Tom P's 1964 Hardtop

The Start of the Project

I found my 64 Bird in the local classified section. "1964 Thunderbird. Project car. $400." I had owned this same year a long time ago and had always wanted to get another one. And with a little extra time and money now, I thought that I should go and look. The car was not running but did not look all that bad with not much body damage or rust. The interior was all there without serious damage. So I paid the seller the $400 and called for a tow.

Now, I have never done a restoration before. So, I read a few books, subscribed to online forums and joined the local VTCI club...and dived into the project!

It didn't look that bad in the previous owners yard. Should have it ready to go in a few months right?

 

What Lies Underneath

I started dismantling the chrome and stainless steel on the exterior. Some of the pieces I polished using kits from Eastwood. Many pieces were sent out to be rechromed at JB's Chrome in Portland. This is when I started to see more rust than was visible before (more on that later). When I got into the interior, I found that mice had taken up residence along with some paper wasps. Although the vinyl looked good, it was not acceptable to reuse. So new vinyl was obtained from Bird Nest. One important tip when doing uphostery is to have the vinyl warm so that it is more pliable. Note that the new seat covering picture is taken outside on a sunny spring day. I am pretty happy with the results. Other plastic trim pieces and the dash were cleaned up and redyed or painted.

Mouse haven found under the seats. This also lead to more rusty spots that I had not seen before.	The new vinyl covering.	All other trim pieces were readied for repainting or dyeing.

With the inside out, it became obvious to this neophyte that I had drastically underestimated the rust problem in the floor pans and underside of tte car. I thought about doing some welding myself but quickly dismissed that idea. I did not have the equipment or the room to safely do welding.

The battery tray was completely rusted away.	The floor pans were not that much better.

Enter Charlie Watkins. Charlie had just opened his Thunderrbird restoration shop, Watkins Restoration and Restyling, in 2007 and he was available to do some work. While Charlie was doing a lot of body work, he also got the engine running but then had bad news.The engine was not going to make it. So the engine came out and was sent to Portland Engine Rebuilders. Charlie finished up the body work in early 2008 and then reinstalled the engine with all the accesories either replaced with new or overhauled original. I can't begin to tell you how much better it looks now!

 

Charlie looks over my T-bird in his shop.

 

The old engine. Wrong valve covers, carb and paint colors.	The new engine with all the new or overhauled 1964 correct pieces.

 

What is going on today?

Since coming back from Charlie's shop I have redone all the brakes, installed new leaf springs and shocks, had the transmission overhauled and removed all the old undercoating. The exhaust system will be going on next and that will complete all the underside items. I have started to put new vacuum lines and replacing whatever wiring has been cut and splice incorrectly. The dash will then go back in along with a refurbished radio. I think at that time I will be able to start it up and see what problems I may have with electrical and vacuum. Hopefully I would like to get the glass and paint on the car by this summer so that I will have a drivable car for the Northwest Regional Vintage Thunderbird Club convention in Spokane in the summer of 2009.