All Original 1960 Ford Thunderbird with only 25,000 miles

 Story of finding this Thunderbird started already a few years back. I had purchased a pretty decent 1959 Thunderbird coupe project that had been sitting about 13 years. It was a project that someone had started, took the trim out, sanded it, painted with primer and gave up. Then it had changed hands and finally ended up to me.  Although it was a fairly good project, it still needed a lot to be a nice driver.

 I had moved to a new home with a good work space in the garage, and now the question was : Should I restore the 1959 Tbird or buy a nice one and focus my attention on something else. As you can already guess, "something else" won. 

So, I started looking for a 1958-1960 Ford Thunderbird that would be in nice shape. I had already followed Thunderbird forums/facebook groups and knew a Tbird specialist, Paul W. Paul had recently listed a white 1960 Thunderbird for sale. I found the ad for the car, but it had already been sold. However, there was another one - Moroccan Ivory - in the background of the photos Paul had posted. I decided to contact him and ask if he knew about any other ones for sale.

 .. and he did! It was a 1960 2 door hardtop coupe with 352 V8. According to Paul it was found sitting in Ohio garage and was last  driven daily in 1965. And the best part ? The car only had 25,000 miles. 

Promises of the vehicle being "best original 1960 Tbird he has ever seen", sounded a little too exaggerated for anyone who has ever bought an used car. However, according to photos he sent me, the vehicle did look really good original candidate. Because it had been sitting so long, of course it needed some maintenance work. For example brake booster was leaking. Luckily I had an booster that I had just been rebuilt by Karp's Power Brake Service in California. 

 Once we got in agreement on the price, The only problem was that the car was now about 750 miles away. .but of course there are different transportation brokers that take care it for you. I can't remember who referred Mercury Auto Transport to me, but it worked great and wasn't even too expensive. 

 Once the shipping was arranged, it only took about 24hours for driver to pick it up, and deliver the Thunderbird on my front door. 

Obviously, I had to take a half day off from work, because I was anxiously waiting for the car hauler to pull up on my street. 

Below is the video when the long wait is over, and the Tbird finally arrives. 

To my surprise the 352 v8 was idling really smoothly. After the first inspection on the driveway, I was positively surprised : The car was exactly what Paul had described: It had the original Moroccan Ivory paint, original interior, even the tires were the original Firestones the car left the factory with and the spark plug wires had the original Ford part numbers. The doors opened and closed like the car had just left the dealership showroom in 1959. The chrome is perfect, if you don't count one scratch on front bumper guard.  Now it just needed a throughout cleanup. 

Of course the purpose was to get the vehicle on the road as soon as possible. I did some brake work (replaced the leaking brake booster and bled the brakes), replaced the battery and took the first trip to local car meet at Pasteiner's Autozone Hobbies. Pasteiner's is a book store in Birmingham, Michigan, located in corned of 14 mile and Woodward Avenue. They have a car meet every Saturday morning during the summer... and it's only 1.5 miles from where I live.

Thunderbird did it's first trip to the show very well, except the ride was a bit bumpy with the original tires. I had already placed an order for 800R14  American Classic Bias Ply Looking Radial tires with 2.25" white wall from Coker. but they had not been shipped yet. 

The Ford Thunderbird is an iconic American car that was first introduced by Ford Motor Company in 1955. The 1960 Ford Thunderbird marked the third year of the 2nd generation of the Thunderbird line, called "Squarebird". Squarebirds were produced from 1958 to 1960. Here's a brief overview of the 1960 Thunderbird's history:

Design and Styling:
The 1960 Thunderbird featured a the same styling as it's 1958 and 1959 model year predecessors. It adopted a new grid-pattern grille with a main horizontal bar bisected by three vertical bars. The emblems were now renewed and tail lights had three lights on each side, instead of just two large ones.

Powertrain Options:
The 1960 Thunderbird was offered with two engine options. The standard engine was a 352 cubic inch (5.8-liter) V8, producing 300 horsepower. Optionally, customers could choose a more powerful 430 cubic inch (7.0-liter) V8 engine, which generated 350 horsepower. Both engines were paired with a three-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic or 3-speed manual transmission. 

Interior Features:
The Thunderbird was known for its luxurious and well-appointed interiors, and the 1960 model was no exception. The car featured a spacious cabin with comfortable seating for four occupants. It boasted a range of upscale features, including optional power windows, power seats, air conditioning and rare sunroof.

Sales and Reception:
The 1960 Thunderbird received a positive response from the public and was well-received by automotive enthusiasts. Ford produced a total of 80,938 hard top and 11,860 convertible Thunderbirds in 1960, making it a successful year in terms of sales. The sleek design and powerful engine options attracted buyers looking for a blend of style and performance.

Legacy:
The 1960 Thunderbird represents an important chapter in the Thunderbird's history. It marked the end of the second-generation "Square Bird" era and paved the way for the subsequent generations of Thunderbirds. The Thunderbird continued to evolve and transform over the years, adapting to changing market demands and automotive trends.

Overall, the 1960 Ford Thunderbird is remembered as a stylish and powerful car that epitomized the spirit of American automotive design in the 1960s. Its unique blend of luxury and performance contributed to its popularity and lasting legacy.