Vehicle Description
1960 Ford Thunderbird ?Originally California car from Wasco
California ?Final model year for the Square Bird ?351 CID V-8
engine with a chromed accessory drive, Edelbrock 4 barrel carb and
air cleaner ?Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission
(code 4) and 3.10 gearing (code 3) ?Kingston Blue (code B) exterior
and red interior (code 85) ?Master Guide Power Steering,
Select-Aire air-conditioning; Power-Lift power windows; dual
electric front seats; and I-Rest Tinted Glass By 1960, Ford was
patting itself on the back for creating a new vehicle category, the
personal luxury coupe, two years earlier. This gorgeous example is
ready for cruising and originally comes from the sunny state of
California! Built in Ford?s Wixom, Michigan factory on April 1,
1960, (no fooling) (code 01D) and was originally sold in August
1960. A former owner, EJP, lived in Wasco, California. Dressed in
Kingston Blue (code B), the car?s paint and trim are in very good
order. The bodywork is straight and solid. Under the forward-hinged
hood, the engine bay is very tidy, the battery appears very well,
the cargo area is quite tidy, has a lining and a full-sized spare
tire with cover. The wraparound chrome bumpers are in very good
order. This big bird rolls on Goodyear radials, size 245/45ZR16 in
front and 245/45ZR18 in back. Each tire is mounted on a specialty,
five-spoke alloy wheel. The wheels and tires are all in very good
order. In the engine bay is a mildly updated 351 CID V-8 engine
with a chromed accessory drive with a Edelbrock 4 barrel carburetor
and air cleaner mounted on a Weiand intake. This motor is linked to
a Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission (code 4) and a
3.10:1 final drive (code 3). Driver convenience features include
Select-Aire air-conditioning that operates but the blower motor is
weak, I-Rest Tinted Glass, Master Guide Power Steering, Power-Lift
power windows and dual electric front seats. Inside, the car has
red upholstery (code 85). The front buckets and rear bench are in
very good order, as is the complementary red carpet and gray
headliner. A three-spoke, Lifeguard deep-center steering wheel with
a wood rim is in good, original order but the horn is inoperable,
while the inner door panels and Lifeguard padded instrument panel
look great. A column-mounted shift lever and a factory AM radio
complete the interior. Although the 1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird had
proved successful (in comparison to the Chevrolet Corvette), Ford
executives?particularly Robert McNamara?still felt its overall
sales volume had room to improve. Market research suggested sales
of the Thunderbird were limited by its two-seat configuration,
making it unsuitable for families. As a response, Ford executives
decided to add a rear seat to the Thunderbird. The new Thunderbird
had a distinct new styling theme. The design was driven entirely by
the styling department and approved before the engineering was
considered. The design was one of two proposals, styled primarily
by Joe Oros, who later worked on the 1964 Ford Mustang. However,
the losing proposal, styled by Elwood Engel, would gain its own
place in Ford Motor Company history: after minor revisions, it
would become the 1961 Lincoln Continental. The four-seat
Thunderbird was designed with unibody construction, eschewing a
separate chassis. The intent was to allow the maximum interior
space in a relatively small exterior package. The 1958 Thunderbird
was only 52.5 inches tall, nearly nine inches shorter than an
average American sedan; the Thunderbird had only 5.8 inches of
ground clearance. Ford incorporated the higher drivetrain tunnel
that was required in a lower car into a center console dividing
both front and rear seats which featured ashtrays, switches, and
minor controls. The remainder of the engineering was conventional,
with Ford's new 352 CID FE-series V-8 coupled to a three-speed
manual transmission, with overdrive or Cruise-O-Matic three-speed
automatic transmission optional. Front suspension was independent,
with coil springs and unequal-length A-arms. The rear was initially
a live axle suspended by trailing arms and coil springs, which were
intended to be interchangeable with optional air springs that were
canceled before production. This was changed to a more conventional
leaf spring suspension in the 1959 model year. Drum brakes were
used at all four wheels. Competition to this Thunderbird in 1960
included Chevrolet?s Corvette. The rest of the personal luxury
class had yet to be invented. If you?re a Thunderbird fan, a Ford
fan or someone who?s after an early 1960s cruiser, you should check
out this custom Thunderbird at MotoeXotica Classic Cars. Stop by
today and check it out for yourself. VIN: 0Y71Y145394 This car is
currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current
mileage on the odometer shows 97,464 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.
