1962 Ford Thunderbird Z-code Sports Roadster

1962 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster Description

1962 Ford Thunderbird Z-code Sports Roadster

Ford offered four vehicle lines in 1962 – small, medium, large and personal luxury. MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to present this 1962 Ford Thunderbird Z-Code Sports Roadster. This example is one of just 1,427 T-Bird Sports Roadsters made in 1962, which picked up the nickname, “Bullet Bird.” Prior owner stated mileage 62,xxx was believed to be original to the car.

Made at Ford’s Wixom, Michigan (VIN code Y) assembly plant on March 22, 1962 (code 22C), and delivered to the Louisville, Kentucky sales region (code 36), where Louisville Motors on South Fifth Street in Louisville put it in the showroom. The car’s original owner lived just over the Ohio River in New Albany, Indiana and he bought the car on March 31, 1962.

The original window sticker is included with purchase shows to be an original "sports roadster." This T-Bird came with the following optional equipment – Nylon 8.00 x14 white sidewall tires, pushbutton AM radio, tinted glass, windshield washers, safety belts and outside mirror, plus leather bolster and inserts.

Finished in Rangoon Red (code J), this car’s paint and trim are in overall very good original order with blemishes due to age and originality. The car has straight and solid bodywork and the chrome bumpers look great.

This Bullet Bird rolls on Mastercraft all-season whitewall tires, size 215/75R14 at all four corners. Each tire is mounted on a special, 48-spoke Kelsey-Hayes wire wheel. Horn is inop and antenna is broken. The tires are in very good order while the wheels are in satisfactory shape.

Under the hood is Ford’s 390 CID V-8 (VIN code Z) with a four-barrel carburetor and breathing via dual exhausts. The Z-code motor puts out 300 horsepower (gross) with a 9.6:1 compression ratio. Backing this motor is Ford’s Cruise-O-Matic MX three-speed automatic transmission (code 4) and a 3.00:1 rear end (code 1). Driver convenience features include power steering and power brakes.

The most striking addition to the Sports Roadster was a fiberglass tonneau cover which covered the back seat of the car and created a two-seater appearance. Inside, the car’s interior is overall satisfactory order. The black, leather interior (code 86) could use some revitalization. The bucket seats and carpet are in decent order. The black-rimmed, three-spoke “Swing-Away” (see below) steering wheel is present and helps complete the car’s futuristic interior theme. The black and silver instrument panel is in very good order while the inner door panels are in decent shape. Completing the interior is a factory AM radio.

The Thunderbird introduced several firsts for the automotive market. The most distinctive feature of the 1961 to 1963 Thunderbirds was the highly touted “Swing Away” steering wheel. With the transmission in the park position, the steering wheel would slide approximately 18 inches to the right allowing the driver to exit the vehicle easily. Other innovations include a floating rearview mirror. Common on all autos produced today, this feature was first found on 1961 Thunderbirds. Depending on variable options, Thunderbirds could be purchased with options like air conditioning, power windows, power seats, AM radio, fender skirts and white wall tires. Several standard features, like power steering and power brakes, back up lights and bucket seats were costly options on most other autos.

Nineteen sixty-two saw strong production figures of 78,011 (including 9,884 convertibles) and the introduction of the Thunderbird Sports Roadster. The Sports Roadster was a limited production version of the convertible which added 48-spoke Kelsey-Hayes designed wire wheels, special badges to the front fenders and a passenger side grab bar to the front dashboard. One thousand, four hundred and twenty-seven Sports Roadsters were produced in 1962. Early models suffered from problems related to their specially-designed wire wheels. The problems were quickly corrected when Elvis Presley was involved in an accident in which one of the Kelsey-Hayes wheels collapsed during hard turning.

Competition to this T-Bird in 1962 included Buick’s Invicta Convertible, Chrysler’s 300 Sport Convertible, Dodge’s Custom 880 Convertible, Ford’s Galaxie Sunliner Convertible, Oldsmobile’s Dynamic 88 Convertible and Pontiac’s Catalina Convertible.

Documentation includes original owner’s manual, original window sticker and original sales brochure.

Ford fanatics, Thunderbird devotees and classic car collectors should take note of this special Thunderbird. With a little TLC, it could be restored to the fabulous tourer it was when new. Drop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars and take a look for yourself today!

VIN: 2Y89Z151927

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 63,731 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.

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