Vehicle Description
For those of you looking for an early Thunderbird but need space
for your family, this pretty 1962 Thunderbird hardtop is definitely
a wise choice. A recently serviced and painted car that coddles
like a Lincoln but packs serious blasting powder under the hood in
the form of a muscular 390, it's an affordable cruiser that is part
of a market that's suddenly heating up. Don't worry, the wheels are
the only major modification, making this a 'Bird that's welcome
just about anywhere.
Bullet 'Birds like this have long lived in the shadows of their
2-seat siblings, but that seems to be changing and cars like this
bright blue 'Bird are the reason why. The styling is a big upgrade
over the first "square 'Birds" following the conversion to
four-seater, offering a sleek profile and lovely 1960s detailing
that's restrained and tasteful. The particular blue wasn't on the
Ford color charts, but it looks great, with a white top that
perfectly complements the sophisticated look. The paint looks good
and shiny over some pretty straight bodywork, particularly those
jet-inspired quarter panels that look like they're about a
quarter-mile long. The recently restored chrome bumpers have a
brilliant shine and Ford designers were hitting on all eight
cylinders when they added the lovely strip of trim that stretches
from nose to tail and neatly integrates the door handles in its
design. The lack of a padded roof is a rare choice on a
Thunderbird, but the white hardtop gives this car an added dose of
sophistication that fits it quite nicely.
Personal luxury was the Thunderbird's primary mission, and the
handsome black interior doesn't disappoint in that regard. Buckets
seats and a console are the sporty part, but with correct seat
covers and firm foam underneath, they coddle rather than grab.
Matching black carpets look great and the wood accents warm things
up and make it feel luxurious. Check out Ford's trademark
"swing-away" steering column, which tilts out of the way by lightly
tugging on the shifter lever, and the leather wrap that makes it
easy to grip. The three individual pods ahead of the driver hold
the primary gauges, with things like the radio (a new
AM/FM/cassette unit) in the center stack, along with a lockable
compartment in the center armrest. The trunk is truly massive, and
carries a correct reproduction mat as well as a full-sized spare
tire assembly.
It's likely that the 390 cubic inch V8 under the hood is the
original engine, but since Ford wasn't doing "matching numbers" in
the traditional sense in 1962, so we can't prove it. It does look
quite correct with an oversized air cleaner up top and Ford Blue
paint on the block itself. It has been recently serviced with a lot
of new equipment, including a full tune up, rebuilt carburetor,
fuel pump, starter, alternator, timing chain and gear, oil pump,
radiator, water pump, and belts and hoses, all within the last 2000
miles. Power steering and brakes are welcome additions to a heavy
cruiser like this, and the dual exhaust system burbles like it has
something to hide. The brakes are surprisingly effective, the
automatic transmission shifts almost imperceptibly, and the rebuilt
front suspension has the ability to float over bumps like a
hovercraft. Steel wheels with simple hubcaps are a clean look and
they wear 205/75/14 whitewall radials for a period look.
This is just a great cruiser whose color combination does a good
job of camouflaging the hardware underneath. Bullet 'Birds are
definitely heating up, making this an excellent buy for today and
for the future. Call today.