1962 Ford Thunderbird

Ford Motor Company’s Thunderbird went through 11 model generations spanning from 1955 through 2005, it’s introduction creating the market niche eventually known as “personal luxury car”. When redesigned for 1961 with sleeker styling, it gave the car a distinctively bullet-like appearance. A new engine, the 390 cu in V8, was standard and the only engine initially offered in the Thunderbird. It produced 300 horsepower and was mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission. The new Thunderbird was immediately well received with 73,051 sold for 1961. The Thunderbird was 1961's Indianapolis 500 Pace Car, and was featured President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade.

For 1962 , a vinyl-roofed Landau option with simulated S-bars was added to the Thunderbird, as was the “Sports Roadster”  package for convertible models. The Sports Roadster included 48 spoke Kelsey Hayes designed wire wheels and a special fiberglass tonneau cover for the rear seats , giving it the appearance of a two-seat roadster , ( like the original Thunderbird.) The Sports Roadster package was slow selling due the high price of the package and complexity of the tonneau cover, resulting in few Thunderbirds being equipped with it. Newly optional that year was an upgraded “M-code” 390 cu in V8  (a nickname used in reference to the letter M used as the engine code in the V.I.N. in cars that had them). The M-Code version of the 390 cu in V8 was equipped with three two-barrel Holley carburetors and could produce 340 hp . M-Code V8 Thunderbirds are very rare with only 200 being sold between 1962 and 1963.

Second to Fourth Generation Thunderbird convertibles were similar in design to the Lincoln convertible at that time, and borrowed from earlier Ford hardtop/convertible designs. While these Thunderbird models had a true convertible soft top, the top was lowered to stow in the forward trunk area. This design reduced available trunk space when the top was down.

The trunk lid was rear-hinged; raised and lowered by hydraulic cylinders during the top raising or lowering cycle. The forward end of the trunk lid contained a metal plate that extended upward to cover the area that the top is stowed in. With the top down and the trunk lid lowered, there is no sight of the soft top. Giving it a nice,smooth look. Very classy. The overall appearance was a sleek look with no trace of a convertible top at all. No cover boot was needed.

The down side  however, was that this design could present a challenge when troubleshooting a convertible top malfunction. Its system of a spider web of solenoids, relays, limit switches, electric motors, a hydraulic pump/reservoir, hydraulic directional valves and cylinders can frustrate even the greatest mechanic. Unlike hardtop models with a conventional key-secured, forward hinged design, the convertibles combined the trunk opening and closing within the convertible top operating system. As a result of this design, the trunks of convertible models were notorious for leaking.

Despite all that nonsense, the 1962 Ford Thunderbird is a very cool, classy car that is at home either in its stock form, and equally cool when customized. Just look at the photo I’ve provided. Would YOU kick that out of bed? I sure wouldn’t….haha….T.M.I.??