3Y89Z114162 - Thunderbird Registry Number 1121
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1121
3Y89Z114162
1963
76B - M - 55 - 26K - dso ? - 1 - 4
Several years ago, I was showing a 1965 Thunderbird Senior car at the Milwaukee area new car show in downtown Milwaukee. An elderly gent came up to me and started talking 'Birds with me and he mentioned that he used to collect cars and that the only car he had kept was a 1962 Thunderbird with a weird 3 carb setup! My heart jumped into my throat thinking M series car! The old mans wife was with him and mentioned to me that SHE wanted the car out of the garage as it was not driven anyway.The old man frowned and shook his head while his wife was nodding her head YES behind him! I spoke with the husband and wife for at least an hour and then inquired about a chance to take a look at the old bird sometime. To my surprise, we set a date of a few days later. I always had my heart set on a 63 roadster, but was more then happy to take a look at any old rocket bird of interest! A few days later, I drove an hour to the couples address and was surprised to find a 63 bird with a roadster kit parked in the driveway. I thought that this could NOT be the 62 bird that I was told about but in fact it did indeed turn out to be the car the old gent had mentioned. My hands were shaking when I rang the bell and I had to do all I could to keep from running out to the car and starting my inspection of this car. I was invited into the house where I sat for over an hour talking about old birds with the old timer, while my mind was racing with thoughts of the bird in the driveway. Finally the moment of truth came and we went out to look over the car. First thing I did was open the door and looked at the data plate......while it indeed was a TRUE sports Roadster, it was NOT an M series car! Oh well....I then went to the hood and opened it up to find that it did in fact have a FoMoCo factory tricarb setup on the engine. I did a closer inspection of the car and found that it had all of the original headlights and FoMoCo mufflers on the car. The body was flawless except for several coats of paint and try as I might, I could NOT find any bondo in this car. It was then that I learned that the car was from California and had sat in a warehouse for 15 years as part of a collection of the old timer and his brother. I then had the chance to drive this awesome car and had to curb my excitement upon returning with the car. After another hour of talking with the old timer and learning that his wife had convinced him to sell the car to me, I made him an offer that was several thousand dollars less then he was asking. The old timer told me he would have to think about it for several days and call me back. I have to tell you that the next few days seemed like years as I waited for an answer to my offer. After 2 days of NOT hearing a word, I decided to mail off a letter explaining my futures plans and costs for restoration for this car as well as how much I had enjoyed chatting with his wife and him. Again, I waited for what seemed like years with visions of the roadster taking up every moment of thought in my head. After 2 more days of waiting,I decided to call this gent back and give him his asking price for the car. I called and again had a long conversation regarding birds with the old guy. I then came to the moment of truth and was going to tell him that I would indeed take the car when I was cut off by the old timer telling me that after long thought, that he would indeed except my offer price!! Waves of excitement washed over me as I set up a time a date to pickup the car. After I arrived at the old timers house, we had another long discussion about cars and we finished the transaction. I slid behind the wheel of the car and was backing down the drive when the old timer came out of the house and stopped me. After a pause the thoughts of him changing his mind ran through my head......Should I floor it and run!! (LOL:}) Needless to say, I did not take off. The old gent walked up to the car and extended his hand to me with a 20 dollar bill in it and told me to gas it up before I made the trip home! After turning down his kind offer several times, I finally accepted it and thanked him again!! What a day and what a ride home!!
Mark T. Pierzchalski
10/17/2002
390 V-8
Intact
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