Third generation · 'Bullet Bird' · 1961–1963
1962Ford Thunderbird
Sleek, projectile-like styling with a pointed nose and round taillights.
Photo: “1962 Ford Thunderbird (27785514255)” by Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Quick facts
- Engines
- 2offered390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8 (gross) → 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8 (gross)
- Top output
- 340hp390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8 (gross)
Body stylesHardtop (Model 63A) · Convertible (Model 76A) · Landau Hardtop (Model 63B) · Sports Roadster (Model 76B)
Start here
What do you need to know?
This page covers the whole 1962 Ford Thunderbird model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.
Complete, source-verified lineup
Find your exact 1962 Thunderbird
Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified
We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory body and named-series roster with source-supported engine and transmission combinations; option packages are excluded unless Ford marketed them as distinct models. Every version shown below has its own detail page.
Verified 2026-09-01 from Ford — 1962 Thunderbird AMA passenger-car specification (issued October 10, 1961), Ford — 1962 Thunderbird deluxe brochure.
Hardtop (Model 63A), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Hardtop (Model 63A)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Hardtop (Model 63A), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Hardtop (Model 63A)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible (Model 76A), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Convertible (Model 76A)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Convertible (Model 76A), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Convertible (Model 76A)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Landau Hardtop (Model 63B), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Landau Hardtop (Model 63B)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Landau Hardtop (Model 63B), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Landau Hardtop (Model 63B)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Sports Roadster (Model 76B), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Sports Roadster (Model 76B)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8, 300 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
Sports Roadster (Model 76B), 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp, Cruise-O-Matic
- Body
- Sports Roadster (Model 76B)
- Engine
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8, 340 hp
- Gearbox
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Built
- Regular production
No factory configuration matches those filters.
The 1962 model year
Overview
Ford expanded the 1962 Thunderbird into four body models: Hardtop 63A, Convertible 76A, Landau Hardtop 63B, and Sports Roadster 76B. The 300-hp four-barrel 390 V8 was standard, while a 340-hp three-two-barrel 390 was an all-model performance option; every factory-listed combination used Cruise-O-Matic.
Specifications
- Engines
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) four-barrel V8 (gross)300 hp
- 390 cu in (6.4-liter) three-two-barrel High-Performance V8 (gross)340 hp
- Transmissions
- Cruise-O-Matic automatic
- Body styles
- Hardtop (Model 63A), Convertible (Model 76A), Landau Hardtop (Model 63B), Sports Roadster (Model 76B)
Year over year
What changed
- The Landau Hardtop and Sports Roadster became separately coded body models.
- Ford added the optional 340-hp M-series 390 V8 across the documented model range.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The factory specification lists the 340-hp engine as an all-model option rather than restricting it to the Sports Roadster.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Verify the body-model code before treating Landau or Sports Roadster trim as factory-authentic; visual accessories alone do not establish the factory body model.
- Confirm carburetion before ordering engine parts because both the standard four-barrel and optional three-two-barrel 390 were factory-listed.
Maintenance & service parts
Keep your 1962 Thunderbird on the road
Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.
Service desk
What this car needs & when
Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1962 Ford Thunderbird. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.
- Service topics
- 4
- Factory intervals
- 3
- Fitment-scoped
- 4
- Exact references
- 1
Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.
Engine oil and full-flow oil filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Ford — 1962 Thunderbird deluxe brochure · Specifications page, engine and cooling-system paragraphs · checked
Fuel filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Ford — 1962 Thunderbird deluxe brochure · Specifications page, engine and cooling-system paragraphs · checked
Engine coolant antifreeze
Sourced interval available
Source: Ford — 1962 Thunderbird deluxe brochure · Specifications page, engine and cooling-system paragraphs · checked
Engine oil filter — catalog fitment
Exact reference available
This manufacturer application record establishes replacement-filter fitment only; it does not establish a service interval.
Baldwin B2
Baldwin B2
Source: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Ford 1962 — Thunderbird application, printed catalog page 673, Lube column · checked
Verified ordering references
- Validated equivalentBaldwin B2
Qty. 1 · Engine lubricating-oil filter · catalog-listed
Cataloged for the 1962 Ford Thunderbird. Confirm VIN, installed engine, and filter housing before ordering.
Catalog: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Ford 1962 — Thunderbird application, printed catalog page 673, Lube column · checked
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