1958 was a historic year for the Ford Thunderbird. A back seat was added, and the 4-seater personal luxury coupe (and convertible) segment was born. Ford would be in that lane all by itself for several years before the competitors caught up. The sales success of the ’58-’60 “Squarebirds” was impressive. The styling was definitely more formal and squared-off than the ’55-’57 two-seaters, and in the process, the T-Bird lost some of its sporty mojo to many people. Ford tried to recapture that sleek, stylish, and more sporty persona with the all-new “Bullet Bird,” which made its debut for the 1961 model year. And, in an effort to bring back the look of a two-seater roadster without giving up the back seat, the Ford brain trust came up with the Sports Roadster Convertible idea for the 1962 and 1963 model years. Here’s one of the few ’63 Sports Roadsters that were built, and it appears to be in remarkable condition. Advertised here on craigslist for $29,000. This ’63 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster is located in Maryville, Tennessee. A big thanks to Jack M. for spotting this really rare ‘Bird!
The Sports Roadster featured a removable fiberglass tonneau cover that was positioned across the back seats. It tried to give the illusion of a sporty two-seater, and beautiful Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels were also added to give it that roadster look. Between the high price and the public not buying the two-seater “illusion” of a two-ton car, the Sports Roadster only managed to sell 1,427 units for the ’62 model year and a scant 455 in ’63.
The seller (who likes writing in ALL CAPS) doesn’t give us many details or the car’s history, but describes it as a “get in and drive it anywhere conditioned car.” The ‘Bird’s light blue metallic paint looks very presentable and really looks good on this or any other Bullet Bird. I’m not spotting any tinworm or accident damage, and the chrome, trim, and glass all look good. It has a “like new” blue convertible top, and the wire wheels and period-correct whitewall tires complete the striking package.
The seller says the Sports Roadster’s interior is original. The two-tone blue cabin looks terrific; the perfect blend of luxury and sportiness. The photo above also shows what the fiberglass tonneau cover looks like when in place. The seller says the ‘Bird is “loaded with all the options offered in 1963” but doesn’t list them. (The Swing-Away steering wheel came standard on ’63 Thunderbirds.)
The engine bay looks neat and tidy and houses a 390-cubic-inch V8. The seller lists the mileage at 31,000 but doesn’t say if it’s the ‘Bird’s original mileage or not. The 390 is paired with a smooth-shifting Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. The word “rare” is used a lot (maybe overused at times) to describe classic cars, but when only 455 of a certain model were produced, that qualifies as rare in my book. What do you think of this Sports Roadster? Ever seen a ’63?
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