Just got a 63 falcon drag car that the seller said had history but didnt know it. The car has a old sticker that says Norm Miller, dearborn steel and tube. The sticker has to be 40 years old. I know dearborn was a subcontractor for Ford racecars in the 60s. Does this ring any bells to the hamb alliance?? The car shows 8000 miles, thought it was spun over till the sticker was found, might of been a race car for a long long time. Will post some pictures tomorrow...... All feedback apprecated...... John
I called Dave, he said he remembers a employee from dearborn steel by that name but thats all he remembers..... Any other leads would be greatly apprecated........thanks
That is a one of a kind pretty cool decal and its like 50 years old, Norm Miller was a shop supervisor at D.S.T and later became plant manger. My Dad ran the paint shop and was a lifer there he tells me that Andy Hotten hired a sign painter from flat rock speedway name Archie McMaster and he hand painted decals and did lettering on the cars that rolled out of the tube.Why that decal is in that 63 he can't remember he did tell me that D.S.T had 3 or 4 63" they did manifold testing on and like many things they ended up at a local boneyard that was one of Norm's buddies. Norm was a good man always keep us busy even when I worked there am not trying to slam Norm he was not a drag racer he was a business man and always had some kind of deal going on. I am lucky enough to hear all about the great cars that rolled out of there and the backdoor deals and got to know the guys who lived it if I could only get them together to tell their stories it would be epic.
They installed the 289 Hi-Po and 4 speed into the El Matador for the Ford custom cavalcade. Lots of custom stuff came out of that shop.
I have a couple of Dearborn Steel Tubing decals in my shop. Going out there right now to see how they compare.
Not shure yet. If there is indeed some history here that could turn this into to a recreation project.
That is one killer decal and car to match. I love this kind of history, thanks for sharing. Heads up I know a guy here in Springfield, MO that does hand painted race graphics etc. He could duplicate that decal for you down the road. Send me a Private message if you would like his contact information.
Yes you rang some bells with me. Hello I am joining this thread a little late. A little about me first. I joined Dearborn Steel Tubing (please read the decal. Not Dearborn Steel and Tube. Also Hot Rod Magazine used the name Detroit Steel and Tube also wrong) in the summer of 1964 just after the Thunderbolt program completed. I punched in at the Trowbridge shop than traveled to work in Belleville at Andy Antique Lincoln shop. Attached is a couple of good history links of DST/AHA. http://my.net-link.net/~dcline/l_hotton.htm http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/aha/aha.htm The following "" was copied from the link above. For many years DST was also responsible for preparing Fords factory race cars. The Falcons driven by Joe Weatherly and Chris Turner in the cars first victory at Daytona were DST creations as were the 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt drag cars. The lightweight (3203lbs) Thunderbolts featured a stripped interior, Plexiglas side windows, Fiberglass and aluminum bumpers, a heavy-duty suspension and rear-end, larger brakes most importantly Fords powerful 425hp 427ci motor. A total of 111 were eventually built, the first 12 were stock 2-door Fairlane 500s taken from the assembly line and modified at DST while the remaining 99 were completely assembled at DST using parts supplied by Ford. DST also built 2 1964 Ford Falcon 427 A/FX dragsters for Ford. They were similar to the Fairlanes but weighed about 800 lbs less thanks to their fiberglass doors, deck lid, front fenders, trunk, and front bumper. Two Ford F-100 XL Pickups were also built by Hotton during the same period. Essentially an F-100 on steroids, it was planned to be a factory muscle truck and featured Fords 425hp 427ci engine, the same unit that was in the Fairlane and Falcon drag cars. No further examples are known to have been built. Also if anyone is interested in original Ford speed parts and original Decals they can be purchased from this web site. http://dearbornsteeltubing.com/ This is one of the F-100's 425hp 427ci engine/3 speed T85 o/d trans. It was our parts truck. Picture was take late summer of 1964. ps hi Dwayne
Great bit of history.. Now I need find a 427/425 for my 64 f-100. Maybe I will just try to find a sticker, it might me cheaper.......
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