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For 1964 the T-bird left sporty behind to become a personal luxury coupe. This model was a four-seat coupe that was longer than many four-door sedans because Ford focused on image, comfort and performance.
The 1964 retained a family resemblance to 1963 but was obviously new. The pointed profile was still evident, but from front or rear it was completely altered. The quad headlamps were moved to the extreme edge of the fenders, where they cut into the face of the car in canted oval cutouts.
In 1964 this wasn’t exactly an all-new car, but it was totally fresh on the outside. Styled by L. David Ash and Art Querfeld under the direction of Ford design chief Gene Bordinat, the Flair Bird, as it would eventually be labeled by T-Bird enthusiasts, sported new exterior sheet metal over the same unit-construction platform used on the Bullet Birds of 1961-63.
The 1964 Thunderbird models were great looking vehicles, and the public thoroughly enjoyed the new features, which included a sculptured body and rectangular taillights that were set inside a massive bumper for extra safety. 1964 Thunderbird hardtop designs offered the consumer the Landau Roof model, which featured a durable fade–resistant padded vinyl top over the formal hardtop roof. The vinyl-covered top was available in black, white, blue and brown.
The 1964/1965 Thunderbirds offered a cockpit-style passenger compartment with bucket seats. Ford advertising dubbed the interior “The Private World of Thunderbird.” The interior featured a swing-away steering wheel along with a future-thinking console that traveled downward and rearward between the front seats.
This generation of the Thunderbird was restyled in favor of a more squared-off, "formal" look. The only remnant of the Thunderbird's former sporty image was that the standard 390-cubic-inch 300 hp V8 engine needed nearly 11 seconds to push the heavy T-bird to 60 mph. The softly sprung suspension allowed considerable body lean, wallow, and float on curves and bumps. Contemporary testers felt that the Buick Riviera, Pontiac Grand Prix and Chrysler 300K were substantially more roadworthy cars, but the Thunderbird retained its leading market share.
Total 1964 sales were excellent at 92,465 units, up nearly fifty per cent from the previous year, but the popularity of the Sports Roadster continued to decline, with only 50 Sports Roadster sold from the factory. The 1964 Thunderbird was the only model of this generation to have the word 'Thunderbird' spelled out on the front hood instead of a chrome Thunderbird emblem. The only transmission available was the Cruise-O-Matic MX 3 speed automatic. The listed retail price for the 1964 two-door hardtop coupe was US$4,486 ($44,071 in 2023 dollars).
Convertibles borrowed the opening mechanism from the all-new Lincoln Continental where the trunk lid would open electrically in a single piece, hinged at the back of the vehicle, then the fabric top would fold down and disappear beneath the trunk lid. The mechanism was originally used on the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner hardtop convertible of the late 1950s. Opening the trunk on convertibles for storage required that the lid be opened electrically, without deploying or retracting the folding convertible top.
The top line in Thunderbird advertising for the Flair Bird years was “The Private World of Thunderbird,” painting a picture of exclusivity and prestige.
Powered by custom installed big block 428 cubic inch V-8 engine
Upgraded C6 automatic transmission
New and rare original factory correct Peacock finish
White retractable top folds out of sight by means of rear hinged deck lid
113.2-inch wheelbase
Muscle & Speed / 1960–1979
More from the collection.
1960 Ford Fairlane “The Spaceliner” Custom Concept
1960 Frontenac Falcon Ranchero
1961 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Convertible
1963 Chevrolet Bel Air 5th Gen.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split Window C2
1963 Chrysler 300 Pace Setter Convertible
1963 Ford Galaxie 500/XL Convertible
1964 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible
1965 Dodge Coronet A/FX Kentucky Colonels
1965 Dodge Coronet Hemi
