Vehicle Description
Mid-60s Thunderbirds, particularly convertibles like this 1966
model, are seeing some recent gains in the market, and this is a
great car for cruising and casual shows. With a cool period color,
all the luxury and comfort options, and a smooth 428, it delivers
personal luxury unlike anything else of the era.
Drawing on both the original Ford "Retractable" hardtops and the
Lincoln Continental 4-door convertibles, this big 'Bird is the
epitome of Ford's high-end products in 1966. The restoration was
finished years ago, but this car still owns eyeballs everywhere it
goes. Wearing bright turquoise paint, it looks a mile long yet
incomparably sleek. Workmanship is quite good throughout and with
that much sheetmetal, there are plenty of places for things to go
wrong. Fortunately the guys in charge of the restoration didn't
miss a thing. Note how well the doors line up with the quarters,
the deep shine, and the total absence of waves that would suggest
significant bodywork underneath. Trim is surprisingly restrained on
this lovely Thunderbird, but details like the fender-mounted turn
signal indicators, faux hood scoop, and the finely detailed grille
are in excellent shape. And yes, the sequential turn signals are
fully functional.
The interior features new Italian leather upholstery, and combined
with just a few woodgrained accents and stainless trim, it makes
this feel like an adult's car in every way. The bucket seats offer
gorgeous upholstery with a wonderful combination of pleats and
quilted seating surfaces, and the rear seat with its wrap-around
look is perhaps even more inviting. A ribbon-style speedometer and
small round pods for the auxiliary gauges are an incredible piece
of design, as is the swing-away steering wheel that really makes a
difference in ease of entry. Check out the little tricks like the
original clock replaced with a digital piece and a newer AM/FM
stereo head unit. The insanely complex top mechanism on these cars
is a ballet of electro-mechanical automation, although this one has
been upgraded with linear actuators in place of the original
hydraulic rams, so it's more reliable. Most importantly, it works
properly with zero issues and the black convertible top fits well.
The trunk is also correctly finished with gray mats and plenty of
space (provided you keep the top up).
Ford's 428 cubic inch Q-code V8 was optional equipment in the 1966
Thunderbird and makes the kind of leisurely torque you need in a
luxury machine like this. Fully rebuilt about 5000 miles ago, it
has a few upgrades such as an Edelbrock carburetor, HEI
distributor, and a giant aluminum radiator to keep things cool.
There's also plenty of Ford Blue paint and an open-element air
cleaner proudly advertising the big block underneath. This big
'Bird uses a C6 3-speed automatic transmission linked to 3.00 gears
in the 9-inch rear, so it just loafs along at highway speeds
without breaking a sweat. A new dual exhaust system gives it a
burbly V8 rumble that's got a bit of muscle car DNA in it, and with
disc brakes becoming standard equipment in 1965, it's a fine road
car in every sense of the word. Right-sized 215/75/15
whitewall/redline radials look great on those vintage Cragar
mags.
'60s convertibles like this are red hot right now, so don't delay
and get this awesome Thunderbird into your garage. Call now!