American cars of the 1960s were a a unique blend of extravagance, chrome and V8 engines. As styles and fin heights changed, the mid sixties gave us some of the coolest cars ever built, and the Thunderbird was at the top of that tree.

Recently imported from the US, and restored in the 1990s, this Ford remains in excellent condition and drives very well, its soft suspension floating over any surface and smooth V8 providing a wonderful soundtrack.

Forget the ‘American cars are huge’ stereotype, yes they are big, but this is only a few millimeters longer than a 5 Series, and narrower than a Q7.

The Thunderbird comes with a fat folder of receipts showing $18,000 spent on it over the years since 1990. The records show that in 1990 the mileage was 21,000 which cannot be verified however, we do have evidence that it has only covered 40,000 miles down until the present day. Now showing 61,452 miles.

It underwent a photographic restoration in the mid ‘90s, with new paint and chrome and the gearbox overhauled. It stayed in the same family for approximately 30 years before selling it to a gentleman in New Hampshire, who kept for four years before deciding to part with it.

It is currently with a classic car dealer who used a contact in America to find the best example he could to export to us in the UK. It has now cleared NOVA, so all import duties are paid and the car is ready to be registered, so the buyer will be the first on the V5 if they are in the UK.

The interior of the Thunderbird is breathtaking, the design is mid-century cool with just enough chrome and detail to be interesting but not over the top or garish. Overall the condition is superb, the dash top isn’t cracked, the chrome bezels and brightwork are all good and the light steering wheel is not damaged. The carpet looks good under the fitted floor mats. The door cards along with their ancillaries are in excellent shape.

There are some very small cracks in the door card tops. The headlining is in nice condition apart from a small area of seam stitching that has come undone.

The outside of the car is breathtaking, the light metallic blue sparkles and has a lovely smooth glossy finish. All the extensive brightwork has been rechromed so the bumpers and grill are excellent, one turn signal bezel has lost its chrome effect but otherwise it is all mirror-like around the car.

Under the paint the panels appear almost perfect with no dings or defects we have noticed. Looking around the pillarless body, there some micro blisters and marks in the paint around the roof but little else to comment on. It has superb and undamaged hubcaps and the tyres have good tread all round.

With its Ford Perma-tuned transistorised electronic ignition, the 390 Cu-In V8 runs and idles well, and we are told drives very smoothly through its reconditioned automatic gearbox. American cars of this era tend to be solid and simple, so basic servicing keeps them in good running order for years. 

This is a fabulous example of a beautiful car, having been restored a few years ago it remains in superb condition and would be a fine first American car or addition to a collection, looking good at any show and even better on the road.