1968 Ford Thunderbird Landau Sedan Fresh Rebuilt 429 Engine. Suicide Doors
Vehicle Description
This 1968 Ford Thunderbird Landau sedan spent time in Ohio before it was acquired me in December 2023. Subsequent work included overboring and rebuilding the 429ci “Thunder Jet” V8 with a re-ground crankshaft, .030″-oversized pistons, .010″-oversized main bearings and rod bearings, and a replacement camshaft, oil pump, timing chain, timing gears, valves, lifters and springs, and gaskets in addition to re-coring the radiator, repainting various external engine components, and installing LED light bulbs, replacement rear sequential turn signal hardware, and Crown Victoria-sourced 17″ wheels. Finished in gold over black vinyl, the car features hideaway headlights, reverse-hinged rear coach doors, front disc brakes, a JVC CD stereo, and aftermarket speakers. This Thunderbird sedan is offered with manufacturer’s literature, spare parts, and a clean Rhode Island title in my name.The car left the factory finished in Gold Metallic (Y). Exterior details include a driver-side mirror, hideaway headlights, sequential rear turn signals, reverse-hinged rear coach doors, a black “Alligator-Grain” vinyl roof with landau bars, and chrome-finished bumpers. The passenger-side headlight shaft seal was replaced in preparation for the sale, and additional work under current ownership includes installing a replacement electronic sequential turn signal relay and an aftermarket electronic turn signal sequencer kit as well as fitting the taillight assembly, front turn signals, and corner lamps with LED bulbs. Silver-finished 17″ wheels that were reportedly sourced from a later-model Crown Victoria are mounted with 235/55 Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tires. Stopping power is provided by power-assisted front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. A wheel alignment was performed in preparation for the sale.The seating surfaces are upholstered in black vinyl. A crack is visible in the dashboard, which houses a JVC CD stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. Kenwood speakers were fitted to the rear deck, while the dashboard speaker was replaced with a RetroSound dual-voice component. The headlight switch, heater core, and heater valve were reportedly changed in preparation for the sale. A manual shut off valve for the heater core has been installed. Not shown is the start of a modern AC retrofit. This car was a factory Non AC Car. The following has been fitted to the engine, original AC Compressor mounts,water pump pulley and Idler Pulley, new York AC Compressor, rebuilt AC Clutch pulley, new parallel flow condenser, new AC Dryer, new Lines and switch. New Fan Clutch and 6 Blade Fan. No further AC work will be done. The only things left for the new buyer if they wished would be fitting any aftermarket evaporator unit from makers like vintage air, restomod air or classic auto air. The two-spoke steering wheel frames a 120-mph speedometer, an analog clock, and supplementary readouts. The five-digit mechanical odometer shows 51k miles, approximately 250 of which were added under current ownership. LED backlight bulbs were fitted to the dashboard in preparation for the sale.
The overbored 429ci “Thunder Jet” V8 is fitted with an Edelbrock 1411 carburetor, and it was rebuilt in October 2024 with a re-ground crankshaft, .030″-oversized pistons, .010″-oversized main bearings and rod bearings, SBI valves and valve springs, Sealed Power valve lifters, and a Melling camshaft, oil pump, timing chain, and timing gears as well as Felpro gaskets and freeze plugs. Additional work under current ownership included re-coring the radiator, repainting the air cleaner assembly, intake manifold, and valve covers, and replacing the following components:
- Thermostat
- Fuel pump
- Fuel filter
- Distributor vacuum advance module
- Vacuum lines
- PCV valve
- Oil pressure switch
- V-belts
- Battery cables
