1961 Ford Thunderbird

This 1961 Ford Thunderbird arrived in the UK in 2005. With six previous registered keepers since then, ‘731 UXL’ is coming to market after a few years well-deserved rest.

You see, the seller’s father sadly passed away four years ago after enjoying owning and driving it since 2017. It’s been in storage ever since, but his daughter recently entrusted it to a classic car restorer friend of hers, asking him to go through it and sort out all the little niggles an older vehicle accumulates after not being driven for a while.

Now suitably fettled, the sellers are ready to let it go to someone who will love it as much as their father did. 

The red coachwork looks very good; with good shutlines and a bright shine to the cheery red paintwork, it exudes the optimism the world still had at the close of the fifties and the beginning of the sixties.

The paint code on the plate inside the nearside door suggests it left the factory painted Monte Carlo Red, but it’s obviously had paint since then, albeit to a good standard as it still presents well. 

And it’s certainly an eye-catcher, especially from the front where the rechromed front bumper, which was done in 2017, makes its presence felt. In keeping with the scale of the car, this is a vast piece of real estate and yet there’s still no notable pitting or rust spots, only light tarnishing and a few superficial scratches. 

The rest of the brightwork is in a good condition, albeit showing some signs of its age. But we think giving everything a good polish with something like Autosol would make a huge difference and may even prove to be all it needs. 

The rear bumper is probably the exception; with spots of rust and pitting to its finish as well as a small dent, we can see the new owner will probably want to get this refinished too so it matches the one at the other end. 

The THunderbird sits well too, with a good stance and no listing. The 14-inch steel wheels are hidden behind a set of very good, chromed hubcaps, and the tyres are 215/70R14 Nexen Npriz AH5 all around. They all have decent tread left on them, although they are getting on a bit now.

Nevertheless, we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

The folding white roof’s mechanism has received some attention in the last decade, so the fact it rises and falls at the touch of a button as well as it does shouldn’t come as any surprise.

The condition of the roof itself is also very good, with only one short tear to the fabric on the area of the offside C-pillar. The plastic rear window is still bright and clear though, and the fabric is surprisingly clean for such a light colour. 

The lamp lenses are all good, as are the badges. 

Work to do is minor. Apart from the rear bumper the rubber windscreen seal is showing signs of its age, as is the seal between the front bumper and the bodywork. 

The rubber seal between the offside rear wing and the boot lid is old too, and it’s got some red paint on it, presumably from where a localised repair was made. 

Speaking of repairs, there is a rust bubble on the leading edge of the bonnet just inboard of the nearside headlamp cluster, which would benefit from the attentions of a good bodyshop.

Finally, the nearside rear wheel has a small dink in its rim. 

The bright red cabin is as gloriously over-the-top as you’d hope, being a wonderful medley of red material, chrome controls, and metal trim. 

It also benefits, we think, from genuine leather seats; the trim code of ‘55’ indicates it left the factory with red and white vinyl trim, which leads us to assume the seats have been retrimmed at some point.

This has possibly been done fairly recently too, if their condition is any guide as they’re still firm and free of any damage, and only the very gentlest of creasing being apparent to the front seats.

The Swing Away steering wheel is pencil thin. Finished in red, when used in conjunction with the delicate gearchange lever, the Thunderbird is a car you operate with your fingertips; nothing more than toe pressure may well be needed to bring it to a halt too, given the presence of the POWER BRAKE brake pedal. 

A Thunderbird-branded radio sits in the dashboard. This has not been tested, and even if it only proves to be decorative, it’s a lovely thing to look at. 

The controls for the heater, which sits below the radio, are equally ornate as are the switches for the electric windows; this is a car that’s as delightful to look at as it is tactile to operate. 

The interior of the hood and frame are bot pretty good, with the latter only having a few minor spots of rust. 

Which brings us to the question of what work needs doing inside. Well, the carpets are a bit worn and also sun-faded, with the latter most noticeable on the top of the transmission tunnel in front of the rear seat.

The white paint on the trim is flaking off in small pieces here and there too, but this, along with the carpets and the somewhat worn sunvisors, could easily be chalked up to the car’s developing character. 

The front floorpans have developed some rust though. It looks limited in scope and scale at the moment, but it will need to be caught sooner rather than later, so maybe your bodyshop could sort that and the rust bubble on the bonnet at the same time?

Finally, the boot is a bit scruffy. The floor appears to be solid though, but we can see the new owner will almost certainly want to bring its cosmetic condition up to the same high standard as the rest of the interior. 

Starting the engine is surprisingly free of drama because it fires up on the button before settling immediately into an almost imperceptible idle. Revving it does raise a bit more noise, but it’s cruise-liner-distant rather than race-engine-urgent.

Which is fine, because this is a car for murmuring around the ‘hood with the roof down and rock ‘n’ roll playing softly on the radio; a car like this doesn’t need to shout.

Lifting the bonnet reveals a slight rattle when the engine is revved, but this sounds more like something metallic clattering against something else rather than a more deep-seated problem. Ignore that though and all you hear is a mighty induction roar at one end and a magnificent exhaust note at the other. 

The engine bay is clean enough for you to be able to pop the hood and show off the V8 engine without embarrassment, which is all most of us care about. 

The underside comprises a mixture of old underseal, some of which has red overspray on it, as well as some fresh protection. With no more detail on the car’s recent history, and the last MoT inspection having taken place in 2017, we cannot comment whether any recent work has been undertaken.

But the online MoT history contains only one advisory (for wheel bearings) and no mention whatsoever of structural rust. It also looks solid to us, but we suspect the new owner will want to spend a day or two with a wire brush and check it for themselves before resealing it with a good quality underseal. 

The Thunderbird doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for being an imported car, and the history file includes a few invoice and bills from the past few years for repairs. 

“We were makin’ Thunderbirds
We were makin’ Thunderbirds
They were long and low and sleek and fast
They were classic in a word.”

‘Makin’ Thunderbirds’ by Bob Segar

If, like so many of us, you’re a bit smitten by the links between rock ‘n’ roll and American convertibles, you’ll probably have had your eye on the Thunderbird for a while now – and with a guide price of between £17,000 and £20,000, getting behind the wheel of a good one has never been more accessible.

And, even better, the sellers have sufficient faith in their dad's old car's to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid. 

Go on, admit it; you’re tempted, aren’t you? 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.