Beschreibung:

By 1962, the days of the two-seater T-Bird were long gone. Fans of the 1955-1957 Thunderbirds were quite irked, but Ford was very happy with a decision that sent sales of the bird soaring from just over 21,000 units in 1957 to 37,893 for the first year of the four-seat Thunderbird in 1958. Sales just kept on climbing for what had become a powerful personal luxury car. The models known as the 'Bullet Birds' were introduced on November 10, 1960, just two days after John F. Kennedy narrowly won the presidential election. The front end was sleek and the sides gradually tapered to a rounded rear quarter panel. They were striking and modern and the shape suggested the turbine of a jet engine. Totally new cars, the 1961 Thunderbirds were longer, lower and wider than those they replaced. Riding on a 113-inch wheelbase, the new bird stretched 205 inches from bumper to bumper. Front suspension was independent, while the rear featured a solid rear axle. Brakes were power-assisted drums front and rear. Steering was also power assisted. Engine choices were limited to a 352cid or a 430cid engine. There were three transmission choices: three speed- manual, three-speed manual with overdrive and the automatic, which was the only game in town if the big engine was specified. Three was also the number of choices for the body: hardtop, hardtop with sunroof and convertible. Despite production and quality issues, in its first year, sales of the new T-Bird topped 73,000. Little was changed for 1962. Trim varied to keep the car fresh, but there was no point in messing with a successful formula. There were still just two engine selections for the domestic market, but this time they focused on the number of carburetors topping a 390cid V-8. The base version used a single four-barrel, while the optional engine used a trio of two-barrels. Body choices included Hardtop, Landau, Convertible and Sports Roadster. In a gesture aimed at recapturing some of the style of the classic two-seater Thunderbird of the 1950s, a glassfibre rear-seat 'tonneau' cover appeared on the Thunderbird Sports Roadster for 1962 and just 1,427 of these were made. Incorporating headrests for the driver and front-seat passenger, the removable tonneau did not interfere with the operation of the convertible top and was only offered for 1962 and 1963, making the Sports Roadster by far the most collectible of the 'Projectile' Thunderbirds. This genuine factory Sports Roadster, as confirmed by the code number 89 in the VIN and one of only , is a California survivor car and comes complete with all the right options, including the factory fibreglass tonneau cover, swing-away steering wheel, passenger grab handle and Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. Finished in the desirable Rangoon Red colour with matching red interior, the Thunderbird is a spectacular example of this rare model. Believed to have been sold new by Beverly Hills Ford in California, the car has been sparingly used over the last 49 years and the owner reports the car drives beautifully and like new. In unrestored condition, with no rust according to the vendor, the car has its original California black plates with dealer surrounds and is showing 67,000 miles on the clock. We are advised the electrics are all in good working order and the power windows, seats and hood are operating correctly. Apart from a few minor touch ups, the paint is believed to be all original and the chrome is consistent with an unrestored car, while the interior trim and leather seats exhibit a lovely patina and the dashpad has no cracks or distortion. The Thunderbird comes with an Australian Import Approval.