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The Ford Thunderbird Italien Fastback is an one-off special version of the Thunderbird.
Departing from the traditional Thunderbird greenhouse, this special 1963 Thunderbird features a new roof line with aerodynamic styling and a customized leather interior with bucket seats front and rear. The Thunderbird Italien was a styling study from Ford's own Thunderbird styling department and was designed by Fords own Thunderbird Stylists who actually built the plywood buck over which they sculpted the clay model of the roof in their own studio and then gave the car to DST where Vince Gardner made the one piece plaster cast over the clay from which he made the fiberglass roof and deck lid.
Car designer/builder Vince Gardner constructed the Italien while working for Dearborn Steel Tubing Co., Ford's outsourcing contractor. DST also built the 100 1964 Ford Thunderbolts as well as other Ford non-assembly line concept vehicles.
The Italien recently received a complete, original, rotisserie restoration by Duluthian Thunderbird restorer Tom Maruska and was just completed in August 2007.
The Italien was a featured in Ford's 1962-63 ''Custom Car Caravan'' and appeared in Autoramas throughout the United States such as Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami and more. The Italien was featured in 14+ magazines in 1963 and 1964.
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