1966
Ford Thunderbird
Believed to have 36,750 Original Miles
VIN 6Y83Z129643
There’s an old saying in the collectorcar world: Any vehicle can be restored, given enough time and money, but it can only be factory-original once! If you've followed our Ebay auctions, you've noticed we’re able to offer some of the nicest, local low-mileage vehicles anywhere and this "Flair" Bird Coupe is a perfect example! The car has had only two owners and been driven very sparingly over the past five decades. It came to us from the elderly widow of the second owner. He inherited the car in 2001 from his older brother who had purchased it new in Utah. The Thunderbird was always kept properly garaged in Provo before being transported to the Northwest fifteen years ago. I‘ll be sure to include the file ofparts & repair receipts going back more than two and a half decades. We believe from the family’s representation (and the vehicle’s condition) that the 36,723 miles registering on the odometer are accurate. Of those, the service records indicate the car has travelled fewer than 3,200 miles over the past 25 years!
I’ve spent the last few days driving this solid boulevard cruiser on my rounds and really enjoy the way it runs and drives out. Roll down all four electric windows and you hear great comments at every traffic light!
For those interested, here’s how the VIN Code breaks down:
6 = 1966 Model Year
Y = Wixom, Michigan Assembly Plant
83 = 2 Door Hardtop
Z = 390 V8 with 315 HP & 10.5 Compression Ratio
The door data plate spells out the following:
Body: 63A = 2 Door Hardtop with a conventional roof
Color: P = Antique Bronze Metallic (still in the original color)
Trim: G9 = White
Date: 14M = December 14, 1965 Build Date
DSO: 71 = Los Angeles Sales Area
Axle: 1 = 3.00 Gears
Trans: 4 = 3 Speed Dual Range Automatic
If you have questions or would like to discuss a sale before the end of the eBay listing, feel free to contact me. My name is Mark Thompson and my number is 206/914-1173. What you see in my photos is not the result of a detail, this car came to us in this superior, original condition!
CONDITION:
The photos really do tell the Thunderbird’s story. I’m always happy when we come across these well-preserved, original vehicles and are then able to offer them here to you!
I believe it still has most, if not all, the same paint it wore the day it left the factory. I’m not a body or paint guy, but I don’tsee evidence of exterior repair having been done. My photos show about the only real flaws are a few paint chips that have all been touched up over the years. Because the car has always been garaged and driven sparingly, we’ve found NO body rust. Feel free to climb over, under and around this rig - I absolutely know you’ll come up smiling! The factory steel wheels are all straight andtrue, havetheir original wheel covers and are wrapped with matching all-season radials. Remaining tread is at least 90% on each. Yes, the sequential tail light feature works properly too!
Please take another good look at the interior pics. Settle into the driver’s seat and you’ll quickly recognize that about everything is clean and original right down to the door handles. The six-way adjustable power driver’s seat shows virtually no wear or underlayment foam breakdown. Both front buckets and the wrap-around rear bench are in great condition and are very, very comfortable. Like me, you’ll be impressed with the condition of the dash gauges, too. This ‘Bird even has the fairly rare “Safety Convienence Control Panel”. Costing an extra $58, this option package included center dash switchesoperating four-way flashers, a vacuum control to lock/unlock the doors and low-fuel and door ajar warning lights. They’re still as clear and bright as the day this T-Bird drove off the Wixom assembly line. Same goes for all the interior chrome and other metal parts! The stock transistorized AM radio plays wonderfully. We have a 1991 receipt for new A/C parts and it’s apparent the original York compressor was likely rebuilt at that time. I don’t know why, but the outlet hose connection was capped off and no drive belt ever installed on the unit back then (likely because the owner felt there was little use for air conditioning here in our mild climate and wanted to avoid future servicing costs). I did find the missing high pressure line stowed in the truck and will include it. We refreshed the trunk with a new factory-style vinyl board kit this past week (there was NO rust found there). About the only negatives to report are an amateur repair to the pull handle cup on the driver’s door panel and a tiny bit of wear near the corner of the carpet heel pad.
Mechanically, I feel the T-bird is in great shape. Even after sitting in our storage warehouse for a few days at a time it starts right up with the first few cranks – you just can’t beat the bulletproof Z-code 390 V-8’s that came standard in these years. I met with the second owner’s adult son when taking delivery and he indicated the carburetor was rebuilt within the last fifty miles of use. Our mechanic went over the car at my warehouse and was very impressed with the condition and proper preservation it’s quite obviously received over the years. We did an oil change and minor tune-up, just to set a benchmark. I can report that it freeway accelerates and cruises smoothly through all the gears to 70 MPH just as it should and that the brakes feel fine – no pulling or fading.
If you’re in the market for a low-mileage, original, great driving Thunderbird, please give this car your kind attention. I seriously doubt you can find another in this overall great shape, with these milesAND with a ridiculously low reserve! As a decade-long Ebay seller with hundreds of satisfied online buyers, I want you to bid with confidence knowing that this Thunderbird looks, runs and drives as it should and that it is being properly represented to you. Because the car is being sold "as-is, where-is" I always encourage potential bidders to have an inspection done before the auction ends. Due to the age of the Thunderbird, there are likely things I've not come acrossduring my own inspection and driving. I'm happy to coordinate with anyone you choose to look the car over.
We’ve helped arrange long-distance shipping for many of our customers, but I also have no problem encouraging bidders to do what others from as far away as Alaska, Chicago, Arizona, Eastern Canada, Florida and even the Mexican Baja have done – fly in (We’ll pick you up at Sea-Tac International eight miles away) and then drive home cross-country the same day! I wouldn’t hesitate to do a long-distance trip in this car. Overseas buyers are always welcome, too! We’ve helped ship a number of cars to England, Scandinavia, Europe, South America, Australia and New Zealand over the past fifteen years.
TERMS OF SALE:
You’re encouraged to check the photos over closely and call me with any questions BEFORE you place a bid! Come by and drive the Chevy at our premises during business hours if you’re in the area. DEALERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO BID AS WELL! Additionally, I reserve the right to end the auction early if the car is no longer for sale or an acceptable offer has been agreed upon. A nonrefundable $500 deposit is due within 24 hours of the auction’s end if you’re the winning bidder. The remaining balance is due by cash or certified funds within seven days unless prior arrangements have been made with us. Please remember, you are bidding to buy and I fully expect the winning bidder to fulfill their Ebay contract! You are not bidding to hold, inspect or then come test-drive the vehicle later. You’re more than welcome to do this before the auction ends.
If you decide to have theT-bird shipped home, there are numerous vehicle transportcompanies to choose from. We ship vehicles regularly and I'd suggest getting a transport bid from www.U-ship.com. Brokers there will bid delivery of the vehicle and you'll be able to choose who you want to use. West Coast buyers, I have a great local hauler that regularly delivers our vehicles anywhere in Washington, Oregon and California at very fair rates. Ebay endorses Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS). They’ve transported dozens of our sold vehicles nationwide and are about the biggest in the business. Call them at (888) 817-6203 and give the sales rep our affiliate number (2362642) to pull up our address for a station-to-station or door-to-door quote.
For overseas transport, I always recommend CFR Rinkens. We work with several international brokers on both the west and east coast and can help with overseas arrangements as needed.
The costs of shipping the vehicle and company chosen are the responsibility of the BUYER. Thecar can be stored free of charge at our location for up to two weeks after the auction ends and full payment has been made. We’ll charge $15 per day beginning the 15th day.
Because the Thunderbird is advertised and for sale locally, we reserve the right to notify bidders and cancel this auction early if the car is no longer available for sale online. It is being sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All information described above is based on the observed condition when thelisting was placed. I've done my very best to describe the car as accurately as possible.