Vehicle Description
This 1963 Ford Thunderbird is one of 37 M-code Sports Roadsters
produced by Ford that year. The M in the VIN denotes three 2-barrel
carburetors versus the standard Z-code engine with one 4-barrel
carburetor, plus numerous other engine and drivetrain
modifications. This vehicle was assembled at the Ford plant in
Wixom, MI, on November 28, 1962, with an MSRP of $6286.90. The
drivetrain consists of a 390ci (6.4-liter) Thunderbird High
Performance Super 8 engine with three Holley 2-barrel carburetors,
4.05 inch bore and 3.78-inch stroke, producing 340hp at 5,000 rpm
and 430 ft/lbs of torque at 3,200 rpm. It has a 10.5:1 compression
ratio, with a hydraulic valve train, a cast-aluminum intake
manifold, special cylinder heads (from a Ford 406ci FE V8), a
special high-lift, long-duration hydraulic camshaft, dual 2-inch
exhaust, a chrome engine dress-up kit, a Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed
automatic transmission and a 3.00:1 final drive ratio. Options
include leather seats, power windows, tinted glass, windshield
washers, seat belts, power seats and air conditioning. It was
originally sold by Vanneman Motor Company of Valentine, NE. Sports
Roadsters featured special badging, a passenger grab bar, a
removable tonneau cover for the rear seats and five Kelsey-Hayes
wire wheels. It was certified as a senior car by the Vintage
Thunderbird Club International in 1999 (scoring 298.5 points out of
300), was certified as authentic by the Vintage Thunderbird Club
International in 2014 and was certified as an authentic Sports
Roadster by the Thunderbird Sport Roadster Society in 2000. It
comes with its gate release and the Ford Build Sheet.
