• Seller: Carter N uttall (Contact)
• Location: Taunton, Massachusetts
• Mileage: 222,222 Shown
• Chassis #: 4Y83Z178722
• Title Status: Clean
• Engine: 390cui V8
• Transmission: 3-Speed Cruise-O Matic

In 1964, Ford introduced what would become the last generation of unibody Thunderbirds until 1980, and the public responded by buying 92,465 of them, an increase of almost 30,000 units over the previous model year. Although it was based on the same platform as the 1963 models and received few mechanical changes, Ford invested where they knew it would pay off: the body and the interior. These new “Flair Birds” had all-new sheetmetal and, if anything, an even more space-age interior than the ’63s. This 1964 T-Bird (the fenders and hood are ’65 T-Bird parts) is being sold as a Barn Finds Exclusive in Taunton, Massachusetts. It’s a running and driving project with extra parts, and the seller is asking $7,500 or best offer.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t see an old car’s door, cowl, or fender tag without doing at least a cursory analysis. Based on the data, and if the color code is a “C,” this car would have been “Princeton Gray,” a dark gray, when it was new, and the interior trim code of “53” indicates that the interior colors of white with black appointments are correct. May 7th, 1964 is the scheduled date of production (not necessarily the actual build date), and the District Sales Office code of “13” means that the car was sold in the greater New York City area. Everything else is standard Thunderbird: An axle code of “1” stands for a 3.00:1 ratio (which all T-Birds had), the transmission code of “4” means that the car had the Cruise-O-Matic (as all T-Birds also had).

And here is that spectacular new interior for 1964. Obviously, this one will need work, but the work has been started. The front seats have already been reupholstered (a big expense for materials alone), and the T-Bird will come with a new carpet, dash pad, package tray, and paint. The driver’s door glass will need to be installed, and the seller will include the parts to finish that job (including window switches, as this is a power-window-equipped car).

All ’64 Thunderbirds had the same engine: Ford’s big-block standby, the 390 four-barrel with 300 horsepower and 427 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine would have originally been painted black with gold valve covers, but it’s not uncommon for owners to give their engines a shot of traditional Ford Blue. The carburetor has been rebuilt (it looks like an aftermarket Holley 1850), and the transmission was rebuilt by a professional shop (you can see the receipts in the pictures below). The 390 has a new starter and a new fuel pump, as well. A nice upgrade is a front disc brake conversion with a dual circuit master cylinder; the factory didn’t install front discs until 1965, and Car Life Magazine’s road test in 1965 showed a noticeable improvement in fade resistance with the new binders.

The nicest thing about a unibody Thunderbird is the feeling that you’re driving something special; I’ve mentioned it a hundred times, but I always feel as if I’m underdressed when I cruise around in my ’63. Can you imagine how nice this car would look in its original dark gray? If you’ve been looking for a project and think the Flair Birds look just right (as so many people did in 1964), make an offer!