Shepherding the Thunderbird through the ages, Ford followed the time-tested method of celebrating model anniversaries: trim, color, and limited production. That’s what the Special Landau coupe was all about. It offered Emberglo paint and accents, parchment interior and padded top, a few badges, a run of only 4500 examples minted in 1965 – and a price about $50 higher than the standard Landau. Today’s example comes to us represented by Beverly Hills Car Club via Hemmings, with an asking price of $7950. Yes, there’s a catch – this ‘Bird doesn’t run, and it needs cosmetic attention as well. Thanks to Barn Finder Rex Kahrs for passing along the tip!
The Thunderbird was a resounding success, but not only for Ford: competitive forces made Chevrolet sit up and take notice. We can argue that the TBird saved the Corvette. Ok, the first TBird’s engine was a Mercury V8 – nothing special – but it outclassed the Corvette’s six. By 1965, though, after ten years on the market, Ford’s personal luxury car was long in the tooth and needed a boost. Power was not an issue – in the engine bay was Ford’s 390 cu. in. V8, delivering 300 hp and ample torque, brought to heel by uprated dual-circuit brakes. The three-speed Cruise-O-Matic was the only transmission option. To combat market share losses, Ford upsized the car and added two doors. Alas, the fuel crisis and strong alternatives from other car makers eventually decimated sales. As we noted, this example doesn’t run, but the engine bay has either been treated to a new part or two – or has been exceptionally well-tended. Resurrecting a 390 is not rocket science, either – that’s the good news.
The cabin is worn – the driver’s seat needs a rebuild, the driver’s door panel is torn, the paint on the steering column has seen one too many nicks from someone’s set of keys, the brightwork is shabby. I’d replace that carpet, too. The faux woodgrain trim was a feature starting in 1964. Air conditioning, power windows, and a push-button radio were new-ish technologies derived from Ford’s more upscale product line – all in keeping with marketing the Thunderbird as a “luxury” car. Aside from spiffing up the cabin, the new owner will want to attend to the trunk, where paint loss is leading to rust incursion.
Given that it was produced without special performance credentials, the anniversary Landau sells in line with every other Thunderbird Landau coupe – namely at high four- or low five-figures. BHCC is in the game to sell cars, though, so I view this price as a suggestion rather than a bottom line. Which Thunderbird generation is your favorite? I like the Bullet Bird, but I bet we have opinions all over the map.
A 390 T-Bird 🏁 fine by me Michelle 👍
These Emberglo Special Landau models were very classy. I hope this one gets some attention.
These are really beautiful T Birds. And Emberglow is one of my favorite colors too. ( although the turquoise one written up here the other day is giving emberglow a run for the money). I like the Landau rails on the roof and the color keyed wheel covers too. These are just classy cars.
Nice write up. It’s kinda sad that the T birds of the 60s don’t bring big money. It’s like nobody knows what category to put them in. Luxury car is where I feel people put them, but they had a race car look about them, until late 60s. My favorite is a 63, with AC.
“…brought to heel by uprated dual-circuit brakes.”
I don’t think so. ’65s had front discs and rear drums but did not get a dual-circuit brake system until ’67. That looks like a correct-for-’65 single-circuit master cylinder in the photo.
It wasn’t until ’67 that the T-Bird got 4 doors (suicide doors at that), 64-66 Birds are all two door. They became four-seaters in ’58 which saved the model. And the rest as they say, is history. I miss my ’66, very similar to this except blue with white top and a base Town Coupe, and it had discs in front and drums in the rear.
Emberglo is a great color…I wonder if a black top/black interior was a configuration. I wonder if the horn button was specific for an anniversary model.
General comment that this seems to be too nice of a listing for BHCC…a lot of their listings, in the past, are very rough and/or very overpriced.
Doesn’t run is a vague statement. Does it need a new set of points or a total rebuild?
Looks nice except for the trunk. They were fully carpeted leading to hidden rust like this. My 65 is in the shop now as the vacuum lines have become cracked requiring teardown to access.
Our dad bought one like this used back in 1968 and kept it for two years before trading it in for a new 1970 Maverick…He bought it from a car dealer and that dealer was arrested a few months later for turning mileage back..Now we know why on this T-Bird the speedo would jump around…Love the sequential tailights…You would see the charging gauge bounce when they were being used…
A quick repainting of the air cleaner Gold would go a long way to getting the otherwise clean engine compartment looking quite nice.
BHCC always has many vehicles advertised in HMN. They are straightforward about the units they advertise. The prices they ask are reasonable for what one is getting as well. Quite a few uncommon vehicles as well.
Love the year. Love the color. After that, not so much. Rusty trunk with no underside photos to verify condition. Great build up in the ad, then, Oh by the way, it doesn’t run. With absolutely no info given on what it needs to get it to run or what’s been done on it. Looking through Hemmings it seems like BHCC has ads just about everywhere looking to buy/ sell whatever. Never really gave me a positive vibe.
I agree. The car got one of the best color combos available for the year, but the non- running engine (with unclear reasons), rust and other things will take some high money to get it nicely back on the road.
For me, the price is too high, this is a 5K car maximum in this condition. These T-bird dont get high prices even in very good condition (max is here 18-20K), so the price here is steep….
This is the car I want – my widower-grandfather drove T-Birds from 1958-1979; he bought a new one every two years, always ordered black with a red interior, swing-away steering (he was 6’4″) and A/C.
This one’s going to have a long punch-list even before we get to why it ain’t running:
windshield seal is leaking – the reveal molding across the roofline is lifting, so there’s rust under it & the vinyl, plus water stains from the same or clogged fresh-air box drains on the passenger carpet, which is shrinking at the tunnel;
very odd paint marring on the steering column that has nothing to do with keys. At least one something is missing from the console (power window switch set?) and the wood veneer is heavily water-damaged.
Trunk seal isn’t; probably window seals also.
No underside shots.
Something electric is disconnected in the trunk…If the metal remains sound enough there, that’s a (messy) weekend wirewheel & spatter-paint job.
It looks very sound and complete, and unmolested. But that motor issue has to be known before I could even be tempted.
I like all the series of Thunderbird, 50s and 60s, but know that I could not afford a decent first series car. We have a friend with a poor 62 Sports Roadster convertible parked under cover outside at our home unfortunately. He is a mechanic with serious health issues, owned his own shop, lost it and is now living in a motor home. That car if not a #4 condition with some rust and, most importantly, a non-functioning top, could be worth a lot of money. It runs well and I helped him work on it but still a sad story.
OK, just got off the phone with a salesman at BHCC.
Car has a 2025 CA title, they say it’s a CA car; sounds like someone found it & flipped it to them.
It has no key. They put a battery in it & bridged the solenoid, the motor spins. That’s as far as they got.
He said that if it were a convertible they’d probably keep it & work on it but essentially it’s at the bottom of a long list of cars needing attention so they want to sell it on. I doubt they’d make much on it if they did sort it.