1962 Ford thunderbird, the bullet bird
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ธ.ค. 2022
- Today we are back a classic auto mall to feature this absolute gem, 1962 ford thunderbird. Which is currently for sale for more information, pricing and pictures click the link below
www.classicautomall.com/vehic...
This is probably my favorite thunderbird what’s yours? Enjoy this episode and tell me what you think in the comments be sure to stay until the end for name that tune. Plus bonus ending
If You’d like to get in touch with me shoot me a comment in the comment section or check out our Facebook group by clicking this link
 groups/70769... - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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Boston "something about you" I think
Yeah buddy you got it and your the first one to do so =)
At the end when I said music is a powerful thing a friend of mine died in a car crash last year and I hadn’t talked to them in years but summer of 06 hung out a lot made a couple of friends mixed tapes summer songs ( I know I was a nerd oh well ) Boston was a band on that CD and just almost lost it because all the memories came back of all the shenanigans and stuff that we got into that summer, seems like a lifetime ago. Or even a different life, life happened and that was it just sucked..
@@What.its.like. * music is one of the most powerful things on earth. We were all nerds when I was young in the '80s and made mixtapes all the time and you know what, they still pull on my memory strings. Some good, some bad, and some ugly. But there's nothing wrong with good old classic cars and music at all!
@@HoosierDaddy_
Perfectly said =)
The '57 Olds brought me here, indirectly. So to speak.
This is a beauty. I think the '61-'63 Bullet birds were the best, I thought they started getting too big after that.
Bullet birds are my favorite =)
When I was 18 my high school girlfriend’s dad owned a new ’62 Bullet Bird. There were two or three occasions that I was allowed to drive it. I don’t remember why, or what for, but for me it was an out it of this world experience and ego trip to do it, and to know that he trusted me enough to drive his incredible car!!!
On one of those times my girlfriend and I were in stop and go traffic. I could see other drivers and passengers eyeing that beautiful T-Bird up and down, front to back.
In my imagination, as to what those people might have been thinking about a kid like me driving such an elegant, expensive, and sporty car, all I could say to myself was, “Don’t blame me I didn’t ask for it.”
And oh…, those were good times!!!
Thank you so much for sharing those stories what a great memory.. how did it drive was it stable at speed /how floaty was it
@@What.its.like. What‘s it like to drive it?
Ya know, after all these years it’s hard to recall. But thinking back I do remember the steering and ride were nicely tight like I thought an American sports car oughta be. It wasn’t a butt buster ride like an MG. And it didn’t turn on a dime give you five cents change like the MG either. Plus, I was impressed that it didn’t have the pitch and yaw floating feeling like a big boat Chrysler Imperial LeBaron.
Under the hood was a (I think) 352 cu. in. (5.8L) V8. Since the T-Bird wasn’t own dad’s I wasn’t about to check out its response. Nevertheless, I knew from experience in driving another 352 if I tromped the gas pedal to the floor I could watch the gas gauge go down.
One big feature I didn’t like were the cockpit styled front bucket seats. My girlfriend couldn’t slide over next to me like she would with a bench seat. And I sure couldn’t put my arm around her!!!
I remember the trunk was massive - almost as big as a station wagon’s back end. And I never rode in the backseat, so I can’t comment about that.
All in all these are my memories of driving, as little as I did, a 1962 Ford Thunderbird; the “Bullet Bird”.
For a kid of 18 I was impressed!
Love all the birds of the 50’s and 60’s.
This one is my favorite.. I will say as far as space goes the square bird the next generation is the best one that I’ve been in so far because it’s got tilt wheel..
@@What.its.like. My dad had a 68 with the 429 Thunderjet. The tilt away wheel is really cool. The front end was so heavy that FORD put heavy duty shocks on my dad’s car because of tire wear. Turns out that high speed spun balancing of tires was a new thing and most shops, even dealers, did not have the equipment yet. Once the tires were spin balanced the car road very smooth.
That car sounds pretty awesome hopefully do that generation next year =) was it a 2 door or 4 door
I've only watched this video once so I'll have to go back a check a few things. I've owned three bullet birds, the first one was a special order '63 with a from the factory unique paint color similar to silver mink but had a green ish tint, it was beautiful with full leather black interior. The second was a '63 landau I bought from an attorney that worked for the King Ranch in Texas, desert rose with white interior and white vinyl top, probably the prettiest car I've ever owned. The third was a '61, black with an egg shell white interior. All were wonderful cars.
The red light on the lower left dash was to indicate when the emergency brake was engaged and the car was in gear. I noticed that there were several liberties taken with this car with to regard to it's restoration. The hubcaps are from a '63, the wide white walls need to go, only a few early '61's had them and by '62 they were long gone. I also noticed the radio is from a '63. I don't think you mentioned the slide away steering column, it was first an option in '61 but standard equipment in '62 and '63.
Thanks fro this video, I loved these old cars. I got my first drivers license driving my Uncle's '63 Landau. What do I drive now? A Honda CRV lol.
Thank you so much for pointing out all of those things that shouldn’t be on this 62. This one seem to be a little bit custom I totally forgot to mention the sliding wheel which was one of the best features or gimmicks was that the way that it locked into park, I’ve heard different things.
Thank you so much for sharing the information and insight =)
The 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix, like the 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire, was only a highly trimmed/sporty version of cheaper, family-sized large cars. However, the Ford Thunderbirds of the same years were built on a unique chassis with its own body (somewhat shared with the suicide-door Lincoln Continental). The 1963 Buick Riviera (unique body and chassis) was a more direct competitor to the Ford Thunderbird. The letter series Chrysler 300 (debuted in 1955), 1953/1954 Buick Skylark, 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta, and the 1953 Cadillac Eldorado were the forefathers of the personal luxury/specialty coupe market in the postwar era.
Thank you so much for sharing all of that awesome information =)
Rode in a '62 T-Bird that my Uncle rented from Hertz in October, 1962, to drive from Rochester, NY, to New Jersey. I had been staying with them & he did not trust his 1954 Ford to go that far. Riding in the front passenger seat cruising on the New York Thruway was dream in this car...390 with Cruise-O-Matic was smooth & fast.
One day I’d like to compare this the the 62 409 impala.. I think this would ride so much more stable than the impala, those were really floaty
Thank you so much for sharing that memory =)
My Dad bought a 1962 Landau, it had the 340HP 390. The engine was great,... most of the extra 40 HP was due to a different Carb. Our T-Bird needed the carb replaced 8 yrs later and the shop that replaced it put the 300 HP carb on the motor. After we got the car back, it ran fine but did not have the power it had before. I still regret not buying the car from Dad when several yrs later he offered it to me for $200.
Great story thank you so much for sharing those memories with all of us
The best looking Bird
I totally agree
I had two aunt's that owned the bullet birds my aunt on my father's side owned a 61 and my aunt on my mother's side owned a 63 thunderbird roadster I remember riding in the t bird roadster when I was very young
That’s awesome =)
Roadster??? They are awesome!!!!
Hey Jay, Yes!!! This Bullet Bird is beautiful!!! It looks like it was professionally restored to perfection!!! I think that the 3rd & 4th generation Thunderbird's are the classiest of all T Birds!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 🎄⛄🤶
Totally agree =)
In Japan, this type of T-birds are called "Rocket Thunder" instead of bullet bird.
I like the name I didn’t know that =)
This car is sex on wheels with a super model. Absolutely gorgeous. I can now see why JFK liked these cars. That photo of the roadster is exquisite.
Totally agree I love all the John F Kennedy stuff out of it to cover it in 1961 Ford Thunderbird episode.. But these cars are absolutely amazing they look so much better in person and honestly I don’t know all of the Thunderbirds that I’ve been in this is the one that I would buy I will see the square bird that comes later (next gen) has more space in the front as well as the rear
62 t Bird is the first Bird I fell in love with
The greatest of all Birds
My favorite as well
This is my favorite car of all time, it was sold when I was just 12 years old and the original Jetsons TV show was being broadcast. Both events fired up my imagination like nothing else had in my entire childhood. I pleaded with my mother to buy one but she ended up getting a 1962 Mercury Meteor, lol.
They are so cool
@@What.its.like. “your so cool “ was a country song by Patty Loveless in the early 2000s
@@What.its.like. Have you seen where Chrysler is going to close the Belvidere Illinois assembly plant and move production of the Jeep Cherokee to Toluca Mexico?
It was something about you by Boston
The a pillar and header in that year Thunderbird were chrome...the red button is some type of aftermarket for something.
Thank you so much
Self-destruct button.
Hahaha
I have a 62 Tbird Hardtop,wife doesn’t like hair messed up,classic colour aqua with light aqua interior,piece of art !!!
It must be a girl thing because my wife hates windows down but my daughter loves it on the other hand.. your car sounds awesome bullet Bird is my favorite Thunderbird so far
The red button under the gas gauge lights up when the emergency break is engaged. There is also a dome light in the front under the radio. great video.
Cant believe I missed this one till now.
This is, in my humble opinion, the absolute best Thunderbird ever produced. The clean, uncluttered design looks as contemporary today as it did in '62.
Love the door handles integrated into the chrome top molding. This one is my bucket list car.
The "Thunderbird turnpike" ad was the inspiration for a painting I did years ago.
Thanks again for the informative content.
Incidentally, although the 352ci motor was a part of the Ford line up, I believe the 390 was the only one available in the T-bird.
Also, I'm not certain but I think those interior A-pillar pieces came in stainless steel.
I love the bullet bird it’s my favorite thunderbird era as well I haven’t been in the 67 I would really love to find a four-door version of that car the flare bird is the best one as far as space interior space goes BUT I love the bullet bird styling more
Yes, it was only available with a 390 in 2 versions, 300 hp or 340 hp.
Fun fact: What is old is new again. The speedometer used for the Gen-3 ‘Bird was totally changed for the Gen-4 cars (‘64-‘66), but brought back for all five years of the Gen-5’s - only slightly different as the Gen-5 was marked off in 2-mph increments where the Gen3 was marked off in 5-mph increments.
It was the first thing I noticed when I first climbed behind the wheel of a ‘67 ‘Bird - it felt comfortably familiar.
That’s crazy I didn’t know that thank you so much fir sharing that =)
I learned to drive on a 63 bird the ride was as good as a lincoln but handles much better
That sounds awesome =)
I would love to compare the Thunderbird to the impala one day because the impala once you get it up over a certain speed it becomes unstable as an extremely floaty can’t tell where the front wheels are.. it’s absolutely incredible how floaty that car is
I got say....This was a BAD-A-- !!! car. I was 5 years old...But I do remember!!! GREAT JOB🎉
Great memories =)
Thanks Jay. One of my all time favorite cars, the Thunderbird. I had forgotten how sharp they are but your video brought that out again as well as some memories.
Glad you liked this episode you one that’s been with this channel since the very beginning and it’s come a long way in a short time =)
'rear front, rear rear' that is quite an engineering achievement, putting the rear in the front and the rear in the rear. Remarkable.
Yeah that was supposed to get edited out of the video and yet somehow it ended up in the video
I was in the seventh grade. My window faced across the street to a friends house who arrived one day in this car, white with red interior, I with a greenish hue. They had a garage and never used it. It broke my heart cause, well, you know why…………thank you for the vid, as always.
Oh wow that’s crazy, they never used it I love the bullet birds maybe I’ll get to drive one this summer
Blessed to own my 1965 Thunderbird. Then had built the car myself. Glad I've got my own garage. Because otherwise wouldn't of been able to afford it.
You forgot to detail the swing away steering wheel, which is standard equipment for 61 through 63 Thunderbird.
Good catch I wanted to do one more car at this location and I was running out of time this one I didn’t wanna mess with it cause those things are really finicky but yeah the swing away steering wheel cool feature
@@What.its.like. , Recently I requested that you mention something interesting about that particular car, particular model or trim. Almost every year, from the late 40’s through the 80’s, almost every car manufacturer came out with a new feature.
This is one of my all time favorite cars... that and a 1965 Lincoln Continental 4-door convertible. Nice job, Jay and thanks for highlighting this vehicle.
The goal is to hit all of the cars that have never been reviewed or just get overworked there are so many cars out there that just never get the time I’m going to give each and everyone of them the time that they desperately deserve =)
I had a coworker that had a ‘63 Continental convertible … white with blue interior. I drove it often, and it was a magnificent car. The 60’s Lincoln’s were the pinnacle of the marque.
The same guy also had a ‘49 Jag from England (right drive). That car was a sweetheart.
He knew his cars !!
Finally my other dream car up there with the Falcon XB GT interceptor.
I love this car if I ever bought a t-bird it would be this one and this year
I'm partial to square-birds, but the rocket or bullet birds are also extremely appealing. As for rust, Ford did have some problems with bad sheet metal. The Econolines of that era had rust issues too.
The bullet Bird is my favorite Thunderbird that I’ve been in so far
I can’t wait to do a segment on the Econoline van I have a friend that has a Dodge eight 100 that thing is an optical illusion does not look as big as it is on the inside you could literally go camping in that van..
there’s going to be an episode of that I just don’t know when I haven’t recorded it yet =)
Hey Jay! 1962 Ford Thunderbird, for me one of the most beautiful American cars of
the early 1960s. Everything on this Ford Thunderbird is outstanding! 👍
Totally agree =)
Hi the A pillars are to be chromed, as is the windshield cross beam chromed, not painted silver. little red light on dash lower right missing trim is the generator light. These cars did not have alternators that happened in 1963. First year of rearview mirror actually mounted to the glass in any production automobile.
Hope that helped answer your question thanks nice video Michael
The door panels from the armrest down have been recovered rather than replaced with period correct replicas. The same goes for the dash.
Keep it clean and Dry no rust problem
On of my favorite body styles.
This is my favorite thunderbird design =)
Thanks Jay.
I didn't like the style change so much in 1961 but I was only 7 y o.🤷🏼♂️
I love the "bullet" design now, especially with more roominess as compared to the early roadsters. Heck, I'm 68 and must get in and out more easily now. 😂
My big brother had a 1962, I think he got it in 1968. His was white with blue interior. First car I ever saw with bucket seats. As a car we did not really think that much of it, we nick named it the "Turkey bird". For the time it was very cool styling, space aged. It had a console shift, but no tilt wheel. I later got a 1969 Mustang and noted that the interior of the Mustang was almost a match for the 62 T bird.
Awesome story thank you so much for sharing those incredible memories with us it’s crazy to 69 mustang interior almost matched 62 Thunderbird interiors
These shows are great
Thank you so much it means the world to me really good episode coming today 1958 Cadillac Series
70 Fleetwood brougham americas most expensive 1950s car
Great vid 👍 I own a ‘63 Sports Roadster and yes, the Bullet Birds all had chrome A pillars.
In ‘63 the hood release moved from the drivers side “pull release” to directly under the hood….the power window cluster was moved to the center console in front of the ashtray…and the generator was replaced by an alternator.
Also…the drivers side vent window would open properly if the side mirror were factory correct. That round one is after-market.
Bill Boyer said his “Bullet Bird” design was his personal favorite.
BTW, if you can, check out the workings of the retractable tops in the Convertibles and Roadsters. The hydraulics and electrical switches are a marvel as to 60 year old engineering!
Awesome idea.. =) thank you so much for sharing all that insight and information glad you dig this episode
Subbed 👍
Welcome to the community =)
I was under the impression that the FE 352 V8 was standard in 1962. As used cars, I'd seen several that were said to be the 352. Ofcourse people might have been confused about this as the FE blocks had 352 cast into the front of the blocks. The FE blocks continued to have 352 cast into the blocks long after the 352 was no longer made. In trucks it was replaced with the 360. The 352 had an FE predecessor, the 332 V8. Medium-duty Ford trucks continued to use the 332 V8 into the 1970's. The truck heads and intake manifolds were different from anyother FE engine. Ford continued it's oddball line of FE truck engines, other than the 360, and had 391's and 389's which were also quite strange.
From the first T-birds in 1955, they were built on a modified Lincoln chassis. With the 2nd generation "Square Bird" the FE 352 V8 was standard and for atleast one model year, the Lincoln 430 V8 was available. Because of the T-bird's relationship with Lincoln, they also got the large-case cast-iron Cruise-O-Matic. When the T-bird got it's 3rd body restyle in 1967, the Lincoln connection became more evident with the introduction of the first 4-door T-bird, which had "suicide" doors like the Lincoln. After the Lincoln Continental Mark III was introduced, the T-bird soon became a clone of it. From around 1966-on, the large case cast-iron Cruise-O-Matic was replaced by the new C-6.
If you are interested in Ford's numbering system, "C" at the beginning of a part number meant the 1960's decade(D=70's, E=80's, etc.). The first number was the year that the part was introduced, the "6" was 1966(the C-4 transmission was introduced in 1964). Ater the C-6, Ford no longer identified their new transmissions using a date code. Ford part numbers have continued their numbering pattern, never changing the basic number as long as that part was manufactured but would add a letter suffix to identify when modifications were made.
I remember working on a 1962 T-bird and rebuilding the 390- V8. This car was strange in that it had manual wind-up windows. I have never seen another T-bird like that then nor since.
Oh, there are 2 Drive positions in the shift quadrant. The first Drive is the dot to the right of neutral which operated the transmission like a 2-speed automatic using automatically shifting from 2nd to 3rd, like the original Ford-O-Matic. To the right of that white dot was a green dot. In that position, the transmission operated like a 3-speed automatic. The "L" position started up and held it in 1st gear. At speeds above the 1st gear range, moving the selector to "L" would cause the transmission to downshift into 2nd and would hold it there until the car speed dropped to 25 mph or less, at which time it would automatically downshift to 1st.
Thank you so much for sharing all of that information.. I thought the 352 was on offer as well but according to the ads that I found only the 390 v8 Another confusing aspect is the 406 Thunderbird v8 was only in the Galaxy 500 for 1962 but they named it Thunderbird V8?
@@What.its.like. Yep. And the 406's are few and far between. Thunderbird power was Ford's way of saying that it was a performance engine. Because the external dimensions are the same between the 390 and 406, I'll bet that some of the 406's found their way into a T-bird. Back then, the dealers would sell you anything and install it if it fit. Later, Ford sold complete drop-in 427's and many of those found their way into 390 Mustangs. These weren't just any 427, they were the same cross-bolted ones that came in the AC-Cobras. Normal 427's were available in other mid and full-sized Fords. Oh, the last year of the 'Bullet Bird', 1966, the 428 V8 was optional!
The 390 was the standard engine in the '62 Thunderbird. The 352 was the standard engine in the '58 - '60 Thunderbirds.
@@garylewis6495 But the one to have in the "Square Birds" was the Lincoln 430 V8.
Yes the A Pillars are originally chrome.
The red button next to the ignition is weird, in my 62 it's a light which flashes red once you put the parking brake on.
Any other questions about a 1962 TBird feel free to ask!
Well-shot video, as always. And your comments are great, you notice everything. I used to dream of having a Sports Roadster model when I was 8.
I saw a 64 roadster (square bird) which are super rare it was at a car show (wanted to do it for the show but doing cars at cars shows is kinda weird)
@@What.its.like. BTW, I think the red lamp on the far left of the dash is a parking brake indicator.
The a pillars were chrome but the reflection can be dangerous so they have likely been painted.
This is just a beautiful car l would love to have one.
Me too love the bullet bird
A personal luxury car in the mid four figures. Just crazy to see how in a person's lifetime, everything became ten times more expensive. Inflation is a bitch.
I got to drive a 1963 Monaco Edition Thunderbird last year and should have just bought it right then and there. I fell in love with these cars.
The 63 has a wiper motor powered by the power steering pump, far better than the vacuum ones. Infinite speeds too.
God these things are right up there with 71-74 Chargers as some of the best looking American big cars. Can't go wrong with any 60-69 Thunderbird though. Every year they looked wonderful.
I didnt know about the wipers working off the power steering that’s really interesting.. =)
@@What.its.like. Yep! Started in 63 and Ford did it until the mid 70's I think. Just about every year has a different wiper motor so it's kind of hard to find the right one. Better to have it rebuilt.
Owning a '67 4=door, I learned two things. Ford used a 3-year model cycle for the T-birds. The '67 was the first year of the 'big bird' design and the only year of that model series with hydraulic wipers. The next two years were electric. You got a point about finding the correct wiper motor for your model year.
Nice, I have an all OG ‘63
I like the bullet bird name but when I was a kid I called it the shark rocket
61-63 and 64-68 t birds hard to pick a fav yer
I love the bullet birds! Years ago, I had friends with a fire-engine red roadster. The car had to be perfectly level in order for the top to operate, and if it was down, trunk space was nonexistent, which would not keep me from owning one. Mortaging the farm would probably work, though. Good job!
Thank you glad you liked this episode
I see someone already mentioned the Chrysler 300 as a competitor. Arguably, Chrysler invented this segment, and while the Thunderbird from this era is beautiful, engineeringwise I think the Chrysler was clearly superior. (My neighbor had a black 62 T-bird convertible, with the swivel seat option, and he kept it immaculate until the late 60s, and it still looked good).
I saw one of those rare covetables at a car show over the summer
The convertibles are like on a different level they are gorgeous Especially in red
Having been in high school when these were new, I can tell you the red and white upholstery was not available in 62 (but I like it!). Good review.
I love these hope to drive one next year know know =)
Red Button flashes when parking brake engaged
Work of art
It is an was =) This is my favorite Thunderbird sure there might be ones that are more spacious might be ones that are faster but this one is the best of all worlds
@@What.its.like. agree!!
Bullet Bird
Aaaaawwwwwwesome!
Of the 61, 62 and 63 Thunderbird, I like the '62 best! 😍🥰😎
I'd be happy with a '60, '62 and a....'66 Thunderbird! 😁
Totally agree
I will say the bulletin bird is my favorite but the square bird that follows has more interior space and wrap around rear seat
Hey there.
The little red button was a warning light to let you know the park break was activated!
Awesome thank you so much for sharing that information =)
You should have had The Beach Boys song “Fun Fun Fun Till Your Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away “ as your song. 😊
I did that one for the 57 Thunderbird episode
@@What.its.like. sorry I must’ve missed it.
If we could just freeze the world to 1962. What a great year what a great car. And of course the year I was born,,,, does it get any better than 1962?
=)
The unibody on a T Bird is a heavy construction
These ‘Birds were beautiful. The taillights of the third-generation cars always reminded me of an F-4 Phantom in afterburner.
I liked all the Thunderbirds up through the fifth generation. They were unique to the Ford product line until ‘72, after which they lost a lot of their appeal to me.
What also amazed me was Ford usually only kept them around for three years and then went to a whole different body style the bullet bird is my favorite Thunderbird I like the 61 and 62 by 63 they added another line down the side and switch the molding from the rear quarters to the center it just doesn’t do it for me still cool though
Well, don't know the song, but sure sounds to me like "BOSTON"!
It is Boston if no one gets it before I go to bed I’ll put the lyrics to the part of that song in the description
I learned to drive in a 63 the ride and drive is more like the lincoln of that era
I want to drive one of these one day these are cool =) or at least I always thought that
63 riviera was direct competition
Totally agree but that didn’t come out yet it’s 1962
Just as the ‘65 Riviera was competition for the ‘65 ‘Bird … Both were fine cars …
Hey Jay, the Thunderbird of this period was an achingly beautiful & stylish car, I have heard that it wallowed like a ship though. Which should come as no surprise for American cars of the period. The grill treatment looks similar to a Mercedes-Benz I saw last week, with chrome highlighted tips and a blacked out internal section. The GT Hawk by Studebaker was yet another looker I think.
Jay, could you do me a favour please? The adverb is being killed off by Americans. Could you please try to resurrect it? All you have to do is place an LY or LLY after verbs.
I’m not sure what you mean?
Well done , i would love to have one if these
Me too this episode might be my favorite dialogue episode yet for some reason I was able to be myself.. it gets easier with every episode but for whatever reason sometimes it’s just hard to talk
Love the T-Bird, though my favorite is the square bird of 1960-61 so please do one. Oh and the van was and Econ-O-line. Haha, you date yourself Jay, but I so appreciate your reviews.
Haha I was born way too late I’m only 33 just want to keep this information out there for kids wanting to get into this hobby =)
I did a 60 t bird here is the link we done 184 car videos so far that’s around 3-5 a week
th-cam.com/video/-xivJdMJzbs/w-d-xo.html
What it's like : Barefooted, I'm four feet, nine and a half inches tall. Would I have plenty of room in the back seat? When looking at this beautiful car, it does seem to be very aerodynamic. That should help with fuel economy. However, that Ford 390 was a notorious gas guzzler. I get better gas mileage with my 2011 Crown Victoria with close to 135,000 miles.
Yeah for sure you would fit in the back no problem.. I think you could get to 390to a more reasonable mpg by switching the rear end and may be putting in a 5 or 6 speed automatic there was a guy on a form that claimed that he could get 20 to 25 miles to the gallon out of the 390 and he listed all the stuff that he did I wish I knew the link
This my favorite model of the thunder bird. I tried driving a 55 model, yes tried. I’m 6’ tall and after squeezing behind the wheel, I didn’t even try to start it.
One day I am going to compare a Nash Metropolitan to a 55 or 56 Thunderbird why because there’s more space in the Metropolitan than there is in a Thunderbird and the series one car when you’re in the Metropolitan has the same hood silhouette as a Thunderbird just not as long.. and their is more space in a metropolitan
A lot more room in a metropolitan. Had one of those too.
It’s very interesting what did you think of yours I’ve heard the only one of the only drawback is Lucas electrics I heard it’s like the prince of darkness but I’ve never driven one I’ve never owned one but I’ve reviewed two of them after being in them it’s a car that I would really like to own
@@What.its.like. I had no problem with electronics. It ran just fine and drove well too.
I've always had love/hate relationships with this model. The interior is absolutely fantastic, and I love the rear styling, but the bullet shaped front is just not my cup of tea. To me, it would have looked much better if it had a frontal styling somewhat reminiscent of Chrysler's Turbine car, with round headlight bezels mimicking the "jet exhaust" taillights. But, probably that's just me. AFAIK, they did make a prototype that looked like that, but it was not approved for production.
Unfortunately, I don't fit in either this car, or the '64-'65 'Bird; or at least - fit, but only marginally (size 36, and it seems I'm slightly lager than you, ha; still use you as a reference, though). Probably an adjustable steering column would have fixed my issues with the seating position, because the distance between pedals and driver's seat back seems to be quite generous in these cars.
I reviewed the 64 square bird and that one had tilt wheel so that must’ve been an option instead of the wheel sliding like the boulevard has the 64 had a conventional tilt wheel which anybody could fit in the car with the tilt wheel.. The rear space in the 64 is vastly improved over the bullet bird series both in headroom and knee space.. but the bullet bird looks better in my opinion =) next you’re gonna look for one of the widemouth ones four-door Thunderbird of the late 60s those are cool
I'm not sure but I think that red light on the dash is the brake warning light when your emergency brake is used or brake fluid is low in master cylinder.
I’m usually really good at finding information about what the button switches and knobs do by looking up owners manuals but I had to pay 25 or $24.95 for the owners manual or something like that there wasn’t a downloadable owners manual for this car which was really sad
But what you’ve mentioned are all relevant points it could be something like that
Didn't Elwood Engel have a hand in the design? He left Chrysler after designing the Ghia bodied Turbine Car and came to Ford. He designed the Bullet Bird. The roof lines are similar. If you look at the front of the Turbine Car, it looks like the rear end of the Bullet Bird.
I thought that too when I look at the bullet bird it reminds me of the Chrysler turbine car so I definitely saw that connection as well
Had a 62 bird in Tuscon yellow with black interior..2nd owner.Cant keep em all..
Awesome car any cool stories of that car =)
Boston, "More than a feeling"......................?
Good guess it’s Boston but it’s not that song it’s not peace of mind either it was already guessed
I love all the generations of the Thunderbirds, but these I would say are my favorites! 🤩 It is a fantastic design . Besides these, I would say my next favorite generation is the 67 to 69s. I do think it would be awesome to drive and ride in one of these, I've only ridden in a few mid to late '70s models, and then driven an 85. I believe these models also have the swing away steering wheel, which I thought was an awesome feature. I'm not sure of the song I rarely get them LOL I saw someone mentioned Boston the only song of theirs on my playlist is More than a feeling but I don't think that is it 🤔
It is definitely a Boston song it is not more than a feeling nor is it peace of mind.. it is one of their hits I honestly think it’s one of the better songs but it doesn’t really get played all that much..
Did you stick around for the very end I sang little deuce Coupe but instead of singing coupe I sang coupay
@@What.its.like. Yes 😄 it was great! 👍😎
Now I'm going to have to go start searching through TH-cam to try to find the Boston song😊
There’s been a couple people as of late that has been getting on me for saying stuff like Porsche I don’t say PorschAH because if you say PorschAH that’s like kind of douchie in my opinion
I was thinking if they saying beach boys song do they sing coupay or do they sing coupe or nothing at all
@@What.its.like. I agree, I mean people can pronounce names or whatever whichever way that they've learned it or even if it's technically the original pronunciation, but but some things just sound odd and if we don't want to pronounce them that way then that's okay, some people just get way too wound up over the little things LOL I have some old commercial ads saved of Lincoln's from the early '70s and they keep saying Coupay, and although I get it, no matter how many times they say it it doesn't make the car one bit more appealing.
Beautiful body line. Everything about the styling gives the impression of luxury. Let's see a 1964 or 1965 model
I did a 64 earlier this year here’s the link production quality has improved drastically I plan on hitting 65 and 66 as well format has changed quite a bit in a year
th-cam.com/video/NSlAFEkpZ1s/w-d-xo.html
@@What.its.like. cool. Looking forward to it. A 428 66 would be amazing
Totally agree
The 62 also took the 2 lines off of the hood
Good catch
Maybe the Oldsmobile Starfire or Chrysler 300
Sweet choices =)
No clue about that song! Not a bit of it sounded familiar! Justin, you gotta google MotorCities National Heritage Area if I didn't tell about that before! It's a series of SE Michigan auto museums that are affiliated with the National Parks system, Did I tell you this before?? The 62 T is my favorite of that generation, Prefered the smoother side styling over the other years, but they're all great! The 63 had the power window switches on the console instead of the door which I thought was much cooler! Had a chance to buy a 63 Rosewood and white Tbird back in the 80's. It was owned by a friend of my Dad's who was storing it in our barn. I knew he was up for selling it, but I didn't think I could afford it so didn't even approach him about it, (young and dumb) and then found out that he sold it for only $1400! I was heartsick! I thought surely he wanted at least 6 for it, which was over my price point! still regret it to this day! I love the Bullet Bird! I've heard that the bullets drove just like the earlier birds did, for better or worse, they had the same frame and suspension.
I never heard of that museum but I’m gonna definitely check it out =) I really wanna go back to the Gilmore this year they have ride in a classic car I can do all of those cars.. that place is absolutely incredible if you’ve never been I highly recommend going.. it’s decent to get in there I think it’s $16 is what I paid unless the price went up but it’s totally worth it they have no less than 13 buildings that you can walk into the steam building is my favorite eventually I would like to have a barn or a garage I should say just like that brick floor but like a cobblestone brick for nice cedar pillars going off that place was incredible
@@What.its.like. The Gilmore is one of the museums included in MNHA. Yes, it's a great car museum!
Ok... Now you really have to cover a 63 or 64 Grand Prix... If you decide to do it and want any info let me know on fb
I want to just have yet to find one =)
@@What.its.like. too bad mine is still taken apart!
This was one expensive vehicle for that car year. Of course, you got substantial accessories which besides the design, set it apart from the pack.
A bit of trivia from that era. The T “Bird” name had a double meaning back then. The slang name for a penis for many guys was Bird, and this was capitalized on in jokes,etc. 😉🍆
That’s crazy I never knew that thank you so much for sharing the trivia
I know this was a super expensive car what’s crazier yet is Ford out sold all of the competition.. with the Thunderbird for years.. One day I would love to compare the Thunderbird the Buick Riviera in the Pontiac Grand Prix it would be really cool to be able to drive all of them too.. I have a lot of interesting comparisons that I would love to do this year I have a friend well doing this has got me in contact with a lot of people that own different cars I know someone who has a 59 Rambler cross country wagon I know somebody else that has a 61 Rambler cross country wagon I would love to compare those to this year the only downer is they both live on opposite sides of the world from one another but they go to the same car show in June so I’m hoping that we can do something =)
64 65 66 had consul in the center and over Head
Info lacking auto mall info please (looks neat).
I wanted to make sure I didn’t get copyright claim that’s why I wait a little bit generally if TH-cam can’t figure out the song it won’t get copyrighted otherwise I have to take it all down and do it again..
But here is the link I’m going to write the description now
www.classicautomall.com/vehicles?utf8=✓&q%5Bshort_description_or_long_description_or_ftx_search_cont%5D=+thunderbird
No worries it's all in good fun anyway.
9:07 LF =left front RF=right front not rear front🤣
LF =left rear RR= right rear not rear rear🤣
Thank you for that correction I’m dyslexic sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be =D
Why didn't you demonstrate the swing-a-way steering wheel?
I didn’t have access to the keys The bullet bird is my favorite Thunderbird we’re going to cover it again for sure
1962!! oh I’ve got $4500 to spend… do I buy a new Thunderbird? Do I buy an inground pool? Do I buy a bomb shelter?Huuuumm!!
It’s crazy how many days sold for the price tag for the base price tag that’s why I was like they absolutely nailed it because I that was a pretty expensive car.. and that was the best price I’m sure I could get even more expensive when adding all the goodies in there
- Smart money went with the ‘Bird !!
What's your opinion on the comfort of this Thunderbird vs the Rivieras you've sat in? I'd love to hear your thoughts
I would love to compare the one day I’m not entirely sure which one I like better.. I haven’t drove a bullet bird. But got to drive a 65 rivera from a seating perspective It would be really hard if you throw the Studebaker gt hawk in there it would be really hard to decide between those three. Which do you like the best for me I would have to drive them all the rivera I drove with the GS model so it had the dual quads the you could feel the linkage and the pedal took some getting used to but it would move
@@What.its.like. I wish I had the chance to sit in either, but I've not had the chance yet. I'm more interested in the seat/interior comfort. You seem to have really liked the Riviera's seat, lol, I'm just curious how the T-Bird stacks against it.
The Riviera would certainly be peppier and better handling, but im looking for a cruiser.
Thanks!
I think the Thunderbird has more space inside the backseat of the Thunderbird is hands-down better than the Riviera the Riviera did not feel right I sat in the back of the Riviera as we were driving down the road and there isn’t a whole Lot of room I had to sit sideways. It would be a really hard choice but as far as comfortability goes I would probably pick the Thunderbird. They are both great cars but it seemed like the Thunderbird had more space in it it seemed more comfortable it definitely felt bigger but the Riviera is kind of an illusion. Because that car is big as well I would have to drive the Thunderbird to be 100% certain but as far as comfortability goes I would probably pick the Thunderbird.
@@What.its.like. Thanks for your insight! I'll be in the market for a bullet bird :)
Both will blow you away they are both great thunderbird has a swing steering wheel feature I didn’t talk about that it also puts the car in park if I remember correct
Again..looks like that rear vision mirror fell off many times, always a scary moment on the road.
But overall you cant deny the beauty of the car, even if Landau tops are a mistake.
Sadly Brian Wilson was never into cars ...and spent most of his time in a tortured state.
It’s crazy that Brian Wilson wrote some of the best beach surf and car songs and I really wasn’t a part of that life..
The door handles put Tesla to shame
Agreed
Beach boys little duce coupe
At the very end that was me singing it with saying coupay instead just to make a point it doesn’t sound right =D
@@What.its.like. just taking a stab that's what was on the radio
I know the group is Boston
Yeah you got half the puzzle =P
As much old music Iisten to at work I should know it right off.
I made sure I made it a little bit difficult but I thought this one was a little bit easier but, it’s probably easy to me because I know what it is lol
I didn’t get a chance to listen to it TH-cam compresses it what it sounds like in the editing software and then what it sounds like on TH-cam or two totally different sounds
Well heck I can't think of the title for the life of me right now
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess anyway. Is it Piece of mind?
The engine should NOT be blue. It should be black with silver rocker arm covers and air cleaner in 1961 and 62. 1963 through 1965 those parts should be gold. The Ford blue came out in 1966. This is a common restoration mistake.
This car has been customized as with alot of cars people ad there own touches and paint engines how they would like.. very hard to find cars that are 100% correct in every way =) just be happy this One doesn’t have a custom interior with hideous gauges or slams with air ride or the roof is cut off or anything crazy like that
@@What.its.like. Yes, I am happy about that. But I guarantee you MOST people paint pre-1966 Ford engines blue out of ignorance, not preference.
Permission to land? by Boston 🤔
It’s Boston but not that song
Isn’t it interesting & puzzling how the T-Bird designs were beautiful (55-57), ugly (58-60), beautiful (61-63), not so beautiful (64-66), puzzling 🤨 (67-69) big mouth birds, markedly better (70-71), nothing special and really just a 2 door version on a regular Ford chassis (72-82), then a more serious attempt to make the Thunderbird more unique (83-97) and finally the realization by Ford that the 1st generation was and still is bee-yoo-ti-full so they made the 2002-2005 based on that design. Too bad the 02-05 was nothing special in terms of performance, ride or appointments.
Super interesting points don’t get me wrong I think the 55 through 57 Thunderbirds are beautiful would I ever own one probably not they’re not practical.. 55-56 if you’re my size it is a tight fit not as tight as the first generation Corvette but it’s tight almost to the point of it being uncomfortable.. The 57 has improved interior space.. The 58 has space a problem with the 58 through 60 series is the steering wheel is no less than 20 inches tall I wear size 34 pants and the steering wheel is in my crotch. That cars is the reason fir the crotch view lol The bullet bird is my favorite Thunderbird the square bird that comes after it has more space both in front and back and has tilt wheel where you can tilt the wheel out of the way I haven’t been in a wide nose one yet.. but I have driven a 2002 to 2005 era Thunderbird and there’s a lot to be desired it’s very similar experience to the first generation Thunderbird it’s small and uncomfortable if you’re tall.. fwd it’s very eh
@@What.its.like. , I was just making note of Ford’s designs going back and forth between a memorable design and the next being not so attractive. They did it for years, decades, before going back to the original classic design, a properly modernized, and yet hosing it up by every other aspect of the car being 🤷 meh 🫤. Same with the Mustang, but the Mustang returned to being a performance car after wiping the Pinto off it’s shoes. On a different topic, I think you might enjoy the NASS colorized videos of the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s. Old cars everywhere
The 2001-2005 T-bird was what killed the T-bird. I think it was based on the Pinto?
I’ve driven a couple of them I think the front wheel drive they’re very eh
It wasn’t based on the Pinto I don’t believe because the Pinto was out of production for a very long time when that car came along
@@What.its.like. Wasn’t one generation of the T-Bird based on the pinto? Or maybe I’m thinking of something else perhaps a later generation of the Mustang? Thanks
I think the mustang II was very similar but could be wrong
I bought a '61 T bird in 68 and it one the worst car I've owned the rear end whined and the harmonic balancer fell off while on a trip . I'm sure a restored car would be great but a used one wasn't
Thank you so much For sharing your experience =)
boston something about you
Yep got to love Boston
@What it’s like yep they where a great band to see
your production is way off of total units
Here is where I got most of the specs
www.conceptcarz.com/s6748/ford-thunderbird.aspx
Good example of a poor restoration missing rear quarter trim non-factory color combination incorrect interior there were no two tone Thunderbird interiors in 1962 other ill-fitting parts and mirror in wrong location. Incorrect air cleaner. I would not purchase this car without a full expert inspection. This car should be rated as a number 3 driver quality car. Nowhere near top value. If you need a vintage car expert to school your TH-cam channel I'm available.
True as your assertions may be, your arrogance would not allow me to work with you …
Thank you for pointing all of that out I thought the seats were redone.. personally I like it without the spears on the rear quarts it gave the car a nice and clean uninterrupted look =)
@@sking2173 personally I could not work with someone who misrepresents what they sell. Seller should be pointing out defects and incorrect items to the buyer so they can make a decision as to value.
I have been buying selling and restoring vehicles for over 50 years I always point out the defects first and I never have a unhappy buyer. Honesty is not arrogant.
I’m not the seller I just feature these cars.. I have no affiliation with the dealership other than showcasing their cars this channel is to keep the information out there for the younger generations.. sorry if I misrepresented I wasn’t around then just dig cars and want to keep the information out there so it’s out there =)