1965 Ford Thunderbird 427

Page 2 - Other 427 T-birds

 !!!!UPDATE!!!!

 

 

 

 Had the car out today with the Fairlanes new wheels on it, photo is "real" but I made the windows tinted as they still arnt in yet. I am onto a guy here in NZ who has some, so with some luck i'll have my glass back soon.

 

 

 
Pictures modified in Paint Shop to show 18" Rims and tinted windows (They arnt in yet!).  

 !!!UPDATE!!! 427's back in the hole!

Put the motor back in with the headers on for a test fit, all fits except the drivers side valve cover is to tall and hits the brake booster. So looks like i'll be selling off the rebuilt original and getting a new booster with a dual reservoir master cylinder to make it fit! Theres about 5mm clearance each side between the shock towers and headers so its a tight fit. Droped in really easy, had the motor mounts on, gearbox off and every thing in the engine bay out though. I'm going to hide all the wiring so just checking to see where everythings gona go then the motors comming out again so I can make some changes and i'll repaint the engine bay again. Thinking of fabricating some custom mounts to get a smaller PS pump and A/C comp, may even make a serpentine system. Got a ford 3G 150A chrome alternator to go on and an electric water pump and electric fans too. I'm looking at converting all the old vaccum stuff over to electric so may end up removing the vac tanks yet.

Here is an old ford advert showing the tbird in a color similar to whats on my car. (The car is gold its just the sunset making it look like this)

 

Factory fitted 427, there is 6 left that I know about 1-1963, 2-1964's and 3-1965's there was supposedly 120 427's put in thunderbirds but it is very hard to document this.
Click Here for an article on the 427 tbird & Hi res pics of my Bird.
This is going to be my weekend kruizer, my son and I have spent 7 years so far on a ground up rebuild, its just had a bare metal respray in a custom colour. All the chrome is NOS, new or rechromed. I am changing the upholstery from the original red to black (storing all the original red stuff). I have some mint black door panels etc, just have the dash and the seats left to get. (I still want to do it cream with rosewood veneers on the door panels but will have to win lotto first!)
The car has only done 58,000 original miles and the 427 was rebuilt and bored .30 over in 1972 not sure what the mileage was then but it cant of been much! I had the 427 fully rebuilt, balanced and blueprinted in 2004. New forged .30 over pistons, 427 le manns rods, stock internaly balanced steel crank (ground and polished 10/10), Weiand Alloy Intake manifold, Holley 780 cfm carb, stock 427 cam, Melling high volume oil pump, Modified oilling system, The heads are the stock medium riser 427 ones but have had a bit of work done to them and have stainless valves, ceramic coated full length headers and Mallory twin point dizy. We start it up on the floor every second month until it goes in the car. It sounds wicked with the headers and no mufflers, but the neighbours dont think so haha!

Because it was rebuilt in 2004, before it goes in the car we will pull it down, do abit more to it and check that its still good. Its going to get roller rockers and a cam with a more aggresive profile, Electronic distributor, 4 bolt main kit and/or mains girdle, Electric Fuel Pump, Canton 9qt oil pan with baffles and if the budget allows, electronic fuel injection, link computer and a vortech supercharger! (Again I will probably have to win Lotto or wait until im 80 before that happens!) If it does get a blower i would look at building a gennisis alloy block and just putting the original motor aside, becasuse of its rarity I i'm not doin anything to the car that cant be returned fully to original spec.

The transmission is the stock FMX but has been rebuilt, shift kitted and had a few modifications done and has a higher stall tourque converter.

I'm looking at using a narrowed diff so I can get deaper dish rims on and converting the rear to 4-link and Air Bagging.

Will NOT be using all in one "Shockwave" air struts from a certain company in the USA now after problems I have had with there products failling on my Fairlane (Pm me if you want to know the details). Very unhappy with there service, the product failed twice and they will not refund or repair them! Despite it being there product design at fault (I had NZ's leading mechanical engineer look at it) Because of this i will now make my own including electronicly adjustable shocks so everything can be controlled from within the car, and it will last a hell of alot longer than the aformentioned product - 1st set >100 miles 2nd 1000 miles. The other option is another system with this electronic adj shock from Japan but my only concern is if they will be upgradeable to handle a 2000kg car as they are only designed for 1600kg cars..

The huge standard brakes have been fully rebuilt, new disks up front, the calipers have been sleaved in stainless steal, all new brake lines, new master cly and booster, Rear drums had a light skim (I will put some pictures of the rear drums up some day, you wont belive the size they look big enough to stop a truck!) I also have a wilwood adjustable brake proportioning valve in there to lock the front brakes, not that it'll need that with a 450hp 427!

Im not sure what wheels to put on it but will be 18" Torque Thrust 2's or Centreline Daggers.

 

 

A pic of my Fairlane and T-bird

 

Here's a pic before we started

 

 

Here's what it looks like now!
I just put on my NOS set of side trim still needs to be lined up and the door gaps smaller.

 These are the new clips that came with the NOS side chrome. 

Another picture down the side.

The guards were acid dipped, painted, undersealed then repainted again inside.

 

All the new chrome on the guard notice the 427 badge? Its not original as the 427 birds were all marked up as 390's even though they were 427's! Read the article on Tascas 64 to find out why.

The other side. I'm missing the clips for the C chrome so haven't got that on yet

New door handle and gaskets.

 

 

 

 

New Cragar rims, these ended up on my fairlane and now there on a 65 Mustang Fastback.

 

Nice Shiney paint with no orange peel!

Trunk full of more new stuff. The rubbers are only sitting in there, still need to be glued.

 

 

Shiney new paint in the engine bay. I've made Fiberglass caps that go over the inner fenders so that I can hide all the wirring and the seams, still working on them but will post pics whn done.

 

 

Here's the big 427FE detailed to match the rest of the car.

 

 

Here's the new back bumper and lights, still needs adjusting.

 

 

 

 

New Thunderbird emblem

 

 

New Tail lights (when I get them going I will take pics of sequential lights)

  

 

Nos right hand mirror.

 

 

New Hood bird.

 

 

New Gunsight.

 

 

Right side (still needs the NOS Trim put on)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't forget to sign the guestbook, check back soon for more updates. Also go check out my 1963 Fairlane.
Cheers Earle