Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

It probably was me saying it was #11. There is an article out there that shows a vintage burgandy car with an automatic trans. I thought it was this article but I was wrong. I'll have to dig into the archives and figure out which magazine it was. In the one I'm thinking about you can see the trans cooler lines going into the radiator.

 

Did you notice it says "oil and water gauges" were added. Dennis and I were just talking about this. We've only seen oil pressure gauges from DST. I can't tell if there is a water temp gauge in the car from these shots. I wonder if it was planned, in this one or a writers mistake?

This article also confirms the lack of a "Caution Fan" decal on the shroud and flex hoses with screw hose clamps. These are mistakes you see in many restorations.

 

Jody;is it time for wheelie bars!!! Great picture in your signature! ROY.

 

Yup, they've already been purchased and hopefully will be installed in a couple of weeks. They will be set pretty high though. I still like wheels up launches....

 

I Don't recall saying the #9 car is Wickersham or the #11 car is Bob Ford Automatic. The #9 is on the Bob Ford automatic car, see attached photo.

Also the 3/4 view magazine shot of a burgundy cloverleaf hood early T-Bolt is from Car Life March 1964 issue pg 28.

More than likely, that is a shot of the Bob Ford automatic car. At the most, it is one of the Bob Ford cars. I do not think it is the Brannan car as even in the really early (pre 427 flag) shot of Brannan's, his car had the F O R D letters on the hood. I don't think it is one of the later burgundy cars, as they all appear to have 64 style parking lamps.

I now notice the absence of tow tabs. It looks like both Bob Ford cars had tow tabs and in an earlier photo of Brannan's it did not. However, in the test track photo the Brannan car had tow tabs. Regardsless, it has to be one of those cars.

Regards,
Dennis

 

The Bob Ford S/S car had multiple gauges, however they may of been installed at a later date.

Studying the magazine pictures of the early cars, I never saw evidence of a water temp gauge either in the car or looking for the thermocouple which would likely be installed in the intake manifold where the heater hose nipple would go or the thermocouple line to the gauge.

At least one car had a "Caution Fan" decal, which I'm pretty certain is the Brannan car. Also note the welded air box, made from two Low Riser air boxes in order to change the center distance for the HR set up. I also agree on the use of Corbin screw in lieu of tower clamps and radiator in lieu of moulded radiator hoses. The parts lists call for screw clamps and although the moulded hoses work, for some reason it was decided to use flexible radiator hoses.

Although the majority of the magazines focused on the burgundy cars, there were numerous minor construction differences between the burgundy and white cars. Some of this has to do with using a running car vs. an incomplete roller.

Regards,
Dennis

 

I was thinking the Bob Ford automatic car was the 11th car and the Wickersham car was the ninth. Since the car had a stick shift in the article, I figured you were refering to the Wickersham car. I misunderstood.

 

That is a great pic. Reminds me of that aqua blue Fairlane wagon with a 427 that I used to see around. I'm sure car went through many sets of headers.

I found a clip of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TMSu9peyBQ

 

I wonder if Brannan's car came from DST with the chrome shroud? The "Caution Fan" sticker could have been added after it was chromed?

 

I remember the wagon from the Ford Expo back in the mid 80's in the good old days. There is a fairly poor video of me on you tube doing the wheelstand in the avatar. I'll have to dig around and find it on there.

 

That's where I saw it to. We were standing behind it once and it stood up and slammed down and sparks flew everywhere and something broke. I took it from the crowd that those wheelstands were pretty costly to the owner but it did make for a great show.

 

Atwater Ford T-Bolt...Driver: Jake King! Clone car or Real Deal?? Not powder blue in color??

 

Clone!!!

 

Talk about one of your favorite T-Bolt cars! How about "The Fugitive, Always on the Run" Bridenthal Ford...Greensboro Ohio...Driven by: Skip Wilson! More pics of this one Please! Keep clicking to make Image larger!

 

Another Bridenthal Ford Greensboro, Ohio T-Bolt Pic! "The Goat Herder"! I have too many favorite T-Bolt cars...I like them all! Keep clicking to make Image larger!

 

More than likely the chrome shroud was liberated from a 1963 Galaxie with a dress up kit, or perhaps from the parts department. Not certain as a service part if the Caution Fan decal would of been installed.

In the "restoration" the shroud has a 427 fender emblem installed on the Brannan car.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Dennis did you see my post below? Do you have any information? Hastin is still active in racing although it is with a grandson in round track racing. I am going to try to get up with him next time I am down in the area and see if he has any old photos or such.

 

I remember that Fairlane wagon 427. I think he was from Kentucky. That shot was at Xenia, Ohio at one of the Expo meets. The first year that Crites opened the nostalgia bracket to '55 and newer cars, I showed up with my factory blown '57 Ford. You guys here probably didn't agree with that rule change. I beat that wagon first round, and in the remaining rounds I had little trouble working my way to the final, which I won. Some of those big block Galaxies were dialed in slower than I was. I went on to win the nostalgia bracket twice more, beating Kurt Neighbor in Crites' clone in the final in 2001. I just missed my 4th win last year, losing in the final. I did defeat Neighbor in the semi in his injected Comet.

John

 

I may have posted the following pictures before but I've scanned them at a higher resolution so here goes ...
The first is the Tasca car vs Al Joniec at the mid-May '64 NHRA regional meet at Cecil County, MD. The Tasca car won S/S that day.
The second shot is the elusive "Fat Boy" car at Emglishtown, NJ in the summer of 1969.
Joel

 

Gotta love those T-Bolt on T-Bolt matches. And the old T-Bolt Express...maybe someone will fess up what car that is for sure one of these days. Great pics!

 

My theory on T-Bolt Express: The Nate Cohen/Tom Caldara car was from Wayne Jones Ford - Leaksville NC and driven by Gene Lunsford. There is an ad of the T-Bolt Express being sold by a Wilbert Lunsford.

The fact there were only so many T-Bolts in a given area, typically <5, and the common surname leads me to believe it is possible these are the same car.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Clone car.

Regards,
Dennis

 

How were the aluminum front bumpers on these cars originally finished? Were they plated, polished or painted silver?


Deron

 

Not aware of Moring having a car in 1964. May be Honnell's car at a later date. I'll ask Larry Davis the next time I talk to him.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Neither. Although the 1962 Lightweights had chromed aluminum front bumpers. The 63 Ltwt and 64 T-Bolt aluminum front bumpers were the mill (satin like) finish, as delivered from the aluminum sheet supplier, I believe Alcoa? Someone had an NOS service part bumper that still had the supplier ID inked on the back side.

I knew the process engineer at Ford Monroe (MI) Plant that was involved with manufacturing the bumpers. The production dies for steel bumpers were used. He said they had to heat the aluminum sheets up with torches to anneal the material so it wouldn't crack during the stamping process. The bumpers have Plant, Date, and Shift Codes just like a steel bumper does.

The last time I was there the bumper presses were being used to manufacture hoods. Not sure if Ford still owns the plant. It was an iron foundry before Ford bought it in the 20's.

2 7 2 = Feb 7 #2 Shift or Day Shift The year is assumed
M 4 = Monroe Plant, I assume press #4

Regards,
Dennis

 

Thanks Dennis. How thick was the material they used for the bumpers?


Deron

 

B/P was .106" thick for steel. The aluminum measures about .107". So I would say the same thickness.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Hello John and welcome.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Wow, that's a lot thicker than I expected. I would have guessed they were something like .050" or .062". Thanks for the education!

Deron

 

I just saw that the NOS Rotunda tach on eBay for $1182.00. I thought about trying to get a Faria tach for my Cyclone but they're even going fairly high.