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1963 Ford Thunderbird 98% ORIGINAL Lee Iacocca letter and book

Make: Ford
Model: Thunderbird
Type: Coupe
Trim: Hardtop
Year: 1963
Mileage: 86,168
Color: Tucson Yellow Color Code R
Fuel: Gasoline
Transmission: Automatic
Drive type: RWD
Interior color: Pearl Beige Trim Code 74
Vehicle Title: Clear
Item location: United States
Extras
Power Steering, Power Brakes, Air Conditioning, Power Windows, Power Seats
Sliding Steering Wheel

Listed by
Private seller
Enquire

Description of 1963 Ford Thunderbird

1963 Ford Thunderbird

ORIGINAL CAR

The Lee Iacocca letter car with factory A/C that blows cold!

Click on the arrow in the picture below to see video that includes more photos.

Double click on the arrow below to go to full screen.

1963 Ford Thunderbird – ORIGINAL CAR

The Lee Iacocca letter car with factory A/C that blows cold!

From the beginning Ford hit a homerun with their T-Birds starting in 1955 with the two-seater T-Bird that far outsold the Corvette from 1955 through 1957. In 1958 Ford came out with the idea that a Thunderbird should have a backseat and the Square Bird was born and it also was extremely popular with families that wanted a sporty look but still had room for two kids in the backseat. In 1961 Ford revamped the four-place Thunderbird with the new design of the third generation Thunderbird. Sales for these cars were more then solid and this design was refined in 1961 and 1962 so that by 1963 it was fully refined. Sales were so good for the four-seater Thunderbird General Motors realized that they had to come out with their own version of a prestigious sporty type car and the Riviera was born in 1963.

The hardtop four-place Thunderbird that you see in this ad has everything going for it! It is the final version of the third generation Thunderbird; it is the hardtop version that makes the whole design look at its best as compared to a canvas top. It definitely is one of our favorite colors for this year Thunderbird but the real topper is that this car has air conditioning and the air conditioning blows cold! Top that off further with the fact that the car is 98% original including the bias ply spare in the trunk and you have one FABULOUS Thunderbird!

Here at MissChiTown we have decided that this is our favorite version of the 1963 Thunderbird and even the choice of the interior combination and color just fits the car perfectly. If you want one beautiful Thunderbird that will draw a crowd this is the car!

Looking at the photos of this 1963 Ford Thunderbird you can see how “FRESH” it looks but the amazing thing is it is a truly ORIGINAL car. The term original can be thrown around a lot with collector cars but the seller tells us this is original paint original interior original engine original wheels and hubcaps and original trunk. The seller has only done maintenance on the car.

The history as the seller tells it is that the original owner was a Ford employee and was given this 1963 Thunderbird upon retirement. The original owner who lived in New Mexico kept the car until it passed to his son at the time of his death. Sadly the son had to use it for unexpected expenses and the second owner who had taken it for “payment” from the son sold it to the current owner who bought it for his wife. They have loved the car and they have taken excellent care of it just as the original owner had for all the years he cherished it. The current owners also live in New Mexico and we assume that the New Mexico climate is the reason that this car is still in wonderful original condition.

Back to the original owner on the passenger side of the car you will notice the brass plaque with the original owner’s name on it. Also the car comes with the original letter from Lee Iacocca and the original 1963 Ford Thunderbird Introduction Book that was presented to the new owner.

We think that the description that Joe Babiasz wrote for Auto Trader Classics is a great description of why these 1963 Thunderbirds are so popular.

To combat the competition Ford set out to keep customers buying T-Birds. Then company vice president and future Ford golden boy Lee Iacocca announced “The Thunderbird is the most changed car we are offering for 1963”. The grille was revised to look more elegant and the tail lamps had a “jet like” appearance. Fake louver scripts were redesigned and moved from the quarter panels to the doors. Perhaps the most obvious change was a stylish horizontal feature line that ran from the leading edge of the front fender to mid-door before angling downward. While not excessive the small changes were enough to make it recognizable as a 1963. So what were the other changes Iacocca was alluding to? Most were unseen and designed to improve quality and ownership experience. To quiet Thunderbird’s ride more than 150 pounds of sound deadener was added throughout. Nearly 80 pounds of reinforcement was added to the structure for increased rigidity and a more solid feel. An alternator replaced the generator for additional charging capacity. Eighteen-inch variable speed windshield wipers were hydraulically powered using pressure from the power steering pump. New windshield moldings reduced wind noise. Exhaust pipes and stainless steel mufflers reduced noise and increased the systems lifespan. T-Bird buyers had a choice of four models a two-door hardtop convertible Landau and Sports Roadster. Interiors were updated with a passenger side grab bar and door mounted courtesy lamps. An AM radio was now standard equipment as was a driver side remote mirror. Bright trim was added to the gas and brake pedal.

Here at MissChiTown while preparing the video we have fallen in love with this car. The extensive use of chrome that the Ford designers put on this car make the car extremely striking. Also we think that the Tucson Yellow paint has to be the best color for this car. The theme for decking the car out in chrome was continued into the interior.

The seller tells us that they often get commended for keeping the car in its original condition. The seller did disclose that there is a very small dent on the left rear fender (driver’s side) however it is so small that in the photo we could not find it. Also the roof has two small dings that the seller says are less then a dime size. The imperfections were not enough of a concern that the seller wanted to repair them which would result in affecting the original status. The seller has rebuilt the front end added a new muffler battery and he also repaired the battery tray.

In addition the seller tells us that one of his favorite features of the car is the ‘sliding steering wheel’ that once it is in the park position allows the wheel to be pushed towards the passenger side and once started locks back into place.

The seller told us that the original AM radio is still working. The clock is the old style that runs on motion self-winding mechanism. The dash is in wonderful condition because the seller has always kept it covered with a removable protective cover. Photos of dash without cover are coming soon.

The trunk is a time warp that includes the original bias ply spare that has never been used. The car starts stops and runs great and the farthest the sellers have driven it is about a 50 mile round trip.

FACTORY AIR CONDITIONING BLOWS COLD – now that is the frosting on the cake!!!

The vinyl and cloth interior is all original and the seller said it has no rips or tears…take a look at the photo of the backseat to us it looks like nobody has ever sat there.

The engine and transmission are in good original condition and the 86168 miles is believed to be correct.

THE PRIVATE SELLER HAS PROVIDED US WITH MANY ADDITIONAL PHOTOS SO IF YOU ARE A SERIOUS BIDDER DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS.

This car will be an attraction at any car show or a great tour car (with the comfortable A/C) or a coast-to-coast trip. (MissChiTown wants you to remember the age of the car and always recommends that new owners have a mechanic check out their new collector car before driving any distance). You can be confident that your bid to win will make this a summer to remember!!

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