Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

The second one I was wondering most about. I couldn't recall seeing Greenfields car racing another T'Bolt. Tom S.

 

Somewhat wishful thinking I imagine. This is the original "Niantic" tbolt that Jerry Mason (along with Jacky Jones) purchased from Floyd Garretts collection around 1990. It was restored by Donald Allen. Jerry had the car at the 2004 Carlisle Ford event. He still owns the car.

Does anyone have an original 'as raced' pic of this car.

Len

 

Last Friday, 2/17/12 I lost a former Bob Ford Teammate and a friend of 52 years, Len Richter. Len was seven years my senior, and his machine-like consistancy and coolness under pressure were attributes I strived to emulate during my development as a driver. Len also drove the Jack Gray Bob Ford Demonstrater S/S cars while I earned my stripes as a mechanic and tuner, and ultimately my turn as a driver. Godspeed Len

 

So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.

I think websites such as the HAMB and other car oriented sites on the internet have helped spread the word about great people such as Len Richter. Through your posts Dave, we have learned some of the early history of Ford dragracing and of the men who were there in those days. Not only can we can see what it was like back then but we get to know the people you worked closely with and they become people we would have wanted as our friends too.

R.I.P. Len

 

My sentiments as previously stated Dave. Wish I could add more, but I'm without words. Tom S. in Tn.

 

Sorry for your loss, Dave. My heartfelt condolences to Len's family, as well.

Kevin

 

Thanks Len

 

Hey, while we are on this T-Bolt subject I think Ford stole this whole Idea from my friends dad Bill Lawton. He drove a 62 406 Fairlane, then in 63 his buddy John stuffed a 427 in a Fairlane and set the A/FX national record at Conn Dragway with a 12.15 at 121.50 MPH. Then out of the clear blue sky in 1964 Ford comes out with this 427 T-Bolt. Yeah right I smell something fishey in Dearborn

 

Do not have any photos but there was one in the Northeast Was TASKER FORD THUNDERBOLT. I think they had a connection to PV speed shop in MASS.

 

As I recall that 63 Fairlane would eat Corvettes for lunch

 

No one stole anything. Both the 62 and 63 Fairlanes were built at Dearborn Steel Tubing Co. and then delivered to Tasca Ford to campaign.
Bob Tasca was a member of the Ford Drag Council and connected with Frank Zimmerman Jr - Special Vehicles Mgr and Lee Iacocca - Ford Div Gen Mgr. BTW, DST were installing larger displacement engines into compact and intermediate Ford vehicles even before that. There were a 1960 312 Falcon and a 352 Comet Station Wagon with alum T-10, 9" axle, 406 F-100 pickup, etc ... .

Regards,
Dennis

 

Sure wouldn't mind seeing pics. These were built by Ford? Sounds cool.

 

They were built by Dearborn Steel Tubing which was a company that did car modification work for Ford.

 

Here is the 60 Comet and the 406 F-100.

Regards,
Dennis

 

I can be corrected for this, but wasn't DST FMC's limousine contractor as well as R&D special projects?
The impression I've received learning about DST Fairlanes was that they had other interests besides drag racing and really didn't give a hoot when someone came to pick their Thunderbolt up. Tom S. in Tn.

 

Tom S. in Tn,

Yes DST was FMC's limousine contractor. That info can be found by doing a search on the internet. However, are you saying DST was rude to people who came to pick up their Thunderbolt in person?

 

Thanks. They look kind of tame. It's neat to know the factories played around with this stuff. Does either still exist?

 

Satan's Angel was also the former "Blackjack" car and the original King Ford car. When it was "Blackjack" it was owned/driven by Jack Arnew. Probably why it was called Blackjack. I believe Jack Arnew also owned the Friendly Ford tbolt at one time also. Can anyone confirm this? Does anyone know who owned/drove the King Ford car when it was Satan's Angel? I can't read any info on the picture.

Len

 

Is it possible that this car is the original King Ford tbolt that became "Blackjack" when owned by Jack Arnew and that he sold it to Jack Croteau who named it "Beachcomber". Anyone know if it's the same car?

Len

 

All I have is the story relayed to me about the #84 Hagewood Mtr's car that the owner Percy Dowlin said had to be picked up outside in the rain after driving from Tennessee to Michigan because they would not put it back inside the building once completed.
Rude? You label it.......... but I can tell you an elitist hoarding attitude is the reason that #84 got a BBC once all the high riser stuff was used up. In 1971 it had become clear it was no longer feasible to race a car that was prematurely obsoleted and the parts supply continually being cornered by an ever narrowing group of people. Is that a definition of rude? Tom S. in Tn.

 

The King Ford car had a straight axle in it prior to being restored. I can't tell for sure from this photo but it doesn't appear to have a straight axle here.

 

Dearborn Steel Tubing was an all purpose prototype shop.They did the 1964 Super Cyclone Comet fastback,the Cayuse Falcon conv and many other projects.I spoke to a longtime employee who told me they rented the former Fellrath Lumber yard building in Inkster,which is just down Michigan Ave. from the former DST buildings to store and deliver T-Bolts.I also remember reading a story in a 1980's Ford magazine of a Ohio Ford dealer going to the Ford Test Track in Dearborn probably in spring of 64 and picking up a T-Bolt from lines of them sitting outside in the center of the track.I guess the "rude story" could have happened.He also related Phil Bonner's disgust at being made to accept a automatic T-Bolt to replace his wrecked one as no sticks were in stock at that moment for him.

 

Yes, DST did have some off site storage facilities and the white cars were done at Hollowell Engineering on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<st1:address w:st="on">Bailey St</st1:address></st1:Street>.

I think this magazine story was a bit of urban myth. I never heard of long lines of them at the test track, unless you count the first eight burgundy Drag Council cars delivered in Oct 1963. Other than 14 units delivered on 26 Dec, most of the time there were only one, two, or sometimes three units being delivered on a particular day.

My first T-Bolt which is a four speed car was delivered on 19 Mar 64, the same day Bonner picked up his automatic $1.00 car. Because Bob Thomas got there first, they gave him a choice. Bonner showed up later while Bob was still there and according to Bob, he pitched a fit. In reality, it really wasn't a big deal as Phil had a change over kit sent to him. His burgundy car wasn't wrecked until at least late June 64, so getting the automatic car on 19 March had nothing to do with that. It was just another race car Ford gave him on $1.00 contract.

I heard one other first hand story of a person picking up a Thunderbolt in March. They opened the door up, pushed it out, and closed the door. If you've ever been to these buildings, I believe it had more to do with lack of floor space, than rudeness or anything else. In addition, it's still cold in <st1:State w:st="on">Michigan </st1:State>at that time and no one wants to let the heat out.

BTW, you don't happen to know what magazine it was that told this story?
<O</O
Regards,
Dennis

 

Thanks Dennis ... so many wacky stories that get spread around and worse, get printed in the general hot rodding media. Of course logic and a minute or two of thinking should bring one to the conclusions that you state. There's these unprobable stories of Z-11 Chevys lined up in dealers lots and I'm sure that there are Mopar stories too. It's good to get these things straightened out for historys sake.
Joel

 

Dennis-I know i have the mag buried in the stacks in the basement,i have thousands of car mags,but i could'nt lay my hands on it immediately.I did try and i'll see if later i can find it.I do remember it was a thin Ford performance only mag i believe may have been connected or owned by Paradise and did a series of articles on restoring a TBolt.I don't know if this rings a bell or not.I know i have several in the series.Also i believe the Ohio Ford dealer was Bronde's.Hope this helps.

Regards, Lou

 

I know what you mean about the car magazines. I had them all organized in small stacks then my wife decided to help me out by stacking them on the shelves. LOL Super Ford Parts Exchange then Super Ford Magazine was John Paradise's which he eventually sold to Larry Dobbs.

I don't think it was Brondes Ford, as I'm good friends with the person that originally bought that car and I never heard him ever tell that story. From what I remember, Cork picked the car up at DST, just about like everyone else.

Regards,
Dennis

 

thanks for the kind words 64Cyclone!

 

Same March delivery story I was told with the exception of the fact the weather recorded that day indicates it was raining.
I'm not surprised.
I've never seen a DST story in a magazine.
Question: How much public Ford/Linc/Merc advertisement of the period utilized a Thunderbolt?

Corporately, FMC was never into drag racing, or really any racing for that matter and they couldn't have given a hoot about any individual who put their name and $,$$$.00 on the list to own one of these, before or after the sale.

On an executive level, if it weren't for the marketing divisions competition amongst manufacturers and an internal desire at Ford for exposure in this sliver of market share, the DST Fairlane drag racing experiment would never have taken place. Not at all unlike GM's earlier turnkey race car project, the factory assembly line race car scheme died much quicker than it started and will never occur again. Corporate exposure to liability was far too high even back in the day, and that's the reason promotion of product superiority with utilization of racing has always been done through actual competing teams like the Drag Council or company's like H&M, even boats.
SVO and aftermarket came along later after the corporate pullout to create a do it yourself customizing market as well as make their parts legal within rules and guidelines of racing's various sanctioning organizations where applicable, but, hard line competitive edge components used by teams with corporate connection were never intended for the hands of individual amateur racersat any point along the way.

Actual surviving relics and artifact from the DST project are worth far more than cars called Thunderbolts or drag car parts, but not many people can grasp that concept.
Rude, I don't know. Conceited and egotistic, perhaps. Tom S. in Tn.</o

 

So DST has been trashed along with FMC executives. Its time to move on and get back to what this thread is all about, Thunderbolt photos.

Anyone else have a photo of a Thunderbolt they would like to share?

 

FMC execs aren't being trashed, not at all. Just making a point with regard to the corporate attitude toward racing at that level. And their attitude should be complimented. Look how they have performed after turning down govt (our) TARP billions.
Must be doing something right. I agree, photo's and commentary. Tom S. in Tn.