Power Sunroof?

[jopizz]

While checking out the local Craigslist ads I happened across an interesting find. A 1960 Thunderbird Sunroof. Although the fact that it was a sunroof was interesting enough the ad also said that it was a three speed manual car. That certainly got my interest. Since it was only about 10 minutes away I had to see it first hand. Seeing the car in person was even more puzzling. The sunroof was electric. Normally I would pass it off as just a modified hardtop but the fact that the roof opening was cut identical to a factory sunroof and the slider brackets were obviously Golde manufacture made it even more curious. The motor and switch location looks very similar to a 67-73 Thunderbird sunroof. The dome light also looks like a '72 Ford dome light. Since there was no signs of a windbar and the dome light is incorrect and in the wrong location I can only assume that it was not a factory sunroof but maybe dealer installed. Unfortunately someone changed the column shift to a floor shift. Here are some pictures.

John

[YellowRose]

Power Sunroof?

Hi John, I hope you don't mind, but I registered that Tbird with John Rotella's Tbird Registry, using some of your comments and the pictures you provided. That VIN # did not show up as being in the registry. To my knowledge, there is no known 1960 powered sun roof that was ever produced on the production line. Although there is that story of one being found in New England some years ago with a powered sun roof on it. To my knowledge, it must have been an aftermarket addition. As I said, there is no official record of any 1960 powered sun roof ever coming off the production line, unless I am incorrect. If I am, Alan or Fuz can correct me.

[jopizz]

Ray,

Thanks for registering it. I had planned to do so after maybe getting some feedback on exactly what others thought it was. I'm convinced that it's a late 60's-early 70's Thunderbird sunroof. I was just struck by how well the opening was cut. It certainly looked factory rather than something that was added later. I've seen enough of them to know the difference.

John

[YellowRose]

Power Sunroof?

Hi John, if anyone can add any additional information regarding this car, we can pass it on to John to add to the Registry regarding it. I am glad to see it is still alive and has not been crushed. Someone certainly did a good job of installing that roof from the looks of it.

If you want to learn more about powered Golde Top roofs, check out this posting by Rockin Kev some years ago. It details how he found his powered Golde Top on a '60 Sun Roof in a scrap yard in New England, and how he got it to England. It has been a long time since I have last heard from Kev. The last I heard, his wife was still recovering from her illness. Here is the link.

http://www.squarebirds.org/vbulletin...?t=1891&page=3

[jopizz]

The car needs a lot of work. The floors and radiator support are shot and it's got quite a bit of Bondo in the rockers and quarters. It's missing both the front and rear seats. I made a low offer on it just for curiosity sake. We'll see if it gets sold.

John

[tbird430]

Maybe it was a factory manual slide sunroof car & someone in the 1970's converted it over to a power sliding roof??

It is plausible.

[jopizz]

There's was no windbar or any holes in the trim indicating that it ever had one so I'm thinking the sunroof was added later. Also the dome light was the wrong one and in the wrong position. Since the seats are long gone there's no chance of finding a ROT sheet either.

John

[Guest]

I bought this car

I found this site today and was kind of shocked to see pictures of the car I just bought on it.

pretty funny

[jopizz]

You certainly have a lot of work to do on it. I'm pretty sure that the sunroof was added later. How do you like that diamond plate someone put on to replace the floor boards on the driver side. I thought that was an interesting touch.

John

[Guest]

yea im not sure what they were thinking. whomever "butchered " the car had interesting taste.
it had a tach installed. a big amp in the trunk .
tons of speaker wires everywhere. We are going to basically gut the car.

My father restored a 60 tbird when I was a kid. He was diagnosed with cancer in august and I got the car to work on with him as a father son project. Its going to be white like his was. We are both machinist by trade and also have a fair about of sheet metal fabrication experience.

Victor the guy who owned the car really hit it off with my dad and gave us a real fair price on it. I don't think he did any of the modifications to it.

Your pretty local and kind of know by seeing the car what i'm going to need if you get a line on any of the parts shoot me a message.

[Guest]

As far as the sunroof goes it looks pretty good to me. And obviously the people who painted the car and did the other mods had nothing to do with that sunroof or it would be shaped like a triangle. It is odd that its a manual tranny , no power windows or locks. no air but has a power sun roof.

I found the post about the one in the junk yard that was shipped in England interesting and would think there was a few more like it around.

I just know it has a sun roof and that's pretty cool and my dad really likes it.

[jopizz]

The good thing is that most of the chrome was either replaced or redone including the bumpers. That should save you a good deal of money. As far as parts go contact Carl Heller (partsetal) if you need anything new or used. He has just about everything when it comes to squarebirds. He's a couple of hours away if you want to take a ride and see what he has. The sunroof was definitely a pro job. Anything that I can do to help just let me know.

John

[YellowRose]

Power Sunroof?

David, you have quite the car there. As you probably saw, I am the one who registered it on the Tbird Registry, after John ~ jopizz located it. You are a very fortunate fellow in that you have an extremely rare '60 Golde Top with a powered roof in it. The only two I know of is this one and Kevin's in England. So not only do you have a rare '60 Golde Top (there were not that many made), but an even rarer one with a powered roof and a manual transmission. According to the Data Plate on this car, it left the plant with a Conventional or Manual transmission in it. According to the Data Plate breakdown, the VIN # is 0Y71Y151265, which breaks down as 0=1960-Y=Built at Wixom Plant-71=2Dr HT-151265=the 51,265th Squarebird made that year (The 1 is always dropped). The Model 63A=2Dr HT Color=A=Raven Black-Trim=55=Red/White interior-Date=29D=Scheduled for production on the 29th of April, but could have been built before or after that date-Tran=1=Conventional (Manual)-Axle=9=3:70 Std/Overdrive. So there is your breakdown of the Data Plate if you need it. This car deserves to be restored and returned to it's original condition WITH the power roof left in.

You are also very fortunate in that you live not to far from John ~ jopizz, a fantastic mechanic and Carl Heller ~ partsetal, also, on here. They should be a tremendous help to you in advising you on restoring this Bird, and Carl in helping to locate parts for it especially. Carl has a lot of Squarebird parts and ships all over the world. So you are indeed a lucky man and also because you get to do this with your Dad, who has been down this road before restoring a Squarebird. It will be a great project to work with him on.

I hope you can restore this very special Squarebird to its former glory and if we can do anything to help, please let me know. Also if you want to update the information on the Tbird Registry, you can do so by going to www.tbirdregistry.com and go through the process of updating ownership of it, and your plans for it. If you need any help doing that, email John Rotella and ask for help, or contact me. John is also a member of this Forum. This website might also be of help to you regarding the production of the 1960 Squarebird and Golde Top.

http://automotivemileposts.com/tbird...lections.shtml

[kowalj04]

I'm just curious if either of you (Ray or John) ever heard from Dave again about his car? Dave is his name in the registry as the person who bought this. I'm a little curious what work was done. I read through and was going to message him, then saw the new owner was a forum guest. Granted there is the controversy on the sunroof in the car this thread is about. I have been looking for 60's with both a factory manual and a factory sunroof since January 2021. I have only found two. One near Philadelphia which is rotted and disassembled. Then one that is in Indiana I believe. That one actually is a factory export with the lower hp. engine. It at some point found its way home back to America. However the sunroof/manual trans./export package intrigued me.

[jopizz]

Obviously David has not been on the forum in many years and his user ID was most likely deleted due to inactivity. I have not heard about or seen that car since I went to look at it in 2014. It was pretty far gone as far as rust goes and would've cost more money to repair it than it was probably worth. The sunroof was definitely added later and really didn't add any great value to the car in my opinion.

John