1964 Ford Thunderbird Specifications

The Ford Thunderbird continued to get larger with the redesign of the 1964 model year.ford thunderbird image by George Wada from Fotolia.com

The 1964 model year marked the fourth generation of Thunderbird, as the car went through another redesign. The wheelbase was lengthened and the overall length of the car was increased as well. The new body style was bigger all around, with a longer hood, new front and rear designs and a small hood scoop. It was to be the last year for the Thunderbird convertible.

Engine and Transmission

The newly designed 1964 Thunderbird was available in hardtop, landau and convertible models. All of them ran a powerful 390 cubic inch V8 engine that produced 300 horsepower. This was the only engine available, but there was a special sports package that added about 25 horsepower. It also had 427 ft.-lbs. of torque, or pulling power. The engine had a bore and stroke of 4.05 and 3.78 inches. The engine utilized a Holley four-barrel carburetor and the fuel and air mixture it produced was compressed to a 10.1 to 1 ratio before combustion.

Even though it was powerful, the Thunderbird was marketed more as a personal luxury car than as a sports car. To that end, it came with a three-speed automatic transmission. It had coil springs on the front and leaf springs on the back for suspension. The Thunderbird had power steering and power brakes.

The Thunderbird was continually getting longer, and in 1964 it had a 113.2-inch wheelbase. The car was 205.4 inches long, 77.7 inches wide and 52.6 inches tall. The Thunderbird had a front track, or distance between wheels, of 61 inches, and the rear track was 60 inches. The car had a 22-gallon gas tank. The engine held 5 quarts of oil, 20 pints of transmission fluid and 19 quarts of coolant.

The Thunderbird was a big car, with a weight of around 4,400 lbs. Because of its length it needed a 40-foot turning circle. It used 8.15- by 15-inch tires.

Thunderbirds listed new at $4,953 for the convertible, $4,589 for the Landau and $4,486 for the hardtop. All of the models were two-door.

With its 300-horsepower engine, the Thunderbird was a strong performer. Its top speed was listed at 125 miles per hour. Getting there quickly was not its strong suit, however, as it took 10.9 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour, and 19 seconds to complete the quarter mile. Its top speed at the end of a quarter mile was 83 miles per hour.

Fuel economy was also not a strong point as it was rated at 5.6 miles per gallon in city and 11 miles per gallon on the highway.