What to do with a 66 T-BIRD?

Keep it or part it out? The car has decent lines and is reasonably solid. It needs brakes/tires/quarter work but has a beautiful white interior, good running 390, and clear title. I keep seeing a chopped shoebox with the bird interior and drive train but Im on the fence about cutting her up. ANY THOUGHTS???????

 

Add some old Torque Thrust wheels & drive it !

 

Funny that you say that- there's a guy down the street that has one lowered with tourque thrusts on it and it's bitchin'.

 

chop it up,if its rough make a- roadster or pickup type run about out of it, or put some cash into it & flip it,

 

Don't forget the homegrown sidepipes with glasspacks,hear that FEY rummble.

 

I don't like the '66 front clip, theres a few pretty nice ones around here in the $3K range and they don't seem to be selling, doubt it'd be worth fixing up unless it's really solid. They're unibody and they like to rot out underneath pretty bad.

That is a 300 hp 390 though, and easily one of the best looking interiors of all time. Post some pics first, but I would say it'd be a great donor car, and sell off the parts you can't use to someone who might need them.

 

buy this months Rod & Custom

http://www.austinspeedshop.com/2011/02/14/rod-custom-photo-shoot-for-the-66-t-bird/

 

What are your abilities? Can you chop and fab sheet metal? If so, FASTBACK THAT BITCH!! The way I see it you might need an early Torino decklid and rear glass. GO FOR IT. Or sell it to someone who will. No charge for the idea folks...

 

You're already over the "save it" threshold for a 'Bird, good interior. My first '66 that i had in the mid-70's won me a lot of $20 bets that I could stand a nickle up on edge on the air cleaner with the 390 idling and it wouldn't fall over-smooooth
Here's the one I have now, Q-code 428 Town Landau

 

Keep it and cruise it

 

dont part it out if your not into building it, sell it to someone that wants it for what it is.

 

Yep, if the interior was roached or the body completely gone it would be different, but it sounds like yours is worth saving

 

Fix the sloppy steering column problem (Less then 100 bucks for parts) Get those Sequential tail lights working, Get those Front Disc Brakes working and enjoy driving it. They are great road cars, and have alot of body sculpturing instead of being overchromed. Put some skirts on it. Lower it and you'll love it. And everybody loves those wrap around back seats!

 

Yeah I will get some pics up this afternoon. I know they dont go for much and that was the reason for thoughts of keeping the good stuff and offing the rest, although the sequential taillights do work, I have skirts, the floors are solid, and its got a brand new dual exhaust. I can handle metal work, I just cant see putting a ton of work into a 66 bird.

 

I think they're great. If you don't want it, sell it, don't destroy it. They have a real NASA/60s vibe, a very stylish ride, you don't have to try and be cool in a car like this, the car is cool enough for both of you.

 

Drive it!

 

Don't start putting money into something you are not going to like. I would buy it, take what you need for your Shoebox i.e. interior, powertrain, etc. Then sell the roller to someone who could use it as a project of their own.

 

Here it is as it sits:

 

Somebody would still want that as a project even without the interior or powertrain. I would take what you need for your Shoebox then sell it as a roller.

 

After seeing the pics of the T-Birds fixed up it would be a sin to parts strip it and turn it into a P.O.S.,it would make on fantastic cruiser fixed up, you can't beat these cars for a "float on a cloud" ride either it looks like a solid base for a project.I see the 50's Fords in the background since I moderate the 52-56 Ford social group what's the story on those?

 

From the 1st description you gave I was expecting a rust bucket heap. The pics show a pretty descent shape bird. Just by your description sell it to a Bird lover that would be more than happy to have one that good to start with.

 

That's a Town Landau like mine with the vinyl top stripped off- I'd bet the landau irons- and the other fender skirt, maybe even the original hubcaps- are in the trunk. That's the top-of-the line model, and has the extra woodgrain in the interior, which looks to be in great shape. One neat thing on those cars, there are no rear quarter windows, but you'll notice that there are still four electric window switches- the vent windows are electric. You can have a lot of fun messing with your passenger by running that vent window in and out, especially if they have a bit of a buzz on... or are blonde

 

Does the 428 have a Factory Holley carb on it???

 

No, they didn't- '66 Q-code 428, 345hp w/Autolite 4100 carb- exactly the same as the one that was in the '66 Country Squire that I had a while back

Q-code later on was the non-RamAir version of the 428 Cobra Jet, maybe that's the one you're thinking about- everything was the same as the R- code RamAir CJ, except a regular air cleaner instead of a Shaker or a pie-cut hood/ gasketed air cleaner

 

I did join the 52-56 group. The red 53 is my daily driver right now. Its just a beat old sedan with a 302/c4, but Ive really had some fun with it. The 55 was my buddy's project (fail). I tried to salvage it as it is a 2 door but it's just too far gone for my patience. Ive got too many projects of my own right now. SO- there are parts up for grabs. After reading this thread I may just sell the 53 to him and get the bird on the road. When I got it I welded in a new rear quarter and have the other one. I should be able to get it road worthy pretty quick.

 

That is a beatiful car!!! You really gave me inspiration to get my 66 on the road. Im sure I'll have questions. Thanks again for posting those.

 

So now that Ive decided to keep it (selling my 53 customline), where do I start with the 390? I really only have experience with SBC's and I need to know if there are any sensitivities I should pay attention to. I had the motor running about a year ago when I picked the car up and it sounded healthy... I really just want to drive it I have enough half stripped projects for a while. ANY THOUGHTS???????

 

you have a Landau, which is fairly rare.

It would be crazy to cut it up.

 

If you had it running a year ago should be no reason you can't get it running pretty simply again. 390s are pretty bullet-proof from my experience. There IS a three-twos set up available for them, but they can be pretty spendy... Glad to hear you're going to keep the car, it looks solid. Have lots of great stories from back in the day behind the wheel of my dad's T-Birds, from a '62 convert to a '66 Landau like yours.