This 1964 Thunderbird Convertible is less of a barn find and more of a basement find. It isn’t clear why the owner hid it away, but it appears that it has been sitting for at least 30 years. It has been dragged out of hiding, and it seems that the news might be pretty good for potential buyers. Apart from one missing trim piece, it is complete. Adding to the attraction is that the V8 under the hood had only accumulated 1,000 miles since the owner treated it to a rebuild. If you feel that you have what it would take to return this classic to active duty, you will find the T-Bird located in Nashville, Tennessee, and listed for sale here at the McLemore Auction Company. Bidding has reached $4,550 in what appears to be a No Reserve auction. There’s still time left on this one if it ticks the boxes for you. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Andrew R for referring the Thunderbird to us.

It appears that the chrome trim is missing around the driver’s side headlight, but otherwise, this Prairie Bronze Thunderbird does seem to be complete. The paint might be tired, but the thing that struck me when I first looked at this classic was the lack of visible rust. The seller doesn’t mention any problems in the listing, and there’s nothing visible in any of the supplied photos. The panels are also surprisingly straight, so if this is an accurate representation of the Convertible’s overall condition, this has the potential to be a straightforward restoration project. The Beige power top is also a surprise because I suspect that a bit of old-fashioned elbow grease and a high-quality cleaner could have it presenting nicely. There are no rips or tears, but the back window will need to be fixed back into position. The owner indicates that the operating mechanism will require attention, as there may be some electrical gremlins there. I would be tempted to attack the exterior chrome with some polish before I entertained the idea of searching for replacement parts because this could save the buyer some money on this project. The original tinted glass is intact, and it appears to be in good order.

When I examine the photos of the Thunderbird’s interior, my fingers begin to itch. All that I want to do is spend a few days in a workshop cleaning the Palomino trim because I think that it could be pretty satisfying. There are no rips or tears on any of the upholstered surfaces, so the buyer will be spending more time than money on that aspect of the Convertible. It is a similar story with the carpet, console, and dash. The top of the pad has started to discolor, but the buyer may address this issue with a vinyl dye. If I were to buy this car, I would be cleaning everything thoroughly before I entertained the idea of spending money on replacement parts. The shopping list could be pretty short in this case and would save the buyer money on the restoration. There have been no aftermarket additions, and the Thunderbird comes equipped with air conditioning and a pushbutton AM radio.

It appears that this Ford is numbers-matching and features a 300hp 390ci V8, an automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. Considering that this car would tip the scales at 4,629lbs, the potential ¼-mile ET of 16.7 seconds looks pretty impressive. This Thunderbird raises many questions, and it makes me wish that I could sit down and talk with the owner. The seller claims that the car has a genuine 88,000 miles on the clock, and if the rest of the story is true, this is plausible. He says that the owner had the engine rebuilt in October of 1980, and he holds receipts to verify this. The T-Bird then accumulated a mere 1,000 miles on the motor before the owner parked the car in his basement. It has been sitting for more than 30-years, and I’m fascinated as to what the story might be. I’m sure that you won’t be shocked to learn that the Thunderbird doesn’t run or drive, but that mighty V8 does turn freely. It is possible that a fuel system flush and some TLC could see it roar back to life fairly quickly. Due to how long it has been sitting, you can be sure that other components will require attention. You probably won’t get the vehicle roadworthy in a weekend, but it still shouldn’t be a significant undertaking.

For someone looking for an affordable and practical project car, this 1964 Thunderbird Convertible looks like a hot ticket. It seems to be rust-free, and breathing new life into the drivetrain shouldn’t consume mega-dollars. The paint may be tired, but it won’t require immediate attention. It is possible that the new owner could return it to a roadworthy state and drive it as-is during the Summer months. They could then park it in their workshop when the weather turns nasty and emerge the following Summer with a spotless classic that would turn heads. Does that prospect sound tempting to you?