Tales of the Thunderturd

Talk about your cars etc here. Keep it sort of sensible and on topic please.
Post Reply
User avatar
panhard65
Posts: 3944
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:18 am
Has thanked: 151 times
Been thanked: 4539 times

Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by panhard65 »

Ok here we go again now we seem to have a proper home. The quick recap !
I was looking for a new project at the end of last year and started out looking at Corvair's in the USA, but things went a bit wrong and somehow I ended up buying this '65 Thunderbird blind from a slightly dodgy geezer in Los Angeles.
01414_9zVHI5ihMzR_600x450.jpg
01414_9zVHI5ihMzR_600x450.jpg (64.45 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
After about 6 weeks of worry and 2 grand in shipping costs it landed in the UK
Thunderbird 357.JPG
Thunderbird 357.JPG (410 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
That was when all the real fun started. In some respects the car was better than expected but it certainly needed a lot of work. At some point in the mid 80's the car was taken off the road for a front suspension rebuild. This had obviously not gone to plan as one side had new ball joints and the front spring was in the boot. Getting the springs in and out is not a nice job and I ended up buying a lot of extra tools to do it and it was scary as fuck compressing them enough to get them back in.
Thunderbird 375.JPG
Thunderbird 375.JPG (525.97 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
Once that was done it had a full brake rebuild and a hell of a lot of carb trouble to get it in a state that it would drive around the yard.
thunderbird 427.JPG
thunderbird 427.JPG (525.58 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
Now to get more up to date. When it arrived I found that the small crack in the windscreen was a bit more than the seller described, so to get it back on the road I had to get a new screen. It was also a sensible time to get the top painted as they can do a far better job with the glass out. All the seals crumbled to nothing so more expence. It is now back from the paintshop but they lost one of the chrome trims that has to be fitted before any of the interior can go back in. I am now stuck waiting for the new trims to arrive that should be here next week. It does look good so far though.
thunderbird 440.JPG
thunderbird 440.JPG (507.21 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
thunderbird 444.JPG
thunderbird 444.JPG (478.38 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
thunderbird 443.JPG
thunderbird 443.JPG (442.82 KiB) Viewed 7363 times
1939 Hotchkiss 864
1966 Rover P5 (for sale)
1971 Lancia Fulvia Berlinetta (also for sale)
1977 Dodge 3700GT Hearse
1987 Renault 25 V6 Turbo
2010 Skoda Felica tdi
2013 Peugeot RCZ
2021 Yadea C1S Gay leccy scooter
User avatar
8BAK465
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:54 pm
Location: Wobshire
Has thanked: 189 times
Been thanked: 561 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by 8BAK465 »

Love comparing the First and Last pic :mrgreen:

Like me you have come a long way but it never feels like it until you start trawling through all the photos and piles of rubbish thats go into a skip.

Your doing a Grand Job though :)

Are you fitting the headliner yourself?

Ive bought one for mine I would get somebody else to do it but they want the earth and seem to be booked until eternity :cry:
[For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
User avatar
Junkman
Posts: 2948
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 11:52 am
Location: The Parallel Universe of R16 Ownership
Has thanked: 258 times
Been thanked: 1253 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by Junkman »

Look at that fascinatingly elaborate ventilation setup below the rear window. They didn't skimp on anything.
Supply Chain Disruption

1957 DKW 3=6 Sonderklasse
1967 Renault 16 GL
1983 Renault 4 TL
2001 Mercedes E240
2002 Datsun Dice
User avatar
Hooli
Self Appointed Internet God
Posts: 33181
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:25 pm
Has thanked: 14100 times
Been thanked: 10988 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by Hooli »

This is a wonderful beast.
Private signature, do not read
User avatar
fried onions
Posts: 3316
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 6:29 pm
Location: In my safe space (the garage).
Has thanked: 1449 times
Been thanked: 2372 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by fried onions »

Nice old girl. Did the Thunderbirds pave the way for the Mustang? It seems a similar type of car, albeit showing its Fifties roots.
Squire Dawson


HUMBER - built stronger to last longer.
User avatar
panhard65
Posts: 3944
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:18 am
Has thanked: 151 times
Been thanked: 4539 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by panhard65 »

Junkman wrote: Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:16 am Look at that fascinatingly elaborate ventilation setup below the rear window. They didn't skimp on anything.
The rear vents are operated by the vacuum system from a switch on the dash. The system also operates the power locks and the parking brake release. I have no idea how much of it works but I have a big roll of hose to replace the lot.
The Tunderbirds were the range topper car for Ford at the time and a lot bigger than the Mustang. This version called a "flarebird" was built from '64 to '66 with slight differences every year.
1939 Hotchkiss 864
1966 Rover P5 (for sale)
1971 Lancia Fulvia Berlinetta (also for sale)
1977 Dodge 3700GT Hearse
1987 Renault 25 V6 Turbo
2010 Skoda Felica tdi
2013 Peugeot RCZ
2021 Yadea C1S Gay leccy scooter
User avatar
panhard65
Posts: 3944
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:18 am
Has thanked: 151 times
Been thanked: 4539 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by panhard65 »

Well the side trims finally made it through customs (it took them 9 days to clear grrrr) Nice and easy to fit but not exactly a perfect fit as they are reproductions but still look good. I have got the screen fitters coming over on tuesday to put the screens back in then it is just a case of putting all the interior back together, fitting the rear silencers and taking it up the road !. Sounds easy is if put it like that but will probably take another month or two.
thunderbird 445.JPG
thunderbird 445.JPG (485.29 KiB) Viewed 7308 times
thunderbird 446.JPG
thunderbird 446.JPG (446.95 KiB) Viewed 7308 times
1939 Hotchkiss 864
1966 Rover P5 (for sale)
1971 Lancia Fulvia Berlinetta (also for sale)
1977 Dodge 3700GT Hearse
1987 Renault 25 V6 Turbo
2010 Skoda Felica tdi
2013 Peugeot RCZ
2021 Yadea C1S Gay leccy scooter
User avatar
LynehamHerc
Boomer, gammon, senile old fart and Eurosmasher!
Posts: 20506
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:37 am
Location: Here
Has thanked: 13632 times
Been thanked: 3588 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by LynehamHerc »

At least you seem to have all the bits now.
User avatar
panhard65
Posts: 3944
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:18 am
Has thanked: 151 times
Been thanked: 4539 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by panhard65 »

Well a little update the usual fix one thing and find another fault. The screens were fitted the other afternoon and today I fitted the rear silencers properly so it was ready for a run up the road. Trouble is it is now running like shit again. It is way too rich and stinks the workshop out, but I did get it outside for some photo's. I suspect it has the same problem as the hearse had as the fuel filter nearest the tank was full of dirt. I think it will have to have th tank pulled out and cleaned. Poxy bloody cars.
thunderbird 450.JPG
thunderbird 450.JPG (413.71 KiB) Viewed 7275 times
thunderbird 451.JPG
thunderbird 451.JPG (425.47 KiB) Viewed 7275 times
thunderbird 453.JPG
thunderbird 453.JPG (438.78 KiB) Viewed 7275 times
thunderbird 454.JPG
thunderbird 454.JPG (432.88 KiB) Viewed 7275 times
thunderbird 455.JPG
thunderbird 455.JPG (471.41 KiB) Viewed 7275 times
thunderbird 452.JPG
thunderbird 452.JPG (486.81 KiB) Viewed 7275 times
1939 Hotchkiss 864
1966 Rover P5 (for sale)
1971 Lancia Fulvia Berlinetta (also for sale)
1977 Dodge 3700GT Hearse
1987 Renault 25 V6 Turbo
2010 Skoda Felica tdi
2013 Peugeot RCZ
2021 Yadea C1S Gay leccy scooter
User avatar
8BAK465
Posts: 834
Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:54 pm
Location: Wobshire
Has thanked: 189 times
Been thanked: 561 times

Re: Tales of the Thunderturd

Post by 8BAK465 »

Love it,Just love it how it is :mrgreen:

Love the Aggressive Elegance of it :mrgreen:

50's T bird are a bit like posh yachts,70,s became a bit too much like an LTD

But yours is just about right!

If it wasnt for the fact I gor a affinity with the Mustang II I probably would of had a 60's T Bird ;)

Hope you get the rough running sorted out I really know how that feels :cry:

Thankfully mine is sorted now in that department but yeh was hell when it was running rich.

But we forgive them dont we,because even stood still they just look the nuts :mrgreen:
[For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Post Reply