Making Dreams Come True
January 6, 2024
We often talk of facilitating classic car dreams here at Car & Classic; of putting the right people together with the right car or bike and allowing those dreams to become reality, and while this is a romantic notion we could just be spouting hot exhaust for all you know, unless you’re one of the thousands of petrolheads who have actually bought a classic using our world-renowned platform. Well, for any doubters out there we thought we’d share the story of this 1969 Ford Thunderbird – a rags to riches tale of hope and determination that will warm the cockles and no doubt encourage you to fan that flame of classic desire within and bring your classic car dreams to fruition.
Our story begins way back in September 2021 when this plucky writer covered a rather down at heel 1969 Ford Thunderbird as that particular week’s instalment of our popular Project Profile series here on the Car & Classic magazine. Despite the dowdy primer grey paint and missing parts I could see the car’s potential. OK, my decision to feature the car may have been swayed by the monstrous Thunder Jet 429 cubic inch 7.0-litre V8 under the bonnet but hey, I’m a sucker for huge displacement eight-cylinder engines.
As it turns out though, it wasn’t just us who were drawn to the car because two months later we received an email from a couple who had seen the feature and subsequently bought the car with the intention of completely restoring it to its former glory. Well, after two years the T-Bird is looking amazing and the results are glorious, going to show what can be achieved if you commit and set your mind to a project.
The process was expedited somewhat by the previous owner in Minnesota who had conveniently provided almost everything needed for the restoration, all neatly boxed and labelled. Handy. The new owners knew that a decent paint job would be key and so spent the first year having the car professionally resprayed by Coastal Body Repairs who praised the car’s straight and solid bodywork. The couple were in two minds about the vinyl top but did in the end decide to have it re-covered to maintain the Landau aesthetic, a large part of the car’s curb appeal. The interior was also refitted, with care being taken to be as sympathetic as possible with what was available, preferring to maintain the car’s originality. A wise move.
The original seats, carpets and door cards were cleaned and refitted but some parts had to be sourced from the US from companies like Rock Auto, evincing that “foreign” classics needn’t be a headache and parts for all but the rarest of models can be found. The couple also told us that support from the international Thunderbird community has been fantastic, further driving home the point that a classic’s nationality is moot.
The original build sheets were located and refitted to their correct locations and with only three examples registered in the country it’s an incredibly rare sight on UK roads. As far as that 7.0-litre V8 goes it required very little work aside from a service, including a new battery, spark plugs, leads and an air filter, testament to the robust nature of these simple but powerful engines.
The owners have always had a love for muscle cars, telling us: “we feel very privileged to be able to own this particular car. They certainly are coming back into fashion. Whenever we go out we have people telling us it’s a cool car and stopping us to ask for a peek inside and wanting to know more about it.” There’s still work to do but looking at the before and after pictures shows just how much time, love and effort has gone into the restoration.
We’re sure you’ll agree the car has undergone quite the transformation and looks fantastic so if you’re currently on the fence with regards to taking on a new project or buying a new classic let this be your inspo to get involved. Start your search now and make your classic dreams a reality!
