When Ford wanted a new concept car based on the Thunderbird for the 1963 season the Thunderbird Stylists at Dearborn set to work and came up with a new roof line and aerodynamic styling that was turned into new fibreglass panels fitted to a ’62 Thunderbird by Vince Gardner working for Fords subcontractor Dearborn Steel Tubing Co.

The sensational Thunderbird Italien joined the Ford Custom Caravan for the 1963 season and was shown the length and breadth of the USA while also making appearances in numerous magazines from 1963 to 1964.

After it’s career as a glamour puss was over like most Ford Concept Cars the Italien was scheduled for crushing but some how found it’s way into the hands of TV legend Dale “Wells Fargo” Robinson in September 1964.

Tom Maruska purchased the Italien in 2006 and by the end of the following year had finished restoring the Candy Apple Red Concept car to it’s original factory condition. In 2008 the unique Italien sold for a record $600,000 at Barrett & Jackson to Mr Williams of the Blackhawk Collection where the car was photographed last month by Geoffrey Horton.

My thanks to Geoffrey for sharing his photo’s.

Thanks for joining me on this $600,000 Concpet Candy” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for a Danville Concours d’Elegance edition of Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !