Welcome, Doug H !!

[YellowRose]

Welcome to Squarebirds, Doug! Doug hales from Washington and does not own a Tbird. But here is what he had to say.

"The reason I am visiting this site is that I have been given the opportunity to buy a '60 T-bird barn-find that is in need of total resto. I believe that everything is there and almost totally intact. I do not have the time nor the money to restore this car. I do wonder, however, if it might be a good one to buy and resell for a profit. I have little knowledge of these cars and their values. It has a 430 motor, sun roof, leather int. cont. kit, power everything, very straight and,I believe, 100% original. Any help you can give me will be much appreciated thanks, Doug H. My ph# 360 202 8537 e-mail a2zdoug@broadstripe.net "

Hopefully, ya'll be able to provide him with some guidance on this. I hope someone can restore this '60 Tbird, considering it has a Golde Top sliding roof, is a 430 and has a continental kit on the back! It would be a shame to let this one get away. You have his contact information.

[Guest]

Hey Doug,
Welcome to Squarebirds! Yes if she is sound it would be a good investment! As Ray mentioned especially being a Gold Top Edition and with the 430. You might even get bit by the Thunderbird bug and decide to keep her! Get some pictures we would love to see her!
Once again welcome!
Richard D. Hord

[tbird430]

How much Doug?

[YellowRose]

Welcome, Doug H !!

I just spoke with Doug to see if he had taken any action on this Golde Top 430 yet. He has not, but he is thinking of doing so. Right now, the owner hauled it out of the barn where it had been sitting for many years, I gather. It is sitting in a field now, having been put there recently. He thinks it is a one owner car, but not sure.

From what Doug saw of it, it appears to be all original. It looks to be in fairly good condition, with minimal rust, from what he could see. It is a white '60 with what looks to be a black top, and a red interior. The interior will have to be redone. He said that was not in the best of shape. The Golde Top looks like it has been popped open, but not actually open. It has probably been unlocked, but not pushed back. It appears to be a 100% original car. He was not able to get the hood open to look at the engine. There does seem to be some problem with opening the hood.

He is going to get me the VIN # and data plate information when he goes to look at it again. Hopefully, some pictures of it also. He said right now, he thinks it is a good candidate for a restoration, but if it stays there to long, the rust will get to it. He wants to see about buying it, not to restore it himself, but to save it from destruction from the elements and time, and to see if someone wants to buy it from him to restore it themselves. He knows that it is somewhat of a rare car with the Golde Top, 430 engine in it and a continental kit! It looks like it has all the bells and whistles on it, all power, about everything you could want.

This Tbird is in Washington state, not far from where Doug lives.

[tbird430]

WOW!!!

See there are still some 'diamonds' out there to be found...

[Doug H]

What a warm welcome

Thank you Ray for the phone call today and the great introduction to your fellow members. I am new to all this so didn't expect such attention. I don't know where this message is going but I'm sending it out there anyway. After talking to Ray this afternoon, I decided to quit thinking about buying this '60 T-Bird and called the owner. We cut a deal, so now the owner is me. I have a buddy with a car trailer that I can borrow to pick it up. Once I get it up out of the grass&dirt I'll be able to get a better look at what is really there. I'll keep you posted as I find out more and get some pic's. Being fairly computer illiterate it'll be hit or miss for awhile,but I'll keep trying. Bye for now---Doug H

[YellowRose]

Welcome, Doug H !!

Hi Doug!

Glad to see you post. Anyone of our members, anywhere in the world, can see what we post. So they all know about your neat barn find! Congratulations on buying it! We are very pleased that you have saved this classic Tbird from a rusty demise. We just hope that someone who really wants to fix up a Golde Top 430CI Tbird will buy it from you and restore it to it's former glory. From what you have told us about it so far, it seems to be in fairly good condition. As I said on the phone, if you will write down the VIN # and all the data off the Data Plate and send it to me, I can tell you more about it's history. Especially, if it has been in the Tbird Registry before. Find out from the previous owner all you can about it. Who bought it originally, if you can, how long it was stored in the barn. How many previous owners. Anything that will give us a better idea about the car.

When you get the chance, take some good external and internal pictures with a good digital camera. Open the trunk and check that out. You might be surprised as to what is in that! See if you can get the hood to release without damaging it, to get some good engine well pictures. All these things will help you market it down the road. You can send those pictures to me and I will post them for you.

When you go to trailer that Tbird, if you are going to use a wrecker type flat bed, or any trailer, make SURE that you have a proper sloping incline so that the rear or front end does not drag on the ground getting it on and off the trailer. You have to be very careful that it does not dig in and damage the front or the rear of the car. Usually, a wrecker type flat bed will hoist it from the rear onto the flat bed.. Just be careful that you do not damage anything in up and down loading of it... You have my email and my phone number, so if I can be of further help, let me know.

[fomoco59]

Congrats, Doug. That's a great find! One thing you may not know is that the hood opens backwards from what you're probably used to. Hinges in the front. I still surprise people when I open the hood sometimes.

[Coral]

Welcome Doug and what a great find !
The hood releases might be stuck after so many years of not opening....

[YellowRose]

Welcome, Doug H

I have been in contact with Doug, who did buy this '60 Golde Top "barn find" after all. It turns out that although he was told that it was a J Code, or a Golde Top with a 430CI engine in it, it is not. It is a Golde Top with, according to the data plate, a 352 engine in it. He also found some paperwork with it that indicated that it is a 352 engine. So he was disappointed about that, but it is still a fairly rare Golde Top, since there were only 2,536 of them built. He has the VIN # and Data Plate information and ran it through the Tbird Registry. He found it is #1537 in the Registry.

Doug decided that he would buy this fairly rare Tbird and try to find a buyer who wants to restore her to a daily driver status or better. Rather than see her rust away in a field. He does not have the time or the money to spend to restore her. He is hoping that someone will buy her and bring her back to life. So if you know of anyone who might be interested in restoring her, put them in contact with Doug. His email address and phone number are on his initial post.

It also turns out that she has spent more time in a field, perhaps than she did in that barn... He has sent me a number of pix, some of which I will post. She is not in as great of a condition as she might have been if she had spent much of her last years in that barn instead of a field. She does not seem to have a lot of rust issues though, that he can see. The hood seems to be bent in at the front, which is not allowing it to come up freely. He thinks he might be able to reach in with a rachet and get those bolts loose to take the hood off.

Here is some information regarding this Tbird that he was able to obtain from the Data Plate and paperwork in the glove box. VIN# 0Y71Y124367---body#63A---color M---trim#85---date06A---trans#4---axle#3. No owners manual was found or orig.sticker, unfortunately, but there is a receipt of purchase from Pay Less Cars dated 2/14/62 for $3296.80 paid in full with the same name as on the Oregon title he was given, issued 03/07/73. Last registration in the old visor pocket is California, 1972. Quite a few receipts for work done over the years in Concord, CA. including an engine overhaul at 67,694mi. on 5/23/66. The odometer now reads 81043.

It is to bad it does not have a 430CI engine in it, but, as I said, a Golde Top 352 is still pretty rare. Lets see if we can find her a new home. He does not want to part her out, but thinks she is still worthy of being restored. Here are some pix.

[YellowRose]

Welcome, Doug H

The rest of the pix.

[Dan Leavens]

Doug also welcome to our truly international site where yo will find some of the most knowledgeable birders around. Ask any questionanswer where you canand participate oftenGood luck in your search to find someone to restore this rare bird and back it back to its glory.

[scumdog]

Great find , I hope somebody has the guts to restore the old girl to how she should be, even if just to get her to 'tidy daily street use' standard!

[Coral]

Oh she's a beauty!
Thanks Doug from saving her from oblivion, I will help in any way I can, and please dont sell her without hallering at me first!

[Jozdad]

1960 Gold Top

Well, I bought the car from Doug. The motor is a 352 and is seized. I have a good running 351 Cleveland which I am told will bolt right in. I could have this car driving in a weekend. I am not a mechanic or a restorer, i just think this car is cool. However, I don't think I have the time or knowledge to do the proper job. I need to try and sell the car. Would it be worth more running with the 351C or as it is with the original 352?