#'S MATCHING 390CI, VERY NICELY RESTORED, R134a A/C, TILT AWAY STEERING COLUMN

Cars like this gorgeous 1966 Ford Thunderbird are a great study in the way the old car hobby works. For years, hese 'Birds were also-rans and little more than used cars. Then a few years ago, eople woke up and realized that they were more like baby Lincolns than simple Fords and values started inching up. Now, ecause of their affordability, eople rarely put high-end restorations on these cars, ut once in a while you come up with a gem like this that defies all logic and financial explanations. There just aren't many 1966 Thunderbirds nicer than this. OK, o that's not a Ford-sanctioned color, ut isn't it stunning? If nothing else, t emphasizes the thin line between Ford's top-of-the-line personal/luxury car and the Lincolns above it. With all the attention it's sure to receive, t's a good thing that the sheetmetal is super straight, he panel alignment is tight, nd the two-stage urethane paint looks like a million bucks. Despite a trend towards luxury, he use of chrome is restrained and there's no padded roof, nd little details like the stylized Thunderbird logo on the sail panels, he bullet-shaped turn signal indicators on the front fenders, nd the egg crate grille make a big impact. As you'd expect, he chrome is just as nice as the paint, resenting a car that's been not only loved, ut cherished as something truly special. Where the mid-60s Thunderbird really excelled was inside, here power options and lots of room for four made it a fantastic cruiser. This one offers an all-new black leather bucket seat interior that's as slick and stylish as the set of "Mad Men." A wonderful combination of patterns and textures make up the seats, eparated by a wide center console covered in stainless steel and wood veneers. The instrument panel owes its existence to the aircraft industry, ith separate little binnacles for each of the auxiliary gauges. Sleek is the word, rom the narrow steering wheel to the almost delicate shifter, his 'Bird oozes class. Factory A/C, ower windows, nd a later AM/FM/cassette stereo with a CD changer in the trunk make long-distance hauls effortless, nd anywhere you go you'll arrive feeling fresh. With a massive trunk, ou can also take all your gear with you without a second thought. A big, orquey V8 means that everything this Thunderbird does is effortless. With 390 cubic inches pushing it around, t makes incredible musclecar sounds out back, ut moves with serene quite inside. Lots of fresh Ford Blue paint gives it a period-correct look and sharp-eyed viewers will note that the A/C has been upgraded to R134a refrigerant and the hoses wear correct FoMoCo stampings. It starts easily and thanks to the Cruise-O-Matic transmission and 3.00 gears out back, t just loafs along on the highway. Disc brakes were added in 1965, rasing the Thunderbird's biggest liability, nd with a lifetime down south, his one is as solid underneath as Mount Rushmore. Original 15-inch steel wheels (special for disc brake cars) wear correct hubcaps and 215/75/15 whitewall radials. This is one of those cases where someone spent money all out of proportion to the car's value, ut that's your opportunity to cash in. Compare this stunner to all the garden-variety mid-60s T-Birds out there and you'll see that it's definitely the cream of the crop. Call today!