This 1963 Thunderbird Convertible has led an interesting life. The original owner used the vehicle regularly until 1974. He then sold it, and the second owner proceeded to park it in a barn immediately. It sat unused and unloved in the barn until the 1990s and was then moved to a warehouse in Oakland, California. In 2019 it made its way to its current resting place in the same area. It is now set to move one more time. However, this time it needs to go to the home of a new owner. The Thunderbird is listed for sale here on eBay. This is a classic that has generated plenty of interest since it was listed for sale. A total of 56 bids have been submitted at the time of writing. This has pushed things along to $5,700 in a No Reserve auction.

The Corinthian White Thunderbird appears to have spent its entire life in California. After all of these years, this classic still wears its original black plates. It was sold to its original owner by a dealership in San Jose and resided in that area until it went into a barn in Lathrop, California. It isn’t clear why the second owner chose to park the vehicle immediately after purchase, but it must have seemed like a good idea at the time. The car appears to be complete, and the owner does claim that it is solid and rust-free. That doesn’t mean that a quick wash and polish will see this classic returned to the road. It will undoubtedly benefit from some cosmetic restoration work to address the myriad of minor dings, dents, and chips that the vehicle now wears. The Convertible top is also pretty shredded, and a replacement will be required. It seems that the power function for the top is inoperative, so this will need to be inspected and repaired or replaced. The top itself will cost anywhere from $350 upward. You would have to hope that the power mechanism can be revived because parts are not that cheap. A hose set would set the new owner back $250, while the pump motor will leave little change from $350. The saving grace is that this is work that should only need to be performed once, and the top will only require basic maintenance once it is functioning correctly. The trim and chrome seem acceptable for a driver-quality restoration, while there are no obvious issues with the tinted glass.

The owner is quite candid about the condition of the Thunderbird’s interior. He says that the shredded top means that a variety of critters have found their way into the vehicle over the years. The result is an interior that is pretty dilapidated. A full retrim is going to be on the cards, and this is not going to be a cheap experience. A trim kit will cost somewhere in the vicinity of $2,200, and this is without considering replacing some of the damaged metal trim pieces. Once again, none of this work is cheap, but it is an expense that should be a one-time-only experience. In keeping with its luxury roots, the Thunderbird does come equipped with power windows, along with factory air conditioning.

I looked at this photo of the Thunderbird’s 390ci V8 engine, and immediately felt pangs of dread. I know that the owner claims the Thunderbird to be a rust-free vehicle, but there is a lot more surface corrosion present than I would have expected. No part of the engine has been spared, and even the firewall is showing signs of corrosion. For all of that, it would seem that the engine must turn freely. The owner does say that it doesn’t currently run. However, he states that a fresh battery and some new cables should see the V8 roar back into life. I feel a touch of cynicism on that front, so I’ll take his word for it. Looking at the sort of performance that this classic could potentially provide makes for some interesting reading. The 390 should produce 300hp when in good health. The power finds its way to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. At 4,486lbs, this is not a featherweight car. However, it should still be able to cover the ¼ mile in around 16.5 seconds. It isn’t sports car territory, but then, Ford wasn’t marketing the Thunderbird as a sports car.

The 3rd Generation Thunderbird continued the badge’s trend of being a sales success. The 1963 model year was the last for this series, and sales did drop compared to previous years. A total of 63,313 people handed over the cash for a Thunderbird in 1963. However, a mere 5,913 of those buyers chose the Convertible. The only version that sold in lower numbers was the Sports Roadster, of which, Ford sold a mere 455 examples. That means that the Convertible does tend to command a premium in the value stakes. That being said, there are plenty of nice examples available for less than $30,000. Careful hunting will occasionally unearth them for around $25,000. The pristine examples will still command figures well over the $30,000 mark, with $50,000 not out of the question for the right car. From my perspective, the financial viability of this car as a restoration project revolves around its rust-free status. If the next owner is not facing the prospect of wholesale steel replacement, then this Thunderbird could be well worth the effort. The bidding suggests that there are plenty of people who feel that way, and are willing to give it a go.