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Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Troublemaker427, Oct 11, 2006.

  1. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
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  2. Silverplate
    Joined: Mar 4, 2011
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    Silverplate
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    Good Guys Fort Worth
    image.jpeg
     
  3. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    After a 406-cid Fairlane was raced in 1962, Ford stuffed a 427-cid engine in the midsize Fairlane body in 1963. Known as the Zimmy I ( never heard that, anyone ever hear it called that?), it competed in A/FX and was the forerunner of the Ford '64 427 Thunderbolts, of which enough were built to make them legal for Super Stock competition that season.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. thunderplex
    Joined: Nov 27, 2007
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    To my knowledge only 1 or 2 were built by TASCA FORD in RI, one red and one white.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2016
  5. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    Yep I knew about the cars but had never heard they had a name for them.
     
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  6. Ray C's son
    Joined: Dec 27, 2009
    Posts: 410

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    Loudbang, the Zimmy name came from Frank Zimmerman, Ford's marketing manager at the time. Though, I thought the Thunderbolt was Zimmy 2 and their lightweight Galaxie was Zimmy 1 but can't remember for sure. Dennis K had told the story of the Zimmy name several years ago in this thread.

    Edit: After thinking about it I believe the '63 406 car was the Zimmy 1 and the '64 T-Bolt was the Zimmy 2.

    Kevin
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2016
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  7. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    Great history lesson
     
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  8. LennyFreebern
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
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    The 62 and 63 tbolt precursor's were both built in Detroit by dst with Ford Engineering assistance. They were then sent to Tasca for testing and improvements. The 62 was called Challenger 2 because the stock versions used the Challenger 221/260/289 challenger small block motor. The 63 was called Zimmy 1 and the 64 tbolt was called Zimmy 2.
     
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  9. Ray C's son
    Joined: Dec 27, 2009
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    So the '62 car was a 406 car and the '63 had a 427 low riser, correct? I had forgotten about the '62. I used to know all this stuff but my memory, among other things, isn't what it used to be.

    Kevin
     
  10. LennyFreebern
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
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    yes, the 62 was a 406 and the 63 was a 427 loriser. Tasca exchanged the 4spd in the 62 for a Merc automatic almost immediately.
     
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  11. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    One of the earliest images we found in Leal’s file, this picture is from 1964. The caption on the back of the print reads, “Butch Leal with his record-setting Thunderbolt. Set new record at 11.81 at 123.62 mph.”

    Nice flat top duck tail
    leal-01.jpg
     
  12. 6t5frlane
    Joined: Dec 8, 2004
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    from New York

  13. 6t5frlane
    Joined: Dec 8, 2004
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    6t5frlane
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    from New York


    Loudbang..100% real 65 T-Bolt a One of One built by DST and driven by Darrell Droke
     
  14. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    Yes that it what I thought but some people thought it shouldn't be considered because of the fact that there was only one so it was kind of an orphan child.
     
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  15. LennyFreebern
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
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    This became the "Blackjack" car which ran in Ultra Stock for a few years. Quite successfully I might add. If you read the articles in Nat.Dragster you'll see it was never called a Tbolt again. Only a 64 Fairlane. I believe it is still around. I traced it's life into the late 70's.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2016
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  16. LennyFreebern
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
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    Believe it or not this was the former Emrhae Ford Tbolt. It ended up in NY after a divorce in Virginia. It was a sick looking color that the local track announcer's dubbed the "Pepto Bismol" car.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2016
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  17. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    I don't think this shot has been posted yet. "Mr. Corvette" Earl Wade's T bolt ex Gas Ronda car.


    WADE-ex-Ronda_op_800x392.jpg
     
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  18. 6t5frlane
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    from New York

    Where did it end up ?
     
  19. apound@A&R
    Joined: Dec 9, 2016
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  20. LennyFreebern
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
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    with Jim Chun in Vancouver, Washington
     
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  21. suchadrag
    Joined: Jun 13, 2008
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    I picked up a Hot Rod Magazine yearbook for 1964 at an antique store a couple of days ago and found this in the article about HRM's First Annual Championship Drags, held at Riverside in early summer. jimdurham.jpg
    Posts on this site have Jim Durham as the driver of the Wendle Ford Thunderbolt, which looked like this at the '64 Winternationals.

    wendle ford tbolt.jpg
    Any more information on the changes/history of this car? My apologies if this is plowing old ground. When I open a lot of the older posts, the attached images don't always show up. Thanks.
     
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  22. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
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    from Missouri

  23. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    Can't remember if this one has been posted yet or not.


    tbolt.JPG
     
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  24. quick85
    Joined: Feb 23, 2014
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    Photo taken at Midwest Hot Rods, Plainfield, Illinois, 2011.

    IMG_7368.JPG
     
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  25. quick85
    Joined: Feb 23, 2014
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    Staging lanes at Indy, circa 1993.

    1-7-2009_003.JPG
     
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  26. quick85
    Joined: Feb 23, 2014
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    These were taken at the 2010 Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals in Rosemont, Il.

    IMG_4471.JPG IMG_4479.JPG
     
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  27. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
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    posted by tommyd in the in motion thread

    [​IMG]
     
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  28. Kentuckian
    Joined: Nov 26, 2008
    Posts: 863

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    upload_2017-1-21_22-58-53.png

    Thunderbolts headed for the starting line.
     

    Attached Files:

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  29. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

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