Doane Spencer Thunderbird(s) on the block

Ryan has mentioned this car before. Spencer’s T-Bird has never received the icon status of of his ’32 Roadster, but it is nonetheless a historically important car. Interestingly enough, there are actually TWO Spencer T-Birds with various original parts, and they are BOTH sold/ being sold at auction this month! Which one would you want: The actual car Spencer modified and drove but now looks a bit dated, or the replica built by Doane for a customer with many of his old parts that looks the 1961 version??

Here’s the catalog description for both:

Original Bird: 

“His modifications to the body were most prescient, anticipating the 1957 two-seat Thunderbird to a great extent. The nose has definite 1957 undertones, while the rear eschews a finned theme in favor of smoothly-rounded fenders and a tucked-under valence. The work was performed by Valley Custom Shop, a Burbank operation started by Neil Emory and his brother-in-law Clayton Jensen in 1948.
In the 1980s, Spencer decided to restore the car, which really resulted in an evolutionary ‘Bird. It now sports a 302 engine modified with lots of SVO and NASCAR parts and a five-speed transmission. The seats are black leather, with matching carpet and original dashboard. A smaller, leather-wrapped steering wheel is fitted.”

It just sold for $96,250

Second Version:

“Jim O’Mahoney a close friend and devotee of Doane’s work spent many hours in the small shop and as the Thunderbird was being dismantled, O’Mahoney kept an eye on the fact that many of the valuable original components were being tossed to the back of the shop. O’Mahoney told Doane: “You can’t just throw all that away, there’s a long history to your car�?. O’Mahoney proposed that Doane take the valuable components that he was discarding and rebuild for him the “original�? car. Doane agreed to the idea, warning O’Mahoney that it would be expensive and there would be no time constraints.

Original items of note that went into the O’Mahoney car included: the frame, the rare and original Ford heavy duty dual outlet radiator, the original windshield with Bonneville 1961 “Safety Inspected�? sticker, the rare ’57 Ford Spicer Limited Slip differential, the complete front and rear suspension assemblies, the T-10 four-speed close ratio gearbox, Stewart Warner gauges including Jaeger eight day clock, the bucket seats, the Halibrand 5-1/2-inch knock-off magnesium wheels, the finned Lincoln Pan American racing brakes, the 1961 Bonneville timing tag, and, of course, the original modified Y-block engine.

The Y-block engine was torn down, completely rebuilt, bored and stroked resulting in a displacement of 322 cubic inches. New cylinder heads were obtained and Doane radically changed the valve angles and stagger on both the intakes and exhausts. The engine was topped with dual Holley carburetors and a Spencer-built custom aluminum air intake.”

It’s selling later this month…