1963 was the end of the road for the third generation Ford Thunderbird, which only lasted for three model years between 1961-1963. Ford managed to sell over 63,000 Thunderbirds in 1963, but less than 6,000 were convertibles so the drop-top models aren’t exactly plentiful. If you have been keeping an eye out for a sixties Thunderbird and enjoy open-air driving, this 1963 Ford Thunderbird convertible might be worth taking a look at. Located in Upperco, Maryland, it can be seen here on eBay with the bidding at $12,100 at the time of this writing. The reserve has not yet been met.
The seller says that the car is in near-mint condition, and from what we can tell from the photos this does look to be a really nice condition vehicle. The paint was done within the last two years and is said to be in excellent condition with no waves. No word on what it looked like before the new paint job. The interior is also stated to be new and has no rips or tears, and it sure is hard to find fault with any part of the inside that we can see. All of the gauges are functioning and the car also has working air conditioning and heating.
Powering this car is a 390 cubic inch V-8 and a Cruise-O Matic automatic transmission, both standard equipment in the 1963 Thunderbird. The seller does not say what all has been done to the engine or transmission but does tell us that the car needs no mechanical work and is ready to drive. We do know that the car has a new exhaust system, new suspension, new steering, and it is said to drive as straight as an arrow. It has been driven on the highway upwards of 75 miles per hour with no problems.
There are no tears in the convertible top, and judging from the photos it appears to be going up and down the way it should. The seller added that he has about $7,000 invested into the radio system and wiring and that it sounds amazing. It’s also interesting how the trunk tilts backward to open on the convertible model.
This certainly seems like a good car with not much left to be done for the next owner, except to just enjoy driving it. What are your thoughts on this 1963 Ford Thunderbird convertible? Any ideas on where you think the bidding will end up?
My uncle bought one for 12 about 20 yrs ago, had the dreadful tri carb setup, in theory perfect, but keeping those synced was a nightmare, thing is, all the guys that could tune and sync that setup have moved off this mortal coil….like the fix they used on this one…loved that car, hated that carb setup…
I believe that like the Chevy F.I. systems, the tripower cars from Ford, GM and Chrysler were victims of poorly trained and poorly equipped mechanics. I’ve seen injected cars and multi carb cars that would miss and and buck and generally run like crap and I have seen some that would pin you in the seat. Like the 426 Hemi’s, you have to know how to tune a engine in the first place and you really need to know how to tune a race engine. I knew of a 70 Camaro that had a Hilborn injected small block and a buddies injected 426 Hemi 37Willy’s coupe race care, both mechanical injection, that would drive down the road like your 2021 Buick.
@ Gary Rhodes
Sadly, Buick no longer makes sedans, so you would have to compare those cars with one of their 2021 S(tupid) U(seless) V(ehicles)s
Fascinating how more than half of the vehicles sold in America are Crossovers / Stupid Useless Vehicles. How do you suppose the manufacturers tricked all those customers into buying something so stupid and useless? I can’t for the life of me imagine that the buyers think these vehicles are smart and useful solutions for their driving needs/wants.
Don’t like ‘em? Don’t buy ‘em.
These bullet birds were the pinnacle of the Thunderbird design. Everything flowed so beautifully from the front bumper to the “jet exhaust” tail lights. They never got better than this.
My second grade teacher had a ‘63 Bird it was red with a white rag top , loved her and the car.😃
I agree that the bullet birds are the best and the convertibles are so sleek.
As nice as these cars are, I wouldn’t like taking it to a cruise in. I pretty much fill up the trunk of my ’69 Marquis conv. with lawn chairs, umbrellas, my wife’s rollator and other stuff. There’s no room in these cars’ trunks.
I own a phenomenal 63 factory Roadster. These cars are so much fun to drive. Personally I think the design is amazing. This car. Not being a Roadster should sell for a reasonable price. She sure is pretty!
Awesome! If Buck Rodgers was around when these were new he would have had one! Futuristic!