"All roads are new when you Thunderbird. Pick out a runway and
prepare to soar. Thunderbird's smooth, silent motion is the nearest
thing to flight itself! And, within the new Thunderbird cockpit,
you're airborne on the luxury of new contoured shell design front
seats. The exclusive Silent-Flo ventilation system pulls fresh air
through the car and draws stale air out." From a 1964 print ad
For consignment, a 1964 Ford Thunderbird landau hardtop showing
98,278 miles, but the true miles are unknown. The past 5,000 miles
have seen numerous maintenance and new parts including a rebuilt
drivetrain, new exhaust system, alternator, brakes, ball joints,
front seat upholstery and some electrical work.
Exterior
This was the car that brought back the landau top and did so in a
big way. While future cars would lose the ornamentation, the Ford
shows a nod to the carriage roof hinge once prominent on horse
drawn transportation. Coupled with a black vinyl top that alludes
to a soft top, it adds a touch of elegance to a car touted for its
four seat sportiness and Baby Bird lineage. This one wears Navajo
Beige, a nice contrast to the black top, and features a unique and
recognizable face along with an epic light bar panel in back
enveloped in a frame of chrome. 17-inch Foose wheels are a bold
choice here, lending to the sleekness of the car, and they're
wrapped in 235/55R17's with a late 2023 date code. The metalwork is
nice on the car but the paint is far from perfect. Blemishes
include peeling paint, (revealing paint or bare metal underneath),
scuffs, scratches, chips, surface rust spots including several at
the side spear and C-pillar base, general overall patina, linear
dents on a fender, bubbles and blisters, and some evidence of body
filler.
Interior
Patina graces the driver's side door and to a lesser extent, the
passenger's. Peeling laminate, cracked and soiled vinyl, and dirty
carpet would benefit from restoration. With new vinyl upholstery,
the front buckets provide an instant contrast and look great, and
the rear seats with their shell design also look good. Mid century
modern styling adorns the dash, from the steering wheel forward,
where horizontal meets with circular and a woodgrain faced band
turns sharply downward to cover the center stack and console where
you'll find the AM/FM radio and A/C panel. This era Thunderbird
consistently makes our list of favorite dashboards and even with
the cracked pad above and some gentle patina, it's a work of art.
Beige carpet and a light colored headliner are in good shape while
the trunk shows heavy use and age and should be included in your
restoration calculations.
Drivetrain
Under the hood in driver quality appearance is the rebuilt 390ci
V8, rated at 300 horsepower and fueled by a 4-barrel carburetor.
It's backed by the rebuilt Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic
transmission routing power to the Ford 9" axle with 3.00 gears. The
car has power brakes, power steering, and air conditioning on
board.
Undercarriage
Mostly driver quality here with a newer dual exhaust system that
shines through amongst the surface rust and oxidation, traveling
through FlowMaster mufflers and exiting discreetly behind the rear
bumper. Power drum brakes, also newer, are on all four wheels and
suspension includes coil springs up front and leaf springs in
back.
Drive-Ability
The Thunderbird takes flight without issue as we roll the Foose
wheels around the test loop where it tracks straight and provides
decent power. We noticed the brake lights, A/C, radio, and rear
power windows are not working but all other functions operate as
intended. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions
were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee
these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
With some mechanical and cosmetic features already sorted, here's a
classic you can drive with not so reckless abandon, and if you want
to restore in the meantime, that's certainly an option as it won't
take much to create a strong show contender. Flair birds and Bullet
birds are creeping up in desirability and price as the mid century
modern movement explodes. Now is a good time to get in.
4Y87Z175551
4-1964
Y-Wixom, MI Assy Plant
87-Thunderbird Hardtop
Z-390ci 4bbl 300hp V8
175551-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY PLATE
BODY 63B-Thunderbird Landau Hardtop
COLOR T-Navajo Beige
TRIM 54-Beige Vinyl
DATE 28B-February 28th
AXLE 1-Ford 9" 3.00 Conventional
TRANS 4-3-Speed Cruise-O-Matic
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price. All prices are before
state, city and county tax, tag, title and license fees. Out of
state buyers are responsible for all state, county, city taxes and
fees, as well as title/registration fees in the state that the
vehicle will be registered. Classic Auto Mall is not responsible
for errors and omissions. Please verify listings with dealer.
Vehicles may require VIN verification and/or safety and emissions
inspections to transfer ownership and register the vehicle in the
declared state of residence. Please check with your local DMV
office to ensure compliance with your states titling and
registration process.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
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