The Squarebird era (1958-1960) Thunderbirds never got the same press coverage as the tri-five (1955-57) first-gen Thunderbirds.
That doesn’t mean the Squarebirds were unpopular because history tells us Ford sold far more 2nd gen than 1st gen Thunderbirds.
None of them came with 3-deuce carbureted engines.
Jerry Sutherland
Deb Castor is the proud owner of a 1960 Ford Thunderbird with the rare J-code 430 cubic inch engine. Deb’s version is even rarer because her 430 has a triple carb setup.
Deb bought the car at an auction in 2007 and took it apart in 2014. She grew as a self-described “wrench-runner” for her dad because he was a hardcore car guy who took on a long lineup of car projects. That made her a lifetime member of the old car hobby.
She worked with her partner Tom to make this T-bird a showpiece because it needed a lot of attention. They took the car down to a nut-and-bolt restoration and built it back up.
This was a complicated process because the car needed everything and ’60 T-birds aren’t like vintage Mustangs where there are thick books full of replacement parts. Deb and Tom had to go down many roads to find stuff for the Thunderbird, and when they couldn’t find pieces, they restored or replated them.
These parts ranged from critical window mechanisms to rare trim pieces, so Deb and Tom became experts in parts sourcing to take this T-bird to the next level.
Their dedication to detail included new glass all around. They took on many things with the Thunderbird, but they let the pros install the windshield and back glass.
Deb and Tom also focused on the interior, so this car has newly redone seats and a new headliner. The attention to detail is obvious and the interior has a custom touch to set it off.
The J-code 430 Lincoln big block under the hood also got some attention. It was completely rebuilt plus they added a three-deuce carburetor setup to make this T-bird very unique.
This ’60 Thunderbird is a weekend warrior now, so Deb has spent many hours behind the wheel. She describes it as “a boat to drive”, because it’s essentially the same technology it had when it left the factory back in 1960.
It’s also a smile-maker because Deb gets many thumbs-up from people and the car has been captured on many camera phones. The power is there too because as Deb said, “She’ll go!” when Deb opens up all three carburetors. Surprisingly enough, the gas mileage is acceptable when Deb keeps her foot out of the three carbs and just runs off the middle two-barrel.
The car is called Emily for a simple reason—Deb said she, “Just liked the name”, so now it’s etched in the back glass.
The end goal for Deb and Tom was to take this auction buy from being an average 1960 Thunderbird to a being a high-level Thunderbird with its own one-of-one features.
Call Emily a goal worth pursuing…and accomplished.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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