Grandpa's Thunderbird is here!

[Rinty]

Have fun!

[johnco]

stock hubcaps on my 64

[Tobra]

I bet that T bird would look great with old muscle car wheels on it, torque thrusts, or whatever they are called, Radir is in my head for a wheel name for some reason.

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Posting more pics with good sun? What is the color of the car? I wonder if my 76 backdate would look good in this turquoise.

Yes it would

[cairns]

From the brochure:

With its quicksilver elegance and flashing sports car grace, it is the direction pointer, the styling original that more and more luxury cars have sought to follow.

Not an inch longer, not a hair wider than previous Thunderbirds you have known, it is, simply, more Thunderbird than ever before!.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

You probably already know this but there are places that collect/sell nothing but old hubcaps.

Lucy Pearson is the "Hubcap Queen" in Pearsonville, Ca. Anyone who's driven hwy 395 to Mammoth has seen the place. I'm sure they could hook you up.

Pearsonville Auto Wrecking & Hubcaps

[ledhedsymbols]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has a reaction to this car.

Here are the promised interior shots. The seats have been recovered, and the carpet has been replaced. It needs a good detail and a little of this little of that kind of work done to it. The paint is a respray in the original color.

[ledhedsymbols]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Posting more pics with good sun? What is the color of the car? I wonder if my 76 backdate would look good in this turquoise.

I'll be happy to take a couple more shots in good sun... Might be until June or July, Western Washington just grayed over and usually that lasts for about 8 months.


I looked for the build sheet, but couldn't find it anywhere. I'll keep my eyes open for it, edited... Wrong color, it is actually Ford 1385 "Garden Turquoise Metallic"
Rest assured, I'll be changing out the wheel covers sooner rather than later. It needs tires, as the old ones on it are seriously dry-rotted. I'll be ordering some matching color lap belts to replace the black ones in it, and give me something so that I can belt the kids in the back and go for a family drive. It's a PITA to start cold, and I think it just needs a little carb adjustment. I'll mess with the choke this weekend.

I've always thought these cars were seriously under-appreciated. The convertibles are beautiful, and somewhat more valuable. Even the hottest models with the M-Code tri-power motor don't command the kind of premium one might expect. They always draw attention though. Just in the couple of hours I had it in front of my house while I was unloading and washing several people stopped to ask about it or take a photo.

[ledhedsymbols]

Originally Posted by johnco

stock hubcaps on my 64

I really appreciate that Johnco. I checked and the hubcaps are different in style, and also in size. With the redesign for the glamour birds in 1964 they went from a 14 inch wheel to a 15 inch wheel. I'd like to see some photos of your please. I think that body style was about the last one that I liked. After that, Thunderbird didn't look like Thunderbird to me anymore.

[scottmandue]

If you get a chance I would like to see some under the hood pictures please. My friends mom had a Mercury Marauder with a 390.

[johnco]

here ya go led

[ledhedsymbols]

Great color combination! Nice looking car. How long have you owned it?

[campbellcj]

Cool! My FiL just dragged-back his T-Bird from Nebraska where it was stored for 25 years. It's a total rust-bucket and squirrel nest at this point. I believe it's a '59 but not sure. It's definitely not one of the popular and valuable years. Fugly car IMO.

[Baz]

LedHed....wanted to post congrats and share my appreciation for your classic T-Bird...what a beautiful car!

When I was younger & living in Norfolk in the 60's we had a neighbor, Jim Hicks, who worked at the Ford plant and he bought a mid-60's T-Bird and I remember all the nifty little bells and whistles it had.

Thanks again for sharing - and the photos!

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by campbellcj

Cool! My FiL just dragged-back his T-Bird from Nebraska where it was stored for 25 years. It's a total rust-bucket and squirrel nest at this point. I believe it's a '59 but not sure. It's definitely not one of the popular and valuable years. Fugly car IMO.

Yeah, but fugly is coming back!

There was one of those gigantic T-Birds for sale locally... the ones with the suicide doors and the landau top... I had to restrain myself from stopping to look at it.

[Robert Adams]

AWESOME CAR. Love the cozy interior. That color combo in your neck of the woods must be a wide eye opener against the gray skies. In Las Vegas maybe not so much.

act quickly!

1961-1963 Ford Thunderbird Hubcaps

[Laneco]

Beautiful car and LOVE the color! The interior of the early 60's 'birds are among my favorite. Just have this great flowing futuristic look to them.

Enjoy!!!

angela

[ledhedsymbols]

Originally Posted by Robert Adams

AWESOME CAR. Love the cozy interior. That color combo in your neck of the woods must be a wide eye opener against the gray skies. In Las Vegas maybe not so much.

act quickly!

1961-1963 Ford Thunderbird Hubcaps

Already gone... Oh well.

[fred cook]

I think that the 1961 Bird is the best looking of all the 4 seaters! Good move to keep it in the family!

[eastbay]

That color, that car (aka Curvy bird), I would go with a set of Cragar S/S wheels

[ledhedsymbols]

Thanks again for all the kind words. I've ordered up some seat-belts and a couple of manuals for it. I've got a few other things I'm working on, but I'll be going through the car over the winter. It's the last car my grandfather worked on.

He is a lifelong mechanic, both professionally, for fun, and to make a little money on the side. He had a stroke a few years ago, and it's like there is a disconnect between what he knows he can do and what he can actually do.

As a result, the car has a lot of little issues throughout that need addressed. Between the difficulties he had and his age, he is in his early 80's, I think he just ran out of steam on the car. He's coming out to fish with me next summer, so I would like to have it purring by the time he gets here.