5Y87Z147713 - Thunderbird Registry Number 13579
1965
Landau 2-door
63B - A - 26 - 27B - 22 - 1 - 4
390 V-8
Wixom
Intact, likely mis-identified
Tom Sheets
Tom Sheets says: I purchased this special car through the internet this past spring (April 2003). Here is the story behind it. ----
In April, 2003 I was looking at car parts on Ebay and noticed that a dealership in Toronto was offering a black 1964 hardtop for sale. Although I had just finished acquiring a 1960 bird off Ebay, I had a desire to acquire one of these “flair birds” because my parents had owned one when I was a child in the 1960’s (a gold 1965, Landau) and I always thought it had the coolest interior with so much to look at. The space-age looking “cockpit” was very intriguing to me.-----The 1964 Thunderbird was reasonably priced, about $7500. I worked up the nerve and asked my wife if she minded if I took a stab at it – she said “yes”! I submitted an early bid and was quickly outbid. The buyer ended up having some financial problems and never came through with the money. The dealership called and asked if I was interested. I told him I needed to talk it over with my wife. (she said, go for it!!!! Is she amazing or what?) -------------Meanwhile, I got an email from a guy in New York who had noticed that I had placed a bid on the 1964 bird. He said that he owned a black 1965 Landau that was tons better than the one I had bid on (and only 59,000 original miles!). He wanted $1500 more than I was willing to pay on the other Tbird (the '64) but he felt it was worth it. After viewing numerous pictures, I got him to drop the price to $8000. That very night I caught a plane from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Long Island with my cashier’s check in hand. ------------The next morning I took a cab to his house and saw the car for the first time! As I was checking it out, I noticed that it had the SPECIAL LANDAU plaque on the outside of the car near the roofline. I also saw the same markings on the inside door panels and also on the back of the seats. I was surprised that the owner hadn’t advertised it as such, as one of the only 4500 Special Landaus that were made. -------The body and paint was immaculate just as the guy said it would be. The car seats had been restored with a beautiful shade of silver blue (perhaps more accurately described as turquoise), with a black padded dash and instrument panel area. The landau roof was made of a black cloth-like material and in marvelous condition. ------------------------------------------------------ I immediately began the nerve-racking 13 hour drive home to Michigan - scary in an unfamiliar vintage car with all that traffic. As I drove around the island of Manhattan towards Interstates 80/90, I couldn’t help but wonder if this 38-year old car could handle the long drive - but I enjoyed the thought of an adventure! -----------------The car ran very well. I was more than pleased. I received numerous “thumbs ups” and waves on the way home. 10-13 miles per gallon made for an expensive drive but it was fun all the same. --------------I was soon disappointed in one observation. The odometer wasn’t working. It had gone unnoticed until I was miles away from the guy’s house. This clearly indicated that the 59,000 on the odometer wasn’t accurate and I was irritated that he had represented it as being so. Immediately upon arriving in my Grand Rapids area home, I emailed him with my discovery. His response, was that he hadn’t noticed that it wasn’t working because it had been stored much of the time.. He added that it must have recently stopped working.----------------I immediately got on the internet to refresh my memory regarding the details surrounding Special Landau. I learned that there were only 4500 made and that they only came in two colors – Wimbledon White and Special Ember-Glo (Copper) Metallic, a color exclusive to this model in 1965. --------------I went on to read that all Special Landaus came with an interior of simulated woodgrain trim called "burled walnut," a pattern not used on the standard Landau models, and the Special Landau nameplates mounted on the front door trim panels and back of the seats reminded occupants they were in something special. Reportedly, all Special Landau models were equipped with a Special Parchment-colored vinyl roof, and a matching interior. Puzzled that my car was not matching the colors described in the article, I located the data plate on the inside of the door. It indicated that my car was painted black when it left the factory, with black trim in the interior – exactly the way my car appears. Since Special Landau T-Birds were reportedly were never painted black at the factory, it is a mystery why I have a black Special Landau in my possession.
Tom Sheets
12/30/2003
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13579
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5Y87Z147713
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