1963 Ford Thunderbird
The final year of Ford’s sleek “Bullet Bird” generation delivered distinctive styling courtesy of designer Bill Boyer, featuring refined proportions that departed from earlier squared-off designs.
This personal luxury car offered multiple body configurations including hardtop coupe, convertible, Landau with vinyl roof treatment, and the exclusive Sports Roadster with tonneau cover and wire wheels.
The innovative “Swing Away” steering wheel slid 18 inches to the right when the transmission was in park, allowing easier entry and exit. Standard power came from Ford’s 390 cubic inch FE V8 producing 300 horsepower, mated to a three-speed Cruise-o-Matic automatic transmission.
An extremely rare M-code 390 option delivered 340 horsepower through three Holley two-barrel carburetors, with only 55 examples produced in 1963.
Ford manufactured 63,313 Thunderbirds that year, priced from approximately $4,450 to $5,560, making 1963 the conclusion of this generation before the larger fourth-generation redesign.
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