Vehicle Description
The 1961-63 "Bullet Birds" are currently the fastest appreciating
Thunderbirds in the hobby. Yes, this cool 1963 Ford Thunderbird
hardtop may just be a smarter buy than even an early 2-seater. It
offers awesome styling, lots of firepower, and the all-important
back seat to make it a fun, practical, and downright gorgeous hobby
car that you can use every day.
The '63 Thunderbirds are highly prized by their owners due to its
clean styling. There's no such thing as an ugly Bullet Bird, but
the '63s, with their simple trim and three hash marks on the door,
stand above the rest. The design is defined by the pointed front
fenders (hence the nickname) and it was a big step forward compared
to the earlier cars. It looks clean, elegant, and timeless. Code N
Diamond Blue is this car's original color, and it's a lovely light
blue that captures the early 1960s perfectly. It was repainted a
few years ago but still looks great, showing only a few minor
issues that are probably inevitable on a car that's going to be
driven and enjoyed like this. However, the doors open and close
easily, the hood swings up on well-oiled hinges, and unlike its
convertible siblings, the huge trunk is easy to access. The lovely
stainless trim running along the tops of the fenders from nose to
tail is in excellent shape and the massive jet-inspired taillights
are bright, clear, and still very cool.
The two-tone blue interior is the perfect choice to go with the
Diamond Blue body and it's pure Thunderbird cool. We believe it to
be the car's original interior, so there's some wear but it would
be a crime to replace it. Bucket seats flank a wide center console,
and while the driver's chair shows some modest wear, it's
completely in line with the car's age. The swing-away steering
column makes climbing in and out easy and the original wheel has a
big leather wrapper that makes it easy to grab. The dials for the
instrument panel seem to float in the dash and show big, crisp
numbers and everything works like it should. The original radio has
been supplanted by a modern AM/FM/iPod/Bluetooth unit that fits so
neatly most folks will never notice it. The back seat looks almost
completely unused and the aforementioned trunk is outfitted with
its original mat set and a spare tire with cover.
Ford's erstwhile 390 cubic inch V8 provides 300 horsepower's worth
of performance, and this Thunderbird is indeed lively on the road.
Its specialty is consuming vast sections of highway at a single
stretch, but around town it still feels punchy and energetic. The
engine is dressed in proper gold tinwork and wears the right decals
in the right places, so it looks quite correct. You can see how
clean this car is by the condition of the inner fenders and it does
indeed run very well. The only transmission available was the
3-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic, which clicks through the gears
without issues (remember to use the green dot position for best
performance!) and 3.00 gears out back are part of why it's such an
awesome highway cruiser. Oddly enough, dual exhaust was an option,
so this car has a correct single exhaust pipe that has a muted hum
that sounds luxurious and the floors are more proof that this car
comes from someplace warm and dry. Beautiful chrome wire wheels and
215/75/14 whitewall radials complete the rather handsome
package.
This is a lot of car for the money. Big V8 power, head-turning
style, and an interior that will make you feel like Sinatra. What's
not to love? Call today!
