Barn Bound Bird: 1965 Ford Thunderbird
If I had to pick a Thunderbird favorite, it would be the fourth-gen, such as today’s feature, a 1965 convertible. Having lived in a Weston, Massachusetts barn for an extended period, this Emberglo Metallic finished ‘bird has been cleaned up and is now out and about, looking for new digs. This one has metamorphized surprisingly well so let’s look it over and see how well it has endured its extended snooze.
Ford did well with the ’65 Thunderbird, delivering 74K copies that year. Three models/body styles were offered including a coupe, a Landau (still a coupe), and a convertible. Unsurprisingly, the convertible put up the fewest units with just 6,800 rolling off Ford’s Wixom, Michigan assembly line. The finish of our subject car is known as Emberglo Metallic, which according to Squarebirds.com is code V and was only available on Landau models. Well, this clearly isn’t a Landau model, and the trim tag references the paint code as “S” which translates into Dark Gray Metallic. There is some indication of a respray, noting the weatherstrip on the driver’s door so…I’m not sure what, if anything (probably nothing), is up with this car’s hue that the seller refers to as “special paint”. As stated earlier, this drop-top, including the actual fabric top that should drop, presents well but there’s only one 3/4 cleaned-up image provided so I can’t go into the level of exterior detail that I was hoping I could.
Power is provided by a 300 gross HP, 390 CI V8 engine, or at least it was at one time as this car, wait for it, “ran when parked“. Yeah, yeah, yeah, another one of those. The unauthenticated mileage is recorded as 17K miles which means at least 117K miles so whether this T-Bird is capable of running, now that it’s unparked, is not known. The engine looks complete but admittedly, a quick photo review won’t reveal the important stuff. A three-speed Cruise-O-Matic was the only gearbox available for this car.
The interior appears to be upholstered in a tan/beige vinyl material though leather was an option. The entire environment looks to be in fair shape. It could stand a good cleaning and the driver’s seat bottom has sprouted a rip, but beyond that, it seems workable as is. Note the center console, no shift selector there, it’s column mounted instead.
So, how cleaned up is cleaned up? One can’t really tell unless a full inspection is rendered. Being a convertible, there could be rust in some not-readily noticeable places, it is a Massachusetts car after all, but initially, it looks OK. Now, that ran when parked business is another matter – it’s a silly statement really, I’d be more concerned about whether it runs now. Those interested in taking a closer look will find this copper T-Bird here on eBay where it’s available for a BIN price of $20,000, OBO.
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Comments
Man I like me a Thunderbird, especially this mid sixties “Style Birds”. See, I learned something from reading Barn Finds. Cleaned up, this car would be impressive. Twenty thousand though? Not sure about that.
I just noticed something from looking at the pictures. Are the numbers on the speedometer embossed into the dash and the indicator is the bar underneath? Maybe a sliding pointer? Or do the numbers light up in sequence? Trés cool
It’s a red slider in the slot below the numbers that moves as speed increases/decreases. The other gauges work similarly. Yes, it’s very cool.
Surprisingly, Hagerty values this model at nearly 19K in #4 condition. But I still can’t help think that 20K should buy a VERY nice example. At least a clean example.
I’m with Jim, this is my first choice for a vintage Bird. Wonder if those sequential tail lights still work…
I owned 3 1964 …in succession back in 1970 to 1973 . 2landau tops and one hardtop no vinyl….my preferred one . The 65 is hardly any different save for the sequential directional lights ( problematic when only a few years old let alone 60 .Then is the 5 wire alternator…and charging system …a real Fords beute. But now …60 years later is the vacuum bundle of snakes which operates many accessories …like vac canister door actuators all the vacuum switching inside the console and dashboard which are dry as cordwood by now …happily not made of the modern stuff that turns to gum when aged . They are aesthetically works of design art and very enjoyable when still fresh but d60 years on .. reserve a healthy CD account to make one right again .
This one looks super nice, my dad had one just like it when I was a kid. I remember burning a hole in the center console lid with the lighter, I had a sore bottom for a week after that! Too many questions (does it run? does it have rust? does any of the electric stuff work? etc.) for the $20K price tag though.
Way over priced for nonrunning car, looking at this it came to me would it be cool to put a 4 speed in one of these along with a good running 390. Clean it up with the 4speed and beef up the suspension also because these are boats when it comes to handling.
This same car was on EBAY a year ago for $30,000. Because it hadn’t been started in 10 years I offered $10,000. which was dismissed by the seller and I was told 30k was the price. I bought a 65′ Special Landau Coupe 2 weeks later in South Windsor, Conn. A buddy and I drove it home over 800 miles to South Carolina . I had 2 of these when I was a kid, and I didn’t know this car was even offered as a convertible. In 1965 Ford made a Base T-Bird, a Landau, and 4500 Special Landaus to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Thunderbird. Mine is #2387 of the 4500 made, It also is the original Emberglow paint ,Parchment Vinyl Top and original Parchment and Emberglow interior. They made 4100 this color and 400 White and Parchment.It has some scratches ands dents but won an Original Historic Features Class Plaque from the Antique Automobile Club of America show in New York. I don’t know that I would take less than $40K for this car but I drive it and turn heads everywhere I go with it. I also know that it’s a Special Landau because of the documentation with it. I”m not sure about being offered here since it sounds like it was a different color at some point and that it is a convertible.
@John
Since you were unaware that Ford even made a Thunderbird convertible, you probably weren’t aware that the top mechanism was the same as the 1961 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible.
The power trunk opened in reverse, the top unscrewed from the windshield header, lifted up and folded into the trunk. A small flap folded out and the trunk closed.
This whole setup started with the 1958 Thunderbird. Kinda the soft top version of the 1957 Ford folding hardtop.
I know Ford made convertibles in 1965, but I don’t think they made the Special Landau into a convertible since the Landau was a Vinyl covered hardtop roof with Gold Thunderbird emblems on each side. That is why I questioned that the model presented here is a “Special Landau”. From my research I found that in 1965 Ford made this car in 3 trim levels. 1Base Model, 2 Landau, and 3 Special Landau of which 400 were white and 4100 were Emberglo Paint with a Parchment Vinyl Top with same color interior accents. My research also stated that ALL Special Landaus were hardtops covered in Vinyl to distinguish them as Landaus.
Great Patina is now thenew improved phrase for selling someone Rust.
Ran When Parked is similar, . Just imagine today the dealer on a new car saying that…
Gives the seller plausible deniablity forgiving untruthfulness.
Just stick a batteryor charger and try to start is, then be honest!
Factory A/C on a convertible, and Reclining Passenger Seat. Also disk brakes.
Worth saving if price becomes realistic.
Would have been nice to hook up a battery and have some pictures of the top down.
Weird, it’s a 65 but is clearly Emberglo which is a 66 color. You immediately think well it was repainted but the interior has Emberglo accents as well. Not a T-bird expert so maybe someone who is can chime in here.
Angel, you bring up a really good point. These T-bird converts have a pretty complex system of retracting etc. And now Jay Leno’s Lincoln convertible guy John Cashman has retired I understand.
Well, at least the top on this car is in the up position. Or, maybe the down position would be better. Halfway down would really complicate the deal.
10K on a good day, maybe. And that’s if it is not rusted.
Strikes me as a lazy seller… too lazy to get it running and clean up the inside. Might get 15 for it if he did,
I did a little more digging but Emberglo was available on 65 T-Birds but only on Special Landau, not on convertible. Yes, I know it has S as the paint code but this may be a one of one special paint car. Not a T-Bird guy, yet anyway, but if I were might be interested. Car is all there, highly optioned and restorable and if it is a one of one very special indeed.