Ford 1963 Thunderbird Shop Manual

Copyright © 2009, Forel Publishing Company, LLC, Woodbridge, Virginia

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever

without written permission of Forel Publishing Company, LLC. For information write to Forel

Publishing Company, LLC, 3999 Peregrine Ridge Ct., Woodbridge, VA 22192

1963 Ford Thunderbird Shop Manual

EAN: 978-1-60371-013-8

ISBN: 1-60371-013-2

Forel Publishing Company, LLC

3999 Peregrine Ridge Ct.

Woodbridge, VA 22192

Distributed by

FordThunderbirdShopManual.com

This publication contains material that is reproduced and distributed under a license from Ford

Motor Company. No further reproduction or distribution of the Ford Motor Company material is

allowed without the express written permission of Ford Motor Company.

NNoottee ffrroomm tthhee EEddiittoorr

This product was created from the original Ford Motor Company’s publication. Every effort has
been made to use the original scanned images, however, due to the condition of the material;
some pages have been modified to remove imperfections.

Disclaimer

Although every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of this book, no representations or
warranties of any kind are made concerning the accuracy, completeness or suitability of the
information, either expressed or implied. As a result, the information contained within this book
should be used as general information only. The author and Forel Publishing Company, LLC
shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or
damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in
this book. Further, the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal or other
professional services. If legal, mechanical, electrical, or other expert assistance is required, the
services of a competent professional should be sought.

GROUP

INDEX

FORD

THUNDERBIRD

THUNDERBIRD

ENGINE

CRUISE-O-MATIC

AND

IGNITION

FUEL

COOLING

IDENTIFICATION

EXHAUST

SYSTEM

SYSTEM

SYSTEM

TRANSMISSION

SYSTEM

REAR

SHOP

GENERATING

MANUAL

SUPPLEMENT

MAINTENANCE,

AXLE

BRAKES

LIGHTS,

AND

AND

DRIVE

STEERING

AND

SUSPENSION

AND

SYSTEMS

INSTRUMENTS

ACCESSORIES

BODY

LUBRICATION

SPECIAL

LINE

STARTING

AND

TOOLS

1962

Reprinted

SERVICE

FORD

(^)MOTOR

FIRST

FORD

with

MOTOR

PRINTING

Ford

DEPARTMENT

DIVISION

COMPANY.

Motor

COMPANY

SEPTEMBER,

DEARBORN,

Company's

SPECIFICATIONS

1962

MICHIGAN

Permission

The

information

FOREWORD

in

this

supplement,

when

used

with

the

1962

Ford

formation

1963

The

descriptions

ment

printing.

the

right

cations

tion.

Thunderbird

for

maintenance

were

in

The

to

discontinue

or

design,

effect

Ford

Shop

servicing

information

and

Division

without

specifications

at

the

Manual,

the

models

notice

time

of

1963

and

the

Ford

at

any

and

SERVICE

FORD

FORD

provides

Thunderbird.

specifications

contained

manual

Motor

time,

without

MOTOR

the

necessary

Complete

are

in

this

was

approved

Company

or

change specifi

incurring

DEPARTMENT

DIVISION

COMPANY

in

included.

supple

for

reserves

obliga

THUNDERBIRD

IDENTIFICATION

Figure

Warranty

official

The

stamped

is

2).

(Fig.

Warranty

VEHICLE

Example

63A

63A

j

85

9H

11

1

4

illustrates

1

plate

Do

plate

(Fig.

Vehicle

on

not

FIG.

Number

DATA

1):

J

attached

is

the

use

for

Thunderbird

a

Identification

body

the

or

title

2

85

BODY

63A

FIG.

to

the

forward

just

Vehicle

registration

-Vehicle

Location

9H

1

Warranty

door

left

number

Warranty

purposes.

COLOR

J

VEHICLE

THIS

-Thunderbird

front

for

of

the

Identification

11

WARRANTY

3Y83Z100001

NOT

REGISTRATION

VEHICLE

and

plate

pillar.

and

title

right-hand

which

number

088-

Ml

1

Tudor

Red

Red

Ninth

District

3.00:1

Cruise-0-

TRIM

FOR

UNITED

PRODUCT

A

its

registration

4

Leather

85

OR

TITLE

PURPOSES

MANUFACTURED

IS

STATES

OF

Warranty

elements.

purposes

lock

hood

appears

A

Hardtop

of

August

day

Code

Axle

Ratio

Matic

DATE

9H

NUMBER

(

The

plate

on

the

AND

SvFCt

Plate

UNDER

FOREIGN

DSO

5vrd

ISSUED

PATENTS

MOTOR

BODY

63A

7SA

COLOR

special

If

a

Code

A

D

E
G

H

O

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Z

TRIM

Deviation

with

a

betical

Code

72
77

74

76

COMPANY

paint

M30J/M32J

Number

trim

numerical

suffix

AND

1724

1070

1269
1446

1544

.1515.

.1452.

.1458.

.1238.

.

1554

1456

1453
1543

1450

1470

is

921.

1555

1444

1427

sets

serviced.

is

suffix

AXLE

used,

PENDING

will

is

TRANS

the

. .

. .

.

.

. .

use

color

paint

Color

Black

Turquoise

Med.

Blue

Med.

Blue

.Silver

Blue

Dark

Red

Turquoise

Lt.

Pink

.

White

.

Diamond

Green

Med.

Yellow

Green

Dk.

Beige

Lt.

Turquoise

Dark

Chestnut

Pink

Lt.

Maroon Metallic

Beige

Metallic

existing

not

serviced,

Crinkle Vinyl

Blue

Lt.

Lt.

Turquoise

Pearl

Beige

Black

M1087-A

Metallic

Metallic

Metallic

Blue

Metallic

Metallic

Metallic

trim

D/L

space

Metallic

Metallic

Metallic

codes

while

D/L

Tudor

Hardtop

Convertible

Tudor

will

stamped.

not

be

Sales

Name

Raven

Black

Patrician Green

Blue

Acapulco
Silver

Mink

Caspian

Blue

Rangoon

Red
Chalfonte
Sahara

Corinthian

Diamond
Green

Tucson

Cascade

Sandshell

Sea

Deep

Blue

Rose

White

Blue

Mist

Yellow

Green

Beige

Blue

Chestnut

Rose

Beige

Heritage

Burgundy

Fieldstone

a

plus

suffix.

trim

a

code

Pin

Dk.

Dk.

Med.

A

with

Stripe

Blue

Turquoise

Beige

trim

an

Tan

code

alpha

B/C

Black

THUNDERBIRD

IDENTIFICATION

Code

52...

57...

59...

54...

56...

55...

50...

58...

51...

Code

82...

84...

86...

85...

DATE

code

The

of

month

the

letters

are

Month

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

DSO

Thunderbirds

Pre-Approved

space.

Also

which

District

District

code

DISTRICT

Code

11

12

13

14

15

21

22

23

24

25

26

31

32

33

34

35

36

41

42

43

44

letters

to

appearing

for

when

used

be

built

Order

ordered

number

CODE

District

Boston

Buffalo

New

Pittsburgh

Newark

Atlanta

Charlotte

Philadelphia

Jacksonville

Richmond

Washington

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Detroit

Indianapolis

Lansing

Louisville

Chicago

Fargo

Rockford

Twin

Crinkle

Med.

Med.

Med.

Pearl

Blue

D/L

Turquoise

Chestnut

Beige

Vinyl

D/L

D/L

Black

Red

Med.

Silver

Blue

Met

Lt.

Gold

D/L

Lt.

Rose

Beige

D/L

Blue

Leather

D/L

Beige

Crinkle

Lt.

Pearl

Black

Red Red

month

the

the

if

Thunderbird

model

are

production

preceded

was

by

completed.

exceeds

a

First

Model

Year

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

J

K

L

M

to

have

will

a

Domestic

in

the

appear.

this

unit.

Special

Order,

the

complete

space

If

order

the

two

is

the

unit

digit

regular

is

Code

45

51

York

52

53

54

55

61

62

63

64

65

71

72

73

74

81

83

84

85

89

Cities

90-99

Vachette

Lt.

Lt.

Med.

Pearl

Black

Red

Lt.

Lt.

LL

Vachette

Lt.

Pearl

Black

numeral

The

second

12

months.

Model

Foreign

Special

number

recorded

code

production,

District

Davenport

Denver

Des

Moines

Kansas

City

Omaha

St.

Louis

Dallas

Houston

Memphis

New

Orleans

Oklahoma

Los

Angeles

San

Jose

Salt

Lake

Seattle

Ford

of

Canada

Government

Home

Office

American Red

Transportation

Export

Blue

D/L

Turquoise

Chestnut

Beige

Silver

Gold

Rose

Leather

Blue

D/L

to

show

Second

number

City

City

Reserve

Cross

Services

Vinyl

Blue

D/L

Beige

the

year

Year

N

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Order,

only

AXLE

D/L

D/L

Code

1

A*

*Equa-Lock

Ratio

.3.00:1

.3.00:1

Type.

D/L

D/L

day

code

or

in

this

of

the

the

TRANSMISSION

Code

4

VEHICLE

Example

(Fig.

3

Y

83

Z

1

00001

MODEL

The

YEAR

number

ASSEMBLY

Code

WARRANTY

1):

3Y83Z1000O1

"3"

designates

PLANT

1963.

NUMBER

1963

Model

Wixom

Tudor

8-Cylinder

First

Unit

Assembly

Hardtop

390

Built

Location

.Wixom

Pilot

Type

Cruise-O-Matic

Plant

Cubic

Inch

Assembly

Plant

Engine

Plant

MODEL

Code

83

85

87

89

Tudor

Tudor

Tudor

Tudor

Type

Hardtop

Convertible

Landau

Roadster

ENGINE

Code

M

9

Z

CONSECUTIVE

The

assembly

number

100001

plant,

and

8-

Cylinder

8-Cylinder

8-Cylinder 390

UNIT

with

each

continues

Export

on

390

Cubic

390

Cubic

84

Octane)

Cubic

NUMBER

model

for

each

year,

Inch

Inch

unit

Type

Inch

begins

built.

(6-barrel

(4-barrel

(4-barrel)

with

High

Low

consecutive

Performance)

Compression

unit

GROUP

1

The

dations

1963

specifications

of

this

All

lined

Manual

4-V

engine

Performance

exceptions.

ing

4-V

390

CAMSHAFT

The

shown

Removal

Refer

1.

Shaft

1-15,

move

assemblies.

Remove

2.

following

inder

Removal"

Manual).

3.

Remove

sequence

that

so

original

Position

4.

through

the

valve push

page

move

through

some

CAMSHAFT

BORE

FIG.

1963

maintenance

are

in

manual.

the

service

in

Group

apply

and

ENGINE

camshaft

in

Fig.

to

Assembly

1962

Shop

the

valve

steps

Front

Cover

(page

and

can

they

positions.

a

push

1962

1-26,

valve

the

the

cases,

it

REAR

PLUG

3-Camshaft

GROUP

Group

I

of

for

both

the

engine

and

3.

"Valve

rocker

cylinder

the

1

thru

valve

the

place

be

an

rod

rod

Shop

lifters

push

will

BEARING

are

procedures

the

390

with

(Part

related

Removal"

Manual)

16

and

Timing

1-23,

them

installed

inspection

opening

valley

Manual).

with

rod

be

TIMING

and

recommen

12

in

Group

1962

the

6-V

the

1-1)

Rocker

arm

front

under

1962

push

in

openings.

necessary

CHAIN

Related

and

1963

parts

and

(Fig.

a

follow

and

rods

a

in

magnet

out

Shop

High

Arm

(page

shaft

cover

"Cyl

Chain

Shop

rack

their

light

AND

1

the

13

390

are

re

in

into

55,

Re

In

to

Parts

-ENGINE

CAMSHAFT

transfer

push

it.

Place

they

nal

positions.

5.

indicator

sprocket

camshaft

gine and

zero.

release

reading

end

play

correct

for

removed.

having

be

against

nal.

rectly,

6.

move

screw,

fuel

pump

7.

timing

the

sprockets

assembly

ual).

8.

pump

under

moval"

Manual).

9.

plate

the

camshaft

front

avoid

SPROCKET

FLAT

the

rod

opening

the

can

be

Install

retaining

toward

Pull

it.

with

is

a

the

If

replace

Remove

the

lock

Slide

chain

(Fig.

Remove

by

"Oil

(page

Remove

and

of

the

damaging

WASHER

AND

lifter

lifters

installed

a

dial

point

set

the

the

camshaft

Compare

the

excessive,

installation

The

chamfer

the

spacer

the

the

camshaft

washer,

eccentric.

both

forward,

and

the

following

Pan

the

spacer.

by

engine.

BEARINGS

-

over

in

is

the

specifications.

side

camshaft

dial

sprockets

timing

49,

and

1-32,

pulling

the

an

to

order

rack

in

a

in

indicator

on

the

screw.

rear

dial

indicator

forward

the

check

before

of

on

the

installed

is

thrust

indicator.

sprocket

flat

washer,

and

1962

pan

oil

the

Oil

1962

camshaft

Carefully

it

Use

camshaft

EXHAUST

adjoining

remove

to

so

that

origi

their

the

so

camshaft

the

Push

the

indicator

the

spacer

ID

and

remove

and

remove

A1275-B

If

spacer

must

jour

as

Man

Shop

thrust

bear-

en

on

and

the

it

is

cor

Re

cap

and

the

an

oil

Re

the

to

of

the

front

plate.

chain

Shop

procedure

Pump

toward

caution

ings.

Installation

1.

Lubriplate

slide

ings.

the

thrust

a

chamfered

front

thrust

camshaft,

the

sprocket).

2.

Removal"

play.

end

3.

chain

ing

shaft

sprockets

page

48,

4.

flat

washer,

screw.

cap

screw

front

5.

seal.

the

crankshaft

parts

"Cylinder

Chain

Shop

6.

the

end

position

with

position

the

hold

7.

line.

nect

8.

bores

moved.

9.

Shaft

stall

sembly

page

10.

tem.

proper

oil.

11.

adjust

the

engine

hose

leaks.

Cleaning

to

the

and

ing

SYSTEM

Oil

the

to

camshaft

the

Install

journal. The

front

Follow

Position

with

Install

oil

Replace

Install

following

Manual).

With

the

Connect

Install

the

Install

Refer

the

1-16,

plate

plate

and

(against

and

on

the

aligned

1-24,

the

lock

Torque

to

specifications.

slinger.

the

Front

Installation"

No.

of

the

the

rotor

and

down

the

coil

the

from

Install

to

Assembly

valve

following

1962

Fill

and

Fill

the

grade and

Start

the

the

ignition

at

connections

1962

inspection

the

ID

step

the

the

the

distributor

the

the

high

which

fast

and

Shop

camshaft

the

thrust

with

against

oil

must

it

must

5

check

sprockets

camshaft

timing

as

1962

fuel

washer,

crankshaft

cylinder

damper,

steps

Cover

1

piston

compression

at

points

clamp.

distributor

distributor

tension

valve

the

push

"Valve

Installation"

rocker

Shop

bleed

crankcase

quantity

engine

idle

Inspection.

Manual

lobes.

through

the

be

the

under

shown

Shop

pump

the

3

(page

the

they

steps

the

timing.

and

procedures.

plate.

the

groove

face

the

marks

and

sprocket

front

and

thru

and

on

in

No.

open.

lifters

rods.

Rocker

arm

Manual.

cooling

and

and

gaskets

and

Carefully

the

side

camshaft

above

towards

camshaft

"Camshaft

camshaft

and

and

Manual.

eccentric,

sprocket

Install

front

16

1-24,

TDC

the

1

vacuum

cap.

lead.

were

shaft

1

thru

with

of

check

Operate

check

for

apply

bear

Install

having

the

in

the

tim

crank

on

the

in

Fig.

cap

the

cover,

related

under

Timing

1962

stroke,

block

firing

Install

Con

in

the

Arm

and

sys

eneine

and

Refer

clean

I

oil

at

re

in

as

9,

the

all

for