1965 Ford Thunderbird

Rocky Mountain Thunderbird Club

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During the summer of 2004 we heard about a T-Bird forgotten in a shed on the eastern plains of Colorado.

Driven 552 miles using 51.8 gallons of gasoline.   Overall 11 MPG

This original unrestored 1965 Ford Thunderbird muscle car with all "matching numbers" has it's original 390 cubic inch (6.4 liter, 6400 CC) 300 horse power gas engine.  It runs and drives terrific.

Power steering, power disk brakes, automatic transmission, power windows, air conditioning, AM radio, standard dual-exhaust

1965 was the first year for:
* Standard front power disk brakes
* Two sided key (would work regardless of how inserted)
* Sequential blinking rear turn signals

The pictures below show the first moments when we spotted the car, dusty in the back of the old barn.

It took a can of starter fluid spray and jumper cables to get it started. It smoked terribly and would not hold an idle. To prevent us from dying, we slowing backed it out of the old shed. After about a half-an-hour, it tried to idle on it's own but continued to blow carbon out of the dual tailpipes onto the ground below. 

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First sighting of the abandoned 1965 Thunderbird in the shedApproaching the car for the first timePop the hood and jump start it -- after a while it did start!It is a wonder the gas hadn't gelled. It would not hold an idle and it sure did smoke!After filling the shed up with smoke, we decided to back it outside.It didn't hold an idle for almost a half an hour. It smoked outside, too.It ran rough and smoked. Perhaps it would not be a good investment?The small rip on the driver's seat was the only noticable problem besides the dirtAmerican 390 cubic inch (6.4 liter) 300 - 325 horsepower engineAmerican 390 cubic inch (6.4 liter) 300 - 325 horsepower engine

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After running the car through the car wash and putting in some fresh gasoline, we drove it to the Colorado auto emissions test center. It passed and we licensed it. It sure cleaned up nicely.

After a trip to the car wash, it cleaned up very nicely.

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Rocky Mountain Thunderbird Club

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