Thunderbird Illustrated Bulletbird Info

[YellowRose]

After taking a break for awhile from scanning, and creating new .pdf files of the Thunderbird Illustrated Magazines we inherited, I got back at it yesterday. Thanks to the help I got from our intrepid webmaster, simplyconnected. I just uploaded the latest additions regarding the 1962-1963 "M" Series Bulletbird Roadster. This article is chock full of details and facts regarding this very rare Tbird. Of all the Tbirds, this is probably the rarest of them all. According to this article, there were only 120 "M" 6V (6 Barrel Carbs) Roadsters produced in 1962 and only 37 in 1963! That's it! There were 1,725 "Z" Series 4V (4 Barrel Carbs) Roadsters produced. If you own a Bulletbird Roadster with a 4V carb, your VIN # should start with 2Y89Z (1962) or 3Y89Z (1963). The 6V carb equipped "M" Series Roadster has a VIN # of 2Y89M and 3Y89M.

If you look for a Bulletbird 6V Roadster, make sure the Data Plate shows a VIN # with a M in it and not a Z.... Some creative people have been known to take a 4V "Z" Series Roadster and jazz it up to make it look like a 6V "M" Series Roadster... Buyer beware... I think you will find a lot of excellent information in this article, which is, at present, the last one in the .pdf file. I hope to finish scanning in and uploading the last of the articles in this very last edition of this magazine. You will find the .pdf file in the Technical Resource Library, down under the Books and Magazines section towards the bottom. I hope you enjoy the articles, as there is some great stuff there on our Tbirds that was written back in the mid 70's. When you are looking for particular technical information don't forget to check the Thunderbird Illustrated Magazine articles because there is some terrific information in them regarding working on our Tbirds!

[YellowRose]

'62/'63 390 & 406CI Engine Info

Here is some additional information that I have gleaned from various sources regarding 1962/1963 "M" Code Bulletbird Sports Roadsters.

Some history of the 390CI and 406CI engine used on the 1962/1963 Sports Roadster Tbird.

According to Thunderbird Illustrated Magazine, Summer, 1976, Vol. 2, #4, (the last edition), there were 120 1962 Sport Roadster "M" series (6V) made. How many of them had the 406CI 6V engine, I do not know. For the 1963 model year "M" series Sports Roadster (6V), only 37 were produced. Of those 37, from what I have read, only 18 had the 390 (6V) 340 horsepower engine in them. The other 19 must have had the 406CI (6V) 405 horsepower engine in them. That engine only lasted about two years and was replaced by the 427CI engine.

An addition for 1962 Tbird was a special engine code for the 390 and 406CI engines (VIN engine code M) which added a Tri-Power or three two barrel setup to a higher compression version of the 390 engine. This engine used 406 heads as well as the same carburetors that were found on the high performance 406 powered Ford Galaxie but with a modified version of the intake manifold to allow for proper air flow under the engine. The 406 engine boasted 405 hp but was considered a moderate failure. The engine option was quietly discontinued halfway through the mid 1963 production run.

According to Thunderbird Illustrated Magazine of Summer, 1976- Vol. 2 #4, in January, 1962, a triple two barrel (6V) Holly carb was made available (the so-called "M" series) on the 390 engine. Beginning in January, 1962, about halfway through the production run for the 1962 Bulletbird a special 340 horsepower six barrel (6V) high performance engine called by Ford the "390 Sports V-8" became available. However, sales were so bad probably less than 300 were built and sold across all Ford cars during the 1962 and 1963 years. The "M" series was discontinued in December, 1962. All "M" series Tbirds were built in 1962 only, although some were 1963 models built in late 1962. The "M" 6V Tbird engine was only available for 10 months or so, in the last six moths of the 1962 production run and the first four months of the 1963 production run.

In 1962, 120 "M" series Sports Roadsters were built and for 1963 model, only 37. This is from Wikipedia. "Another addition for 1962 was a special engine code (VIN engine code M) which added a tripower or three two barrel setup to a higher compression version of the 390 engine. This engine used 406 heads as well as the same carburetors that were found on the high performance 406 powered Ford Galaxie but with a modified version of the intake manifold to allow for proper air flow under the engine. This engine boasted 345 hp (257 kW) but was considered a moderate failure. The engine option was quietly discontinued halfway through the mid 1963 production run." There were different Tri-Power units in use depending on the 390 6V or the 406 6V engine in use. Tri-Power Carb Numbers for the 390 6V were 3563-Front, 3559-Center, 3563-Rear. For the 406 6V, 3434-Front, 3440-Center, 3434-Rear.

This, apparently explains the use of the 406CI engine (or components) in the Sports Roadster "M" series Tbird. Thunderbird Illustated magazine spends a lot time talking about the 406CI engine and the Tri-Power (6V) carb, as used in the 1962/1963 Sports Roadster "M" series Tbird.

You can read that information and a lot more in the Technical Resource Library down under "Magazines & Periodicals".

Where to find the VIN # and Data Plate information on a 1962/1963 Tbird? If you are checking to see if one of those two years is a REAL Sports Roadster "M" series Tbird with the Tri-Power carb (6V), look for the Data Plate at the door pillar (1962 and early 1963), or the door edge (most 1963). It also appears on the firewall edge at the right near the windshield washer nozzle and over the right headlights. There is no special emblem on the front fenders or doors showing a "390" or "406" engine in the car for these "M" class Tbirds as there are for other Fords with them.

[Guest]

Back in the day the 406 was the answer to the 409 but couldn't get away from a 61 ford with a 352. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. I'd still love to have a 406 galixe

[YellowRose]

Thunderbird Illustrated Bulletbird Info

Regarding the use of the 406CI 6V engine in the 1962/1963 Sports Roadster, I am probably in error on that, as noted by several of you and I apologize for that.

I am upset with myself for allowing that thread to get off subject! I should not have gotten into this subject in that thread because it was unrelated.

What has caused my confusion about the 406 6V being used in the '62/'63 Sports Roadster is the way the article is written with so much detail about the 406 6V. I got the impression that they actually put the engine in the car. AND this thing about there only being 18 Roadsters with the 390 6V in them... I have seen this number cited in one or two other articles about the '63 Sports Roadster production. In fact, if you look at the For Sale Forum, you will see that Bill Johansson also used that number when advertising the two Sports Roadsters that are for sale.

So I took it for granted that the other 19 made must have had the 406 6V engine in them, talked about in the article in great detail, making a total of 37 manufactured for 1963 models. Apparently, I got that wrong. Someone else might have jumped on that 18 number like I did, not realizing they were talking about only 18 that were shipped to California. I have emailed Jim Wulf to ask him about this, but I am not sure he got my email. He has not replied yet. Someone said if anyone would know, he would.

I only have four years experience with these Birds, and others on here, like Alan, has decades. As he says, he has yet to see any records to indicate that '62/'63 Sports Roadsters went off the line with 406 6V engines in them. However, I did read in one or two places that 406 6V manifolds might or where used on some of these Birds. I just don't remember now where I read that. I do know that Alan has been down the road of tracing down stories and rumors similar to this many times, only to find that they are only stories that got misconstrued over the years. He has tons of knowledge about these Bird I probably will never have.

So I assume I was wrong about the 406CI 6V actually being installed in these Tbirds at the plant and shipped out. Sorry, guys & gals!

[GTE427]

To help clarify this somewhat. The M-code 390-6V was available in 1962 and 1963 on four different body styles, the HT, Landau, Convertible and Sport Roadster. With some exceptions, they all had unique model and body numbers listed on the data plates and ROT sheets. Early 1962 Landau's and pre 2-2-62 SR's used the body/model codes of the HT and convertibles respectively.

The following production numbers from the VTCI as follows:

1962 M-code numbers: HT=17, Landau=5, convert=8, SR=120

1963 M-code numbers: HT=13, Landau=10, convert=18, SR=37

[YellowRose]

Thunderbird Illustrated Bulletbird Info

Jim Wulf has confirmed what Alan had to say about there being no gate releases ever having been found showing a 406CI engine in the "M" Code Bulletbirds. Just the heads were used. Here is what he had to say.

"I think a lot of the confusion over the M Code Birds is a result of Ford's decision to use the 406 heads on a 390 so the engine could breath better (larger exhaust valves) with the extra carburetor capacity. I've seen all of the gate releases for the 63 M Code Roadsters and every one of them specifies a 390 engine. As I read the article, I came away with the feeling that the author was making a great effort to differentiate the 406 engines installed in the big Fords from the 390 installed in the TBirds. So I'll have to agree with Alan on this one, although I would certainly like to believe otherwise. It would make a great story!"

Jim's Bulletbird was awarded the Senior Award at Hershey last week! Congratulations on that! Now it will be on to the VTCI Nationals and International events.