Vehicle Description
1962 Ford Thunderbird "Vista Bird" Custom Wagon Same San Rafael,
California owner for past 25 years, since 1994! Professionally
built, one-of-a-kind custom conversion done during the late 1970s
or early 1980s with 400+ hours of labor Scenic-Cruiser Roof from a
1965 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon has been mated to a
1962 Ford Thunderbird 1969 Ford 390 CID V-8 with crankshaft and
high-lift camshaft from a Ford 428 V-8 Rebuilt Holley 650 cfm
four-barrel carburetor Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic
transmission Medium Teal over Jadestone exterior with a gray and
black interior Refurbished braking and steering systems; new
battery New windshield Documentation dating to 1994 when previous
owner purchased cars Featured in Special Interest Autos #162,
November/December 1997 Documentation includes conversion and
maintenance receipts plus two binders of conversion photos Included
with a scaled limited edition model 1 of 400 produced Own this
Vehicle from $399 per month-call 636-600-4600 Lyman C. Dye may have
answered the question some Ford executives and fans wondered -
should this "Vista-Bird" have been Ford's reply to the Chevrolet
Nomad or Pontiac Safari? MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to
present this highly unique and one of a kind 1962 Ford Thunderbird
Custom Wagon. Mr, Dye sold the one of a kind Thunderbird to Mr.
Whatley in 1994, 25 year same ownership history! Mr. Dye, of Idaho
Falls, Idaho, owned a body shop there that also did customizations.
Dye imagined the possibilities of blending the Scenic-Cruiser roof
from a 1965 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon with a 1962 Ford
Thunderbird hardtop coupe, plus various other parts. It is
estimated that Dye put more than 400 hours of labor into this
project. It took two tries to obtain the roof; a tornado destroyed
the first one he ordered from a local junk yard before he could
claim it. He found a second donor vehicle and detached the roof
himself. Dye briefly had second thoughts about the alterations
after he sliced the T-Bird's roof. He slapped the roof on from the
donor Olds and was astonished at how well it fit. The B-pillars had
to be rolled out slightly to meet the wider roofline of the wagon
but the rest was natural. He left the original trunk floorpan in
place to serve as a spot for the spare tire well, putting a wooden
floor over it to form the wagon's cargo floor. Dye applied
carpeting over the cargo floor, matching the rugs in the cabin. The
whole rear lower body and bumper were left intact to maintain
structural integrity. For the hatch lid, he had a custom tempered
glass, added hinges but the struts are inoperable, from a Pinto
hatchback at the top, fitted a generic T-handle at the bottom,
bookended by two cabinet locks in the lower corners. The exterior
is finished in Medium Teal over Jadestone and is in very good
overall condition, however, some blemishes are apparently where the
wagon's C-pillars meet the metal above the circular taillight and
other areas are showing bubbles. Under the hood is a 390 CID V-8
from a 1969 Ford, with a crankshaft and a high-lift camshaft from a
428 CID V-8 engine and breathing via dual exhausts. Backing up this
motor is Ford's venerable Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic
transmission. Driver convenience features include power steering
and power brakes. This one-off wagon rolls on Hankook Optimo
whitewall radials mounted on steel wheels topped with factory wheel
covers. The tires are in very good order while the wheel covers are
in good, original shape. The original Thunderbird interior
contained ribbed metal portions on the inner door panels, center
console and instrument panel, which have been replaced with burled
walnut pattern Formica sections. As he customized this 'Bird for
his own use, Dye selected seats from a 1978 Plymouth Sapporo,
featuring lumbar supports and a tilt-back feature that fit well
with the gray and black color scheme. Ford's nifty Swing-Away
steering column and wheel were left intact, too. A factory AM radio
rounds out the interior. However, the Thunderbird stitching pattern
was followed to match the original rear seat, which was mounted on
brackets so it could fold flat to extend the cargo area.
Unfortunately, the Vista-Bird languished at an upholsterer for more
than two years and during that time, the shop employees forgot
about the fold-down rear seat, covering it in beautiful job that
prevents the seat from folding. No one has had the heart to re-do
it, so the back seat remains upright. Total weight gain after the
conversion is around 25 pounds, negligible on a vehicle that easily
tipped the scales at two tons prior to the change. The wagon won
multiple awards during the mid-1990s in California. Documentation
includes conversion and maintenance receipts plus two binders of
conversion photos, copies of articles published, a scale model of
the actual car from a limited run of 400 pieces. This incredible,
one-off vehicle would be a worthy addition to anyone's collection.
Stop on by MotoeXotica Classic Cars to see the results of what more
than a little help from an Oldsmobile station wagon contributed to
Ford's four-seat, personal luxury boulevardier. It would have made
an interesting addition to Ford's T-Bird hardtop and convertible
models. VIN: 2Y83Z1180192 This car is currently located at our
facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer
shows 24,566 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and
clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!! Note: Please see
full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase
of any said vehicle, thank you. Copy & Paste the Link Below to View
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