kustomtbird
kustomtbird
Location: VALLEY vILLAGE, CA, USA
Joined: 06/15/2008
My Styles
Exotics, Rat Rod, Show Cars, Low Rider, H.A.M.B., Build-It, Drive-It, Custom Rodder, Old-School, Restorer, Builder, Hot Rodder
views: 10923
My Crew 0
No friends
Garage | Rides | Pictures | Blog | Crew | Favorite Rides

"STREET LIFE"     1967 Ford Thunderbird

Introduction / Overview:

THIS IS A 1967 2 DOOR THUNDERBIRD COUPE.

SUISIDE DOORS, A 1967 OLDSMOBILE VISTA CRUISER STATION WAGN ROOF GRAFTED ON IT CHOPPED 4 " 1969 GRAND PRIX PUSH/PULL DOOR HANDLES...

THIS TBIRD WAGON WAS BUILT BY A FRIEND OF MINE.
IT WAS NEVER 100% FINISHED ABOUT 90%. THE FIRST TIME I SAW THIS CAR, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. THE WILDEST TBIRD I HAD EVER SEEN, I ONLY SAW THE CAR A FEW TIMES. I HEARD THAT HE SOLD IT AND THEN IT DISAPPEARED SHORTLY AFTER. I LOOKED FOR THIS CAR FOR 20+YEARS. FINALLY 1 DAY IN 1996 I WAS AT A FRIENDS PLACE IN THE DESERT I WAS WALKING AROUND IN THE BACK OF HIS PLACE AND I SAW THE FRONT CORNER OF THE CAR OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I KNEW WHAT IT WAS IN THE BACK WITH A LOT OF OLD WRECKED CARS AND PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED CARS. MIXED IN ALL THE RUBBLE WAS THE TBIRD. I FINALLY FOUND IT. THEN THE CAR HAD TO BE MOVED, IT DISAPPEARED AGAIN. WITH THE HELP OF MIKE FENNEL I FOUND THE CAR AGAIN IN THE MOHAVE DESERT.IT TOOK ME ABOUT 5 YEARS TO FIND THE OWNER AND PURCHASE IT.I PAID ALOT OF MONEY TO PURCHASE WHAT HAD BECOME A COFFIN FOR DEAD ANIMALS,A TARGET FOR A SHOOTING GALLERY AND A PLANTER FOR DESERT WILD FLOWERS. THIS THING WAS AN EMPTY SHELL WITH NOT ONE GOOD WINDOW IN IT, OR 1 STRAIGHT BODY PANEL, NO INTERIOR,DRIVE TRAIN,ETC ETC... NOTHING BUT A PEICE OF SCRAPE METAL WITH A SMALL BIT OF RUST.WHEN I FLAT BEDDED THIS BACK INTO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY TO GEORGE BARRIS' SHOP IN NO.HOLLYWOOD CA. THE WHOLE PLACE EMPTIED OUT AND CAME AND LOOKED AT THIS MESS I JUST TOWED IN. GEORGE TURNED AROUND AT ME AND SAID, (BEING THAT HE HAD KNOWN THE CAR SOME 30 YEARS BEFORE) IF I KNEW THIS WAS THE CAR YOU WANTED TO BUILD I WOULD HAVE CHOKED YOU. IT WILL NEVER SEE THE ROAD.HE THEN WROTE A DATE ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR OCT/2010, IF AND WHEN IT EVER GETS RUNNING.
ALMOST 4 YEARS LATER I COME DRIVING AROUND THE FRONT OF THE BARRIS SHOP AND JUST ABOUT HAD TO GET SMELLING SALT TO SNAP EVERYONE BACK TO THIER FEET FROM DISBELIEF THAT THIS CAR WOULD ACTUALLY RUN UNDER IT'S OWN POWER.
NEXT IT WAS REGISTERED AND I STARTED DRIVING IT.THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE WEST COAST IS THAT YOU CAN DRIVE IT ALL YEAR LONG WHILE YOUR BUILDING IT.
SO EVERY FEW MONTHS I GET MORE AND MORE THINGS DONE TO IT. IT'S ABOUT 95% FINISHED WITH A PROJECTED END IN 6 MORE MONTHS. SO FAR IT HAS WON 1st PLACE IN 3 BIG CAR SHOWS, "BEST KUSTOM UNDER CONSTRUCTION" IT'S NOT BEING BUILT TO COMPETE BUT TO DRIVE AND ENJOY, TO LEAVE SOME OF MY HARD WORK TO MY SON WHEN HE IS OLD ENOUGH.
NOW GEORGE WANTS IT IN FRONT OF HIS SHOP WITH ALL HIS CARS & MAKES SURE I TAKE IT TO ALL THE EVENTS IN THE AREA.

Drivetrain:

428 FORD 350+ HORSE POWER

HOOKED TO A STOCK C-6 TRANSMISSION

Chassis: STOCK CHASSIS WITH OLD SCHOOL HYDRAULIC SUSPENSION.
Wheels and Tires:

F78-15 WHITE WALL TIRES

WHEELS CUSTOM MADE 15" DEEP DISH RADIR WHEELS

Body & Paint:

AS OF RIGHT NOW IT IS IN BLACK PRIMER WITH BO HUFF JR.s PIN STRIPING.

IT IS GOING TO BE DARK BURGANDY W/GOLD PEARL STAINLESS STEEL ROOF.

Interioir: TWO TONE GRAY W/ LEOPARD & BLACK  PANELS AND METAL FINISH SEAT BACKS AND CONSOLE.
Lifestyles: Restorer, Old-School, Custom Rodder, Build-It, Drive-It, Low Rider, Show Cars