I bought a 62 t-bird convertible about a year ago. Corinthian White with Red Interior. Beautiful car...I started restoring it and I found the VIN # 2Y83Z103624 on the cowling. This matches up with a hardtop. My gut is that this was once a hartop and somone made it into a convertible somewhere along the way. Is there any other numbers or markings that I can use to peice together the entire story>

I would think the stamping on the rear fenders would be indicate two different parts, unless someone got a convertible donor and welded in the whole rear. I don't know what the part numbers are. I suggest you call John Draxler at the Thunderbird Ranch. He could get you the numbers and give you other places to look and things that indicate what you have.

Hopefully this was done but I'm sure you know the convertible has different reinforcing and you want to make sure that is there. John can likely help here also.

The other possibility, not that this gives much more comfort, is someone lost the title to the convertible and took the data plate off a '62 junker hardtop with a title.

Good luck and enjoy the car regardless.