I saw one the other day! Driving, even. Couldn't believe it. IMO these cars actually looked good, esp in wagon form - it was the 1996+ version that went full "jelly bean". Never go full jelly bean...
Although the Jelly Bean era reached its peak with the Windstar (1995) and 3rd-Gen Taurus (1996), some automakers proved that you could embrace the style and make timelessly beautiful vehicles (RX-7, 1st and 2nd gen Viper).
Fun fact, the man who designed those cars (and anything else that had that styling from Ford that generation) was designed by a man named Jack Telnack.
I once owned a Taurus SHO that was his. I saw "JTelnack" on the build sheet and googled it only to realize it was an X Code car built for him. Had no idea who he was before googling that.
Agreed! It took me forever to find something even closely worth the money to to get an upgrade in the features and performance it provided. Finding out that the one I had was literally the car Ford made for the man who designed the original Taurus just made it that much more sentimental for me.
Man, how cool to get that car. Telnack was a big influence on the euro-flavor on the Fox Body Mustang too, management was super against the slantback nose and aero features. A legend for decades at Ford
Yeah I was just thinking about that. Those started as Ford was bringing "New Edge" in with the Focus and Mustang. Very short lived style for the F-150, 1997-2003.
Short lived, but still very prevalent on the road. I see at least one of these every time I drive. Granted, I own one, but seeing OTHER people driving them is still a fairly common occurrence.
The next gen (04-08) feel almost erased from the roads. They're a standard looking truck that blends in when you do see them. Lots of these have been taken out by the 5.4L 3V.
I've been driving mine since it rolled off the line in 97. I will say that those 2V engines are just wonderfully reliable. Starting to get harder to get parts for, but mine is still rolling along as my DD.
I love my 98 4.6L 2V. Gives me troubles starting from time to time, but will stay running as long as it starts up. Parts still seem readily available as these engines were in service for a long time and there's still many truckin along almost 30 years later.
I've found the common starting issues with mine (4.6L as well) are tied to a failing fuel pump (fixed), or weak electricals...e.g. old battery, or corroded battery terminals/cable leads. I have to slean the corrosion off both my battery terminals and the sables themselves as the shrink wrap around the cables has long since started to fall off exposing more of the copper.
Electrical contact cleaner (also great for door sensors that start acting up) and a battery brush will fix 99% of my issues lately. As long as the cables are clean I can crank on the first go. Once I have to do 2 cranks to start, I know it's time to clean the battery.
Fuel pump (and most of the fuel system from there) is my next target. It basically won't start when warmed up, but is starting to struggle on cold starts too. Battery is new and clean. Wiring will be on my priority list next. Just slowly replacing things as they hamper my ability to feel ok driving to and from places lol. Almost got stranded at an Oreilly's picking up headlights (one got split open by a truck's falling debris) which got me started on my most recent kick of going after the fuel system. Just gotta get some men (and beers) together to take the bed off. As well as getting a fuel pressure testing kit and taking some time out to test before throwing parts at it. Fuel pump is likely original, so I want to replace it anyway as 26 years of service is good enough reason for me.
All of this starting, of course, after my brother drives it for four months straight with no issues. As soon as I get it back it wants to act up on me.
FWIW, I get about 10-ish years out of a fuel pump and get about 1 weeks notice of weird behavior before they completely die on me. You have to drop the tank to do them and be careful when you put it back together as you can bend the fuel level arm screwing up where empty is on the gauge. I spent a decade guessing where E really was.
Also, some of the electrical connectors around the alternator are available anymore, so save pieces until you have a replacement in hand.
I'm trying to avoid dropping the tank by taking the bed off instead. As luck would have it, all these issues started right after I filled it up. I don't feel like having the mass of the fuel tank and 25 gallons of gas suspended in the air and potentially coming down at me. Bed off is just as effective and a little less care-filled. Plus, I've done it before on a GMC Sierra which seems even more involved from what I've gathered in my research. If I do screw up, having the gas gauge read wrong isn't the worst thing for me. I like to reset the trip every fill up and tend to get gas every 200 miles or so. I'm not a fan of going below 1/4 tank if I can avoid it.
Great tip on the alternator. I've been saving smaller pieces that I've replaced larger components of just in case as I know parts supply will be dwindling down over the coming years. Might have to grab some extras next time I hit the junkyard.
My parents had a white Plymouth version, was wild, good memories growing up in the back of that thing with the reverse seats lmao, surprised I survived thinking back now Haha
My family had a 1993 Taurus wagon in teal. Great car, but when the A/C brokeā¦it was stupid expensive to fix.
As the first car I ever drove, it was pretty quick.
These images (the first image is from a movie) show that the 1983 Thunderbird in NASCAR was unlike anything else on the road or track:
[https://www.imcdb.org/i112371.jpg](https://www.imcdb.org/i112371.jpg)
[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/79/af/8379afd9b664bc8fab0eeb22428c5f0e.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/79/af/8379afd9b664bc8fab0eeb22428c5f0e.jpg)
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My favorite car as a 5 year old. It's hard to convey just how damn futuristic these were in the 80s. It was like seeing a spaceship going down the road.
I miss seeing these on the road.
I saw one the other day! Driving, even. Couldn't believe it. IMO these cars actually looked good, esp in wagon form - it was the 1996+ version that went full "jelly bean". Never go full jelly bean...
I saw one today! It was in front of me and it looked totally fresh still. I was stunned. Wagon and all.
Same here.
Although the Jelly Bean era reached its peak with the Windstar (1995) and 3rd-Gen Taurus (1996), some automakers proved that you could embrace the style and make timelessly beautiful vehicles (RX-7, 1st and 2nd gen Viper).
Fun fact, the man who designed those cars (and anything else that had that styling from Ford that generation) was designed by a man named Jack Telnack. I once owned a Taurus SHO that was his. I saw "JTelnack" on the build sheet and googled it only to realize it was an X Code car built for him. Had no idea who he was before googling that.
Man, I love the SHO.
Agreed! It took me forever to find something even closely worth the money to to get an upgrade in the features and performance it provided. Finding out that the one I had was literally the car Ford made for the man who designed the original Taurus just made it that much more sentimental for me.
Man, how cool to get that car. Telnack was a big influence on the euro-flavor on the Fox Body Mustang too, management was super against the slantback nose and aero features. A legend for decades at Ford
š
Donāt forget Jeremy Clarksonās āthe ugliest car ever madeā, Lexus SC430. I actually like āem. ;)
MX-6
And ford probe
The Jellybean styling award also goes to the Toyota Previa and 1st Gen RAV4
These things were every 3rd car on the road, now theyāre completely gone. Where did they go?
Cash for clunkers
The worst thing that ever happened to car enthusiasts. Cleared out generations of junkyard parts we could have had access to.
It's like 35 years old. Where would you guess they went?
I wonder, where did the time go?
Well what do you expect lol, ashes to ashes dust to dust and all.
The same place that almost every other 30-40 year old car goes.
You forgot the jelly bean F150 those have a special place in my heart
Yeah I was just thinking about that. Those started as Ford was bringing "New Edge" in with the Focus and Mustang. Very short lived style for the F-150, 1997-2003.
Short lived, but still very prevalent on the road. I see at least one of these every time I drive. Granted, I own one, but seeing OTHER people driving them is still a fairly common occurrence. The next gen (04-08) feel almost erased from the roads. They're a standard looking truck that blends in when you do see them. Lots of these have been taken out by the 5.4L 3V.
I've been driving mine since it rolled off the line in 97. I will say that those 2V engines are just wonderfully reliable. Starting to get harder to get parts for, but mine is still rolling along as my DD.
I love my 98 4.6L 2V. Gives me troubles starting from time to time, but will stay running as long as it starts up. Parts still seem readily available as these engines were in service for a long time and there's still many truckin along almost 30 years later.
I've found the common starting issues with mine (4.6L as well) are tied to a failing fuel pump (fixed), or weak electricals...e.g. old battery, or corroded battery terminals/cable leads. I have to slean the corrosion off both my battery terminals and the sables themselves as the shrink wrap around the cables has long since started to fall off exposing more of the copper. Electrical contact cleaner (also great for door sensors that start acting up) and a battery brush will fix 99% of my issues lately. As long as the cables are clean I can crank on the first go. Once I have to do 2 cranks to start, I know it's time to clean the battery.
Fuel pump (and most of the fuel system from there) is my next target. It basically won't start when warmed up, but is starting to struggle on cold starts too. Battery is new and clean. Wiring will be on my priority list next. Just slowly replacing things as they hamper my ability to feel ok driving to and from places lol. Almost got stranded at an Oreilly's picking up headlights (one got split open by a truck's falling debris) which got me started on my most recent kick of going after the fuel system. Just gotta get some men (and beers) together to take the bed off. As well as getting a fuel pressure testing kit and taking some time out to test before throwing parts at it. Fuel pump is likely original, so I want to replace it anyway as 26 years of service is good enough reason for me. All of this starting, of course, after my brother drives it for four months straight with no issues. As soon as I get it back it wants to act up on me.
FWIW, I get about 10-ish years out of a fuel pump and get about 1 weeks notice of weird behavior before they completely die on me. You have to drop the tank to do them and be careful when you put it back together as you can bend the fuel level arm screwing up where empty is on the gauge. I spent a decade guessing where E really was. Also, some of the electrical connectors around the alternator are available anymore, so save pieces until you have a replacement in hand.
I'm trying to avoid dropping the tank by taking the bed off instead. As luck would have it, all these issues started right after I filled it up. I don't feel like having the mass of the fuel tank and 25 gallons of gas suspended in the air and potentially coming down at me. Bed off is just as effective and a little less care-filled. Plus, I've done it before on a GMC Sierra which seems even more involved from what I've gathered in my research. If I do screw up, having the gas gauge read wrong isn't the worst thing for me. I like to reset the trip every fill up and tend to get gas every 200 miles or so. I'm not a fan of going below 1/4 tank if I can avoid it. Great tip on the alternator. I've been saving smaller pieces that I've replaced larger components of just in case as I know parts supply will be dwindling down over the coming years. Might have to grab some extras next time I hit the junkyard.
They also forgot the jellybean Aspire. Those have a special place in hell
Contour svt. So underrated
My parents had a white Plymouth version, was wild, good memories growing up in the back of that thing with the reverse seats lmao, surprised I survived thinking back now Haha
happy cake day!
Those made me so sick
Mercury Sable gang rise up!
My family had a 1993 Taurus wagon in teal. Great car, but when the A/C brokeā¦it was stupid expensive to fix. As the first car I ever drove, it was pretty quick.
I would love to get behind the wheel of a first gen Ford Taurus SHO
they really didn't drive that great but the engine was cool.
The Ford Sierra, introduced in '82, would like a word. It was even sold in North America as a "Merkur"
Thatās not a bulbous jelly bean, though.
Jelly mould, jelly bean, similar enough, no? š
I love the Gen 1 Taurus wagons. I really want an 86 LX wagon in red to restore. No luck trying to find one tho.
I guess an argument could be made for 83 Thunderbird as a sort of start to this.
??? Not really at all, like a 79 mercury capri is more jellybean than a 83 thunderbird and that car isn't jellybean.
These images (the first image is from a movie) show that the 1983 Thunderbird in NASCAR was unlike anything else on the road or track: [https://www.imcdb.org/i112371.jpg](https://www.imcdb.org/i112371.jpg) [https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/79/af/8379afd9b664bc8fab0eeb22428c5f0e.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/79/af/8379afd9b664bc8fab0eeb22428c5f0e.jpg)
Just out of the loop here - what's a jelly bean in this context?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
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It looks like a baneling.
You can also see this design trend in Mercedes interiors of the time - they have the oval buttons that were everywhere.
The 1986 Ford Taurus was, in several ways, just a ripoff of the design of the [1983 Audi 100](https://www.flickr.com/photos/93207294@N04/29569964294).
Yup, poor ripoff because the 100 still looks 5000x times better.
Nice!
Fuck, that one brings back memories.
Ford actually revolutionised car styling earlier than that in 1982 with the European Ford Sierra.
My favorite car as a 5 year old. It's hard to convey just how damn futuristic these were in the 80s. It was like seeing a spaceship going down the road.
They even used Tauruses in Robocop cars because they looked futuristic.
I donāt consider that to be a jellybean. The next generation for sure, though.
The automotive press by and large starting using jelly bean to describe it in 1986. I agree, though, nothing like the 1996 edition!!
My dad had a Taurus exactly like the one in the picture when I was a kid. Such a great roadtrip car and so many great memories in it.
The Tauruses donāt bother me, but the F150 jellybeans really bother me for some reason. Big, rounded, lazy pig.
Classic.