Produced from 1964 to 1966, the fourth-gen Thunderbird is hugely desirable as long as it’s mostly original. The 1965 model we’ll talk about today is one of those cars, “a real barn find in overall great condition.”
Listed on eBay by National Muscle Cars with a buy-it-now price of $19,950 or best offer, the T-Bird “starts right up, runs smooth, drives, and stops.” The drivetrain appears to be solid after all these years, and the same can be said about the electrical stuff such as the solenoids for the convertible top.
Parked sometime in the 1980s, the open-air cruiser with seating for two features the original hubcaps, pretty straight chrome trim, the factory R-12 air conditioning, and a tilting steering wheel. Currently showing a little over 49,000 miles (78,860 kilometers) on the odometer, the Thunderbird has also received a new master brake cylinder, gas tank, fuel sending unit, rubber hoses, and PerTronix electronic ignition for additional peace of mind.
Still, there are plenty of areas that need tender loving care. The top has to be replaced, and the system flushed, the passenger-side power window doesn’t work, the A/C system has to be recharged or converted to R-134a, the paint has seen better days, and some of the exterior trim isn’t up to snuff. On the upside, the underbody looks great despite some superficial corrosion.
According to the selling vendor, “the restored value of this car is $106,000 as per NADA Guides valuation.” That’s a whole lot of moolah when you think about it, but nevertheless, a whole lot of money and elbow grease have to be invested into the 1965 Thunderbird to bring it back to its former glory.
The online listing also mentions the 390-cu in V8 with the four-barrel carburetor, three-speed automatic transmission, and a 9.0-inch rear axle with 3.00 gears. The 300-hp, 6.4-liter engine allows the old-school cruiser to sprint to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in almost 11 seconds.
On that note, do you think $20k is a fair price for this lovely barn find?
Parked sometime in the 1980s, the open-air cruiser with seating for two features the original hubcaps, pretty straight chrome trim, the factory R-12 air conditioning, and a tilting steering wheel. Currently showing a little over 49,000 miles (78,860 kilometers) on the odometer, the Thunderbird has also received a new master brake cylinder, gas tank, fuel sending unit, rubber hoses, and PerTronix electronic ignition for additional peace of mind.
Still, there are plenty of areas that need tender loving care. The top has to be replaced, and the system flushed, the passenger-side power window doesn’t work, the A/C system has to be recharged or converted to R-134a, the paint has seen better days, and some of the exterior trim isn’t up to snuff. On the upside, the underbody looks great despite some superficial corrosion.
According to the selling vendor, “the restored value of this car is $106,000 as per NADA Guides valuation.” That’s a whole lot of moolah when you think about it, but nevertheless, a whole lot of money and elbow grease have to be invested into the 1965 Thunderbird to bring it back to its former glory.
The online listing also mentions the 390-cu in V8 with the four-barrel carburetor, three-speed automatic transmission, and a 9.0-inch rear axle with 3.00 gears. The 300-hp, 6.4-liter engine allows the old-school cruiser to sprint to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in almost 11 seconds.
On that note, do you think $20k is a fair price for this lovely barn find?