Description
In 1956 Ford launched the Thunderbird as a Sports convertible to compete directly with the Corvette. Although a fantastic car, the Mk1 thunderbird did not meet the sales targets expected.
Therefore, Ford decided to reposition the Thunderbird as a Lifestyle vehicle. In plain English, a saloon car with the emphasis squarely on style and also performance. Perhaps the 60s equivalent of a modern BMW 6 series.
There have been several iterations of the 4 seat T-bird over the decades but this third generation is generally considered the most stylish. Dubbed the Bullet bird due to its distinctive front end, the car was launched in the height of the space race and the futuristic styling made this model an instant hit.
The bullet bird has notoriety in being the model of car used for the inauguration of John F Kennedy. It was also the car that the Beach boys sang about in the hit song Fun-fun-fun ('til her daddy takes the T-bird away).
Fitted with a 390m cubic inch V8 (6. 4 litres) this car is no slouch. Although the transmission and suspension design mean this is more stylish cruiser than muscle car.
The design features some beautiful features particularly on the interior make this model stand out from the norm of 1960s automobiles. From the steering column that slides out of the way to ease entry and exit without creasing your clothes. To the avantgarde fluted aluminium trim that fully wraps around from the door panels to the dashboard and down the centre console. This machine is a piece of rolling artwork.
We are selling this particular car which is in amazing condition having benefitted from an extensive restoration a few years ago. The deep metallic blue paint really suits this car complementing the bright chrome work including the original chrome Ford wheel trims. The interior is trimmed in light blue to complement the exterior.
The engine is again in fantastic condition and pulls very strongly. The transmission works faultlessly shifting as it should and kicking down on demand.
Despite having been restored the car is very original suitable for judging in shows. There are however a few modernisations fitted that simply make the car more practical to use. Such as a large volume washer fluid bottle (The original pouch is still present). It has electric front windows in lieu of the original manual crank ones. We have also fitted new speakers and vintage styled modern blue tooth stereo, the styling of this complements the interior very well so it does not look out of place at all.
From a practical point of view, the car is clearly larger than a Mustang, but is actually more compact than it first appears. It is in fact practically the same size as a 2000 model Jaguar XJ8.
This car is for serious collectors who want a car they can get in and drive to a show, perhaps even driving away with class prizes. It is NOT a project car. We are professional classic car restorers. The price reflects the rarity of these cars and the excellent condition of this example.
For those not fully in the know regarding classic cars. The age of this car means it does not require annual road tax or MOT. Of course it is recommended to perform periodic checks still simply for safety. The original list price and current value of the car mean that it if you are able to purchase it as a company asset, you will be able to use it paying company car tax on the 1961 list price, but all the running expenses including servicing and insurance are tax deductible.
I strongly recommend viewing the car to fully appreciate how good it is. If you are purchasing from abroad I can assist with the export for you.
For a great way to see the car we will be at the American Automobile Club UK meeting on 7th July at Hatton Country World just outside Warwick. Come along and see the car. We will have our 65 Mustang there too. But please contact me beforehand to confirm which day and possibly arrange for a test drive.
