Although the two-seat Thunderbird had been discontinued after 1957, there remained a core group committed to a more sports-oriented car. To satisfy this demand, a Sports Roadster adaptation of the T-Bird convertible was introduced for 1962, making two seats out of four.

To create the Sports Roadster, designer Eugene Bordinat designed a fiberglass cover for the convertible’s rear seats, with raised headrests for the front buckets and a closure panel between them. Kelsey-Hayes chrome wire wheels, a passenger grab bar on the instrument panel, and special emblems on the front fenders completed the package, which was made a separate body style, designated 76B. Fender skirts were not available, since they would have interfered with the faux knock-off hubs on the wheels.

Once again the Sports Roadster made its appearance at the top of the Thunderbird lineup. At $5,563 it was also the most expensive T-Bird available that year. There were minimal changes in styling, as this was the final year of the third generation of Thunderbird styling introduced in 1961. Known as the bullet birds, this refers to the look of the rear taillights. The Thunderbird found itself to have competitors with the introduction of the Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Starfire and the Studebaker GT Hawk. As a result, sales dropped nearly 20-percent from the year before. It is quite uncommon, as it is one of just 455 Sports Roadsters of a total of 63,133 Thunderbirds produced for 1963.

Remaining in exceptional condition from its 1990 restoration by Ernie Chapman of Weston Ontario, Canada; this M-Code Sports Roadster looks fabulous in Code J Rangoon Red with a Code 2 white soft-top and Code 55 Red vinyl interior with bucket seats. The Thunderbird was originally built at the Wixon, Michigan facility (plant Code Y) on the date of October 29, 1962. This particular Sports Roadster is powered by the optional 390-cid, 340-hp M-Code V-8 engine with three two-barrel Holley carburetors and a 10.5:1 compression ratio. It was dubbed the Thunderbird Special “six-barrel” in various period writings. Of the 455 Thunderbirds that featured the Sports Roadster option, only 37 were equipped with this respected powerplant. Of this select group, it is reported that only 10 cars had the factory air conditioning as seen with this example.

Along with the rare factory air conditioning, additional equipment aboard this fine machine includes center console with tachometer, Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission, factory chrome engine dress-up kit, driver’s side spotlight, AM/FM radio, chrome wire wheels, seat belts, locking gas cap, remote driver’s side mirror; power seats, windows, brakes and steering.

The Sports Roadster has been with the current owner since March of 1998 and was an AACA regular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Among the awards received by this magnificent rendition are a National First Place award at the Vintage Thunderbird Club International (VTCI) in Hershey, Pennsylvania in October 1991; AACA National First Prize (Junior) at Hershey, Pennsylvania in October 1998; AACA National First Prize (Senior) in Orlando, Florida on March 6, 1999; AACA Grand National First Prize from July 5, 2000 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania; AACA Grand National Senior from August 18, 2001 in Moline, Illinois and Best in Class at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance on November 5, 2005.

These awards only bolster the significance of this Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster. They were coveted in period and are all the more so now to its host of devoted collectors. This is arguably one of the finest 1963 examples to be found today.