And no, it’s not one of those tear-shedding situations when a ramshackle of a car is dug up from some wrench-forgotten scrapyard, where it lays abandoned, waiting for the smelter. The piston graveyards are full of old carcasses bearing badges that made the pride of their makers some half a century back.
This car – looking like it just came out of the box – obviously had a great life and enjoyed the regular visits to the car spa (read “auto shop”) for maintenance and care. This is what all classic survivor cars should live. The video is an excellent demonstration of attentive ownership – the power antenna works flawlessly.
This detail may not be the most important in a car, but it speaks volumes about how well this vehicle has been treated. The beautiful red-and-red convertible is an icon of a Thunderbird, shiny, clean, and in perfect driving condition – play the video for a short drive test. Its current owner auctions it – the reason is not stated – from Long Beach, California.
This is where it gets interesting. This same Bird was bought five years ago at a Barrett-Jackson bid for $77,000—a reasonable price for a low-mileage original from ’66. Nonetheless, the automobile is sold again five years later, and the asking price is $55,000.
What could be the reason for the $22,000 drop when the car only added 500 miles on the clock in this period? All Collector Cars Auctions list the auction at allcolelectorcars.com – and the highest offer at the time of this story is $33,000 – but the desired price is stated here at classiccars.com.
The car proudly holds several contest-winner awards – it has scored the perfect 300/300 on three occasions. Before the 2017 change of hands, the Thunderbird was purchased in 2006, with 5,500 miles on the clock. So, no apparent reason for the car to depreciate by nearly a third of its value.
The 390 CID (6.4 liters) V8 runs smoothly, starts in a blink, and drives flawlessly. The gear shifter on the tilt-away column quickly puts the three-speed automatic convertible on the move, and the power top raises and retracts without hesitation.
With the low mileage, the engine can still whiplash all 315 hp (319 PS) and 427 lb-ft (579 Nm), with which it left the Wixom, Michigan assembly plant. Although it was not advertised as having sporty inclinations, the Thunderbird kept an athletic allure, a nine-second 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) sprint time. The Flair Bird could reach 120 mph (193 kph) if a long enough tarmac was available in front of the eagle-shaped grille badge.
Power windows – in perfect working order, as seen in the video – and central armrests (front and back) add subtle hints of personal luxury to this Flair Bird. The functional map light might appear museum-grade in 2022. Still, back in 1966, it made a lot of difference to buyers. No air conditioning for this convertible – the possibility of letting the wind roam free in the car implied no AC was needed.
Three more days and the auction is over, and perhaps the Thunderbird will welcome a new lucky owner, but our question remains: Is there something wrong with this Ford?
