It’s always a bummer when you find the perfect project, get started on it and then have something happen that keeps you from finishing. Reader Bill C found this 1960 Thunderbird, started restoring it, but due to an injury can’t finish it. Rather than let it go to waste just sitting in his garage, he’s decided to let it go. It comes with some new parts and has already had a fair amount of work done to it. It still is going to require a ton of work, but at $5,000 or best offer, seems like a decent buy! If you’ve been looking for a ’60 T-Bird to restore, be sure to message Bill about it via the form below.
From Bill – 1960 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Project Car. Price includes the following new parts: gas tank, rebuild and recorded radiator, a hydraulic pump for the top, exhaust header, and rear quarters. Bumpers are in excellent condition. The car is all original with matching numbers. The car was driven briefly before restoration started. The restoration was started and due to injury and family illness, it is for sale. The price does not include the custom heavy duty rotisserie, but it is negotiable.
The biggest issue I see with buying Bill’s T-Bird is transporting it, seeing as it is currently on a rotisserie. It looks like the suspension might still be attached, so perhaps you could remount the wheels and get it rolling. Otherwise, your best bet will be to work out a deal that includes the complete rotisserie, as you should be able to roll it onto a trailer if you are careful.
It looks like the engine has already been gone through and is ready to go back into the car. There’s no word on whether this is the 352 or the 430, but hopefully Bill can tell us a bit more about the engine and what all was done to it.
While it is going to be a big undertaking, it is kind of nice being able to see what exactly you are getting yourself into. There is clearly some rust to deal with, some of it has already been removed, but having it on a rotisserie will definitely make fixing it an easier task. So is this the kind of project you would want to undertake?
Special thanks to Bill for listing his Thunderbird with us! Let’s find a good home for it. And if you happen to have a stalled project that needs to go, please consider listing it with us!
Asking Price: $5,000
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Title Status: Clean
Mileage: 96,008
My Dad had a 60 Vert in the mid 60’s – same color (black over yellow, black interior). My first car was a 60 Bird coupe in yellow – only option the car didn’t have was the sunroof. Did some really stupid things in that car…including selling it. 35 years later and there is still a 20×30 photo of it behind me on the wall in my office…
This could be a Rare J code Bird.. Nice old bird 🐦 that’s needs lots of restoration work.. Wish it had the Continental kit bumper! Be very slick after restoration painted in Raven Black and Red leather intr or just kept White on White leather..
The suspension is intact. The car is off the rotisserie and sitting on new tires ready to go.-Bill. C.
I doubt the rotisserie with a car mounted on it would survive any length of travel on the back of a truck or on a trailer.
John Wilson
I don’t believe they use 430cubes in the bird for those years and it looks just like the 352. Ford also went with the 390’s in the bird around 1962. just my two cents. I know Lincolin used the 430 in early 60’s.
John – 430 was an option – I had one; as was power steering, power brakes, power windows, ac, sun roof, leather interior, and believe it or not, a 3 on the tree w/OD (note – I’ve never seen one);
I pegged the 140 on the speedo once…yes…scared the crap outta myself about 10 minutes later. Not because something happened, only that I thought about what I had just done (I was 17). Awesome car – GLWTS
Though I have never owned a bird, I have many fine memories of them. When I was young I had an uncle that owned a used car lot. He loved the birds, and always had several on the lot. He would come by the house every weekend with a different bird ( always convertibles ) my all time favorite was a 1962 black with red interior and top, it had the continental kit bucket seat with a big chromed console. I have always wanted one like it. Just never got around to it. Though the rotisserie would make it easier, this is still more work than I want to take on at this stage in my life.
That’s not a 430; you can see “FORD” in raised letters on the valve covers. That would make it the 352. The 430 was an option in 1959 and 1960.