The 1966 model year was the last for the Fourth Generation Ford Thunderbird, and it was also its least successful of that era. While sales figures of 69,176 were by no means a disaster, it still marked a drop of 12% over the previous year and a substantial 33% drop compared to 1964. The Town Landau offered the best sales total, with 35,105 people handing over their cash to park one in their garage. Our feature car is one of those vehicles, and it also appears to be an extremely affordable project car. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder rextreme for referring this beauty to us. The T-Bird is located in Sun City, Arizona, and is listed for sale here on Craiglist. You could take it home by handing the owner $7,500.
The Thunderbird is finished in Diamond Blue with a matching vinyl top. The paint holds a good shine for its age, but it has plenty of small marks, chips, and scratches. It would undoubtedly benefit from a cosmetic refresh, but the new owner will apply the fresh paint over pretty straight panels. There are no dings or dents worth noting and no visible rust. The owner doesn’t mention any issues in his listing, and if the T-Bird has spent its life in the drier climes of Arizona, it may be a rust-free survivor. The vinyl top looks quite respectable, with no tears or splits. The tinted glass seems to be in good order, as is most of the trim and hubcaps. The Landau Bars are missing from the C-pillars, but new reproduction pieces cost $105, so fixing that issue won’t break the bank.
At 4,409lbs, the 1966 Thunderbird could never be described as a lightweight. That sort of weight demands something special under the hood if the driver desires respectable performance. The original owner delivered on that front by ordering this classic with the Q-Code 428ci V8. This monster pumps out 345hp, which gets to the rear wheels via a three-speed C6 automatic transmission. Power steering and power front disc brakes were standard fitments on the ’66 Thunderbird. The T-Bird might be a heavy beast, but that V8 allowed it to blitz the ¼ mile in a neat 16 seconds. Potential buyers will enjoy this next bit because the mechanical news appears to be nothing but positive. All of the components for both the front and rear brakes are new, while the owner has rebuilt the front suspension. He has installed a new fuel pump and carburetor, and this combines to ensure that this old Ford is in sound mechanical health. He uses the word “excellent” when describing how the vehicle runs and drives, suggesting that this is a turn-key proposition for its next owner.
While this classic is in sound mechanical health, and its panels and paint should represent an affordable restoration for the next owner, the interior is likely to consume a few dollars. The carpet is toast, the faux-timber trim has seen better days, and I suspect that the dash pad is probably badly cracked under that carpet cover. There are also splits and flaws in the seat upholstery and a few issues with the door trims. It is serviceable, but it will need attention sooner or later if the buyer desires a factory-fresh appearance. The scale of the mountain that the buyer faces can best be demonstrated by the cost of seat upholstery. If an upholsterer can’t repair the splits and seam separations, a replacement cover set will cost the owner $1,800. I’ve had no success locating a dash pad or the missing components for the console, but I admit that my search was brief. The buyer may have greater success with a bit of persistence. They also might hit the jackpot locating good secondhand parts on auction sites like eBay. That would be my first port of call if I were performing this restoration on a budget. The interior isn’t weighed down with optional extras, but it features factory air conditioning, a tilt-away wheel, and an AM radio.
There’s no doubt that at $7,500, this 1966 Ford Thunderbird Town Landau would represent an affordable project car. Whipping its panels and paint into shape should not be complicated or expensive, especially if the buyer can perform most of the work themselves. Restoring the interior is likely to cost some dough, but that raises the question of whether it is worth the effort and expense. Weirdly, the answer to that question rests under this classic’s hood. If the original owner had ordered this car with the base 390ci V8, it would have placed a question mark over this classic. However, the Q-Code is a game-changer because this adds around 35% to this car’s potential value once the work is complete. Tidy examples are easily topping $22,000 in today’s market, and that figure continues to increase. Given its apparent lack of rust and sound mechanical health, that leaves a fair chunk of change in the piggy bank before this restoration becomes financially questionable. It has only been on the market for a couple of days, and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone snaps this T-Bird up pretty quickly.
Beautiful cruiser…..
I like this body style bird.
With the 4V 438 under the hood I think this would make a great hot rod of a car. Using classic hot rodding tricks to get the job done. Since the interior is pretty toasted I’d gut it. stripping out the console, dash, sound deadening and heavy front seats. I’d also gut the air conditioning system. All that is what, 500 lbs?
Swap in a couple light weight late model bucket seats, floor shifter and beef up the suspension and brakes. Regear the rearend as well.
A different kind of sleeper.
My idea of cruising has never been trolling around the mall with the ac blasting.
To think there was a time this blob was a Corvette competitor.
Thanks a lot, Ike, tis’ hardly a “blob”, fact is, I always thought the Corvette was more of a “blob”.. You know, had I not been a lad when these beautiful cars came out, and been of adult job status, there’s absolutely no question, I would have driven one of these. Even today as an old man, if driving didn’t pixx me off so much, and won’t ever fly again, (unless an emergency) I would tool around the country in a Tbird like this, thumbing my nose at the world,,oops,,,too far, enjoying the ride, there, that’s better.
These cars were inspired by the up and coming marvel of air travel, and the pilots that flew them. The controls and overhead switches( not shown) were right out of airplane styling. Even this ad shows a pilot and a TBird “in the clouds”. While the 428 was the king, I’m not really into that with mileage being the biggie today. I think this car could get teens easy, if you keep your foot out of it,,,yeah, with this car, that’s not likely, it’s a “left lane” car all the way. I’ve long thought, if there was some way to adapt an economical motor to these cruisers. Like some turbo 2.3, 4 cylinder, I realize it’s the 428 that makes it a great cruiser, but clearly, driving a 4 cylinder Jeep, speed is not on the front burner for me, I’d just like to cruise down the highway in this economically. In my opinion, best TBirds ever.
http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/ford/66t/66t.html
Hi Howard- I always enjoy reading your comments because there is never any doubt where you stand on an issue. Guess what? My next birthday puts me one more rotation away from 70! Hope I make it! Anyhoo, this is a blob and nobody did “Aircraft” inspired interiors and exteriors like Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell at GM. My comment was intended to point out how poorly Ford messed up what was a wonderful car that could have been a World-Class sports car rather than an automotive “Fat Elvis” Can you picture Suzanne Somers driving El Blobbo at the end of “American Graffiti ?” I didn’t think so. If we ever meet up at a Cars and Coffee I’ll be driving a 6-speed Corvette just as fast as I can! Have a great weekend!
Hi Ike, couldn’t disagree more, but I enjoy your comments as well. We all can have our opinions, within reason, of course, at least we’re not all driving GAZ’s, thank heavens. Car design is a relative thing, or at least it used to be. It’s why auto makers had a field day. They could design just about anything, and SOMEONE will buy it. Look at AMC. Whether it’s profitable catering to those few people, is always a gamble. Yeah, I’m an opinionated old cuss,( thanks, dad) but some of my opinions have merit. Take this TBird for example. Whether you liked them or not, it, like most TBirds, always had a following. “Gentlemans Cruisers”, they were dubbed. GP and Riviera were others. For a more sophisticated group, like airline pilots, than brute power Corvette followers. After ’57, the 2 cars took clearly different paths. To be honest, I didn’t care for the 1st gen TBirds, and it didn’t matter what Ms. Somers drove, she was HOT!!!
@Howard- Last comment on the topic, I promise. My son is a 767F/777F Cargo Pilot. Besides making more money and seeing more exotic places in a year than I have made and seen in my years on this flying rock, he has very sophisticated tastes in automobiles and women. No American items in either category for him. That apple fell as far from this tree as humanly possible! Have a great week!
Why is it that when I was reading this conversation between Ike Onick & Howard A I was thinking of those two elderly Muppets in the balcony?
I really enjoy reading comments from both of you, I have learned a lot from both of you, and I hope to continue reading your thoughts & learning from you both for a very long time!
These were absolutely gorgeous cars! I had the same model in “Vintage Burgundy” (metallic maroon) back in the early ’80s, that had been ordered without the vinyl roof and landau bars – a much sleeker and cleaner look, IMOP. It was a 390, not a 428, but it had tons of power. I wish I had that T-Bird today!
I see rust on the driver’s inside door frame. Where there is a little, is there a lot?
We all know it never sleeps.
Always hated that roof, can’t believe that it was the sales leader. smh
Howard, I’m with you on this. I think I’d put a smaller V-8 or something, maybe a Ford 6Cyl 300 Horsepower conversion. Stay well.
the mil mi motor in this?, the ’66, others – no 1 mentioned my 90 y/o dad’s fav the 3 yr 1st gen, or my fav (suicide dor) the 5th (’67/9)?
When are you going to hire a translator? Of post a pdf of the code book?
My lease favorite year version of that body style.
If this were a true Town Landau, it would have the landau bars on the C pillars. There was also a Town Coupe (no vinyl top). Perhaps that’s what this is with an added top. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t replace the landau bars it they were simply putting on new VT on a Landau.
I think someone was trying to do their own “Custom” thing. Remove the Landau bars, and add the 428 numbers on the front fenders that do not belong.
I was 14 when these were being built, and I lived on the 12(?) mile test route every one of them went through off the assembly line. My dream at the time was to get a job as one of the test drivers. They stopped in an empty parking lot down the street from my house to fill out their evaluation forms, and I spoke with many of them from my bicycle seat every summer.
I have a ’66 in my collection of cars and it;s Q-code car. Two things didn’t work, the gas gauge and one power vent window. I’ve fixed the power window problem but I have gas gauge problems with all my old Ford cars; they either don’t work or are inaccurate. I just drive it about 150 miles and fill up. Nice cruiser that I paid only 3500 for but it’s beginning to need a repaint, but it’s white, which is a cheap color to paint. No dents or rust to worry about. The 428 performs well.