Shown here is the powerhouse of the breed, the ‘M’ code Sports Roadster, featuring tri-power carburetion, employing three Holley two-barrel carbs with increased output of 340 HP. This car is a factory original that has undergone such an extensive restoration that it looks showroom new inside and out. When accelerating you are thrust back into the seat like a jet at take off and the roar coming from under the hood is quite impressive, a reminder of the race bred Fords lineage. Only 1,427 Sports Roadster were built in total and of those just 120 examples were the potent ‘M’ code variant, making this a most desirable car for the serious collector.

Even though many felt the T-Bird had gone far astray from its predecessor, it sold twice as well as the low-slung original. So in 1962 Ford released a new model, the Sports Roadster. The detachable fiberglass rear tonneau cover could be removed to reveal a four seater convertible while the convertible top retracted into the rear lid with a screw drive arrangement borrowed from the Ford Fairlane retractable hardtop of the ’50s. With the tonneau in place a very sleek look was achieved adding headrests to the interior compartment when only two occupants were cruising the boulevard. Its performance was a bit sluggish with the heavy body but was still producing a respectable 300 HP when equipped with the standard V-8 engine.