67 Thunderbird 2 door - Buy or not?

[Gbird67]

Found a 67 Tbird 2 door for sale. Car has been sitting for some time indoors, owner passed away, friend selling. Friend knows little about the car, has answered basic questions.

I am going to look at this car soon and need to determine if I should buy.

Without being able to start the car, how do I determine if I should buy based solely on an inspection?

What should I look at and what are the potential pitfalls?

Paint and interior look to be original colors based on data plate. Well optioned.

My thinking is if the body is not riddled with rust and the interior is intact and in decent shape, and I am able to turn the engine manually (not seized), and it's the original engine, it is worth the risk?

I'd appreciate comments and suggestions.

Thanks,
Gbird67

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[usacaddy]

Found a 67 Tbird 2 door for sale. Car has been sitting for some time indoors, owner passed away, friend selling. Friend knows little about the car, has answered basic questions.

I am going to look at this car soon and need to determine if I should buy.

Without being able to start the car, how do I determine if I should buy based solely on an inspection?

What should I look at and what are the potential pitfalls?

Paint and interior look to be original colors based on data plate. Well optioned.

My thinking is if the body is not riddled with rust and the interior is intact and in decent shape, and I am able to turn the engine manually (not seized), and it's the original engine, it is worth the risk?

I'd appreciate comments and suggestions.

Thanks,
Gbird67

I have a 67 tudor hardtop with a 390....only 14k ever made 2 door hardtop. how many miles? what color? pics? I think these are the hidden gem, I havnt been able to find one like mine in my area for years now...only 68 and 69 but 67 was the last year for all the chrome trim until the govt got involved and limited fords productions. let me know. thanks!

 

[Gbird67]

I have a 67 tudor hardtop with a 390....only 14k ever made 2 door hardtop. how many miles? what color? pics? I think these are the hidden gem, I havnt been able to find one like mine in my area for years now...only 68 and 69 but 67 was the last year for all the chrome trim until the govt got involved and limited fords productions. let me know. thanks!

75K miles reported. Pics don't show much. Do you agree with my approach for the inspection? Are there things I should do or look at without the ability to start it?

 

[usacaddy]

75K miles reported. Pics don't show much. Do you agree with my approach for the inspection? Are there things I should do or look at without the ability to start it?

not bad for miles. It depends on what you will pay for it. If there is a lot of rust it’s not worth in in my opinion. I would love to see pics of you can get them, no worries if not, i’m still learning more about mine the more i do research

 

[Gbird67]

I will share more details when I see the car.

I've read that starting in 67 the engine serial number is somehow linked to the VIN proving originality of the engine to the car. Do you know anything about this? Where is the engine serial number on the 390? (I wish it had the 428!)

Thanks.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

Check for frame rot and underneath. Biggest most important places. Door jambs, rockers. Quarter panels. Bottoms of the doors, trunk. Lift up the carpet if you can. Get underneath and look. Check the oil, pull a plug and look to see what they look like. See if the trans isn’t leaking. Can do the same for the rear as well.

 

[Gbird67]

Check for frame rot and underneath. Biggest most important places. Door jambs, rockers. Quarter panels. Bottoms of the doors, trunk. Lift up the carpet if you can. Get underneath and look. Check the oil, pull a plug and look to see what they look like. See if the trans isn’t leaking. Can do the same for the rear as well.

Thank you for the advice. Do you know how to verify if the engine is original or not? Does the engine serial number in any way correlate to the VIN on a 1967? Thanks.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

The casting number is on the right (passenger) side of the block, in the front.
FE (330-428 SCJ) note: nearly all FE blocks have 352 cast on the front of them.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

http://www.fordification.com/tech/castingnumbers-FEblock.htm

 

[DEVIL DOG 62]

Looks like you have the twin to mine. Mine has about 58,000 on it

 

[Gbird67]

Overdue for an update!

I did buy the car. It has about 60K documented original miles, and the original engine. Well, it has an engine in it from 1967 so I assume it is the original engine. I found the ID tag tucked behind the coil. Engine cranked a few revolutions so I hope to get it started without major work.

This car has been in a basement for 40 years, and is in a well preserved state. The last time it was on the road was 1977. There is minimal rust and the interior is in excellent shape (Saddle color), no dash cracks or tears in the seats. Minor body rust and some chrome damage, nothing major found in our initial inspections. Floor pans and trunk intact.

Arranging for transport to begin the fun.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

Overdue for an update!

I did buy the car. It has about 60K documented original miles, and the original engine. Well, it has an engine in it from 1967 so I assume it is the original engine. I found the ID tag tucked behind the coil. Engine cranked a few revolutions so I hope to get it started without major work.

This car has been in a basement for 40 years, and is in a well preserved state. The last time it was on the road was 1977. There is minimal rust and the interior is in excellent shape (Saddle color), no dash cracks or tears in the seats. Minor body rust and some chrome damage, nothing major found in our initial inspections. Floor pans and trunk intact.

Arranging for transport to begin the fun.
View attachment 2553

Doesn't look bad at all! However... with a car sitting in a basement I will say check exclusive for water and moisture damage. Those tires look pretty moldy. Check that vinyl top! All those years sitting in a damp environment! Also check for rodents! Mice could have crawled up and shoot and pissed everywhere!

 

[Gbird67]

It is a painted hard top, no vinyl.

There were some pest visits, but long ago and not too bad, manageable.

We spent hours looking at the chassis while on jack stands and although rusty, it is amazingly well preserved and intact for a northeast car. Brakes are very rusty and need replacing, but wheels turn.

Doesn't look bad at all! However... with a car sitting in a basement I will say check exclusive for water and moisture damage. Those tires look pretty moldy. Check that vinyl top! All those years sitting in a damp environment! Also check for rodents! Mice could have crawled up and shoot and pissed everywhere!

 

[OneAmongOthers]

It is a painted hard top, no vinyl.

There were some pest visits, but long ago and not too bad, manageable.

We spent hours looking at the chassis while on jack stands and although rusty, it is amazingly well preserved and intact for a northeast car. Brakes are very rusty and need replacing, but wheels turn.

Well that's good for the top! No need to worry about rust. Those 67 birds had the quad piston front calipers with the rotor being just a disc and not an entire hub. Still on rock auto and easy to get! I'd replace the rubber lines as well just to be safe. Drums are still available too so you are good there. Hopefully the mouse damage wasn't too bad. I'd defiantly pull the carpets and seats just so you can clean them. Is it cloth seats or vinyl? Bench seat or center console?

 

[Gbird67]

Well that's good for the top! No need to worry about rust. Those 67 birds had the quad piston front calipers with the rotor being just a disc and not an entire hub. Still on rock auto and easy to get! I'd replace the rubber lines as well just to be safe. Drums are still available too so you are good there. Hopefully the mouse damage wasn't too bad. I'd defiantly pull the carpets and seats just so you can clean them. Is it cloth seats or vinyl? Bench seat or center console?

It has the saddle color vinyl with black accents, center console, and the optional top roof console.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

Very nice! Looks good from the pictures.

 

[DEVIL DOG 62]

Overdue for an update!

I did buy the car. It has about 60K documented original miles, and the original engine. Well, it has an engine in it from 1967 so I assume it is the original engine. I found the ID tag tucked behind the coil. Engine cranked a few revolutions so I hope to get it started without major work.

This car has been in a basement for 40 years, and is in a well preserved state. The last time it was on the road was 1977. There is minimal rust and the interior is in excellent shape (Saddle color), no dash cracks or tears in the seats. Minor body rust and some chrome damage, nothing major found in our initial inspections. Floor pans and trunk intact.

Arranging for transport to begin the fun.
View attachment 2553

Take out all the plugs and squirt some wd-40 into each hole and turn it over without the plugs in it to loosen everything up. That's a long time to be sitting and never started or ran. put the plugs back in and hit the throttle a couple times to make sure the choke is shutting all the way correctly. You might have to give it a couple squirts of starting fluid the first time you try and start it to prime the carburetor. If it starts let it idle a long time to loosen & lubricate everything up. GOOD LUCK