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1. The very first thing you should do if you did not receive one with the Tbird is to buy the appropriate Shop Manual for the year of Tbird you just bought! I would suggest that you save yourself some money (about $10 cheaper) and buy the CD version. By doing so, you can just print out the page(s) you need, take them to the car to work with and if you get grease all over them, just throw them away. With the manual being on CD, you can always print out more copies of those pages as needed.
2. In addition to the Shop Manual you may want to buy the Electrical Assembly Manual. These manuals were used on the assembly line to put the car together. They show where the wires are routed as well as schematic diagrams.
3. You may also want to buy the Body & Interior Trim Assembly Manual. This is a manual that was used to put together the car on the assembly line.
4. If you own a 1964-1966 Flairbird and plan on doing a lot of engine work, you may want to buy the Engine Components Manual. This is the manual that was used on the assembly line to put the engine together. It is not available, that I am aware of, for the earlier years of Tbirds.
5. You may want to buy the Specifications & Features Manual. This covers options, accessories, engines, transmissions, rear axles, interiors, paint, trim, new car prices and more.
6. You may also want to buy the Reproduction Illustrated Guide for your year of Tbird. It has detailed illustrations and data plate decoding information that will help you restore your Tbird.
7. You may also want to own a copy of the Thunderbird Restoration Guide. It includes hundreds of illustrations and important facts about the restoration of your Tbird.
8. Lastly, if the seller did not provide you with a copy of the Owners Manual, they are available for 1958-1966. This manual is identical to the originals. All pictures and instructions are correct.
9. As for wiring diagrams,and the 1958-1966 Convertible Top Repair & Adjustment Manual, you will find that information located in our Technical Resource Library on the Forum.
10. The next thing you should do is to contact all the major Tbird parts houses listed in the Advertisements Forum and ask them to mail you their free catalogs. You will need them to check parts availability and pricing comparisons. Keep in mind that two major companies, The Bird Nest in Oregeon, and Thunderbird Hqs in California, manufacture 80% of all Thunderbird parts available to us today. The other Tbird parts houses order the majority of their parts from them I am told. I do most of my business with The Bird Nest because they have always been very helpful to me in selecting, ordering and shipping parts to me and in assisting me in locating parts for our membership. Call or email these Tbird parts houses to ask for their free catalog to be mailed to you. Here are the major Tbird parts houses available to us today.
a. Bird Nest
b. CASCO ~ 1955-1957 Tbird Parts Only
c. Concours Parts & Accessories
d. Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts
e. Fordcraft ~ '55-'57 Tbirds
f. Larry's Thunderbird & Mustang Parts
g. MAC's Antique Auto Parts
h. Pat Wilson's Thunderbird Parts
i. Prestige Tbird '55-'57 Tbird Parts
j. Rock Auto - sells general automotive parts and is a member of our Forum. They also provide us with a 5% discount on online orders. That discount code is in the Rock Auto ads.
k. Tee-Bird '55-'57 Babybird Parts
l. Thunderbird Connection
m. Thunderbird Headquarters
n. Thunderbirds Southwest - heavy duty sway bars and other parts. Tbird repair, restorations and sales.
In addition, The Bird Nest, Pat Wilson Thunderbirds and Thunderbird Connection MAY have used parts. Carl Heller ~ partsetal, a member of our Squarebirds.org Forum, has a lot of Used parts and sells 1958-1960 used and NOS Tbird parts world wide. In addition, John Draxler of Thunderbird Ranch, also sells used 1958-1966 Tbird parts. The contact information for these, and many other specialized parts companies are all listed in the Advertisements Forum. Check them out!
2. In addition to the Shop Manual you may want to buy the Electrical Assembly Manual. These manuals were used on the assembly line to put the car together. They show where the wires are routed as well as schematic diagrams.
3. You may also want to buy the Body & Interior Trim Assembly Manual. This is a manual that was used to put together the car on the assembly line.
4. If you own a 1964-1966 Flairbird and plan on doing a lot of engine work, you may want to buy the Engine Components Manual. This is the manual that was used on the assembly line to put the engine together. It is not available, that I am aware of, for the earlier years of Tbirds.
5. You may want to buy the Specifications & Features Manual. This covers options, accessories, engines, transmissions, rear axles, interiors, paint, trim, new car prices and more.
6. You may also want to buy the Reproduction Illustrated Guide for your year of Tbird. It has detailed illustrations and data plate decoding information that will help you restore your Tbird.
7. You may also want to own a copy of the Thunderbird Restoration Guide. It includes hundreds of illustrations and important facts about the restoration of your Tbird.
8. Lastly, if the seller did not provide you with a copy of the Owners Manual, they are available for 1958-1966. This manual is identical to the originals. All pictures and instructions are correct.
9. As for wiring diagrams,and the 1958-1966 Convertible Top Repair & Adjustment Manual, you will find that information located in our Technical Resource Library on the Forum.
10. The next thing you should do is to contact all the major Tbird parts houses listed in the Advertisements Forum and ask them to mail you their free catalogs. You will need them to check parts availability and pricing comparisons. Keep in mind that two major companies, The Bird Nest in Oregeon, and Thunderbird Hqs in California, manufacture 80% of all Thunderbird parts available to us today. The other Tbird parts houses order the majority of their parts from them I am told. I do most of my business with The Bird Nest because they have always been very helpful to me in selecting, ordering and shipping parts to me and in assisting me in locating parts for our membership. Call or email these Tbird parts houses to ask for their free catalog to be mailed to you. Here are the major Tbird parts houses available to us today.
a. Bird Nest
b. CASCO ~ 1955-1957 Tbird Parts Only
c. Concours Parts & Accessories
d. Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts
e. Fordcraft ~ '55-'57 Tbirds
f. Larry's Thunderbird & Mustang Parts
g. MAC's Antique Auto Parts
h. Pat Wilson's Thunderbird Parts
i. Prestige Tbird '55-'57 Tbird Parts
j. Rock Auto - sells general automotive parts and is a member of our Forum. They also provide us with a 5% discount on online orders. That discount code is in the Rock Auto ads.
k. Tee-Bird '55-'57 Babybird Parts
l. Thunderbird Connection
m. Thunderbird Headquarters
n. Thunderbirds Southwest - heavy duty sway bars and other parts. Tbird repair, restorations and sales.
In addition, The Bird Nest, Pat Wilson Thunderbirds and Thunderbird Connection MAY have used parts. Carl Heller ~ partsetal, a member of our Squarebirds.org Forum, has a lot of Used parts and sells 1958-1960 used and NOS Tbird parts world wide. In addition, John Draxler of Thunderbird Ranch, also sells used 1958-1966 Tbird parts. The contact information for these, and many other specialized parts companies are all listed in the Advertisements Forum. Check them out!