1963 Ford Thunderbird Show Car

1963 Ford Thunderbird Show car Additional Info:

Built as another magazine and calendar car, this Thunderbird is not for the mild mannered collector. This car was made to win car shows.

Currently appraised and insured for $32,000 this Thunderbird had lived in California since 1963, when it was bought and shipped to Georgia in 2013. The factory applied Corinthian white paint was stripped, and from bare metal several small dings were removed and the car then repainted in House Of Kolor Kandy Apple Red. (3 Orion Silver Basecoat, 7 Kandy Apple Red, 4 Clear, wet sanded, 2 additional Clear then cut and buffed.)

Mild customization was done in the trunk, including a storage areas under removable panels. The engine area also was customized, however all panels were made to be removable, and the car return to factory appearance. All fasteners along the hood line, fenders and trunk are polished stainless. Very few factory steel bolts remain in visible areas. The interior is almost completely new. Sound deadener throughout, headliner, carpet, door panels, seat foams, seat covers, all aluminum and stainless polished, windshield, backlight (rear windshield), window switches as needed, Custom Autosound Stereo with iPod/AUX input connector in console, a new dash cap to cover the sun cracked original, Custom Autosaound underdash speakers, rearview mirror and much more. The Passenger sunvisor was autographed by our friend George Barris.

All new shocks, all new brakes. The front hard lines were completely replaced, and a new booster and Wilwood Master cylinder installed. The front drum brakes were changed to Disc brakes for safety and better performance.

The FE 390 cubic inch engine's compression was checked, and the heads pulled for rebuild, A new Edelbrock intake and carburetor, fuel pump, water pump, engine mount, Pertronix electronic ignition, valve covers, starter and starter relay, battery with remote terminals and power disconnect switch, custom hoses, custom fabricated aluminum expansion tank with 160 degree thermostat and much more. The transmission is the 3 speed Cruise-O-Matic, and is original to the car. The gas tank and sending unit were also replaced.

The original bumpers were sent to Tennessee to be rechromed, and the original grille was replaced with a 1962 Thunderbird grille that was then show chrome plated at a different chrome shop as it is made of aluminum and not all shops chrome bare aluminum. All exterior stainless trim was removed and polished, all emblems and chrome pieces were replaced with new.

The wheels are 17" US Mags Rambler U110, and the new Falken tires have less than 150 miles on them.

The bad: 1). The car does not have air conditioning. It was not an a/c car from the factory, and it was not added during the car's restoration because the restoration went a very different direction more than halfway through. It got way out of hand. 2). The gas gauge and dash lights are not working, suspect the new headlight switch is the cause. I will be checking on this this week. 3). There are a few flaws in the paint; a couple of chips here and there. 4). Selecting park is somewhat tricky, requiring finesse. Even after all new components in the steering column - including the detent, shifter arm, turn signal switch, bearing, and related were replaced. Paying close attention when selecting the Park gear is very important. 5.) The fender skirts when installed are very close to the rear tires. The skirts have been trimmed to accommodate the new size tires and wheels. There is a custom storage bag to store the skirts. The car can be driven with the skirts installed, but there is a chance of the tires rubbing the skirts driving around corners.