'60 Squarebird Of Rob McLellan!

[YellowRose]

Rob is a brand new to us Tbird owner, having just joined the Forum. But here is some of what he had to say to John ~ jopizz and I about his Tbird, and also some pix he sent of his drop dead gorgeous '60 Hardtop... BTW, Rob told me his VIN # and it is a J Code! 430MEL engine, Paint Code KM=Turquoise Metallic/Sultana Turquoise/Corinthian White top, with matching interior Trim Code 77, Dark/Light Turquoise Vinyl.

"Hello John and Ray,

Early to bed and early to rise. I woke up to your emails from last night but I was out behind my shop at the crack of dawn doing restoration work. Now with the threat of rain, I am showered and at the computer.

Having been in the old car hobby since the late 40s as a kid, I know I have met you at some time John, as your name is familiar. Ray, I look forward to meeting you. The Thunderbird is a modern car to me, a prewar guy, but I love it. You both have been extremely helpful and I greatly appreciate working with you both. I look forward to continuing this relationship.
Best wishes, Rob"

Here are some pix that Rob has shared with us. Enjoy! Welcome Aboard, Rob!

[bird 60]

Love it. Beautiful color combo. Welcome to the club Rob.

Chris.....From OZ.

[Dan Leavens]

Chris I agree on the Sultana Turquoise / Corinthian White combo it is rare and stunning.

[YellowRose]

'60 Squarebird Of Rob McLellan!

Here are some pix of Rob's engine bay!

[DKheld]

Great to see another '60 Tbird out and about.

(and driving them is just as much fun )

Like that color combo too - very nice.

[Deanj]

Good photos of a very original looking Bird.

I noticed your converted alternator has a 2 belt pulley. Do you know the pulley part number and where you purchased from?

I'm not even certain a 2 belt pulley would work for me since my alternator pulley, which is as deep as yours but has one groove closer toward the front, lines up with the inner pulley on the crank.

Dean

[YellowRose]

'60 Squarebird Of Rob McLellan!

Hi Dean, I can probably answer that question for you. Rob just recently bought that Tbird, and that alternator set up was already in place when he received the car. However, along with the car, came a BIG binder of information on the car, which I was able to look through when they were visiting me. In that binder there may be receipts regarding that information. Rob will probably see your post and can look through his binder to see if he has that info in it...

[tbird430]

Very nice, love the colors inside & out!! 430cid to boot- Even retains the correct (430 only) engine heat riser!

[YellowRose]

'60 Squarebird Of Rob McLellan!

Rob & Bea just sent me some more pix of their gorgeous Sultana Turquoise & White 430MEL Squarebird! The rain stopped enough to allow them to get out and road test it. Here are some new pix they sent me.

[Dan Leavens]

Rob & Bea very nice and she sits stands so regal like. Good stuff and enjoy the nice weather when it comes

[OUR5T8BIRD]

Rob & Bea very nice and she sits stands so regal like. Good stuff and enjoy the nice weather when it comes

Gorgeous , like it just rolled of the factory floor at Wixom .

[YellowRose]

'the Flying Elephant"...

Rob has given me some additional information and history on how they came to own this gorgeous 1960 430MEL Squarebird with the beautiful Sultana Turquoise Metallic/Corinthian White top paint. It was recently selected by me to be featured in the 2019 Squarebirds.org Calendar for the Month of November! I am sure you will find it to be interesting reading.

By Bea And Rob McLellan ~ Posted with their permission

The decision to buy the 1960 Thunderbird in 2017 was based on many factors. Having come back to the AACA after 3 decades, Bea and I wanted a car that we could drive to all the AACA activities and not worry about driving our ancient open touring car from the 1920s. Breaking my fixation on prewar cars and 1950s sports cars, we needed a more modern four passenger hardtop with a good size trunk, an automatic transmission, power brakes and air-conditioning. Our decision was to look at the 1950s cars to find something that is interesting, had a fresh restoration, was under $50,000 and has good performance and handling. Having been an auto literature dealer and having been in the old car hobby since the late 1940s, I felt I knew the cars that would make our list. The choices were 1953 Studebaker, 1963 Avanti, 1956/1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II and 1958/1960 Thunderbird. These were cars that I liked when they were new, and have remained my favorites. After a few months of searching the available cars in Hemmings Motor News, talking to dealers and many owners selling cars, a 1960 Thunderbird was suddenly offered for sale online that met all the requirements except air conditioning. We were the first to respond and it was the first day to be offered. The owner was a really nice guy in his 80s who had restored several Fords and he was most helpful. It appeared to be an excellent deal, but the seller was in Seattle and it was winter. We decided to take a risk and buy it without a personal inspection with the attitude that we could always sell it if did not suit us. It arrived in Houston last December, and we were very happy with our purchase.

Why a 1960 Thunderbird? First, the 1960 model had all the bugs worked out that plagued the 1958 model. It was very popular when new and got rave reviews by many car magazines including Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award. It stands out and attracts attention with the fins, all the chrome, six tail-lights and the name Thunderbird evokes lots of memories.

It is very stylish with the bucket seats when most cars of that era had bench seats. A big plus is that there are numerous part suppliers. The support from Squarebirds.org has been excellent. And probably most important, Bea loves it.

Why this 1960 Thunderbird? This car has the rare optional 430 engine with 350 hp. It has been nicely restored inside and out and has been kept extremely original. The car had 55,000 miles on it and although the engine had not been rebuilt, it was very well maintained along with all the mechanical and electrical components. The color, Sultana Turquoise Metallic with Corinthian White top is very eye-catching. Acceleration is most impressive and we feel very comfortable driving it anywhere and taking it out in all weather conditions.

Just what we wanted? Yes, except it needed air-conditioning and seat belts. The seat belt addition was a one day job but the A/C took over a month. Classic Auto Air sells a excellent A/C kit for the 352 engine but the rare 430 engine created installation problems. Our new AACA member, Don Reid, has professional experience in this and jumped right into the installation and easily solved problems. With the help of several Squarebird.org members, led by Ray Clark, we managed to find the proper compressor mount and their knowledge of installing it was very valuable. It runs perfectly and looks like an original factory unit but it is far superior.

Initially, Bea planned to be the primary driver but she quickly realized it was 17 feet long, about twice the length of our Miata. Parking in the garage was impossible for her and driving it in traffic and negotiating winding roads caused panic. She refers to the Thunderbird as the “Flying Elephant.” That is cute, but it is no Dumbo. I seem to have become the designated driver and Bea’s main thrill, as a passenger, is to wave to those who give us the “thumbs up” or are taking videos from their car. Our “modern antique” has in the last several months attended most of the recent Houston area and Texas AACA events and we are very pleased to be in the company of all the other antique cars that you members provide for everyone’s enjoyment.

[captjohn]

Breathtakingly beautiful!