Vintage Thunderbird Club International

If talking strictly Tbirds, 57 was the last year for Ford Red. For 58-65, I couldn't find a definitive answer. Apparently exports were painted a different color than those for the domestic market.

What kind of condition would a 67-69-year-old NOS condenser be in?

Try tapping the starter with a hammer.

Does your compression tester have 14mm threads or 18mm threads?

I use an LED light (not cordless); it's bright enough, but it does get in the way when moving around (there isn't a lot of space). I've even put a mini flashlight in my mouth on occasion when both hands were full. I've yet to swallow it.

Uncomfortable & hard to keep on my head.

I've done considerable under/behind the dash of my 55 without removing it. However, having removed the steering column, seat, and soft top provided more space. Lighting was less than ideal. Thinking that the factory red primer on the inside/back of the dash was surface rust, I painted it black (my c...

Although there is some truth in the saying, "Penny wise, pound foolish," paying more doesn't necessarily guarantee better quality.

Apparently, there was a bad batch of quartz movements for the Tbird conversions. I've not checked recently to see if the situation has changed. I had my 55 clock converted a few years ago; I finally got around to installing it, but no juice yet.

Sounds like Frankenstein has risen from the grave. If you're considering buying the car, you might want to look elsewhere. Does it have a salvage title?

Although I appreciate your concern about possible damage to your car, I would be more concerned about possible injury to an unsuspecting passenger.

Having the new cylinder re-keyed would be convenient, but it sounds like you're trying to do this on the cheap; in which case, having to use a 3rd key for the ignition would be a minor inconvenience.

Stamped steel or cast (dress-up) valve covers? Torque to 2 1/2-5 lbs.(30-60 inch lbs.) However, I would not trust a ft.lb. torque wrench to be that precise, and it's not likely it's been calibrated recently, if ever. You might be just as well off cinching it down with a box wrench or 3/8-drive socke...

If the starter switch otherwise works okay, I would just replace the cylinder and key. After 67 years, the cylinder and key have had considerable wear. On the other hand, you could buy a complete starter switch assembly and keep the original as a spare. If the aftermarket switch fails, You can remov...

If running 6v motors on 12v, I strongly recommend that you warn passengers to allow you to control the windows. My 55, converted to 12v, still has 6v window & seat motors.