Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

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Scott J. Fonner
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Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by Scott J. Fonner »

I have a 1965 convertible bird, found an inexpensive 1964. Desire to convert to A/C, and other parts. Don't need any body parts, possibly fender skirts and I'm pretty sure they're fine.
I don't know what I don't know
Thanks in advance.
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paulr
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by paulr »

Many MY64 parts transfer to 65 directly; some don’t. I suggest specifying whenever you can.

Per A/C, a 64 system is a perfect donor for a 65. That doesn’t mean all the parts are usable. Hoses, drier, some fittings, and possibly service valves will need to be replaced with new unless they are all new. That stuff is all available. Major components will have to be inspected, cleaned, converted for r134 use, etc. Your 65 firewall has knockouts (more like impressions) to be cut. It’s all a big, tedious job, but not difficult. If you take the 64 apart, then you’ll have your template for putting it together on the 65.
You can also buy a kit from Classic Auto Air. Still a lot of labor, but it’s turnkey. They work great, but authenticity is lost, especially the way the dash looks, but that’s my opinion . The factory system works excellent and is superior IMHO. Good luck.
Paul
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Terry64HT
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by Terry64HT »

You will also need quite a bit from the dash. The heater/ac controls, including the fan switch, the grill that goes above the radio, possibly some of the dash face to accommodate the grill and also the heater box. I believe the non-a/c one will not work. as Paul said, you obviously need all the a/c mechanical parts.
I have no idea what would have to be changed as far as the dampers and vacuum motors go.
As a matter of fact, you might want to consider swapping dashes.
Sounds like a ton of fun.....
When I finally got around to redoing my a/c, I switched to a Sanden-type compressor that I painted black to match everything else. It's hardly noticeable and works great. If the compressor you got is not in good shape, give it some thought.
Terry
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paulr
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by paulr »

Yeah, that's a good catch, Terry.. The "heat only" control head is cable-operated and works with the heater box--that stuff all gets replaced with the HVAC plenum which is vacuum operated. Everybody has a hissy-fit about vacuum in these cars, but taking on this operation is the ideal chance to install a like-new vacuum system and proper AC control head since you're going to have the dashboard off anyway.

Those conversion kits which I'm obviously biased against make use of the existing heat-only control head by reassigning the cable controls which IMHO is lame. Call me a curmudgeon. :mrgreen: Get the donor car and have it all Detroit, baby!
Paul
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tbird
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by tbird »

You will need to find new dash panel for the A/C grill area as the 64 has a brushed aluminum finish and the 65/66 has a black camera case finish.
Jim Mills
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sseebart
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by sseebart »

Scott J. Fonner wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 2:13 pm I have a 1965 convertible bird, found an inexpensive 1964.
Pretty sure I know the answer to this question, but is the '64 donor a convertible as well?

~Steve
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cacockrum
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by cacockrum »

I don’t know if this is an issue, but I recall hearing that some of the bolts for ’61 through ’64 Birds used a fine pitch thread (UNF), while ’65 and onward used the coarse (UNC) thread for the same size bolts. I don’t have any personal experience here as I have only worked on my ’66 and ’68 Birds, but if it is true, there could be some surprises along the way. Perhaps someone with relevant experience could chime in?

Also, isn’t the radiator for the air-conditioned car a little taller than for a non-air-conditioned car to accommodate the taller condenser? If so, won’t the radiator along with the side and upper shields need to be replaced? And what about the fan? Does the air-conditioned car require a 7-blade fan with a clutch instead of the 5-blade version?
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paulr
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by paulr »

cacockrum wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:38 pm I don’t know if this is an issue, but I recall hearing that some of the bolts for ’61 through ’64 Birds used a fine pitch thread (UNF), while ’65 and onward used the coarse (UNC) thread for the same size bolts. I don’t have any personal experience here as I have only worked on my ’66 and ’68 Birds, but if it is true, there could be some surprises along the way. Perhaps someone with relevant experience could chime in?

Also, isn’t the radiator for the air-conditioned car a little taller than for a non-air-conditioned car to accommodate the taller condenser? If so, won’t the radiator along with the side and upper shields need to be replaced? And what about the fan? Does the air-conditioned car require a 7-blade fan with a clutch instead of the 5-blade version?
I have done a lot of interchange between MY64 and 65, though not convertibles, so I can't say about any convertible parts. I won't say I did any in depth bolt analysis, but many salvaged OEM bolts were taken from several 64 and 65 junkyard vehicles for restoration. In the end they were not separated by model year, but by application, and all seemed to match the MY65 we were building. It's not a thorough answer, but it was a lot of bolts.

The radiator height is no issue--17" for 64/65 A/C or non-A/C. You might be thinking of the 19" radiator which came up in '66, and you DON'T want a 19" rad on a '65, because then your donor condenser won't fit and you'll need a '66 condenser, and shrouds, etc.--can of worms.
Definitely would want a 7-blade fan; I see those on Ebay or better yet, get one from Bird Nest or Pat Wilson or, obviously, the donor car. Clutches are available new.
Paul
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"Beer, now there's a temporary solution!" ~Homer Simpson
jtschug
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by jtschug »

I used a system from a '66 Landau to convert my '66 convertible to a factory A/C system. So I have done this. It isn't easy but it can be done.

I think one unknown is the wiring harness, as the '64 wiring is different from the '65, and the hardtop wiring is different from the convertible. I figured out how to make it work (the A/C clutch runs off the blower circuit) but it wasn't easy and I don't know if my fix will work in your situation.
1966 Thunderbird Convertible (Emberglo / White-Emberglo)
Modified 428 - stroked, rollercam, aluminum top end, headers
Livermore, CA
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Scott J. Fonner
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Re: Compatabililty of '64 & '65 parts - Considering parts car

Post by Scott J. Fonner »

I appreciate all the information. The 64 is a hard top.
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