![]() ![]() Uniquely rare and nicely restored, this 1962 Ford Thunderbird Sport Roadster is "One of 558" early production model 76A "factory package optioned" Sport Roadster's assembled between Sept 13th 1961 & Dec 11th 1961. Why put numbers on the cars if its supposed to be a public road? I knew or cared nothing about your Mille Miglias and Pan American road races, so I always chose the Pontiac if I got first dibs.1962 Ford Thunderbird Convertible Sport Roadster 390 V8-Tri-Power: I couldn’t comprehend the set as anything but a mini super speedway, even though AMT marketed it as an “authentic model TURNPIKE”. They ran full size “grand national” sedans, not “personal cars”, so the Pontiac fit the mold while the ‘Bird didn’t. My Dad was a stock car fan, and I watched the races with him. Included were decals that, when applied, mimicked the look of NASCAR racers, but you could either run a powder blue Catalina or a buff T-Bird. At the time, I was perplexed by the choice of cars that came with the set. Even though a crossover slot allowed lane changes, we tired of them fairly quickly. Of course, in a kid’s imagination, the cars were more steerable than was actually the case they ran on swiveling dollies that limited the amount of arc that could be achieved. When I was 12 or 13, I asked for an AMT Turnpike race set, which was touted as more fun than the typical slot car of the day because the cars were steerable It was 1/25th scale, and came with controllers featuring steering wheels. So, what do you have here if you can ignore the automotive equivalent of breast augmentation? As far as I’m concerned, you still have 4,000 pounds of fireworks that anybody would be proud to own. ![]() And it is certainly a nicer car than my worn-out ’61 hardtop could have ever dreamt of being. And I suppose I would prefer one of these to the Landau models with the fake landau irons on the vinyl-covered C pillars. A little too much red for me, personally, but this is a popular combination for lovers of early 1960s Fords. My rant about unnecessary accessorization aside, this really is a nice car. I guess my problem is that I love the lines of the 61-63 convertible so much, I see no reason to detract from a beautiful car with a fiberglass toupee, even if it is a well-crafted toupee. Before there were Mustangs, Camaros and Hemi-‘Cudas at every car show, there were faux Sports Roadsters. It got worse when someone started making one for the 1964-66 models, too. The tell is that if the car ever had fender skirts, it was not a SR because the standard wire wheels required exposed rear wheels for clearance. I think there was a guy in Euclid, Ohio who left his alone. OK, every single owner might be a bit of an overstatement. Some time back in the ’70s (if not before), every single person with a 1961-63 Thunderbird convertible bought a reproduction tonneau cover and stuck it on the back of his car. So, JP, given the rarity of these and all, why the attitude? It’s like this, guys. There is an interesting article on the Sports Roadster on Automotive Mileposts ( here). OK, and maybe a wire wheel recall didn’t help. ![]() The Bird was a prestigious car, but in 1962, that prestige had a limit. Probably because the car with this package cost $5,439, which was less than $200 below the cost of a Cadillac. Ford didn’t actually intend to sell that few, but it just kind of happened. The package also included Kelsey-Hayes genuine wire wheels, a grab handle on the dash, and a little emblem on the front fender.Ĭool, right? Especially since Ford made only 1,427 of these cars for 1962, and another 455 1963 models. The biggest feature was the fiberglass tonneau cover with the faired-in headreasts that attached behind the front seats. The 1962 Sports Roadster was designed to bring back the aura of the revered two-seat Bird in a modern package. It gave the T-Bird convertible added sex appeal. Why, you might ask, does this cool accessory cause me such angst? Let me explain.Ī year into this body style, Ford did what many guessed could not be done. Here is my problem – that blasted fiberglass tonneau cover. The owner of both cars seemed surprised that I was more interested in an old Packard sedan than in a T-Bird convertible. I found the 1956 Packard Patrician ( CC here) that was sitting out in the same driveway. So, why wasn’t I more excited when I found this one?Īctually, I didn’t really find this one. ![]() And as much as mine abused me, I love them still. Actually, I love them better when we call them Cigar Birds, but tomayto/tomahto, and all that. ![]()
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