell]

I don't believe so

[Otto Puzzell]

It also makes me think of the grille of the 1969-70 Ford Limited.
If it's a Thunderbird, I would have said 1970. The actual grille of the car has more blades. Was this changed for a reason revealed in the wind tunnel?

That's back when Ford was toying with, and then dropping, 4-door sedan T-Birds. However, such a sedan received no specific mention in an SAE paper titled Generalizations on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Sedan Type Automobile Bodies. Probably because this car did not yet exist when that paper was written. Written by whom, one might ask...?

[Wendax]

Written by whom, one might ask...?

William D. Bowman - Engineering Staff, Ford Motor Co.

[Otto Puzzell]

That's it.