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Project: Cruise, a 1960 T-bird.


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Wellllll….Long story short this is a 1960 Ford Thunderbird with I think is a 429ci w/3speed auto trans, A/C, power steering and power brakes. I got it from a friend of mines family who inherited the car, they had plans for it but with their son(my friend) being in the military, they won't be able to do anything to the car. So they asked if I wanted it and who was I to say no, hell I even got the parental approval on this one! So here's some pics, I will get more the next time I am at the car. 

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She needs a little work but 95% of it is there. Interior is in great shape and its rust free. Currently have new tires awaiting to go on the car. Sadly the drivers side window is broke and so is the windshield and what looks like the power window switches in the console.

Oh and at some point in its life it was in an accident as the front end had been replaced but only lead bondo is present so it was done forever ago.

This car I plan to take my time with and just see where it goes but I know I'm gonna want to drive it that's for sure.

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9 minutes ago, JMO413 said:

That is just awesome!

This one is gonna be a fun drive.

 

Just now, Minuit said:

So what else have you been hiding from us this entire time? :laugh:

Lol. That 1976 Chrysler New Yorker I have been putting off. But that car isn't going anywhere, but I do need to try to get it to run long enough to move it under its own power.

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So I got the tires on. Completely forgot to take pics but it’s getting damn hot outside now. But I got the keys today and opened up the trunk and found some goodies inside such as three hub caps/wheel covers, books about the car, and a few other pieces and such. Learned that is has power assisted brakes which is different than the power brakes we are used to which requires vacuum. Main goal is to get the car moved and running and driving and hopefully not spend too much to achieve that. Also this was in the trunk and should help me greatly:

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An original FSM. So I’ll able to decode the VIN and give y’all the specs. It looks like the PO circled what the car has but I’m gonna take that with a grain of salt and wait. 

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1 hour ago, eaglescout526 said:

So I got the tires on. Completely forgot to take pics but it’s getting damn hot outside now. But I got the keys today and opened up the trunk and found some goodies inside such as three hub caps/wheel covers, books about the car, and a few other pieces and such. Learned that is has power assisted brakes which is different than the power brakes we are used to which requires vacuum. Main goal is to get the car moved and running and driving and hopefully not spend too much to achieve that. Also this was in the trunk and should help me greatly:

A82D19DF-3D55-4B85-AE29-965DF856629A.jpeg.2425b9c60277d3f40ae136ba622c8a7d.jpeg

 

An original FSM. So I’ll able to decode the VIN and give y’all the specs. It looks like the PO circled what the car has but I’m gonna take that with a grain of salt and wait. 

So is it a hydro-boost power brakes? How about a picture of the engine. I was a Ford guy before Jeep stole my heart so a 429 is just awesome.

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12 minutes ago, JMO413 said:

So is it a hydro-boost power brakes? How about a picture of the engine. I was a Ford guy before Jeep stole my heart so a 429 is just awesome.

I can't explain it. It might be like that but here's what it is used as the booster:

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Its like a vac assisted booster like an early style of the boosters we have now. As far as the engine pics, I don't have. Still need to but it was really warm out working on the car that mine and my fathers goal was to put on the tires and go home. PO has circled the 352Ci as the engine with the car but I'm taking that with a grain of salt as anyone else could've circled that but Cop White is written in the book under the single tone paints. 

 

Jdog and I have been talking about the brakes and he recommends I do the 67 and up style master cyl which is the same Bendix cylinder used for many years and cars, but I'm wondering if I can attach the later master cylinder to this set up?

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think this is gonna be a fun cruising car. I think I already have an idea on how I want to do the brake master cylinder. But first things first, either find the black widow or burn the car down. Lol. 

 

But aside from that for how good the interior looks you ought to think it should run right out of the box, I will have to see when I hit that point.

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So the car has been moved. It now resides at my grandparents house. Kinda excited for this project. Thank goodness the PO loved this car because there is all sorts of literature and restoration places that exist. Hell even one of the restoration shops is here locally and stocks a lot of 50-60's ford part and even has some remanufactured. So this will be a fun one.

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So a little bit about the car, everything the owner has circled in the manual is correct. It is a 352Ci with a cruise o matic with a ford 9in with 3.10-1 gear ratio. Tomorrow afternoon I will be going to the car to do a little work and see if the internal will move with no issue. Then see why the carb linkage doesn't want to move. Gonna have to buy some WD-40.

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1 minute ago, jdog said:

Oh on the carb side, if so look into a carb kit rebuild it.

Yup that's the plan. As far as everything else, nothing is really rusty. Just aged and greasy. Trans linkage is loose but that can be fixed when the car runs and drives.

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