Of course, other parts of the interior have been restored or replaced, including new carpets, door panels, and a fresh dash pad, all of which work together to produce a very high-quality driver’s compartment. The seat covers are also too nicely detailed to be repros, with real stitched seams, not heat-shaped facsimiles, and the pleats are deeper than most reproduction pieces. It’s in excellent shape, almost too nice to be 56 years old, but there’s some light discoloration that new reproductions probably wouldn’t show. We strongly suspect the Beige upholstery is original. Even the little Plexiglas wind deflectors ahead of the vent windows have been replaced, a little detail I bet you haven’t seen before but now you won’t overlook on lesser cars. You’ll also find the taillight lenses are crystal clear, the Thunderbird emblems have proper turquoise inlays, and the ‘Thunderbird’ script on the front fenders is laser-sharp. The grille is beautifully finished, the bumpers are probably straighter than they were when new, and that lovely strip of chrome that extends from the tip of the car to the ends of the tail fins has been polished to a high shine. The elderly gentleman who commissioned the restoration says that he spent more than $35,000 on the chrome and stainless trim, and given its condition, that’s not hard to believe. We don’t like to use the word “perfect” around here, but you could look at this car for a very long time and not find any notable defects. That said, the bodywork is incredibly straight, with ripple-free reflections down its flanks, exacting gaps for all the various body panels, and a deep shine that only comes from a professional color sand and buff to eliminate every single irregularity in the finish. Unfortunately, the lights in our studio make capturing turquoise colors a little problematic and even with some adjustments, we couldn’t quite capture it-refer to the chassis photos for the most accurate representation of the car’s color. It’s darker and bolder than Aquamarine and a bit greener than Chesapeake Blue, and looks just spectacular in person. According to the door tag, this car is wearing correct code W Garden Turquoise, one of the less common 1961 colors and given the wide variety of choices in 1961, it’s unlikely that you’ve seen another one. There were some patches in the lower quarters, but it seems they started with a decent specimen, and that really makes a difference in the final product. We have extensive restoration photos that show this car being taken down to a bare shell and rebuilt from the sheetmetal on up. It really is as nice as it seems in photos-no tricks, no stories, no Photoshop, just a spectacular Thunderbird that’s been restored all out of proportion to its value. Better yet, it’s equipped with dealer-installed Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels and a Sport Roadster tonneau cover, making it one of the most appealing 4-seater Thunderbirds we’ve ever seen. It is loaded with options like factory A/C and power windows and has been restored in its original color combination of Garden Turquoise over Beige. Thanks to a no-expense-spared rotisserie restoration with a six-figure bankroll, this stunning 1961 Ford Thunderbird is simply jaw-dropping in person. This is quite likely the finest Bullet ‘Bird you will ever see. It’s not the cheapest, but I don’t think anyone ever regrets buying the best.
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