Ford's Automotive Legends Meet Wisconsin Living Legends

    MILWAUKEE, July 19 The home of beer, bubblers, frozen
custard and cheese heads will be the 49th stop on the Thunderbird Living
Legends U.S. and Canadian summer tour.  Four 2002 Thunderbirds, a Mustang
Bullitt and the S2 Focus will be connecting with local legends in Milwaukee on
Sunday and Monday, July 22-23 and at Wisconsin Dells on July 24.
    Thunderbird has always been about fun, nostalgia and the American Dream.
And everywhere the tour has gone, nostalgia and car buffs have turned it into
a "moving traffic jam", as people have flocked to see the 2002 Thunderbirds
and share their favorite stories about the classics from the '50s.
    Wisconsin plans include:
    *  Legends Custard Cruise, Sunday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Our automotive
legends cruise the city with stops at Milwaukee's legendary custard stands.
We'll be trying custard, hula hoops and T-Bird tattoos and raising money for
Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer) by giving T-Bird lovers a chance to
have their picture taken in a 2002 "bird."  Stops include:  Kopp's on
Bluemound in Brookfield (11 - 12:15 p.m.); Gilles at 76th and Bluemound
(12:45 - 2 p.m.);  Leon's at 27th & Oklahoma (2:30 - 3:45 p.m.) and finishes
at Kopp's on N. Port Washington Road (4:15 - 5:30 p.m.).
    *  Legends Miller Park Display, Monday, 3:30 - 8 p.m.  Local bird lovers
are invited to join us at the Brewers "Hot Corner" at Miller Park for another
chance for bird lovers to get up close and personal and celebrate with oldies
tunes, hoola hoops and T-bird tattoos the re-incarnation of a car that
captured the spirit of America in 1955.  Four 2002 Thunderbirds, a Mustang
Bullitt and S2 Focus will be on display along with other classic cars from
Wisconsin car clubs.
    *  Wisconsin Dells, Tuesday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.  T-Bird fans and vacationing
families will spot our automotive legends at the Kalahari Resort, the "Tommy
Bartlett Thrill Show" and perhaps stopping for lunch at the Cheese Factory.
    *  VIP and Media Drives. The new Thunderbirds won't be in customers' hands
until later this summer and early fall.  Because people are clamoring to get
in these early production units to take them for a spin, we're building time
into our visit to give you a chance to get behind the wheel and have some fun
with the car.  Let's talk about the possibilities.
    *  The People of Thunderbird.
    *  Lisa Confer, Ford engineer who has spent the last two years as the
Engineering Program Manager for the 2002 Thunderbird, will be with us in
Milwaukee and eager to talk cars and legends.
    *  Ron Schneider, owner of Leon's and Milwaukee native.  "I still remember
the day my father drove home with a shiny, turquoise 1955 Thunderbird and a
big grin on his face," says Schneider.  "It was the first Thunderbird sold in
the city of Milwaukee."
    *  Norm Elliott, Driver of the massive car hauler that has taken the
Living Legend tour all over the U.S. and Canada, who makes his home just one
hour from Milwaukee.  Since the end of May, Norm has taken the Thunderbird and
its stable mates to 70 stops in 10 states.  "I've taken a lot of cars around
the country, but I've never seen anything like this," says Norm.  "As soon as
I open the doors to the truck, I have swarms of people coming at me who can't
wait to get close to the birds."
    *  Wisconsin area Ford dealers, whose VIP Thunderbird customers, along
with celebrities like John Travolta and Katie Couric, are waiting for news of
when the sold-out, limited-edition classics will be on the road.

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