55-57 and 64-66 are the coolest T-Birds ever made. In the mid 60s as a kid my first model car was a 65' T-Bird. And in the mid 70s right out of HS I looked at a 66' T-Bird with a 428 eng. as my first car to purchase. My actual first car was a hand me down family car. I ended buying a 69' Ply. Road Runner as my first actual purchase.
Very cool. My dad has a bunch of 58-60 Thunderbirds. I took my drivers test in his 59! I ended up buying my mom’s car as my first car. 71 Plymouth Sport Suburban (fury wagon) I still have it!
Ralph ive been watching 👀 you for years and you are absolutely amazing, thanks again for sharing this one with us... beautiful build just like the rest of them....
Thanks. I realized that it was probably converted into the hardtop that is in the 66 kit. That version is a convertible and if you want to make a hardtop you just glue it on!
I got a 3 in 1 T Bird kit for Christmas in 65 or 66, can't remember who made the kit or what year of T Bird it was 64 or 65. It took me about 2 hr to throw everything at and into the kit that would fit, including the tonal cover, everything that was chromed and what look like black velvet seat belts, fun.
Yes. Ford had it designed and working but it had to be approved in all 50 states to be legal. That didn’t happen in time so 64s were wired normally but it was approved and made it for the 65 models.
Another informative video. Those old kits were very accurate and missed. Do you have any information to share on resin casters presently doing the old kits or convertible tops?
MCW resin does some bodies but it is hit and miss on what you are looking for. Also for what resin kits can cost, Most of us just look for a rebuildable annual kit on eBay.
@@TheMuscleCarModeler I have the '66 hardtop and convertible. My question will be for them to look into doing reverse engineering of the tooling, back to the '65 and '64 models. Modelers shouldn't need to make the hood emblems like you did imo. And I think buyers would collect and build all three years of this bodystyle. Diecast 1:24 marketers did all three, and they all sold well.
I would love to see them do that, but I think they have other model subjects that they could spend the same money on reverse engineering old long-lost kits that are higher in demand.
@@TheMuscleCarModeler I talked directly to the Round2/AMT model planner at their table at the Detroit modeler's show this past weekend. He was listening, and jotted down some notes. He agreed that much of the core of the car could be kept intact, with some tool modifications for details like grille, taillights, and side trim. He mentioned they had already done some modifications of the tool, for wire wheel covers in a more recent release of the '66. Obviously, they didn't commit to anything, but I got the feeling they will look into what it will take. I also mentioned doing something similar on '61-'63 T-birds, but we didn't get into that one very much. We talked longer about variations to come on the '21 Ford Bronco tooling. Go to hpiguy's channel for a new video he did on a recent visit to Round2 in South Bend. They already have one Bronco variation in the pipeline, and Round2 was asking for more input from modelers about other things we would like to see in the future. I also talked with a fellow at the Detroit show who has bought up a lot of the Johan tooling that remains, and is starting to produce new kits for sale. He had an Avanti body on the table, but did not have all the parts yet to build one. The others on the table were '50's Olds, Pontiac, and Plymouth. But he has more tools than that. He's being very selective, starting small right now.
