I got a 62 Thunderbird a couple of months ago. It sat for a couple of years, but I rebuilt the carb, gave it a tune up, fixed some electrical and filled the transmission (it was almost empty when I got it). It's driven and shifted great up until this morning.
I went out of town last week for work, while I was gone, my girlfriend was driving the bird, and I had her truck. The car didn't have any problems while I was gone, but the day after I got back, it started heating up pretty fast. The motor has oil leaks, so I just added some oil, which helped, but it was still running hot on the stock gauge. She dropped it off at my house two days ago, where I noticed the radiator had some leaks. Overheating problem solved.
This morning I got the radiator back in, and started her up to drive to work. When I put it into reverse, it took a few seconds to shift (which has never happened before), and then on my way, I noticed the car wouldn't shift into 3rd. White dot D just stays in 2nd, big green shifts from 1st to 2nd around 10-15mph, very smoothly, but when it hits 25+ the motor is obviously revving when it should just shift.
I just replaced the rubber sections of the vacuum line from the motor to the modulator, and tested with my vacuum gauge. Both manifold, and the line at the modulator read a steady 15 psi. Just pulled the modulator, and there's no fluid on the vacuum side, and when the rod is pushed in, and then my thumb put over the vacuum connection, there is suction. The fluid is clean and looks new. I'm going to put a new modulator in tomorrow regardless, but I'm concerned it could be something else because of the sudden trouble with reverse on top of this.
I don't know if the transmission was ever rebuilt, it's doubtful. The car belonged to some old folks, who only put 69K miles on it, and last registered it in '81. The second owner bought it 20 years ago, and last tried to register it in 99. Because of a dispute with the DMV over keeping the original CA black plates, he never registered it, and he just had it at his house, and would start it every once in a while. He let it sit for 2 years, then I bought it and towed it home.
Sorry for the extremely long first post, but I wanted to cover everything I know about the car and it's transmission. Any suggestions will be a great help! Thanks folks!
