1965 T-Bird

[Popcorn]

So I have been looking for a car and found a 1965 T-Bird for sale. It is $3500. It looks to be in pretty fair condition. It has to have the carb rebuilt but they guy says it runs fine. We started it up but it has bad gas and he didn't want to light a fire. He also said that they really only drove it around the house. I don't know if windows work or air works or how well it does on the road. I have no experience on a bird and need help. What should I be looking for? Is this a good price for this car? Is this a kind of car that is going to give me a bunch of problems and keep investing money? PLEASE HELP!!!!! Thanks!

[ASASki]

I just bought a '65 hardtop last week for $8,000. It was a car a fellow ITC member was familiar with and is Very Good to Excellent condition. My son is a mechanic and he checked it out before I made the deal since he will do most of the work it needs (not much except cosmetic stuff to make it show better) as I'm mechanically challanged.

I went to OldCars.com to view their rating system and got a report on recent sales so I feel I got a good buy. Seems like you could still check out the electric without having the car running though. I'd have it inspected, it would be worth the money for the piece of mind, IMO.

[ASASki]

Here is a copy of something from tbirdparts.com which is a problem I am having. At a recent car show I talked with two other flair bird owners who indicated it is common and they both faced it.

"FLARE Birds"

"It's better to protect now, than cure later"

1964-66 : Steering column problems

Typical symptoms:

1. car slipping out of park
2. pulling shift arm up to start the car
3. steering column not sliding over
4. shift lever drops through all gears by itself
5. turn signal is not canceling on right hand turns

These symptoms, either individually, or as a combination of a few are a recipe for disaster. It is common for us to receive a call from a customer who needs to replace thousands of dollars worth of parts because their shift lever slipped into neutral, rolled down a hill and smashed into a parked car/house. Being pinned up against a wall while checking your oil is no fun either. Mechanics being pulled under the car and run over. The saddest stories involve restoration shops, that leave the car running as they diagnose, the car slips into reverse and the T-Bird sideswipes a '55 Cadillac convertible, continues through the shop, and broadsides a freshly painted MG. (true stories)

The combination of parts to fix these cars barely exceeds $100 dollars, so if your car is having any of these problems please call and lets save everybody some time, money and most importantly lives.
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________
All of the parts amounted to about $140.

I really hope this helps as I am just learning about my '65 myself. So I would appreciate anyone else out there in cyberspace throwing into the discussion. I know what I don't know - which is a whole lot.

[Popcorn]

To start this particular t-bird, you do have to pull up on the shifter. Is that a major problem then? Or do you know if it is just something that you may want to have fixed?

[ASASki]

I've to to pull up on the shifter to slide the steering column over, and it drifts in 'park'. That makes it something I want to get fixed.

[Popcorn]

Yes, I'm a member on another sight and they have all been giving me some great advice. They said that the detent plate needs to be replaced. They said that it is all fairly easy to do and relatively cheap. Let me know if you want the adress to the other forum.
Jennifer

[ASASki]

You can send it to me by PM, please. I don't want to offend the administrator of this site.