Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

Great story!! Thanks!! You are correct about Don Snyder owning the cars. He has a great collection of cars including 4 original T-bolts!!

Do you have any photos from the cars back then? I'd love to see them if you do!!

 

there is a man named Jerry Mason in SC that owns a t bolt that has never been raced only has something like 15 miles on it never had oil changed or maybe added. the miles are supposedly from pushing on and off trailers. The car was bought new took to a musem and left there until jerry got it. Don't get your hopes up he has a building full of 427 ford cars and light weights . None for sale to the regular guy but money talks. Very nice guy and will show you what he has also.

 

I think I have a picture of Vaughn Kubert at US131 dragway that they used to sell at the promo shop , also a picture of when I owned it, and probably a recent picture of the car at the musclecar museum my friend took when at the Nats a couple of years ago after Kuykendall restored it.. I'll try to find them tomorrow and post them

 

If your looking for a T-bolt or 4 ...Floyd Garrett has 4 (I think..I had a few beers that night we chatted). He had just picked up what he believed was a Sox Martin backup Bolt(circa 1994). I believe he has the cars in Pigeonforge now. He also has a 62 Ford and Dodge light weight there also.

 

Little OffTopic ...but...You guys ever see the 1940 ChryslerTbolt
http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1941/thunderbolt/
Rick

 

Different photos of the Brannan T-Bolt

 

I'm Trying to send pix.. hope this works.

 

1st pic when vaughn Kubert owned it. The pic next to it with Thunderball on it was when I owned it, next is the restored version by Kuykendall, next is at the muscle car museum a few years ago.. Hope these are acceptable!
Sorry about the post where no pictures came through.

manacoem

 

RickRenn.....That Chysler looks like the Stay Puff Marshmallow man. The Dyno Comet and 65 Galaxie are not Thunderbolts,but certainly in the same vane. BOB Ford did run a 427 Galaxie in 65,called The Quiet One driven by Jerry Harvey on Indy.

 

Thanks for the great photos!! I've never seen any of the car after Brannan had it. I'm going out to Don Snyder's place to see his collection next week. I'm really looking forward to it. I really like these photos of T-bolts being raced after they were famous! Very interesting.

 

Glad to help !!

manacoem

 

I am most certainly aware that they are not Thunderbolts. However if you read through the entire thread, it strays slightly from the topic of just Fairlane versions of lightwight factory cars.

 

Here are photos of the two DST built '64 Falcons. Some of the build techniques were similar to the Thunderbolts, but they were unique to themselves.

 

Those are super sweet! Did they run as fast or faster than the Fairlane Thunderbolts? Unaltered wheelbase?

 

They ran a little faster than the T-bolts because of less weight. Most T-bolts ran SS when new and these cars ran AFX. They mostly were used for match racing though. Phil Bonner told me he couldn't make any money class racing with NHRA, match racing is where the money was to be made... Phil actually bought his blue Falcon new as a complete running car off the show room floor. He then delivered it to DST in Dearborn for the 427 transplant!!

 

There was a guy here in Dallas named Charles Eller or Charles Keller, something to that nature that had a White Thunderbolt. I know he owned it in the 80's through the mid-90's at least, and the last time I saw it was at one of the "Fun Ford Weekend" events here at the Texas Motorplex close to ten years ago. I am almost 100% certain the car is real, but I do not know if he still owns it. I hope that helps. I'm pretty sure Charles is still in the area as he was at least in his 50's the last time I saw him. BTW cool thread and cool history we got here!!

 

my dad has magazines with Bonners car nearly on the bumper....those 2 cars made me want a Falcon...and then I started in on the Comets of Chrisman, and Nicholson, among others..I have a killer pic of Dyno Dons car after he sold it to Pete Gates...in its altered form nearly on 2 feet off the ground....I don't have a scanner or I'd post them...

 

Someplace on the net is an article that shows the buildup of Bonners Falcon. IF I could only remember where I saw it. Luv being old

 

I'M going to try to insert these photos here for you
manacoem

 

I'm curious.... what kind of radiator did the Thunderbolts use? Was it just the 289 rad or did they use one from another vehicle?

 

Not a 289 rad. Inlet & outlet for pre '69 were both on the Passenger side. FE's had inlet and outlet on opposite sides. Most likely used a rad from big block Galaxies...

 

Those old photos are great!! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

Exactly. Any Galaxie from 60-64 with an FE would fit the bill, looks just like the setup in my '62 Galaxie wagon with a TBird 390.

 

I found some of Bonner's Tbolt style falcon, and 1 wheelie of the warbucks car.

 

I love this pic. Bonner vs proffitt, and proffitt's car is BEFORE the rear axle was moved forward! I have hundreds of photos of falcons, r codes, t bolts etc. I should just pay for fotki, rather than using the free version hehehehe

 

There is film of the Bonner wheelie at the begining of the Lions documentry. I'm hoping there is more footage in part 2!!

 

Sorry about the post highjack but does anybody have bigger shot of this unaltered wheel base Comet with the strait axle?
Thanks.

 

Here you go. Unaltered and altered version. I don't think Hayden's car was ever ran with a straight axle with the rear axle in the stock location. But I could be wrong...

This car has been restored and still survives...

 

No straight axle with stock wheelbase, lookie here.. the two new pics with the injected sohc is the restored car today, it has its altered form, with straight axle.

 

Yup, your right. I don't think he ran it that way very long. Moved the rear wheels up and went total "funny car"!!