rear leaf spring 1963 ford thunderbird raise

#REAR LEAF SPRING 1963 FORD THUNDERBIRD RAISE FREE#

Last year the auto industry introduced three cars that had great appeal to fleet users-the Chevy II, the Ford Fairlane and the Mercury Meteor. Mercury Monterey has a reverse slope rear window. Chevy II remains the only car with single leaf rear springs and American Motors and Ford continue alone in their use of long-life radiator coolants instead of the conventional anti-freeze. Several features which were new last year on certain cars have not yet been picked up by all automakers. And most 1963 cars feature long-life batteries and exhaust systems. Transistor radios are standard in just about all 1963 cars.

The increased availability of extended chassis lubrication and oil change intervals, alternators and self-adjusting brakes should go a long way in reducing a fleets operating and maintenance costs. Self-adjusting brakes, a big money saver for fleets, are offered on just about all 1963 cars with several makes including a dual safety brake system.Ĭhevrolet Impala has sculptured side panels. All Studebaker and General Motors cars feature an alternator as standard equipment, although GM, refusing to take a back seat to Chrysler, calls its alternator a Delcotron or an alternating current generator. Ford offers an alternator as standard equipment on the Thunderbird, Monterey and Lincoln-Continental while American Motors includes an alternator as standard equipment on its Ambassador line. Other functional improvements that have been broadened for 1963 include alternators, which increase battery life, and self-adjusting brakes.Ĭhrysler Corp., which first introduced the alternator, is again offering it on all of its cars. Studebaker Lark station wagon has a sliding roof. (Bunky) Knudsen, Chevy general manager and a vice president of General Motors Corp., at the company's national press preview. It had been rumored that Chevrolet was planning to go to a 33,000 mile lubrication interval but this was denied by Semon E. Both recommend a 6,000 mile change interval. Pontiac has dropped its chassis lube interval to 30,000 miles from 35,000 while American Motors again offers a 33,000 mile interval for its Rambler Classic and Ambassador.īuick and Chevrolet have not gone as far as their fellow automakers in extended lubrication intervals.

is sticking with a 32,000 mile lubrication interval. Cadillac and Oldsmobile continue permanent chassis lubrication 'under normal operating conditions' while Chrysler Corp. In addition, Ford has boosted the chassis interval on the high priced popular selling Ford Thunderbird to 100,000 miles. Now, Buick and Chevrolet have joined the parade, leaving Studebaker as the only holdout.įord Motor Co., which pioneered extended chassis lubrication, has increased the interval from 30,000 to 36,000 miles on its volume cars and extended it to its compact Falcon and Comet cars. Last year, all automakers with the exception of Buick, Chevrolet and Studebaker offered some type of extended chassis lubrication. The functional improvements introduced a year ago have been continued, if not improved upon. While change has not been spectacular, the 1963 cars offer much to the fleet user. Since the auto industry is now working on an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary basis, major mechanical changes can be expected every second or third year rather than every year.

In fairness to automakers, it should be noted that the industry would be hardpressed to surpass last year's functional improvements which included extended oil change and chassis lubrication intervals and other 'under the skin' changes.

#REAR LEAF SPRING 1963 FORD THUNDERBIRD RAISE FREE#

The next big breakthrough will come in 1964 or 1965 when automakers will offer cars with electronic components and that are completely service free for 50,000 or 100,000 miles.įord Galaxie has a 36,000 mile lubrication interval. While the industry has not abandoned its trend toward functional cars, it is apparent that the auto industry will turn out functional cars through evolution rather than revolution. The annual major restyling, long an auto industry axiom, took second place to functionalism-making cars run longer at a cheaper cost.

Rear leaf spring 1963 ford thunderbird raise