1963 Ford Thunderbird (1961-1963)

This 1963 Ford Thunderbird is one of 455 Sports Roadsters built for its model year. Finished at the factory in Corinthian White (M) over a blue interior, it was originally delivered to Bay Shore Motors in La Jolla, California, and was later owned by musician Richard Carpenter. Power comes from a 390ci V8 paired with a Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes a power-operated blue soft top, a fiberglass tonneau cover, 14″ wire wheels, front bucket seats, power windows, brushed aluminum and chrome interior trim, and a push-button radio. The car was previously sold on BaT in April 2021 and again in February 2023, and the seller acquired it in 2024. This Thunderbird is offered with car show displays and awards, removed California license plates, a documentation binder with an invoice sheet, and a clean Arizona title. The car wears a repaint from ~20 years ago per the seller, who notes some stone chips and areas of aging on trim pieces, and it has a Sport Roadster-specific fiberglass tonneau, chrome bumpers, a driver-side mirror, and a single exhaust outlet. An accident in the 1970s is said to have included repairs to the front bumper and right fender. Chrome 14″ Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels feature three-eared spinners hub caps and are mounted with 215/70 whitewall Firestone FR440 tires. Braking is handled by drums at all four corners. The interior is trimmed with Medium Blue Metallic crinkle vinyl with Light Blue Metallic Vachette vinyl inserts (52), and the cabin has a lockable center console, power windows, Thunderbird-logo floor mats, lap belts for the front occupants, and a push-button radio. The clock is not working. A blue three-spoke steering wheel with a chrome horn ring is mounted to a Swing-A-Way column and fronts a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for fuel level and engine temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 98k miles, approximately 50 of which have been added under current ownership, however the speedometer was repaired under previous ownership, and total mileage is unknown. The 390ci V8 was factory rated at 300 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels through a Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission. Additional photographs of the underside are shown in the gallery below. Decoding the door tag reveals the following information: Body: 76B – Two-door Sport Roadster Color: M – Corinthian White Trim: 52 – Blue interior Date: 01L – November 1st build date DSO: 71 – Los Angeles ordering district Axle: 1 – Open differential with 3.00:1 gearing Transmission: 4 – Cruise-O-Matic An invoice sheet lists factory paint, equipment, and a Total of $5,932. Additional items that accompany the car are shown at the end of the gallery.