1965 Ford Thunderbird Landau

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

Out of a combination of a lifelong automotive passion and an unyielding desire to support the people of his Alabama community, the Generous Collection was born. Mr. Greg Rusk, a successful business leader in the cardboard industry, with a big heart for helping families and friends in times of need, would regularly pay overly generous fees to acquire an interesting vehicle. After decades of collecting and supporting local automotive enthusiasts, the Rusk family is ready for these vehicles, each with their own story, to write their next chapter back on the road, where they belong.

The Generous Collection returns with Part 2 offering over 250 cars in August all offered without reserve, emerging from years of long-term silent storage. From the quiet shadows of the Generous Collection to the sunshine of backroads and highways, enthusiasts now have the opportunity to own a piece of a generous car-collecting legacy.

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The 1965 Ford Thunderbird Landau stands as one of the most refined expressions of the fourth-generation "Flair Bird" design, distinguished by its vinyl-covered roof and blacked-out landau bars—stainless steel S-shaped accents mounted where a convertible's top irons would be, evoking formal horse-drawn carriages while signaling upscale trim. Under the hood, the standard 390ci FE V8 produced 300 horsepower from the factory, paired with a smooth Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission, delivering confident highway performance for a personal luxury coupe of its era.

Inside, the Landau elevated the Thunderbird's already lavish cabin with standard power steering, power brakes, and power windows. The instrument panel's aircraft-inspired gauge cluster and available swing-away steering wheel showcased Ford's commitment to driver-focused ergonomics and innovation. Outside were the unique sequential rear turn signals and a distinctive full-width taillight panel.

Combining engineering sophistication with elegant styling cues, the 1965 Thunderbird captured a golden moment in American automotive design — like this T-Bird Landau finished in Wimbledon White with a Black vinyl top and interior.

This 1965 Ford Thunderbird Landau is now represented at no reserve by a Broad Arrow Specialist with a clean Alabama title in the current owner's name.

Highlights

• Offered from The Generous Collection

• Finished in Wimbledon White with a Black vinyl top and interior

• 390ci 4-bb V8 engine

• 3-speed automatic transmission

Factory Equipment

• The data plate decodes as:

  • Body: 63B – 2-door Landau

  • Color: M – Wimbledon White

  • Trim: 56 – Black vinyl

  • Date: 13A – Built 13 January 1965

  • DSO: 71 – Los Angeles, California District Sales Office

  • Axle: 1 – 3.00:1 rear axle ratio

  • Trans: 4 – Cruise-O-Matic transmission

• The chassis number (5Y87Z135370) decodes as:

  • 5 – 1965 model year

  • Y – Wixom, Michigan, assembly plant

  • 87 – Thunderbird 2-door coupe

  • Z – 390ci V8 4-bbl

  • 135370 – Sequential production number

Known Imperfections

• While reasonable efforts were made during preparation for the sale, due to the volume of vehicles in this collection, it was not possible to diagnose or detect all imperfections present. Please refer to the photo gallery.

• Some wear on interior surfaces

• Condition of paint and body shown in the gallery

• A highly detailed underside scan can be viewed in the gallery.

Included Items

• Uninstalled carburetor and other parts

Ownership History

This 1965 Ford Thunderbird Landau is offered from The Generous Collection of no-reserve automobiles.

Additional Information

Motor vehicles older than 35 years (1991) are exempt from Alabama’s titling requirements. In states that issue titles, an Alabama registration converts to a title upon transfer.

A Broad Arrow Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the seller of this listing. As such, the purchase transaction will be facilitated by Broad Arrow, including vehicle payment, applicable taxes required to be collected by the seller or Broad Arrow, and title/ownership reassignment. Broad Arrow is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hagerty.

Contact: Ramsey Potts Phone: 912.508.4096 Email: rpotts@hagerty.com

Please note that all lots in The Generous Collection are offered after many years of storage, without operation or service, in warehouse facilities. The seller endeavored to provide very limited mechanical servicing to bring some cars back to running potential; however, not all cars will be running at time of sale. Because of the extended static display, it must be assumed that all cars will require extensive additional mechanical attention before being driven safely and, in most cases, cleaning both the interiors and exteriors. All the cars will have imperfections associated with long-term static storage and require extensive sorting to perform best and safely. The burden of determining a car’s status, both mechanical and cosmetic, rests fully on the bidder, prior to bidding and the close of the auction. All lots are sold as is, where is.  

Additionally, due to the location of the collection and limited access to the facility following the close of the auction, all lots must be retrieved while a Hagerty Marketplace representative is onsite, between the hours of 9AM to 6PM local time beginning Monday, September 14 through Wednesday, September 30. No cars can be retrieved prior to September 14, and any lots remaining after September 30 will be re-located outside in the parking lot for retrieval by their buyers.