1962 Ford Thunderbird Convertible (RHD)

Ford's Thunderbird series was the ultimate in personal luxury cars, with the first generation cars of 1955-1957 designed to compete with Chevrolet's Corvette before expanding into chrome-laden behemoths - known as "Square Birds" - in 1958. Ford totally redesigned the Thunderbird for 1961, releasing a car with fresh styling that was longer, lower, wider and much better looking. Known as the "Cigar Bird" after the pointed-nose and long side fins, the 1961 Thunderbird was Ford's most expensive model and sold in limited numbers in both convertible and coupe form. All Thunderbirds were built in Wixom, Michigan, came with a 390-cid V8 engine with Cruise-O-Matic transmission and an extensive list of standard equipment like power steering, power brakes, plus an even longer selection of optional extras. The chassis was developed for a smoother ride and improved handling, while the interior had a curved dashboard that echoed the exterior styling. For 1962, few changes were made to the T-bird's appearance - changes were limited to trim and colour choices, along with the addition of Landau and Sports Roadster variants to the regular Coupe and Convertible models. A small number of Thunderbirds came with the rare M-series tri-power engine but most buyers were satisfied with the standard four-barrel set-up.

As with many American cars, the first year of the new shape had the cleanest look, as succeeding models grew chrome accents and trim, and a good 1962 Thunderbird has become a very popular cruiser, with a strong following both here and in the USA.