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After building a showroon stock 1962 Thunderbird, I got some leftover parts, like a set of custom wheels, and tires. Those parts were going to the parts box, at least untill last Sunday, when I took my 1:1 Galaxie to a show, and ended buying a couple of kits at the swap meet. One of the kits was a incomplete '62 Bird.
The engine was missing the heads the belts, the intake, the air conditioning compressor, and the exhaust manifolds. The wire wheels were missing, as was the chrome bar up front that protects the grille.
The engine parts were sourced by parts from a built Starliner I got at another swap. Not perfect, but pretty decent
The chrome on the Thunderbird kit all had a golden tint, that while a defect on a stock build, gave me an idea.
I have a can of Libra Gold paint from when I did a repaint on my Galaxie, and decided to spray the Bird in that color.
Used the custom wheels left over from my green T-Bird, and just using three basic colors (black, silver, gold) I built the car in two days.
Not much detail in just two days tough.
Instead of foil, I used chrome silver paint on the interior, and didn't have the time to paint the top yet.
The final touch was a custom plate: FE V8 390, and it was done... Right?
Not so fast!!
Here cames a twist:
Even tough I had liked the desigh of the custom "Sombrero" wheels that came with the new edition T-Bird kit, they are the steam locomotive kind: Too big. I really hate wheels any bigger than 15" on a classic car, and like I was afraid, the Thunderbird looked like a locomotive with the big wheels.
I had to make the Bird to look like the handsome car she is, so I got a set of chrome steel wheels from a AMT custom Catalina kit, and four whide white Firestones to match. Once I had them installed, the car got the "real automobile" feeling again, and also a "early '60s custom" feeling too. Like I don't like to do radical mods, I just lowered it a little more, installed some custom spears on the front bumper, and custom exhaust tips. Did a light dry brushing on the chassis, and called her done.
Yes, I think I'm a radical, I don't like modern wheels, or modern anything to be honest, and maybe I was born about 40 years too late.
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
Improved Thunderbird by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr
