Looking to acquire 62 Thunderbird. Advice?

[mrazor]

I have MGs and want to branch out and may have settled on a 62 Thunderbird roadster.
looking for any advice. Pitfalls, issues to be concerned like rust, electrical, leaks. MGs are fraught with issues.

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[biddle]

Electrical issues are well known.

 

[inspector]

Is it a true roadster or just a 62 convertible that's been made to to look like a roadster?

 

[74 Harley]

Best advice I can give is to look beyond price and buy the best car you can afford. Be very wary of any car that is non running or incomplete. Make sure the top works! Get a history of the car if at all possible. Have it inspected on a hoist and look for hidden damage or rust. Use a magnet on the lower body areas to check for filler. To properly repair exhaust leaks on the head you need to remove the heads and surface the exhaust face and the manifolds. Look over the exhaust manifold mounting, if the upper mounting has nut and bolt things have been done wrong here.
Good luck!

 

[biddle]

Best advice I can give is to look beyond price and buy the best car you can afford. Be very wary of any car that is non running or incomplete.

I've always been amused when people say the AC "just needs recharged.” It's always something more serious.

 

[1954MGTF]

I have MGs and want to branch out and may have settled on a 62 Thunderbird roadster.
looking for any advice. Pitfalls, issues to be concerned like rust, electrical, leaks. MGs are fraught with issues.

I have arguably the nicest 1954 MG TF in US. The only MG to ever win Peoples Choice at a major concours (Greenwich Ct) and the 50th anniversary of the national club NEMGT Register, besting 14 top Tfs. I also have a 1962 all black Roadster Tribute T Bird (also just bought a pink 57 Bird) I prefer the 62 of the three Rocket years. You will want to but the best restored one you can afford, You do NOT want a project car or even a so so driver, The top works nice when redone. These are magnificant and complex cars. Mine is all black. Rides smoother than my 2019 Mercedes E300. Again, it cost a fortune to restore - buy one done - I think they are a bargain now. You will NOT save money by doing yourself unless you are a restorer. Just a long wait and a lot of frustration. Good Luck!

 

[Dlluinstra]

Is it a true roadster or just a 62 convertible that's been made to to look like a roadster?

How do I determine a true roadster?

 

[doug7740]

According the the attached page from "Thunderbird" an illustrated history of the Ford T-Bird, by Ray Miller; Only 1,427 were produced in 1962, and fewer than 500 more in 1963.


doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[1954MGTF]

The born roadster has tonneau, wirewheels, emblems on both sides of front fenders, dash grab bar, 76B, not A in data plate and 89 number I believe. It does NOT have holes in rear wheel wells and for fender skirts. The wire wheel spinners stuck out too much to allow fender skirts. Mine had tonneau and modern wire wheels which allows the fender skirts, which I like on my all black 62. So in essence, the only difference in mine is the "B" on data plate and fender skirt holes. The Born roadster is worth more 5-10k maybe, but not that much as previously, as all the items I mentioned can be purchased to add, even back in the day from Ford (wreck repair etc) What does add value is the M code engine which is two fours. I believe only 200+ were made as they were discontinued because owners brought many back as they could not keep in tune. But you might pay up to 50% more for those few cars.

 

[Dlluinstra]

According the the attached page from "Thunderbird" an illustrated history of the Ford T-Bird, by Ray Miller; Only 1,427 were produced in 1962, and fewer than 500 more in 1963.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

Do you have information on '61 roadsters, which I think I have, or a clone.

 

[74 Harley]

No roadsters in 61. The "M" engine is a 406 with 3 2-barrel carbs.

 

[kbuhagiar]

No roadsters in 61. The "M" engine is a 406 with 3 2-barrel carbs.

The M engine is a 390 with three deuces.

 

[MYTFAST]

According the the attached page from "Thunderbird" an illustrated history of the Ford T-Bird, by Ray Miller; Only 1,427 were produced in 1962, and fewer than 500 more in 1963.
View attachment 13033

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

A number of things led to the roadster's demise. The car was quite expensive in the roadster format, caused mostly by the Kelsey Hayes real wire wheels, which besides the extra care & effort in cleaning, also required an inner tube. Besides the fender emblems, dash grab bar and engine chrome dress-up kit, the fiberglass tonneau cover required storage space when off the car. I have both a 64 & 65 T-Bird convertibles, and for those years a tonneau cover could be purchased as an option, since the actual "roadster" model only lasted 62-63 model years. In addition to the tonneaus, I also purchased roadster fender emblems & used chrome flat dish wheels with a removeable spoked basket that simulates the spoked wheels. I had to create 2 tonneau mounting racks that are mounted to the back wall of my garage & the ceiling, which allows sliding each tonneau onto the rack up & out of the way above my long work table. Most people have never seen one, so it gets a lot of attention, especially when the conv top is going up from, or down into the trunk compartment.

 

[biddle]

A number of things led to the roadster's demise. The car was quite expensive in the roadster format, caused mostly by the Kelsey Hayes real wire wheels, which besides the extra care & effort in cleaning, also required an inner tube.

I also read some of the first produced ones had catastrophic wheel failure and were recalled..Elvis Presley had one and 3/4 of the wire wheels failed.

It's featured in this episode of the Twilight Zone. That was early product placement.