1960 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop
"With the country club set this four seater Bird went over like a keg of brandy in a prison camp. And by mid 1959 there were so many Thunderbirds cruising up and down country lanes and through estate gates that a guy from Mars might have thought, "So this is what they get in those Crackerjacks boxes!" Never within my memory has an out and out specialty car sold so well as this four place 'Bird. As a prestige item it left a healthy dent in the Cadillac shinbone." Mechanics Illustrated, July 1960, 1960 Squarebird review
For consignment, a 1960 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop with a title verified 70,566 actual miles. 92,843 Thunderbirds were produced in 1960, the final year of the successful second generation which sold about 200,000 in the three years between 1958 and 1960.
Exterior
Repainted about three years ago, Raven Black coats our car like a fountain pen in an ink vat. It's toothed grille and bumper grinning widely as sculpted eyebrows over dual headlights complete the face of the car. The hood scoop remains from the previous generation although contoured more with the flat hood. In profile, this stunning car presents back canted A-pillars that surround a wraparound windshield and a wide regal C-pillar that is adorned with the ever present Thunderbird icon. Nine trim bars pull your eyes to the rear quarter and an embossed torpedo on the lower panel implies forward momentum and wears the Thunderbird script emblem. Out back, outstretched fins flank a triple tail light panel with a sculpted trunk lid that follows the contours of the panels, and dips in the center where another Thunderbird spreads its wings, all over a sculpted chrome bumper. We'd be surprised if George Barris didn't look at this car for at least a bit of inspiration for the 1966 Batmobile. Imperfections include some unevenness in the rocker panel paint and an upward dent on one section, some orange peel and cracking in the paint in a section, damaged body work in one of the wheel openings, some rust on the inner lip of an opening, and numerous areas of bubbling, spider cracking, and cracking paint.
Interior
It's always a treat when the designer brings some of the exterior design cues to the interior and in this case, the torpedo facing forward on the door is pointed backwards on the door panel in gleaming metal surrounded by red vinyl. On both doors, the lower panels show some separation and waviness and there's some looseness on the flat panels below the pleated detail. Low back bucket seats occupy the front and the driver's seat show compression and some discoloration while the rear 2+2 is robust and red. A white steering wheel has some patina and the gear indicator is high on the column for the driver to see clearly. The grooved metal panel behind the gauges shows patina as well and the gauges remain clear while the push button AM radio in the center is classic and hovers above the levers embedded in a circular panel. Twin padded arches form the dash pad that spans with width the car in red and the center console is flat and red and houses switches, an ashtray and speaker grille in good condition. Plush red carpet covers the floor and shows a bit of age while the perforated white headliner is in decent condition. The large, flat trunk is covered with a plaid mat and the spare tire fits in a depression which we will revisit in the undercarriage section.
Drivetrain
Under the hood, a driver quality but clean 352ci V8 rated at 300 horsepower and fueled by a 4-barrel carburetor, all backed by a 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission sending power to the Ford 9" axle in back with 3.10 gears. Power drum brakes are supplied at all four wheels.
Undercarriage
Driver quality underneath and the first thing we note is some rust through on the spare tire compartment. Surface rust prevails throughout, and residual oil is found on the oil and transmission pans but does not appear to be actively leaking. Some grime build up around the knuckles and some flaking rust on a belly pan, along with possible seeping from the pinion seal in back. While on the lift, we note some pitted surface rust on the pinch weld under the driver's door. The dual exhaust is intact and encounters stock style mufflers before exiting discreetly in back. The typical configuration of coil springs in front and leaf springs in back makes up the suspension.
Drive-Ability
We cruise this luxurious Thunderbird to the test loop where 300 horsepower provides impressive acceleration and the cabin is a comfortable perch. We note the car pulls right on braking but otherwise tracks well. The radio is also not working. All other functions, electrical and otherwise, are working. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
Thunderbirds that are not first gen are starting to find their place in the collector market. Mid-60's Thunderbirds made Hagerty's Bull List for 2024 and we suspect that the second gen cars are not far behind. One look at the exterior design of this car proves that the further we get from 1960, the cooler the cars get. That taillight treatment is worth the price of admission and this car presents some opportunity for further restoration while being completely drivable during the straightening of this bird's feathers.
0Y71Y154400
0-1960
Y-Wixom, MI Assy Plant
71-Thunderbird Hardtop
Y-352ci 4bbl 300hp V8
154400-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
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