1962 Ford Thunderbird custom convertible running propane

Description for Ford Thunderbird 1962

Overview: This is a 1962 Ford Thunderbird that i purchased 5 years ago. She is a hardtop that had the roof cut off. She has red interior with Flat Black paint. Mileage says what it says but I am unsure if that is correct or not. She has the standard 390 but has been converted to run on Propane (explained below). I put in an electric fan and she runs cool in the summer. I have driven her around town and also to Loma Linda (Inland Empire) for my brother's graduation, Oxnard at 70 mph the entire way, without a problem. The engine is the original and has not had much done to it. It does not leak oil etc. but I can not say that she does not leak anything. It makes the normal noises that an original engine makes, but I have taken care of her and she has done the same back to me. I have put thousands of miles on her. The Rims are red, but not powder coated. She has been lowered and has Cherry Bomb exhaust. Quite when at the light, purrs and not too loud when you hit the gas. The tires have plenty of tread but they are old. I love this car and hate to see her go. The paint is ok, I like it, but of course when I am going to sell it the cat decides to come in and scratch the drivers door. I don't think it is much of a fix at all, they are light scratches. Also the booster is intermittent and will have to be replaced. I have a new generic one that I was going to install, or you can get the original rebuilt from booster Dewey. Best place I have found. I I am ONLY selling her because I have to. I love this car, but things change. Due to the scratches and the booster I have priced this car well below what I have put into it. You will love going to car shows and when people see the propane tank they say, "What?!?!?" It's great fun.

This car is 57 years old. It is not perfect, but it is the perfect classic car in my opinion. Why? It is not so nice you are afraid to drive it. It's cheap enough that you don't worry about it. It has novelty in that it runs on propane and it looks great.But keep in mind. There will always be something you want to improve on a classic car.

Engine: The engine is original and as I mentioned it has been converted to Propane. What that means is the Carb has been removed and an Impco 425 Propane carb has been put in with Quadrajet Throttle Body. I put in the Quadrajet as the mains are quarter sized and when cruising along for a parade or in town it is just enough. But the secondaries are HUGE. Larger than a silver dollar. So it kicks in with plenty of Power. The 425 is connected to a Impco Model E regulator that turns the liquid propane into vapor. The only thing that the engine burns if pure vapor which makes it much more efficient than a normal carb. The whole in's and out's of Propane system can be found on the internet. This is not some hack job. Impco has been making Propane carbs for years. Forklifts, Zambonis and all sorts of vehicles run off of propane, even buses.

Propane: It is not hard to find Propane at the industrial price. If you go to Uhaul or Mobil stations etc. Propane can be as much as 5 a gallon. But if you go to the industrial places, the places that Taco trucks or Forklifts get their tanks filled, it is much much cheaper. I paid $1.60 the last time I went and filled up. When gas was over 5 bucks a gallon i was paying 2.55 for propane. You have to know where you are going and where to fill up but there are many places on the internet that help me find where to fill up. I put a 36 gal tank in the trunk so i would not be caught out. I also have an 8Gal tank in the trunk that can be taken out as a backup. And the tanks are connected with the standard propane tank connector so any liquid propane tank can be attached and the car can run on it. I really have put a lot of time, money and effort to ensuring that it was set up in the best possible fashion. It isn't perfect, i am not that good. But it was done to the best of my abilities which is not too shabby.

Mechanics: She has a new front end (upper Ball Joints, Lower Ball Joints, Tie Rods, Bushings, heavy duty sway bar, Drag Link.) I have been working on the windows as the passenger does not work at the moment. I have found that it is the motor. I got used ones but have not taken the door apart yet to try them out. All other windows are working. The upulstruy is really good. The carpet is good. Good mats.

I have a big container full of all the trim from the roof. Second insturment cluster, window motors etc that come with the car. Lots of parts.

Paint and body work: I sanded her down when i repainted her. I found a bit of rust and cut it out and welded in metal patches. The paint was a flat black paint that had some shine to it. Not totally flat (I don't like that). I took out the door knobs and installed a door popper which works sometimes (I just reach in and open the door.) I thought the poppers would be cool but found there was no need. Where I cut the roof off was the rear window sill. I was going to leave it but then decided to fiberglass it in and paint it with the car. So it really does not look like it has been cut at all.

Having no roof: I have a 100% waterproof cover that I keep the car covered with at all times. I also have tarps and other water repellent materials that I cover the car with if I ever take it somewhere where there is no covered parking. But I've never really had a problem because I plan ahead.

Now I get asked all sorts of questions about my car when I am out.

Why did you convert it to propane?

This is simple. when I was at a stoplight the fumes from the exhaust was enough to kill me. I got tired of that and did some research on the internet. I found that cars have been running off of propane for years and was only stopped in the 80s. I then found out that many buses cars Etc in this country and others are currently running on propane. I found that the parts could be purchased for not too much money and decided to do it. The exhaust has much much much less carbon monoxide. This is the reason that many forklifts use propane instead of fossil fuels. Not to mention that it is cheaper than gasoline and I can honestly say that my 1962 Ford Thunderbird produces less carbon emissions then a Prius. I don't know If that is 100% correct or not. But I love saying it.The truth is it is an environmentally responsible hot rod.

Can you convert it back to has?

For sure. The only thing is to put a gas card on, time it and it's off and running spitting out carbon monoxide.

Why did you cut the roof off?

I live in Southern California where it almost never rains. A hardtop in decent condition was about 4 to $5,000 and a convertible, that was a rust bucket, that needed thousands of dollars of repair was about 9. I have a garage where the car was going to live when I was not driving it and the extra money to get an actual convertible did not make sense. Not to mention if I had a convertible I am going to have the top down, always.

What is the history of the car?

Honestly I have no idea, and I didn't really care so I've never done the research to find out the history of this car.

Who did all this work?

Yes, it was me. I am responsible for this Frankenstein.

What do you do when it rains?

I drive my other car. Also, this is Southern California. Google it, last year Los Angeles saw just over 30 days of rain. not too many days out of 365 to worry about.

Where do you get your propane?

I get my propane from a propane station that is where the 134 and the 5 freeway meet. They seem to have the best prices, their hours are good, they are friendly and it helped me get parts and fittings as I need. There are other places in Southern California that sell propane at industrial prices. There are places near LAX. There are places in the city of Industry. They're places in the valley. I have never actually had a problem finding a place that sells propane at industrial prices. Ask a food truck where they get their propane, they usually know the cheapest places in town.

I have included lots of photos that I've taken throughout the time of customizing this car. I have pictures of the throttle body that I use. I have pictures of the propane station, and someone filling the tank. I have pictures of the car in Griffith Park. My pictures of the fiberglass that I put in the back as well as the car being sanded down and repainted. This car really has been treated well and I have taken good care of her without going crazy in replacing the engine,Transmission and other major mechanical components. I made it drivable and fun.

Normal mumbo jumbo, there is no warranty. Sold as-is where-is. Buyer is responsible for picking her up. I can help arrange some things but not everything. Car needs to be picked up within 7 days. Please make deposit within 48 hours and then bring cash or cashier's check when picking up the car.

That's all. Message me if you have questions and I will answer every night.