List of parts worth pulling and saving?

[Shaun]

Hi everyone. Just joined the Forum this morning, initially to ask the subject question, but over time I hope to learn from you all as I restore and enjoy a 1964.

The '64 in question was a nice car not that long ago, a black with red interior beauty that belonged to an elderly neighbor of ours. But when he stopped driving the car, he parked it outside - under a small tarp - for a few years. I bought it from him (for likely far too much money!) with a really rough and rusty 1965 parts car included in the deal.

My original plan was to hang on to the parts car intact and remove parts as needed to restore the '64. I just picked the parts car up this morning and now fully appreciate how rough it really is; there's no way I can (or should) leave this sitting around on my property embarrassing wife and neighbors alike. I'm going to remove some parts this weekend and recycle the rest first thing Monday morning.

Can someone point me in the direction of a list of parts that should be saved (if possible) from a 1965 TBird? I collect and restore cars (primarily Italian/European), so I know the meaning, implications, and value of "unobtainium." I'd hate to bring the parts car to the scrap metal recycling yard with good parts left on it - parts that I may need to use on the "good" '64 or that some of you might need for your own cars/projects.

Thanks in advance,
Shaun
www.FiatLancia.com

[bravorigging]

Hi just joined today myself bouhgt a 65 bird today and need a few parts if you are interested let me know basically need the cover for the drivers side counsle the one that goes from the floor up.

[boaterbob]

If Shaun doesn't have that let me know.I'm sure i have a good one.
Bob
bsbbob@optonline.net

[g_lower]

why not try selling the 65 as a parts car to someone that might need it? crushing a car is not reversible...

[Shaun]

"Bravo" and Bob, I see that there's a pay area for selling items on this particular site. The last thing I intended with my post is to seem that I was offering anything for sale - I'm not. With my post/question, I'm just trying to save the right parts from being recycled, either for use on my own car or to offer for sale/trade to help someone here at some time in the future. So...you guys work out your own deal on that specific part; I'm not going to get involved there in the least, and I hope I didn't offend moderators here even with the hint of impropriety with my initial post; again, that was absolutely not my intent.

"G", I'd definitely love to be able to avoid the recycling of what's left of the car, but from experience (with other parts cars), I don't think I'd find anyone willing to take on this rusty, cut-up hulk of a Thunderbird in a reasonable timeframe at any price, much less for more than the metal yard is paying (probably $200). First, there are already other era parts cars for sale locally in much better shape than mine. Second, my parts car is already on the trailer and, considering it doesn't roll, steer, etc., it would be a lot of work to pull it off only to have to load it up again in the near future (I need to use the trailer this week); much easier to remove anything that's worthwhile and have the rest gone right away.

As a car enthusiast, collector and restorer, it's hard for me to take any piece of automotive history to the crusher, and I always try my best to save any part of any value from such a fate. But not being familiar with this model, I was just asking for some help in knowing which parts are worth the time and trouble to remove and which are not.

Hoping that someone out there will let me know some of the "must save" items as I originally requested.

Thanks again,
Shaun
Southeastern PA
www.FiatLancia.com

[boaterbob]

Well here is a little info. The doors are unique to your 64, 65 doors will not fit. You have disc brakes on the 65, Front. If you wanted to make your 64 disc you could cannabalize the 65 for that. The wheels on the 65 are unique to 65 66 and maybe 67. There theOnly stock wheels that will clear the big calipers. Anything power you may want to save window switches, Window motors, Dash if it is not cracked, sequential pack for lights in trunk. Steering wheels do not interchange, Again 64 is different. Any relays Etc. Other then that who knows maybe rear end since it's a third member 9". JMO Bob

[Shaun]

Bob, thanks so much; that's exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Had a very productive day outside yesterday (finally had cooperation from the weather) and got most of the interior, and most trim removed. The car has a very nice (albeit very dirty) white interior, including a perfect dash, so I removed everything. The doors were easily removed (6 bolts) so I took them off...guess I'll sell those eventually since they're different than my '64's doors.

Today (weather and daughter permitting...) I'll work under the hood and also figure out how to remove the upper and lower windshield trim to remove the windshield. And thanks to your advice, I'll also pull the front hubs (with calipers/disks) in case I want to do the brake conversion at some point, and I'll also try to locate and pull the sequential light pack, although not much was left of the trunk area.

Oh, and for anyone else concerned (as I am) about not crushing what's left (which will basically be engine, transmission, driveshaft, rear, frame, wiring, and some rusty body panels) I did place ads on our local (Reading and Philadelphia) Craigslists. Hopefully someone will step up quickly, as I need to use my trailer tomorrow and can't do much with it with this '65 sitting on there!

Thanks again,
Shaun

[Harley Eaton]

Ought to save the Autolite carburetor if it has one.

[boaterbob]

I think you will also need the spindles for the disc brake conversion, Not sure about the lower a-frame. Maybe someone else knows for sure. I just cut the coils in place to get the tension off them.

[aint_no_chicken]

pull the rear end, considering its a 9inch, and I'd pull the motor and trans, a decent fe (390-428) that still turns is work a couple of bucks itself, either for one to build up, a core, rebuild, or sell to someone looking to get there hands on the harder and harder to find fe engine, and the trans (most likely a c6) isnt worth gold, but still a couple more bucks to someone, more than it would be at the jaws of the crusher.