If you’re going to make just one mod, then this is certainly worthwhile.Įven after all that work, the 6T is not quite perfect. This ensures that the rotor runs true with the crankshaft and maintains the correct gap between the rotor and stator. The Thunderbird’s rotor is now driven by two pegs fitted to the engine driving sprocket and located on two 45-degree spacers, one either side of the rotor. Derek doesn’t claim credit for the idea - he originally saw this tip recommended by Royce Creasey in the first issue of Classic Mechanics magazine. He chose to rebuild the 6T as standard apart from one single modification to the alternator rotor fixing arrangement. ‘All the missing bits were located from various jumbles’, says Derek, ‘then painted and fitted.’ All the chrome work was re-plated, including the 19-inch wheel rims which were built with stainless spokes, and the seat was re-covered. The speedo was restored (so the bike’s total mileage is now a bit of a mystery), and the brakes re-lined. Derek installed a new clutch basket and plates, new chains, wiring harness, alternator and rotor and cables. All bearings and bushes were replaced, likewise with the gearbox, forks, swinging arm and rear suspenders. The engine was rebored with a replacement crank, new valves, guides, etc. The bike was stripped down completely and the frame and forks enamelled. So what did Derek do to the Thunderbird? Just about everything - and he really did just about everything himself, except for re-chroming. (Its original price, new, in 1961 would have been a whole £265 and tuppence). Now he can say that ‘it would have been good to know how bad it really was before I bought it’, but he freely admits that at the time ‘I didn’t keep records of the cost because I might not have continued if I’d known exactly how much it was! But I would guess about £2000 to £2500.’ Oh, and don’t forget the purchase price of £165 on top of that. The auction started by seller svx007 is scheduled to end in 6 days.Like many of us, when Derek bought the Thunderbird he wasn’t completely prepared for how much work he was letting himself in for. The bidding is currently underway, and the top offer barely exceeds $800. The price isn’t by means surprising, given the general condition of the vehicle. Parked for years, the engine could still be saved by a good mechanic, but the best way to figure this out is to head over to Arizona and inspect it in person. Again, this is something to be expected, given the car spent decades sitting under the clear sky in Arizona, so be ready for some serious restoration work if you want to take home the car.Īs for what’s under the hood, the T-Bird still flexes the original 390, but the engine no longer starts. The interior, for example, is also unrestored, and the plastic and rubber parts are pretty much compromised. The condition of this T-Bird isn’t by any means a surprise, and it needs substantial fixes in almost every department. And anyone can easily figure out what this means for the paint on the car. In other words, it’s a survivor in all regards, especially as it spent over 40 years in direct Arizona sunlight. This Thunderbird should theoretically provide Ford fans with a pretty good look at the original 1961 model, pretty much because the car is still unrestored and comes with everything in the factory condition. The output then dropped to the lowest volume for this generation, with only 63,000 Thunderbirds getting to see the daylight in 1963. Available as a 2-door hardtop coupe and convertible, the third-generation T-Bird was fitted with a 390 (6.4-liter) V8 paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission.įord manufactured a little over 73,000 units for the 1961 model year, with the production then increasing to over 78,000 units in 1962.
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