VERNONS

The third generation T-Birds arrived in 1961, however from the trio, the 63 is the most desirable. It was easily identified by the sharp crease in the flowing body work accented by a trio of parallelograms below it. It is referred to as the Bullet Bird. In addition Ford introduced in 63 an M Code Sports Roadster. This Sports Roadster model was the finest incarnation of the 1961-1963 Thunderbirds. It was one of the most glamourous cars on the block & one of the most exclusive. The sports Roadster package featured a Kelsey Hayes wire wheels & a fibreglass tonneau cover, covering the rear seat & effectively transformed the four seat T-Bird into a two seat sports Roadster. The Tonneau cover featured twin head rest, which flowed back to the rear, and left the impression of a true sports car. The interior was designed around a prominent centre console that split the cabin into two separate cockpits. Aircraft imagery in the controls is obvious. The interior featured a dash which curved at each end to blend with the door panels and a “swing away steering wheel” which would pivot to the side to allow easy access when the car was parked. The package included a dash mounted grab bar & wire wheels. The M code Sports Roadster package offered a 390 cubic inch 340 Horsepower engine with three holly 2 bbl Carbs. It could crack 100km/h in eight seconds.