Question for the PT crowd?

[Off Duty]

Gordon, what a great find. I am a died in the wool GM guy but I have always loved the 64-66 birds (my stepdad had one). I think a nice mild spring drop to the suspension, some creative swaybars, and good set of shocks (if anything is available for a 65 T-bird). I would loose the 390 FE (heavy and not really powerful) for a new 5.0 Ford crate engine (very sweet engine) with an AODE on the back (the 65 will probably have 3.00 gear) would make an awesome fun Thunderbird.....or a Funderbird. If you did keep the FE, go with a 428 or with creative parts interchanging a 454 FE, make that heavy bird fly. I don't know about doing CF body parts, that would get very expensive for such unique body style. Even with alot of light weight parts it will still be a 3800-4000 lbs heavy car. I would not pay alot for the car though.

Hey, thanks for all the info
If it's running (or able to be made run quickly), I'll keep what it's got and start working on the body and suspension.
In the end though, there will definitely be a new, late model running gear and power plant

The big thing for me is the way a car handles.
My goal is to make it solid, nimble enough to handle the curves (think mountain roads, etc), and comfortable enough to drive cross country without need of an on board chiropractor.

It's never going to be an auto-x or 1/4 mile contender.

I'm fortunate to have access to a shop and body man that is a true artisan, yet still very reasonable, and loves oddball customs.
And he's willing to let me help out, which is all the better. I don't really have the skills nor tolls, but I do have the vision and a penchant for getting my hands dirty.

But even if we can shave off the weight with CF fenders and hoods, it's still a big mama-jama!



Hopefully, in the end, it'll end up being something different. Something that will turn heads (and not in disgust), and a car that will be fun to drive.

its a cruiser not a hot rod.

That's it!
Low, wide and hopefully faster than the guy next to me thinks