This one found a new home on BAT. Never thought this video would get so much interest. It’s definitely a unique bird. Check out all the cars we offer at www.caseyscars.com. Cheers!
There are two interesting things going on here. One is that they were able to make this work back in 1962. And two is it's amazing it still works today.
@@CantbeetPie problem with a lot of modern cars is that planned obsolescence is part of the design. Parts that were once metal or aluminium are now plastic
Also nowadays, depending on where you live, you might not be authorized to fix your vehicle yourself. Doing so will result in the breaking of your insurance contract, and in these same countries it is illegal to drive without insurance.
@@Soxynosmy state is weird. If the car is 24 years or older, I don’t even have to get it inspected anymore. So long as I have insurance, I can register it and legally drive it. I guess they figure that if the lights don’t work, or your brakes, eventually you’ll be fined one way or another, as vehicular accidents often lead to citations. They hope is you’ll get pulled over before then. But on the subject of repairing, if you live in an HOA, no freaking way. Can’t even change your own oil without doing so inside your garage with the garage door lowered. This could be deadly in the summer as AC in garages are unheard of. Of course, the recent inspection law does make things easier on people who,don’t live in HOAs. In the past, a resident could report you to the town as having a “junked vehicle.” A junked vehicle is a vehicle that is inoperable AND does not have current registration. Typically cars you are working on long term are not only inoperable, but may end up unregistered because they previously required that annual inspection. So now I can just annually register a shell, and the town can’t do anything about it.
I had a '67 Mustang convertible with the automatic top (and a glass rear window)... took about 20 seconds to transverse either way including locking or unlocking to the windshield... and I still had a trunk... after doing some research I believe it was the only one made that year with factory air conditioning...??? Boy do I miss that car...
My third grade teacher had one like this and it was red. Mrs. Porter. Her dad owned Herold Ash Dodge dealership in town and later her husband took the Dodge dealership over and it became Jerry Porter Dodge. Those were the days. Cars were awesome and they also had character.
You are Absolutely right sir, Back Then Cars Have Character Not Like Today's Rubbish And Ugly Cars , In Last 10 years Cars Become So Super Ugly With Huge Grills
@@S500- but actually there are some cars which still have character, like bentley, rolls royce, and Toyota sports cars. Right now the focus on cheaper cars is lightweight and aerodynamics with some design. These older cars may be beautiful but the design being specifically for a car is not good. Too heavy, too big, no aerodynamics.
This mechanism was first used in a little bit different form, on the 1957 to 1959 Ford Retractable hardtops. The identical mechanism was used on Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental convertibles from 1958 through 1966 on the Birds and 58 through 1967 on the Connies. It truly was a masterpiece of engineering.
Im a Mercedes Benz mechanic. I do most of the conv tops that come in the dealership. Mostly 1996 up to brand new cars. After I fix them I’m always amazed at how they work and manage to keep water out. They really are a marvel of engineering.
It's too bad they can't keep the hydraulic fluid in though! LoL... When the front pistons leak the customer wears some of it... Not to mention the cost of replacing all the cylinders, unless you want to join the Mercedes convertible top cylinder of the month club! 😂 Cost to replace all is exceeding the value of some of the older cars with higher miles. Complete money pits in many cases, but that's a aging Euro car for ya....
When my dad was finished with his active service in the army in 1960 at Ft. Sill OK. He bought a 58 Ford retractable hardtop from the used car dealer across from the main gate and drove back to Detroit because he didn't want to take the bus or train the Army offered to him. He sold it 3 years later to put a down payment on the house I grew up in.
My father bought a 63 for my mom and every Saturday dad would put the top down and drive us around it was the coolest car and fast with the 390 will never forget how .ugh fun that was.
My uncle had one , it was like sitting in starship the way the dash curved in front of you. He worked for Ford and got all the bells and whistles. A really cool car , made in the day when they had style My favorite car of all time.
@@caseyscarsinc.7818 Thank you for answering, those wheels are Stunning, btw I took my son to car swapmeet and bought him (9y.o) a model of his choosing and he picked The T-bird Sports Roadster, a Franklin Mint model..So I never got one but maybe my boy will. Thank you for your time Sir.
My father collected Ford/Lincoln/Corvair convertibles. How many kids can say they drove '66 / '67 Lincoln & bathtub Corvair Spider convertibles to high school & college? Was the engine running while the top was operating? Even with new relays that top seemed a little slow...My personnel favorite was the '57 Sunliner with police pkg & continental kit. It's burbling exhaust note was so sophisticated! Loved it...
Tell your friend it's not about who is first to grab the T-Bird out of his garage, but it's who can forge the grandpa's signature on the pink-slip the fastest.
I had an Infiniti M30 convertible and loved it. There were motors in the roof that would screw into the windshield frame so technically it was touch-less but they suggested that you give the roof a tug to make sure it was seated properly. And there was a trunk you could use even with the roof stored.
I had one and the you put it in park and slide the steering wheel to the side and it turned the front seat you were in out toward the door when you got out very neat I have a 2003/11 generation Thunderbird now hardtop/convertible but it’s not the car that my 62 was
My Mercedes SL500 does this, only quicker. But these old T-Birds do it nicer!! PS I have trunk space with the top down. Not much, but at least I can take her shopping!! Beautiful Bird!!!
My auto electrics instructor told the class if you get a classic retract cable roof (hard top) to adjust, charge them three time your rate and you may break even. ;-)
.Y FAVORITE MODEL...GORGOUS...NICE WORK...THE TOP THE MECHANISMS SWITCHES MOTORS...I USED TO REBUILD FORD ELECTRIC MOTORS FOR POWER WINDOWS etc etc...THE GEAR HAD 3 NYLON BEARINGS THAT WOUKD WEAR OUT OR DISINTERGRATE...WE HAD NYLON RODS3/8" dia) AND CUT TO LENGTH...RE GREASE EVERYTHING...BINGO...
Had to be fun trying to drag the spare tire up and out of there without rubbing it across the fender. Plus it pretty much wipes out the trunk space. But it is pretty slick.
Always wondered how that worked. Not sure if Ford had the most intricate tops or Benz or someone else? Between this, the continental and the sky liner it must have had some very interesting engineering meetings.
I can't help but laugh at some of these comments, "my -whatever- does it much faster". 60 eFFing years later, 60 yrs of advanced tech, I sure hope so! These Thunderbird Sports Roadsters were on a different level in '62, the tonneau cover/head rests, fully retractable top, Kelsey Hayes chrome wire wheels, and the tri-power 390 under the hood. They were just cool incorporated!
This was accomplished by Ford relatively easily. Ford learned how to do this, with the 57-58-59 retractable hardtop, aka the Skyliner. Soft tops were a piece of cake.
Modern cars may do it faster, butthis one is like when ur belowed slowly strips down on dim light with gentle music before u make hot slow and gentle action. It have style, it test ur patience, it gives u one of best rewards for ur patience
Had a 61 T-bird rag-top in high school my dad picked up for 2,300 used in 1963 (the same price of a new stripped down Chevy Belair or Biscayne ? What ever. Some times the top went down and would not come back up. Most time when it started raining. I should have WD-40ed the blasted thing. The back seat was so small... well my steady was just the right size at 5'.
I didn't know the T-Bird roadster allowed putting the top up with the tonneau cap. Tall articulation with working the top. I can drop or raise the top on my '99 Z28 inside my garage--ceiling is just over 8 feet, top doesn't come close. 15 seconds to full up or down, can raise or lower under 30 mph.
This took like forever to close the roof..you better start the roof closing opperation as soon as you hear the weather cast on the news the day before..otherwise you'll get wet 😂
I'm digging the car, but my gosh....any rain would've come and gone by the time the top was done 😂 I wonder if anyone ever thought about upgrading this system
This one found a new home on BAT. Never thought this video would get so much interest. It’s definitely a unique bird. Check out all the cars we offer at www.caseyscars.com. Cheers!
love seeing it.. my only criticism is i would like to see more about the car.. is this factory fit? thunderbirds springs to mind
That is so cool, especially for the time period!!! 😁👍
@@FozzyZ28 art
@@donavonlarney so true!!!
@@FozzyZ28 this car in a future exhibition.. "so you are telling us these "cars" moved only on the ground"?
There are two interesting things going on here. One is that they were able to make this work back in 1962. And two is it's amazing it still works today.
In 1962 they made stuff to last.
@@CantbeetPie I drove plenty of care with well over 100k miles in the early 70’s. They were much easier and cheaper to fix.
@@CantbeetPie problem with a lot of modern cars is that planned obsolescence is part of the design. Parts that were once metal or aluminium are now plastic
Also nowadays, depending on where you live, you might not be authorized to fix your vehicle yourself. Doing so will result in the breaking of your insurance contract, and in these same countries it is illegal to drive without insurance.
@@Soxynosmy state is weird. If the car is 24 years or older, I don’t even have to get it inspected anymore. So long as I have insurance, I can register it and legally drive it. I guess they figure that if the lights don’t work, or your brakes, eventually you’ll be fined one way or another, as vehicular accidents often lead to citations. They hope is you’ll get pulled over before then.
But on the subject of repairing, if you live in an HOA, no freaking way. Can’t even change your own oil without doing so inside your garage with the garage door lowered. This could be deadly in the summer as AC in garages are unheard of. Of course, the recent inspection law does make things easier on people who,don’t live in HOAs. In the past, a resident could report you to the town as having a “junked vehicle.” A junked vehicle is a vehicle that is inoperable AND does not have current registration. Typically cars you are working on long term are not only inoperable, but may end up unregistered because they previously required that annual inspection. So now I can just annually register a shell, and the town can’t do anything about it.
I had a '67 Mustang convertible with the automatic top (and a glass rear window)... took about 20 seconds to transverse either way including locking or unlocking to the windshield... and I still had a trunk... after doing some research I believe it was the only one made that year with factory air conditioning...??? Boy do I miss that car...
I don't think I have ever seen one of these. Just how many were made and do any exist today?
My third grade teacher had one like this and it was red. Mrs. Porter. Her dad owned Herold Ash Dodge dealership in town and later her husband took the Dodge dealership over and it became Jerry Porter Dodge. Those were the days. Cars were awesome and they also had character.
You are Absolutely right sir, Back Then Cars Have Character Not Like Today's Rubbish And Ugly Cars , In Last 10 years Cars Become So Super Ugly With Huge Grills
Ill bet her dad was thrilled that she bought a Ford instead of taking one of his Dodges presumably for free, or at least close to it.
Your third grade teacher was one lucky lady.
So her dad owned a dodge dealership and bought her a ford ? Lol
@@S500- but actually there are some cars which still have character, like bentley, rolls royce, and Toyota sports cars. Right now the focus on cheaper cars is lightweight and aerodynamics with some design. These older cars may be beautiful but the design being specifically for a car is not good. Too heavy, too big, no aerodynamics.
This mechanism was first used in a little bit different form, on the 1957 to 1959 Ford Retractable hardtops.
The identical mechanism was used on Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental convertibles from 1958 through 1966 on the Birds and 58 through 1967 on the Connies.
It truly was a masterpiece of engineering.
Im a Mercedes Benz mechanic. I do most of the conv tops that come in the dealership. Mostly 1996 up to brand new cars. After I fix them I’m always amazed at how they work and manage to keep water out. They really are a marvel of engineering.
It's too bad they can't keep the hydraulic fluid in though! LoL... When the front pistons leak the customer wears some of it... Not to mention the cost of replacing all the cylinders, unless you want to join the Mercedes convertible top cylinder of the month club! 😂
Cost to replace all is exceeding the value of some of the older cars with higher miles. Complete money pits in many cases, but that's a aging Euro car for ya....
That “sport” cowling over the back seats is a rare option.
When my dad was finished with his active service in the army in 1960 at Ft. Sill OK. He bought a 58 Ford retractable hardtop from the used car dealer across from the main gate and drove back to Detroit because he didn't want to take the bus or train the Army offered to him. He sold it 3 years later to put a down payment on the house I grew up in.
These cars are stunning in person.
My father bought a 63 for my mom and every Saturday dad would put the top down and drive us around it was the coolest car and fast with the 390 will never forget how .ugh fun that was.
My uncle had one , it was like sitting in starship the way the dash curved in front of you.
He worked for Ford and got all the bells and whistles. A really cool car , made in the day when they had style
My favorite car of all time.
That's the stuff... Love them Ford's.
I bet this was advanced for it's time
I have always wanted a Thunderbird Sports Roadster, Hope it has Kelsey Hayes wire wheels, so cool 😎. Thank you for this...An Amazing Car.
It was equipped with the KH wheels. Stunning
@@caseyscarsinc.7818 Thank you for answering, those wheels are Stunning, btw I took my son to car swapmeet and bought him (9y.o) a model of his choosing and he picked The T-bird Sports Roadster, a Franklin Mint model..So I never got one but maybe my boy will. Thank you for your time Sir.
👍Those were the good old days for sure when cars were cars !!
Cool... DC and mechanical innovation of the highest order. 💪
Kids back then loved this kind of stuff. That and pop up head lights. Both cool af.
That is like a '57 Fairlane Starliner this is so cool!!!. Love this car!!
My father collected Ford/Lincoln/Corvair convertibles. How many kids can say they drove '66 / '67 Lincoln & bathtub Corvair Spider convertibles to high school & college? Was the engine running while the top was operating? Even with new relays that top seemed a little slow...My personnel favorite was the '57 Sunliner with police pkg & continental kit. It's burbling exhaust note was so sophisticated! Loved it...
This reminds me of one of those toys where the hand comes out and snatches the coin, LOL!
Real nice T-bird 👌can't recall when I saw one like that, maybe 30 years ago.
Top up or top down, it's deffo time for a roadtrip in that beauty!!!!!!!!!
POETRY IN MOTION!....a true work of art!
My Aunt and Uncle had a 61 Tbird much like this w/ white leather interior- convertable,I was Thrilled to get rides In that car!!
That is an American Masterpiece 😉💪🥰
Absolute work of art
This is truly a work of Mechanical Art. Just amazing.
That was a phenomenal car for the time with technology, performance and style. I loved it then and still so today!
Excelente trabajo de ingeniería para aquellos años. Ademas es un hermoso vehículo.
in 1983 a friend showed up to his grandfather's funeral in one just like it that he had just bought. Did not go over well.
I bet, stealing Grandpa's thunder.
Tell your friend it's not about who is first to grab the T-Bird out of his garage, but it's who can forge the grandpa's signature on the pink-slip the fastest.
I remember seeing my neighbors do that once or twice in 65
It's the latest evolution of "steam punk" .
Those engineers were true artisans.👍
I had an Infiniti M30 convertible and loved it. There were motors in the roof that would screw into the windshield frame so technically it was touch-less but they suggested that you give the roof a tug to make sure it was seated properly. And there was a trunk you could use even with the roof stored.
Legend has it it's closing right now.
Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.
I had one and the you put it in park and slide the steering wheel to the side and it turned the front seat you were in out toward the door when you got out very neat I have a 2003/11 generation Thunderbird now hardtop/convertible but it’s not the car that my 62 was
A good amount of engineering went into that.
Wow, and you can operate it at speeds up to 30 MPH! Simply amazing!
Beautiful Porsche
My mom used to have that Ford Galaxy 500 with the solid top convertible. It was just as slow.
Takes 5 to 7 business days to put the top out, but it does it wonderfully.
If there is a single ford that I want to get my hands on it's a 62 Thunderbird.
I remember that car from a game called Ford Racing 3 that car in the game had excellent cornering control ;)
I LOVE THE COMMENT HE MADE FOR ALL THE "IRISH" WATCHING THIS VIDEO, "DON'T PUT THE TOP UP WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING"👍🏻🤭
Cool factor off the charts. The 390 tri power M code makes it all the more better.
My Mercedes SL500 does this, only quicker. But these old T-Birds do it nicer!! PS I have trunk space with the top down. Not much, but at least I can take her shopping!! Beautiful Bird!!!
Well, hopefully quicker, just not better.
Oh man, thanks for this absolutely awesome video!
Totally cool. For 1962…amazing!
That t-bird has a CD changer!
the coolest mechanism EVER!!!
My auto electrics instructor told the class if you get a classic retract cable roof (hard top) to adjust, charge them three time your rate and you may break even. ;-)
Who cares if it takes over one min... its all machical and amazing to watch...and 1960 tech..its almost an art form...
The new cars might be able to do it faster but they sure cant do it as cool
A friend of familys Mom had that exact Red Thunderbird..So was a foxy blond in the perfect car..
.Y FAVORITE MODEL...GORGOUS...NICE WORK...THE TOP THE MECHANISMS SWITCHES MOTORS...I USED TO REBUILD FORD ELECTRIC MOTORS FOR POWER WINDOWS etc etc...THE GEAR HAD 3 NYLON BEARINGS THAT WOUKD WEAR OUT OR DISINTERGRATE...WE HAD NYLON RODS3/8" dia) AND CUT TO LENGTH...RE GREASE EVERYTHING...BINGO...
動作が魅力的で夢とロマンを感じます。
近年の車種は面白味が無いから大切にし続けて下さい。
Wonderful!
Magnifique,grande Class.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Had to be fun trying to drag the spare tire up and out of there without rubbing it across the fender. Plus it pretty much wipes out the trunk space. But it is pretty slick.
woooouuuuu a true trasformer guau un verdadero trasformer
Only possible in the USA, 5 and a half meter car for 2 person. Epic design and looks
Far out man totally love it ❤️
Nice car. 🎯🇸🇪
Always wondered how that worked. Not sure if Ford had the most intricate tops or Benz or someone else? Between this, the continental and the sky liner it must have had some very interesting engineering meetings.
what a cool looking car
If I had the money that would probably be the only T.hunderbird I would need.
Looks like a repair waiting to happen. Amazing technology but headaches to come.
A faster motor is needed.
That's factory American ingenuity.
No tuner technology there boys. But it's still Wows the crowd
I can't help but laugh at some of these comments, "my -whatever- does it much faster". 60 eFFing years later, 60 yrs of advanced tech, I sure hope so!
These Thunderbird Sports Roadsters were on a different level in '62, the tonneau cover/head rests, fully retractable top, Kelsey Hayes chrome wire wheels, and the tri-power 390 under the hood.
They were just cool incorporated!
Very cool!
Way, way ahead of it's time !!!!
Very Nice! 👋👋👋👋
Imagine the cost of repairing a rear end collision on one of these.
ONE OF FORD'S "BETTER" IDEAS👍🏻😎
Seeing this is like waiting for the woman I like to come forward one day. :v 😪🤣 Greetings from Chle! :) 😀👍🏻🙋🏻♂️👋🏻🏁🚦🏎🚙🚐🚘 🇨🇱
This was accomplished by Ford relatively easily. Ford learned how to do this, with the 57-58-59 retractable hardtop, aka the Skyliner. Soft tops were a piece of cake.
Modern cars may do it faster, butthis one is like when ur belowed slowly strips down on dim light with gentle music before u make hot slow and gentle action. It have style, it test ur patience, it gives u one of best rewards for ur patience
This is why Detroit is the automotive capital of the world.
Was...
@@ixcutamp8059 ...actually, still is. Not so exclusively anymore but still is.
Nice 👍 😀🥰😍🚗
Had a 61 T-bird rag-top in high school my dad picked up for 2,300 used in 1963 (the same price of a new stripped down Chevy Belair or Biscayne ? What ever. Some times the top went down and would not come back up. Most time when it started raining. I should have WD-40ed the blasted thing. The back seat was so small... well my steady was just the right size at 5'.
Nice old car😊😊👌👌
Very cool
In the time it took it to put the top on Doug would have found all of its interesting quirks and features.
For the life of me, I was not anticipating a cloth top.
Thought for sure it would be fiberglass like on the 59 Fairlane retractable.
Amazing!
This was done before computer control and it works like a charm. Guess what, it can be repaired if it fails.
wow very cool
That is a LONG 80 seconds when it is POURING rain.
Things are very interesting. Like knowing that 20 seconds in 1962 was a very big achievement, much to be envied by rival motor car companies.....🙄🙄
I didn't know the T-Bird roadster allowed putting the top up with the tonneau cap.
Tall articulation with working the top.
I can drop or raise the top on my '99 Z28 inside my garage--ceiling is just over 8 feet, top doesn't come close. 15 seconds to full up or down, can raise or lower under 30 mph.
I’m not interested in cars and this got recommended to me so this about to blow tf up
Yeah it’s been a fun ride with this one. As with most classics they bring back good memories of the past.
The trunk is essentially to store the top...and NOTHING else.
So what's your point............ it was cool.
The Thelma & Louise Car
This took like forever to close the roof..you better start the roof closing opperation as soon as you hear the weather cast on the news the day before..otherwise you'll get wet 😂
This is how I get out of bed
I'm digging the car, but my gosh....any rain would've come and gone by the time the top was done 😂 I wonder if anyone ever thought about upgrading this system
Wow! 😎
If it started to rain, you would drown before the top was raised.
Sudden rain shower - no problem Darling.. i'll just quickly close the convertible top
pure Class
Thus was more interesting than Jeff bezos rocket launch
Wow, that's even slower then my WR129 Mercedes but OK, there are 25 years between...