Welcome, elcam84 !!

[YellowRose]

Welcome to Squarebirds, Robert! Robert hales from up Ft. Worth, Texas way and is looking for a '64-'66 Tbird to restore. Robert, if you will let us know which Flairbird model, external color and interior you are interested in, we might be able to point some Flairbirds out to you that are available. As for the year, if I were going to restore a Flairbird, I would find a '66 because it had additional features on it that the '64 & '65 did not have. Plus, I always liked the big Tbird emblem on the grill that the '64 & '65 does not have. As usual, Ford often put all the additional features they did not have on the first two years of a model on that last year. You can reply here, and the guys/gals will see what they can hunt up for you to restore! If you have any problems navigating this Forum, please contact me. Enjoy The Journey!

[Guest]

Hey Robert,
Welcome to Squarebirds! Look through some old post and ask some questions before making your decision. The '64-'66 Thunderbirds are very nice cars. These gals and guys will be able to tell you the pro's and con's and what to look for!
Once again welcome!
Richard D. Hord

[YellowRose]

Check This Out!

Robert, if you will go to this web page below, and select 1964, then 1965 and finally, 1966, it will give you the full details on each of those Flairbird years. I would suggest that you print out the Standard equipment and the Optional equipment lists for each of the three years. You also might want to do the same with the productions number, engine and tranny descriptions and the exterior paint and interior colors. You will see pictures of the cars for each of the years. Lay out the printouts of the Standard and Optional equipment list to get an idea of what is on the '64, compared to the '65 and the '66. Same for the others. If you do that, it might help you determine which style of Flairbird, external color, interior color, engine, etc. that you like best. Once you have done that, you can decide which year, model, color, interior, engine, etc. you really want to concentrate on finding. Once we know that, we can help you find one. Especially, if we know you are looking for a complete restoration Tbird, or one that can be quickly restored to a daily driver status, or if you are looking for one that is already pretty well fully restored. They are out there, just waiting for you and others to find them. Here is the link. This link can provide all of us with good information to our '58-'66 Tbirds.

http://automotivemileposts.com/contentstbird.html

[Dan Leavens]

Robert also welcome to our truly international site where you will find some of the most knowledgeable birders around. Ask any questionanswer where you canand participate often The guys and gals here will certainly help you in locating, the TBird of your choice.

[scumdog]

From a '66 owner: Welcome.

I might be in your area towards the end of August this year, who knows, we may meet up?

[elcam84]

Thanks guys. I have been doing allot of research on the years and allot of post reading on the site. I narrowed it down to the 66 pretty quick for a few reasons like most had the C6 trans and a number of other things.

I'm primarily a GM guy and well.... The GF and I were at a swapmeet and she saw a 66 and now she really wants one. She wasn't into older cars till she met me but I have brought her around.

So she looks through Ebay and craigslist every so often and has been ordering catalogs etc. We aren't seriously looking until the new house is bought and done.(taking forever)

As for condition... More a matter of it being complete and not too much sheet metal to replace. I have done a few restorations most of them actually fords. I'm not really fond of body work but I can eventually get it sanded flat. I painted my daily driver El Camino two years ago. Had to take it down to bare steel cause the lacquer was cracked all over. I also used to be an ASE master tech so I can do anything It needs and really don't like having someone else work on my stuff.

And as for anyone close by at some point I'd like to meet up to steal ideas and see how you did certian things. There are goofy tricks to all cars and different ways of doing things.

[YellowRose]

Welcome, elcam84 !!

Hi Robert!

I see you have decided on a '66. Good choice, I think! Like the last of a year in a series, (Squarebirds, Bulletbirds, etc) Ford added improvements to the '66 that they did not have in the '64 and '65 years. They added disc brakes in '65, and I think it was '66 when they added the neat sequential blinking turn signals, and some other features the '64-'65's did not have. I have always liked the big winged Tbird on the grill that the previous two years lacked. For more information on that, go to this website and select the '64, then the '65 and finally, the '66 and compare standard equipment and optional equipment on all three. Look at the engine and production information also.

http://automotivemileposts.com/contentstbird.html

If I were looking for a '66, I would look for a "Q Code" 428 with the C6 tranny. Then there is the Conventional Hard Top, the Town Hard Top, the Town Landau, and the Convertible to choose from. There were only 5.049 convertibles made making them pretty rare. There were slightly more Town Hard Tops made (15,633) than conventional ones, (13,389), with 35,105 Town Landau's made. I have never really cared for the Town Landau because of that scrolled S on the roof line, but it probably has the best looking interior of them all.

I can send you a list of what is currently available on Craigslist and Ebay. There are many more '66's available out there than Squarebirds. You can find them in really good condition, with little or no rust, to worse, with excellent paint jobs to those that need a new paint job. That require no work on them, to total project cars, and anything in between. It will be good that you have done restorations before, including body work and paint, and that you used to be an ASE master tech. That will certainly help!

As for meeting people on the Forum and kicking tires with them, There are several members who live in your general area that are active here. Here are some user id's to look out for. barrysmith srickiii tbird430 TChicken rayjtrin Texas Landau texastomeh and Yellowbird. You can send them a Private Message (PM) and get to know them better.

Some of them you might see at the VTCI Regional event in Fort Worth next month. Myself and my YellowRose included, if she gets out of the paint shop and put back together quickly enough. This event is June 10-13, at the Marriott Hotel at Texas Motor Speedway. Judging will be on Saturday. If Rose makes it, this will be the first time she has been judged.

If I can be of further help, please let me know.

[tbird430]

"Howdy" from another fellow Texan.

There was a local guy here that had a straight, rust free gold-ish color '66 hardtop with beige interior. This bird hadn't ran in years though. It needs all new interior, exterior paint, an engine overhaul, new windshield (solid but cracked), etc. The 390cid was a running replacement from another car too. I looked at this car myself-for my father, buy mother wants him to finish her '58 first.

I don't know how much you want to spend or 'do" to the 1964-66 Thunderbird you buy, so let me know if I need to check this one out again for you.

Just don't buy your G/F the Thelma & Louise Movie. LOL!!

-Jon in Wichita Falls.

[elcam84]

Looked at the page for the one at TMS and If she can drop her trip that weekend we will be there saturday.


As for the type car I will be looking for... Well A project one. Rough is fine just not missing too much hard to get stuff. Seen a few that were basically parts cars. No real rust but missing too much $$ to replace stuff. One that's beed sitting with many other cars in Haltom city on 183 at what is now Rucker performance. I could rebuild it but too allot of chrome emblems etc missing. Doesn't even have a set of wheels on it but otherwise a basic shell.

Not really looking though. Still gotta get the house stuff done. It's a short sell and they take forever cause the banks are in hurry to sell anything and bring $ in...

[Coral]

Hi Robert, welcome to the forum!

shoot me a PM when you are ready, I know of several available