THE SQUAREBIRD TECHNICAL RESOURCES LIBRARY
Legend: (N)=New Item (R)=Revised Item
*Resources On TBird ('58-'60) Chassis Information
Thunderbird Production Numbers
Automotive Mile Posts - 1958 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1959 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1960 Tbird
Thunderbird Specifications
Automotive Mile Posts - 1958 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1959 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1960 Tbird
Thunderbird Standard Equipment
Automotive Mile Posts - 1958 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1959 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1960 Tbird
Dealer Options
Automotive Mile Posts - 1958 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1959 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts - 1960 Tbird
Color Codes
Exterior Paint
Automotive Mile Post -'58 Tbird
Automotive Mile Post -'59 Tbird
Automotive Mile Post -'60 Tbird
Interior Trim
Automotive Mile Posts -'58 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts -'59 Tbird
Automotive Mile Posts -'60 Tbird
Data Plate
Data Tags Data Plate Restoration/Replacement
Automotive Mile Posts Data Plate
Tbird.org Data Plate
VINs
Love Fords VINa
Love Fords VINb
Tbird Registry VIN
Squarebirds VIN Location
Squarebirds VIN Location -'58,'59,'60
Instrument Gauge Pointer Color
Instrument Gauge Pointer Color
Decoding Casting Numbers
The location of all the casting numbers can be found
in the current version of VTCI's concourse rules.
The rules also decode the dates.
Casting Numbers
*Books, Magazines And Other Publications
A generally remarkable resource is The Old Car Manual Project
Books
Thunderbird 50 Years by Alan Tast & David Newhardt - Motorbooks 2004
Thunderbird, 1955-66 (American Classics) Alan Tast
High Performance Ford Engine Parts Interchange 221-CID to 460-CID
by George Reid
Ford BlueBook Illustrations '40-'59 (There is also a Text volume)
Shop Manuals & Many Others
"1959 Thunderbird Body, Trim & Sealant" &
"1959 Thunderbird Electrical Assembly Manual"
by Jim Osborne
1949-59 Ford Parts book (Look for it on a CD)
MRE Books
The Motor Bookstore
Automotive Mile Posts
Thunderbird: An Odyssey In Automotive Design
by William P. Boyer 1986 Taylor Publishing Co.,Dallas
The Thunderbird Restoration Guide 1958-66 by William Wonder. May be found at:
Amazon.com
Also published in 1997 by Motorbooks International. Highly recommended!!
T-BIRD: 40 Years of Thunder by John Gunnell (ed) 1995 Krause Publications
How To Rebuild Big Block Ford Engines (FE & FT)
by Steve Christ HP Books 1983. Must reading if you are rebuilding your 352 or 390 FE
The Chevrolet Racing Engine by Bill (Grumpy) Jenkins 1976 S-A Design Co. Publishing,
Santa Fe Springs, CA. (fascinating read on the high performance 4 stroke motor)
Performance Guide
1958 Ford Shop Manual
Magazines
Skinned Knuckles
The monthly magazine for the old car repairer and restorer, in its 32nd year.
AutoRestorer Magazine. Monthly Wealth Of Information!
June 1958 Hot Rod Magazine - TBird test ride
June 1993 Collectible Automobile pp. 24-27 1958 Convertible
Oct 2006 Hemming's Classic Car pp.66-72 Restoration of a 1960 Sunroof
June 1995 Auto Restorer pp. 28-35 on a 1958 convertible
Custom '58
Mustangs & Fords
Custom '58
'58 Tbird
Your Tbird Value Calculator
Tbird Value Calculator
*Technical Information
Basics
How The Ignition System Works On A V8 Engine
Using An Oscilloscope To Analyze Your Ignition
(For Bart & all the 430MEL guys!)
Engines
FE Guys
Ford Power Train
Oil Filters (N)
Oil Filter Study Of 20 Different Filters
1. Engine Oil Filters Overview
2. Final Opinions On Oil Filters
Oil Filter List For TBirds: (Coming Soon)
Liquids
Lubrication Guide
The Lubrication Guide for the 1959 Thunderbird can be found in the
1959 Shop Manual in Group 15, Maintenance, Lubrication, and Special Tools.
It is on 15-3 & 15-4. It is probably on or near the same pages in the '58 & '60 Manuals.
Lube Chart
Tires
Tire Calculator
Coker Tires
Diamondback Classics
Bumper Jack Information
The base part number is B8A-17088-A.The base should be stamped AJ-C
The handle is cadmium plated while the cupped washer 44729-S8 is zinc-plated.
The Ratchet assembly is painted semi-gloss black. The jack base silver cadmium.
Reference: Table of Contents 7.4.3 G4-10 of VTCI's '58-'60 OFS revised 6/21/07.
Torque
Tune-up
58 TBird Tuneup Chart
('59 and '60 needed!!)
Wiring
1958 Tbird Wiring Diagram
1959 Tbird Wiring Diagram
1960 Tbird Wiring Diagram
Accessory Wiring (Seats, Windows...)
*Common Repairs
Technical Alexander has a collection of detailed help with
10 Common TBird Repairs on this site. We are working on recovering
the photos for the dashpad replacement...
Sources For Parts
Thunderbirds Southwest,
La Grange, TX
Sells classic cars, including Tbirds
Parts & Complete Restoration Services. Ask for Lance, the owner
Bird Nest
A great place to find parts. 1958-1966 Tbirds. Great assistance!
Thunderbird Ranch
Used & new parts, decals, restoration services, technical assistance.
John Draxler is an outstanding person & resource! Pittsville, WI.
Pat Wilson
Thunderbird parts (NJ) 1958-1966
Good source of used parts & good help. 20 years of parts & restoration.
Bob's Bird House, DE
Tbird Specialist - 1958-1966
Larry's Thunderbird & Mustang Parts, CA
Restoration Parts & Accessories - 1958-1966 Tbirds
Thunderbird Headquarters, CA
1958-1966 Tbirds
Concours Parts & Accessories, NV
1958-1966 Tbirds
Mac's Antique Auto Parts, NY
1955-57 Little Bird, 1958-66 Big Bird
Parts America
Carburetors
Pony Carburetors
specializing in restoration & repair of carbs for Fords and Mustangs.
Ford Forum, especially carburetors
Another Ford Carb Forum:
Network54
Fuel Pumps
Generators
Replacement Hoses
Classic Tube
Brake & Clutch Hoses
Ignition Components
MSD (coils, billet distributors, hi-tech ignition systems)
Pertronix (Flamethrower, Ignitor I & II)
Special Tools
Steering Wheel Puller
Photo and Details
Shift Lever Detent Replacement (Alexander)
Detent Plate Install
Detent Plate
See also Post #22 in the thread.
Suspension Rebuild Library
Squarebird Suspension Rebuild Library
*Services Available
Convertible Top Mechanisms
Convertible Parts
Custom Laminated Rear Seat Foams - '58-'60 Tbirds
Available upon request. Contact Jed Zimmerman, [email protected]
or call 612-708-2144
Steering Wheel Restoration - '55-'63 Tbirds
Complete professional & permanent finish utilizing epoxy fillers,
primer & linear polyurethane top finish paint marine technology.
Contact Jed Zimmerman, [email protected] or call 612-708-2144
Power Booster Rebuilds
Dewey Exchange
Distributor Work
Wiper Motor Rebuilds
Ficken wiper motor rebuild & wiper parts
Chrome
Paul's Chrome (PA)
NuChrome (Fall River, MA)
Engine Chrome
High Performance & Dress Up Kits
Sunroofs (N)
Adding A Sunroof To Your Tbird
*Parts Specific To TBirds
Also See Sources For Parts above
Used
New
Dashpad (N)
Dashes Direct
Repro & NOS
Overflow Tanks
*Conversions
Adding A Tachometer (Mel Waldorf)
Converting from Vaccum to Electric Wiper Motor (thanks Mike!)
Converting From Electro-mechanical Clock To Quartz
Fix Your Own Clock, M.H.Fox (N)
May 1992 Skinned Knuckles, pp.12-17
Disk Brakes- ALL parts, ALL info needed
DropnStop
Fan Shroud
Fan Shroud
(See Squarebird's Forums for discussion of installation -
They were intended for early 60s Galaxies, which also had FE
motors. Some modification is in order for mounting onto the
TBird engine compartment, but not alot) Legend has it that Ford
used a shroud on the 1960 convertibles for better cooling but
no actual examples have been found. Will also work on the '58 & '59)
Wiper Motor
Alternator
An alternator that looks like a generator
is sold here and discussed by Alexander and others
in the Squarebirds thread on 11-06-2006.
Alternator Conversion
Alternators
(membership required )
Alternator Pros & Cons
The pros & cons of 3 wire vs 1 wire alternators is discussed at length.
Radio
Restoration As Well As Conversion To Modern AM/FM Stereo
Repairs - Barry Dalton [email protected] (JohnG got excellent results from him) No website
American Classic Restorations (Uxbridge,MA)
Starter
Starters
Unleaded Gas
Tail Light Flashers
Thundercat Sequential Tail Light Flashers
Web Electric Sequential Tail Light Flashers
(If you scroll far enough in Customer's Cars,
you will find John Mooney's 59 TBird and Alexander's 1960.
John's is provocatively decorated...)
Rims/Hubcaps
How To Measure & Determine Bolt Hole Patterns On Rims
Wheel Vintiques
How To Measure Bolt Pattern (N)
How To Measure For Wheels (N)
Sway Bar Conversions
ADDCO makes Sway Bars To Your Specs
*Restorations (N)
John Goulet's '58 Tbird Engine Rebuild
The Unforseen Body & Chassis Challenges Of Travlin's Restoration
Created 20 June, 2008 By John Goulet & Ray Clark
Last Modified 7 July, 2008
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