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This is a fully restored 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible in its original beautiful shade of Arcadian Blue (Paint Code F). This was part of a 40 car collection in El Paso, TX and has been owned by our client for the past 10 years.
This T-Bird was built new in the Wixom, MI Ford plant and it spent much of its life in California and by 2000 it was acquired by Frank Armendarez who was the owner of a well regarded restoration facility near El Paso. At the time he acquired it, the T-Bird was a very nice original car with no rust or accident history. He set out to perform a "frame up" restoration of the T-Bird, including rebuilding all the systems, suspension, engine, etc. By 2004, Frank sold the T-Bird to Al Johnson and on July 23rd, 2010 our client acquired this T-Bird as part of his collection.
Though now it is now about a 15-year old restoration, this car still shows beautifully and runs very nicely. The Arcadian Blue paint (Paint Code F) has wonderful shine and luster, but is not without some fine scratches as shown in the inspection report. The depth of the paint is rather amazing. The small imperfections are from the limited use over the years, along the edges of the doors, hood and trunk. Today the T-Bird would perform well at local and regional car shows and touring events. Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels really pop out next to the dark blue paint and compliment the look of the T-Bird. The twin white hand painted coach stripes also accentuate the lines of the car, the white convertible top and compliment the interior coloration.
The interior has been redone in a very attractive cream vinyl with Arcadian Blue accents and dark blue carpeting and is complete with power operated front seats. The interior is in very nice condition today. The white vinyl power convertible top is also newer with the more modern electronic relays replacing the more problematic original mechanical systems. It also features an Arcadian Blue tonneau cover with the cream vinyl contours, giving it the sleek look of a two seater roadster. The tonneau cover easily removes in a minute. There is very fine pitting on the interior chrome, which we've seen on all T-Birds of the era.
The engine compartment is detailed for show and is rather stunning. The 390 CID four-barrel carbureted V8 produces 300 hp, which provides for a smooth and effortless driving experience. These T-Birds are wonderful to drive and are smooth and powerful. With power steering, power brakes, power seats, windows and top, this T-Bird is nicely equipped. Fortunately, they are also mechanically very reliable. This T-Bird runs and drives well. It has been started every other week and has accumulated only 2,500 miles in the past 10 years. We love the functionality of the horizontal red bar for the speedometer!
The chassis shows that it was cleaned and painted during the restoration. It is in nice condition today for touring and general use. It is still fairly clean and in overall nice condition. This T-Bird also features an aftermarket AM/FM cassette stereo that is branded Thunderbird. The T-Bird is available for viewing in our Phoenix showroom.
The passenger side convertible top header has an odd small corrosion area that is evident, but does not impact its functionality. This T-Bird also features power windows which all work, though the window switch gear can be finicky (which we've found on most of the T-Birds of the era). We also noticed the radio does not work.
Overall this is a solid driving, good quality car in need of some minor work to make it really excellent. For full details on the condition of this T-Bird, please see the attached Inspection Report.
The Hagerty Price Guide reflects a No. 3 value of $26,070 and a No. 2 value of $42,790. We believe this to be in 2- condition.
For details and information, please text, call or email Daniel Folk at 1.917.890.4230 or email us at [email protected].