65 FORD THUNDERBIRD
 

IS A 65 FORD THUNDERBIRD WORTH RESTORING ITS IN FAIR CONDITION

Was my 66 WORTH restoring? to resale? NO......To enjoy driving knowing it will run with the big dogs all day long and then some? YES.It takes a rare car to restore properly and make any money off it.You gotta love it.CannedBand

Nobody that paid more than 500.00 wants to talk about money it seems. I paid 3500.00 for a complete 65 hardtop that is original except the leather interior has been replaced with vinyl rear seats and a "lovely" velour on the buckets. Because I liked it! The motor and trans seem fine but the soft parts inside and all bushings, shocks, springs and some other hard parts are being replaced. New fuel system front to back etc. Then a trip to the auto electric shop after I clean up all conections. Finaly a re-paint. I figure about $15,000 total. Worth it? I intend to drive it 6-8000 mi per year. What can I buy for 15,000.00? Certainly nothing in this league. As an investment? I'll loose less than I would on a Jetta when I move on in a few years and I get to have some fun!

I paid over $6,000 for my '66 Landau, THEN I had to ship it 12,500 miles to New Zealand and THEN I have to shop for the parts I need from parts and restoration dealers in the US.

Also some parts I have to send over there as a core part or as in the case of my seat-belt, I had to send it on a 25,000 round trip so imagine what my freight bill is like!?. (NZ dollar = 68 cents US, i.e. for every $1 it costs you guys it costs me $1:44c)

So if your '65 is in reasonable-but-needs-rebuilt condition then at least you have the advantage of being in the right country to get the needed bits, go for it!!!!