1963 Ford Thunderbird

1963 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop Here modern American car luxury began - and here the trends are set.  Extra wide 51-inch doors invite you into personalized comfort for four.  Seats are individually contoured and pleated with deep foam cushioning for supreme ease.  Full length console puts power window controls and a thoughtful storage compartment fingertip close.  Even though others may try, who can copy an original and ever hope to be better than second best.  Boastful words from the 1963 Thunderbird brochure For consignment, a 1963 Ford Thunderbird hardtop showing 54,585 miles which are not actual, a stunning example with an older restoration, some recent engine work and paint correction that bring it up to par, ready for show, go, and one that will warrant frequent peeks into your garage just to bask in its beauty. Exterior Twenty exterior colors were available in 1963 and white was certainly one of them!  Each generation of Thunderbird came with its own nickname, and for '61-'63, they had two, bullet bird and rocket bird and justification for the names can be seen in profile as the rounded point of the front fender is indeed bullet shaped, and the movement created by the forward tilted trim, forward leaning C-pillar, and sweeping shoulder line trim creates the optical illusion of forward momentum.  The back of a rocket would have a single rounded burner and that's represented by the ridged round tail lights out back, each mated to modest, rising fins.  The facia is classic 60's with its fantastic narrow grille, flat trunk lid, (with gentle scoop), and wide set quad headlights, and let's not forget the turquoise Thunderbird on the nose, inspired by the Navajo symbol.  Metalwork, including the rechromed bumpers, is in excellent shape throughout the exterior and imperfections in the paint are limited to a ding and some chips and touch ups on the rocker panel. Interior A staggering seventeen interior options were available in 1963, and this black vinyl selection presents beautifully, beginning with the artful door panels with ribbed aluminum insert on smooth and metal trimmed vinyl parts and the dual lens safety/courtesy light is a sign of attention to luxury and detail.  Other than some compression for the driver, all the seats are in excellent shape with pleated centers framed by white piping and a stylized Thunderbird emblem on each of the four.  Up front, remnants of 1950's lavishness and generous use of polished metals and chrome knobs is evidence, and rocket influence is picked in the three gauges over the ribbed aluminum panel that threads the span of the mid-dash and waterfalls on the center console that holds the climate panel, vents, and horizontal storage.  Black loop carpet covers the floor, protected by Thunderbird mats specially contoured for the car.  Up above, a perforated white headliner lightens the interior like a cloudless blue sky while the trunk is covered with a woven mat that has seen some use. Drivetrain The clean engine bay contains a 390ci V8 wearing gold valve covers and rated at 300 horsepower.  It's equipped with a 4-barrel carburetor and tied to a Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the Ford 9 axle with 3.00 gears.  Power brakes are included and assist the drums at all four corners. Undercarriage Relatively clean on this driver quality underside with sporadic surface rust mainly reserved for the first stretch of the exhaust.  From there, the single exhaust flows through a stock style muffler on its way to exit via a single tailpipe on the right rear.  There's some residual oil on the pan and some extra grease on the knuckles, but nothing worrisome to our eyes.  Suspension consists of coil springs out front and leaf springs in the rear.  We note a good amount of surface rust on the bottom of the driver's door. Drive-Ability 60's T-birds are hot in the market and one minute behind the wheel is reason enough.  The interior is