1963 THUNDERBIRD SPORTS ROADSTER
Complete Rotisserie Restoration
in progress now


November 12, 2004 update:
The front spring are out and the suspension and brakes are completely
dissassembled. I haven't removed coils from one of these since I
restored TPLS63, that was a really frustrating experience.
You can read about my first coil spring experience HERE if you haven't yet.
The springs on this car all look in excellent condition so I'll just
be cleaning and painting them and reinstalling them with new insulators
everywhere. The leaf springs came apart pretty easily.
Usually heat is required to get the shackles out of the rubber
bushings. The steel shaft gets rusty inside the rubber and they're
nearly impossible to get out without the zippo.
(acetylene torch, aka "liquid wrench" :-) ) I got all the
chrome parts packaged up for shipment to AIH Chrome Plating
in Dubuque Iowa. If you need chrome plated, call Steve at
1-800-782-8235, There work is "perfect", no BS!
I'll be sending the dash to Just Dashes in California to get
new padding and a new skin. This one has the usual cracks from
the sun, and you can't repair them and make it look good.
The next time you see these parts, they'll be "new"!!
There won't be anything overlooked on this Roadster, like I said
earlier, it'll be "as good as" or "better than" new.
f_coil_spring.jpg
I hate these! 		f_coil_spring_out.jpg
Whew! 		f_front_suspen.jpg
Front end parts 		f_rear_springs.jpg
Rear end parts
f_63srchrome1.jpg
Chrome to be plated 		f_63srchrome2.jpg
More chrome (ka-ching) 		f_dash_pad.jpg
Cracked dash pad


Here's a special treat!
This morning I got a call from Jim Patrick at the local
Ford Dealership. They just received their one and only
2005 GT and it is sold and will be going to it's new owner
somewhere in the Twin Cities tomorrow (11-13-04) and he wanted me
to see it while It was there. They are only building a total of
1500 of these in a 2 year run ('05 and '06) and only the top
9% of the Ford Dealers will get one. John Ford got #1, and Jay Leno
got #3 off. This car is #224. The Sticker price on this beauty
is $156,900.00, and I believe it was sold in the neighborhood
of
$250,000.00!!

He told me one of the reasons they aren't building them more than 2
years is that in '07 new Federal Regulations will be implemented
that won't allow these to be built anymore.
Is Ralph Nader on the move again?
224gt_rf.jpg
Right Front 		224gt_lr.jpg
Left Rear 		224gt_interior.jpg
Cockpit 		224gt_engine.jpg
ZOOM, zoom!



Page 1
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7



Email Tom Maruska



Return to