No Fender Skirts on a 65?

[Eric the Barber]

Greetings and salutations, I am currently looking at buying a 65 Tbird hard top. I love the cars and have been wanting one for awhile. My problem at the moment is the one Im looking at doesnt have the fender skirts nor the "C" of feathers. I've seen models w/out the C and feathers where it says Thunderbird in replace, but Ive never seen a 65 w/out the skirts. The dealer is telling me this model didnt come with the skirts. So my question is; did they make a 65 model that didnt include the fender skirts. I've done some research and havent found any with out them, but Im still pretty new. Thanks.

 

[tbird5866]

I'm pretty sure that fender skirts were standard equipment in 1965. As someone else noted, you may find them on Ebay from time to time.

 

[boaterbob]

sure your not looking at a 64? Never seen a 65 without feathers

 

[dansbirds]

Thunderbird script on the frt fender is a 64 fender, as far as skirts go the dealer invoices for the 65's I have and had showed them as a option, although I would guess it was a pretty standard option.

 

[redbird1]

To my knowledge, fender skirts came with all 64 and 65, and in 66 they had the option of deleting the skirts, and have chrome moulding cover the wheel well.
Bob.

 

[dansbirds]

For entertainment I looked thru some info I have and in 65 skirts were a option for $26.60, In both 65 and 66 the option cost $32.70. Unfortunatly I dont have anything showing how many came that way. A few years back I had about 6 65's here and they all had skirts.

 

[Eric the Barber]

I went and test drove it yesterday. Its beautiful, Im probably going to pick it up on Friday. It is a '65 or "66 because it has Thunderbird logo, not the script going across the front. I felt a little in the wheel well and didnt feel any latches for the skirts but I might have just missed them. Im thinking the guy before the dealer removed them in his restoration. The only other thing I found strange about it was the engine was blue. I thought '65 engines were gold and 66's were blue? It also has the chrome cover over the wheel well so Im thinking its a '66.

 

[dansbirds]

The latch is actually on the skirt, the 1/4 will have some small alignment pins/dowels that you would see if they were installed. You are correct 66 was a blue motor, 65 was a black block with gold valve covers and air cleaner housing. I have seen cars were people have put the wrong year fenders or hoods on them, I even knew a guy who bought a 66 that had 65 fenders and they had just pounded the top fender crease flat, sort of. Your best bet is to check the vin on the upper tie bar to see what year it really is. There will also be a tag bolted to the intake unless its been removed to see what year motor you are dealing with. All in all though if the price is right and you like the car you can correct the small stuff, or even just leave it depending on what you are wanting the car for. Remember that so much of the detail stuff changed yearly on these cars that a restoration shop could easily get parts that fit but were from a different year. Post some pics of it if you buy it as it sounds like a nice car.

 

[redbird1]

Eric,
Look at the two pictures here.
You can click on the image to see a larger picture.
The gold one is 65, and the red one is my 66.
Which one is like the one you want to buy?


Bob.

 

[Eric the Barber]

It looks more like the '65. Heres a link to the add.65 THUNDERBIRD 2-DR 390 SOLID $3800

 

[redbird1]

Judging from that picture, it looks like a 64.
Below are pictures of a 64 and 65.
The tailights for 65 were sequential, and not available in 64.
Notice on the 65 (red convertible) the tailights have chrome trim on them .
The 64 (tan) did not have this trim.
Also on the 64, it has the thunderbird script on the fender (white convertible).
This is the same script on the one you posted the picture of.
The 65 had the "feathers" on the side of the fender.
I am sure the one you are interested in is a 64.



Bob.

 

[dansbirds]

Heres a side shot of my 65 with the correct fender mldgs. From the ad I would say your looking at a 65 interior(door panels have pull cups 64's didnt) with 64 frt fenders atleast. Check the vin is it 5y or 4y. Also you said you drove it, was it a single sided key or double? 65 was first year for double edged keys

 

[Eric the Barber]

When I drove it, I didnt pay that close attention to the key. But Im thinking it was single sided. The last 2 owners have been professional restorers who started on it, but already had too many other projects going on to finish it. The first guy was mainly working on new floor boards and interior, so there might be parts in it from different years. So Im thinking the exterior might have different parts from different years on it too. Im going back tomorrow to try and work a deal and Ill get the vin then and get it figured out.

 

[boaterbob]

Whats the Vin # ? The engine has 64 valve covers, Did they have that power steering pump on a 64? also the door panels seem to have pulls like a 65? Maybe some one made one car out of Two. Whats the master cylinder and booster look like

 

[Eric the Barber]

Alright, I got it! 1 guy test drove it before I got there, 3 called about it while my wife was driving it, then another guy came in asking about it while I was signing the papers. It felt pretty good to be the one getting it. But the VIN is a 5Y. The key is double sided but its had 3 new ignitions put in it before they figured out it was the neutral safety switch.:auto

 

[boaterbob]

looks like you have pretty nice car to enjoy. There are some huge differences between a 64 and 65. Some being sequential taillights, Disc brakes, Different booster/MC, 65 motor has a pcv valve to name a few. Not certain, But i don't think a 64 ignition switch will plug into the harness on a 65 Post some pics so you can be sure what parts to order if you need to. Even the doors look the same but will not interchange. nothings a problem at all as long as you know what you have. Good luck with the Bird.

 

[Eric the Barber]

Heres a link to my album of the car.
http://www.tbirdforum.com/forums/members/eric-the-barber-albums-my-65-thunderbird.html

The more I drive it the smoother it runs. Its great! The only problems I've came across is if I roll the drivers side window all the way down, it wont roll back up. (I didnt figure it out until after I got the new door panel on and it was about to rain, it sucked) and it sounds/feels like my heating/air is always blowing at its highest setting all the time even if I turn of everything. Then I have a coolant leak (probably just need a new hose).

 

[Eric the Barber]

So, Im still kind of curious as to why it doesnt have the feather scripts like 65's. I've found a couple others that dont (Ill attach a pic of one). And Im also curious as to why the filter is blue instead of gold. Someone told me it could be an early 65 and the script was just stock from the 64s. But that still doesnt explain the engine. Im pretty sure its the original engine but they might have got a filter from a 66 or just painted the 65s blue.

This is my first classic car project, so sorry if these are dumb questions. Thanks for any help.

(65 with same scripting as mine)

 

[dansbirds]

You have 64 fenders on it, 65's are completly different as they are recessed where the feathers go. I have seen quite a few restorations that have painted the engines blue unknowingly,which is correct for Ford from 66 on, possibly the motor was swapped? it does have earlier valve covers on it, or rebuilt and painted Ford blue. From your pic album I can see you also have 64 t/l lenses and the center bumper emblem also. 65's center emblem is a bird and the lights would have a grille over them. At some point the car was painted also as your inner wheelhouses have been painted. Someone before might have just liked the look of the 64 fender better with the script on it and not back on the 1/4. If you have a shop manual you can de-code the door tag info, or post it on here and I or someone else can for you. I cant quite tell from your pic but is your frt grille 1 piece or 2, 64's were 1 long piece and 65's are split in the middle. Dont worry though, they are not dumb questions.

 

[Eric the Barber]

The grill is all one piece. So now I'm thinking maybe its a 64 with the hood and door of a 65 and a sequential light kit put on it. But it also has original disc brakes so...? Ill have to try and find another vin on the body. The one on the door is 5Y83Z151370. My shop manual wont be here till this weekend.