(first posted 9/3/2019) Everybody has their favorite time of year. Each season has its own particular set of perks but none of them equal the sheer splendor and joy that come with summer. There is simply so much one can do during summer, with these events being of a nature where they aren’t easily or comfortably duplicated at other times of the year.
One particular activity that is the embodiment of the splendors of summer is driving a convertible.
Having been lucky enough to have partaken of a number of convertibles over time, there is a distinct freedom that comes with driving with no top. The sun is brighter, the sounds of wildlife are more vivid, and the overall great experience of life itself is amplified exponentially. If one is seeking a non-medicinal method for cleansing themselves of life’s various and annoying stresses, a convertible is a fine way to seek treatment.
If ever there was a type of vehicle that is synonymous with summer, might the convertible be it?
Even routine drives on highly familiar roadways can be a new thrill if taken in a convertible. Make that convertible a 1963 Ford Thunderbird and the thrill may vault a person into the stratosphere. It could almost defy description. There have been countless convertibles built over time but few, if any, have ever succeeded in approaching the persona and presence of a Thunderbird.
A wise person once said life is like fishing. Individual events are like lakes or ponds where you fish until it’s dry and you move to the next lake. But these ponds are fed by the River of Time, that large body of water that never ceases moving. Sometimes the river flows slowly, other times it flows briskly. But flow it does and never shall it cease.
The river analogy also explains summer, that ever so fleeting event that is always sandwiched between the dreariness of winters. Spring is great, but winter always wants to linger like bad company. Autumn is grand, but we all know what is next. Summer is the prime season and, like life itself, it is painfully short.
So one must embrace summer like the love of a lifetime. Life is meant for savoring those magic moments and driving a Thunderbird convertible in the summer is likely as close to automotive nirvana as any person can imagine. Sure there may be faster convertibles, more swoopy convertibles, and even convertibles that offer a more dynamic driving experience. But none of them are a Thunderbird. If one were to peruse the CC archives, they would be hard pressed to find any car that possesses more unanimous popular support than a 1960s era Ford Thunderbird.
Finding this particular Thunderbird was rather representative of the season of summer itself, with these pictures presented in the order in which they were taken. I had found myself stopped for a moment, looking up to realize summer was here.
After a moment it went mainstream and all was well, with the ride being straight and smooth. Yet, suddenly, much like the season itself, it turned and was gone leaving me, and the river of my life, to flow on downstream without the accompaniment of a summer Thunderbird.
Here’s to next year, white Thunderbird.
(Author’s Note: Yes, I know it’s now spring for those in the southern hemisphere. Perhaps this Thunderbird is headed your way as he is indeed turning south in this last picture. JS)
Found August 28, 2019, Centralia, Missouri.
The secrets of life. A convertible and a lake.
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My dad had a 63 bird convertible..but it was black…loved that car…i have a 66 tbird in storage now just needing restoration…not a convertible..but nice
A nice ode to summer. September represents back to school, and back to work for many in the Northern Hemisphere. The treasured vacationing season is over, as it’s back to the grind.
Luckily, summer weather often lingers well into September, and the transition to the beauty (and coolness) of Fall allows many with convertibles to still enjoy this next season.
I appreciate the sentiments, but will vote for Fall as being the peak season for convertibles. The summer sun can be brutal so summertime convertibling is best done in the mornings and evenings. But in the fall the sun is a welcome friend.
I agree with you about these soft-top T Birds. This car made a fabulous convertible. I have owned convertibles and I have owned one Thunderbird (and of this generation, even) but I have never owned them both in the same car. But would dearly love to.
“I appreciate the sentiments, but will vote for Fall as being the peak season for convertibles. The summer sun can be brutal so summertime convertibling is best done in the mornings and evenings. But in the fall the sun is a welcome friend.”
Precisely! In Florida, my convertible stays garaged in summer; it’s a mid-fall, winter and early spring ride. More and more this is the trend, unfortunately, in many parts of our land (not just Florida or the south in general) with summer high temperatures seemingly on a continual rise.
For me this generation is probably peak Thunderbird, at least as far as looks go, and yes, the convertible is better looking than the hard top.
My wife and I have owned four convertibles through the years and enjoyed each and every one of them. My current driver is a 2014 Mustang convertible that I plan to keep forever, or as long as I can get in and out of the driver’s seat without hurting myself. Spring and fall are definitely better for top down driving than the summer, especially here in the Ohio River valley with heat and humidity. However, even in the summer there are days that are pleasant enough to drop the top and when the sun goes down open air motoring is very pleasant.
P.S. I think this T-bird’s reverse lights are on when it’s moving forward.
I think those are his brake lights, as the left one seems to be out just before he turns left, like it’s flashing.
Otherwise, a beauty. Only, it needs whitewalls…..
The backup lights in these are rectangular lights in the bumper, about midway between the license plate and the taillight for each side. They are barely visible in the final picture. A better view is below.
Got it, thanks!
See the flippedspring shackles? Did the same on my 63 galaxie. Poor man’s spring re-arch.
The contemporary vehicles in the photos help show how l-o-w these are; I was reminded last week when a local car show had these slinking among Tri-Five Chevy’s and various 1960s sedans.
Nice ode to summer, Jason–I get a sense that the places where summer weather is most consistent and desirable are exactly where cost of living skyrockets. I have no memories of humidity as a distraction as a child, but it sure gets me down now! By August this year I found my upper-midwestern self wishing to fast-forward life to the cooler/drier autumn. I wonder how late in the season I’ll spot someone with the top down?
Later Thunderbirds lacked the Wow factor by being the same height as everything else.
As I commented in Brendan’s piece, my convertible’s top goes down much, much more during Spring and Fall. Summer is way, way too hot in the Ozarks, and we can have surprising cold Winters.
I tend to agree with JP in that Fall has the best weather. One disadvantage of Spring is the immense amount of pollen that gets distributed throughout the interior, and it also tends to be wetter.
I am coming to the conclusion that summer is convertible season for most people. Spring and fall are convertible seasons for people who have actually owned convertibles. 🙂 Everyone thinks a hot summer day in a convertible is a great idea. Until you do it once or twice and get the full-broil treatment. At least the new ones don’t have the black vinyl seats that used to be common so that you got to experience a broiler and a griddle all in one sitting.
That’s not a real issue here….winter in the garage, spring and autumn when you can and summer as much as you can. Never had it too hot here.
But we do play cricket.
I’ve only driven convertibles for the last twenty years and my attitude has always been that if it’s dry and over 60°, the top goes down no matter the season. Yes, autumn is the best season for top down motoring but if the weather provides who am I to dispute Mother Nature?
Had almost a year ((one week shy)) of convertible fun!! Expected I’d get “30ish”, months out a the car.Sadly, the electrical system self destructed.
Too costly to invest in those repairs on a “20 “, year old “Bimmer”.
Was a good looking comfortable car for sure!
“At least the new ones don’t have the black vinyl seats that used to be common so that you got to experience a broiler and a griddle all in one sitting.”
Well, mine are black leather. Not quite as bad a vinyl, but if I have a choice the next time I buy a convertible, I think I may go with a lighter color.
Indeed, it doesn’t take long at all for black leather seats to become hot in the summer sun. Maybe not as bad as the black vinyl seats that used to be standard equipment in many cars but bad enough.
One of the first things I did after buying my Fiat X1/9 two years ago was to replace the black vinyl with light tan perforated Alcantara and leather. Makes a world of difference in comfort.
Close…
Nice. I’ve had this 63 promo since new. It has the Sports Roadster trim and wheels (IIRC the wire wheels were optional on the coupe). Love these cars – seeing this one on the road was a real treat.
One of the great things about convertibles is a person can experience the outside temperatures. When in shade it’s cooler and sitting at a stoplight when it’s in the 90s is hot.
I had a ’61 convertable. White with a red interior. BEAUTIFUL car and a real chick magnet.
Owned it in 1966-67 while in the Navy in Rhode Island. I LOVED that car.
When the convert. was activated. the trunk opened, top folded down and then nthe trunk closed and mechanicaly screwed down .Perfect!
Thanx for the memory.
When I think of the Beach Boy’s song “Fun,Fun,Fun” this is what I picture………………….
Nice T-Bird ! .
No license tags……
I hope I’ve learned my lesson and won’t buy any more rag tops, after three months or so I never put the top down again .
I’m more of a Motocycle guy .
Thank you for sharing this beauty .
-Nate
The 1st family car I remember was a 63 Olds Dynamic 88 convertible. Nearly 20 years ago I got a MB SLK, then another, and now a BMW Z4. Financially I should just have my daily driver. But it’s hard to put a price on a few months of joy.
Love the article and agree with everything said. Mom owned a new 1960 T-Bird convertible. At age 12 I fell in love with the 1963 T-Bird and convinced Dad to buy a 1963 hardtop which became my first car in early 1967. I loved that car but Dad borrowed it, wrecked it, so he gave me his 1966 Town Landau. I love T-Birds and have owned a number of convertibles over the years. So about 12 years ago got a beautiful, nearly restored, 1966 T-Bird convertible and hope to never give it up. I had bought it from a dealer in SC, had it shipped to me in Canada, and when I retired it came with me to VA. I still have a couple of months left to enjoy it this year. Yes it has a black vinyl interior which when warm feels good to my old bones. In my scale model collection I have every 1:24 T-Bird Danbury Mint made, three 1:25 1963 T-Bird promos & one 1966 promo, and arriving this month are ten new release 1966 T-Birds in 1:18 scale. That’s right ten! I ordered every color offered and in multiples. I also have original T-Bird brochures and every book published on T-Birds. Yes, I am a nut but a very happy nut.
I’ve never owned a convertible; I’m sure I’ll find one some day that’s the right deal and catches my eye. So I’m probably not a “convertible guy,” but I get the appeal. Some people just gravitate to them and actually use them unless it’s raining and until the blazing heat or cold forces them to leave it up. And some people buy one, then never take the top down.
That said, having a couple cars with a sunroof and a Porsche 924 with a bigger removable roof panel, I have to agree that the heat of summer isn’t where I’d want a convertible. I’ve only removed the 924’s sunroof once – partly because the seals and other bits need to be replaced, so it takes some fiddling to get it back on. But the big thing I immediately noticed was how the mid-day sun beat down on me. I also find the only time I open a sunroof on the other cars is on evening drives.
Anyway, I’ve always wanted a T-bird, and I think that’s one car that begs to be a convertible. It’s a real shame that the later ‘birds (which were respectable at times) never had that option. It could never be my primary car, but maybe that’s part of the fun. You know you’re in the halcyon days of summer when the cars like that you had no idea were hiding in random garages are suddenly everywhere. There is something magical about summer (moreso the second half, I’d say). It doesn’t last, so while you can, better have fun fun fun!