![]() The Sports Roadster should still be considered a luxury car rather than a direct competitor to Chevrolet’s Corvette. There were no transmission choices, meaning that every car featured a three-speed automatic and power assistance for the steering and brakes. The rest received the Z-Code version that pumped out 300hp. Only 120 vehicles received that motor before the company quietly dropped it from the Thunderbird range. The rarer and more potent was the M-Code 390ci V8, producing 340hp. Hidden from view is a new black convertible top, and with spotless glass rounding out the interior, it wouldn’t stretch credibility to state this classic looks like it just rolled off a showroom floor.įord offered buyers in 1962 two engine choices for their new Thunderbird Sports Roadster. The chrome and trim shine impressively in the sun, while the 48-spoke Kelsey-Hayes wheels, another feature unique to the Sports Roadster, are in as-new condition. ![]() This addition gave the Thunderbird the appearance of a two-seater, although removing the tonneau revealed the back seat for those requiring a four-seater. The color is consistent across the car, including on the fiberglass tonneau, which is one of the defining features of the Sports Roadster. Its Silver Mink paint shines beautifully, and like the panels, it looks flawless. It is 1-of-1,427 examples of the Sports Roadster variation and has just emerged from a meticulous restoration. This T-Bird appeared in Ford’s showroom in 1962 and is a special vehicle. From its sharp and aerodynamic nose to taillights that looked like rocket motors, the Thunderbird had it all. Nowhere was this more visible than in the appearance of the Third Generation Ford Thunderbird. This enthusiasm was visible in many aspects of daily life, and vehicle styling was no exception. While the Soviet Union beat everyone to the punch with Sputnik and the feat of sending Yuri Gargarin into orbit, the American public’s imagination was captured by the government’s desire to land the first human on the moon. The world was caught up in the space race. The early 1960s was a fascinating period in history. ![]() I must say a huge thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for spotting this fantastic classic. They consider it one of the stars of their auction, and it will cross the blocks on Saturday, October 15th. It is set to go under the hammer, with the seller listing it here at Mecum Auctions in Schaumburg, Illinois. Our feature 1962 Thunderbird is one of those cars and has covered a mere ten miles since undergoing a meticulous restoration. The company released a limited edition version called the Sports Roadster, and those vehicles remain the most desirable in the Third Generation range. The car looked lower and more elegant than its predecessors, and sales were all that Ford could have hoped. But with the M-Code option this one is guaranteed to go for a heap more.Ford introduced the Third Generation Thunderbird in 1961 and immediately found itself with a styling winner. Mecum doesn’t provide an auction estimate but Hagerty’s valuation guide suggests a concours condition Sports Roadster with the standard 300 hp (303 PS) is worth $94,500, versus $65,000 for a regular 1962 T-bird convertible. The list of standard equipment includes power assisted seats, power windows, air conditioning and a tilt-away steering column. Painted in Raven Black and featuring a Pearl Beige interior, it rides on a handsome set of Kelsey Hayes chrome wires and comes loaded with luxury kit. Of those 120 documented M-Code cars built in ’62, only 40 are thought to survive.įresh from a ground-up restoration and a 2021 Best of Show award from the Vintage Thunderbird Club, this car is getting ready to cross the block at Mecum’s March sale. Almost 1,430 Bird buyers ticked the Sports Roadster option box in 1962, but only 120 decided to back up that sports car image with the M-Code V8, a special Tri-Power version of Ford’s 390 cu-in (6.5-liter) V8 that breathed through three Holley carbs and made a stout 340 hp (345 PS).
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