Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

Took this 3-4 years ago. It is an original t-bolt

 

What the heck happened here? Where are the missing pages? I'm upset!!

 

Missing Pages? Phil Featherstones car looks Great........Al

 

A bunch went missing in the "Vintage shots from the days gone by" thread also.

 

I think the shot of Phil at Mission was close to when he quit racing the T-Bolt!!Phil is a cool dude,great driver,was building a clone to race,not sure what became of it!!

 

hey guys, I stop in every once in a while and just read stuff on here. I work at a shop here in Indy called paradise road rod & custom. we are painting the Joe Brown Tbolt that TommyD keeps posting updates on. You can see in progress pics on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Road-Rod-Custom/163984078876

 

Please tell me the car was picked up today. Car looks fantastic!

 

For all that have posted about the 1964 T-Bolt driven by Bob Balderson, in 1964, he did live in Richmond at some point. The car was sponsored by Farnham Motor Company, Farnham, VA (near Tappanhannock) about 45 miles east of Richmond, VA. I think Bob was living in or near Montross, Virginia at the time he had the car. Makes sense because in 1965 he had the 396 "Matchbox" Chevy II, which was out of Montross.

This is how Donati and Company new about the T-Bolt and acquired it in 1965. If you are familiar with Richmond, Henrico County's West End, when I met Bob in the early 1980's he lived on Parham Rd., next to the Montessori School for the Child. When I was there, in the corner of his garage was a 9 inch housing with homemade traction bars, like the ones I have seen in pics on the T-Bolts, that he claimed was the original set up from the car. He also had a 1957 "F" Bird in the garage. I don't know what happened to him since.

I was told the car was wrecked when Donati /Glassco had it and rebuilt and was eventually purchased by a fellow named Jack Croteau and became the "Beachcomber" which was raced mostly at Colonial Beach Virginia in the 80's and early 90's. Colonial Beach is about 34 miles north of Farnham. Kind of ironic if the story is true. Jack died in 2007. I don't know what happened to it since that time. Here is Bob vs. "Fast Eddie" in 1964 at Cecil County, MD.

 

Well we had hoped to bring the Connor Ford T-bolt to the 50th but it is just not going to work out. Since it isn't coming public quite yet, here are a couple of pics from areas of the car. The pic of the cut up traction bar shows what Don Bowles and company did when trying to emulate what Gas Rhonda did back in the day. Don said they were trying to move the transfer point of the weight. Still exactly as was race by Bowles! Can anyone tell from the wheel pic if that rear wheel is original?

 

All in one garage& not mine

 

Snyder's?

 

ccv

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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Thanks yblockva for your post about the Farnham Motors car (#95). I have located the original building of the dealership in Farnham and I will be going there soon to see if I can stir up any memories. At present it is a auto repair shop. I recently got in touch with a Donati family member and hope to meet with him soon. Jimmy Donati has some memoribelia and documents and lives about 25 miles from me. I talked to Pete Glassco's aunt and she said he passed away years ago. Also, Jimmy's Brother passed away in the 60's. There are a lot Balderson's that live in Farnham, and I hope to find some info about him also. I talked to Jimmy a few years ago about the Rebel Rouser and his info was somewhat confusing, hope to clear that up. Jim

 

To Dennis K. my appoligies for my video post of richmonddragway65. The film was taken in 1965 and 1966. Donati and Glassco had painted the car yellow with no lettering on it. I witnessed the wreck,but was in the staging lanes and did not have my camera. My friend was able to film the car being towed back to the pits sans hood witch blew off in the wreck. In my conversation with Jimmy I assumed that he was the driver, but I may be wrong. I am really looking forward to more info soon. Jim

 

Who is going Friday to the 50th Thunderbolt reunion dinner in Dearborn? I got to pry my Oldman out of the house and get him there. Back then he was a painter and a fabricator at Dearborn Steel Tubing when all that cool stuff was rolling out of there. He started there in late 62 prior to that he had just placed a order on a 63 Max Wedge Dodge which we still have but when he drove it to the Tube Andy Hotten and some other 's frowned on it so he parked it . We were going to drive Friday to the reunion but he didn't want to offend anybody still to this day he was always loyal to who was putting food on your table.

 

Dwayne,hope you and your dad have a blast at the reunion & lookout for the Comet guys coming into town for it!

 

I'll be there with my Fairlane (for the Fairlane Club Nats). Are you going to the dinner?

 

I will be at the Dearborn reunion this weekend with the Bonner T-bolt. I hope to meet some of you guys there. We are heading out early tomorrow morning and should be there in the afternoon. I will have my photo collection with me also. We are attending the banquet also. See you guys there!! I'm hearing 20+ cars will be there.

 

leaving for that FCA Nationals tomorrow morning. Attending the T-bolt dinner too. Looking forward to it!

 

This is a car raced by Carl Davis in the Memphis area

 

Jim -
Here is another picture of Bob running at Richmond in 1964. From a scan of an old magazine I found on the net. The car was called "Southern Sample" when he had it.

 

This is the former Brannan car. Numero Uno T-bolt....

 

The Joe Brown car is coming together but time is running out. At least it will be there!

 

I just went though all of the photos on FB. Great job. I look forward to seeing it this weekend.

 

Boy, they posted a lot of shots of the car. Click on the link in post #3732 if anyone wants to see the progress. Thanks for the heads up Troublemaker.

 

That's right troublemaker. Carls older brother Bobby owned it then gave it to Mr. Patrick because it was so ill handling he was scared Carl would get hurt in it. This was a long time ago who knew the future value of these cars. We had dirt cars and drag cars but Bobby did not want anyone to get hurt.

 

I will be attending the dinner and show on Saturday. Have been looking forward since Dennis K. announced tickets were available early this year.....Al

 

Hello all I'm envious of all you guys heading to the 50 th t/bolt reunion.
I'm looking to purchase a thunderbolt clone,
Streetable, white with the tan interior.
If anyone attending finds one for sale, if you could pass on the information
Through this thread It would be much appreciated.id be as happy as jack!

 

Well, the car should be in Detroit by now. There was some serious thrashing going on last night and some stayed until 2:00 am. I pooped out at 10:30.