Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

Yes, Maxey is still around & that's one of the factors of figuring out which car it was.
As far as the AFX Comet he drove, it was totaled in 65 in that wreck at Richmond Dragway. He was driving it & it almost killed him. He never really drove again after that. That's what he was driving in the wreck. As far as a date ,no, with Dad's memory since the stroke it's been hard to get certain things out of him.
I'm also trying to find out when he got rid of the Thunderbolt & where it went & when he got the Comet.
He went through a divorce after he stopped racing & his ex wife threw everything away. We used to have some pictures but they got lost in a move.
I have made some contacts that might have some pictures from tracks he raced in that area & hope soon to have some.

 

Re AFX Comet, what year of Comet was it, and any other details, such as dealer, sponsor, owner, color, etc ... ? What does Maxey Gentry recall about the Comet and/or the T-Bolt. Does Maxey have any photos, documentation, recall dates, etc ... on either of the cars? Searching through copies of Eastern Drag News and Drag News, any dates would be helpful.

Anyone else recall this wreck at Richmond Dragway?

Regards,
Dennis

 

The wreck with the Comet was in mid 65 or so. Dad had went out on his own & bought the car, at the time him & Maxey had split ways. The car had no sponsorship & was just plain white.
He drive the Thunderbolt from about April 64 through early 65 until he got his own ride.
Maxey wasn't much on pictures so he doesn't have anything either.

 

Trying to understand this. What year and exterior color was the AFX Comet?

Regards,
Dennis

 

The Comet was a 65 & was all white with nothing on it.

 

Here's a much better pic of 'GIGI'- the Bender Ford Tbolt from Syracuse, NY. The original driver was Kenny Essex.

 

Here's a better pic of the Reynolds Ford Tbolt from Syracuse, Ny driven by Mike Gray. Original pic as raced.

 

Here's an original as raced pic of the Collins Motor Sales tbolt driven by Morris Lee.

 

Here's another pic of the Willis, Reynolds, and Bender Ford Tbolts together in the staging lane at E.S.T.A. (Eastern Strip & Track Association) Safety Park in Cicero, NY.

Len

 

Lenny, really nice pics and thanks for posting them. Got any more?

 

Len,
Great shots, thanks very much for posting them. There appears to be a third T-bolt at the front of the line in this shot. Any idea who it may be?

Thanks again for injecting some life back into this thread with the awesome photos!!

 

I thought he was saying it was the Willis Ford car?

 

That is a BAD pic. Like stepping back in time!

 

As I said, the Willis car, the Reynolds car, and the Bender Ford GIGI car all in a row.

Len

 

Oops, sorry. Reading comprehension was not great there on my part...

 

Great pictures Len! Please continue posting more. It's good to see Thunderbolts in their natural habitat.

 

May as well get all the NY cars out of the way. I'm sure these pics have been posted before but perhaps not in one place.

Len

 

I haven't checked this thread for awhile but I'm glad to see new stuff still coming out. As stated before, this thread is the best Thunderbolt resource going and I hope more info continues to roll in. I'm sure there are many unseen pictures packed away in closets somewhere that will out someday.

 

I was over on the Comet thread and someone mentioned watching the CHRR at Famosa live, for free, on Bangshift. Live streaming video, pretty cool stuff. Anyway, there was a Thunderbolt running there this weekend, a low 10, high 9 second car, I think. Anyone know who's it was and if it was an original or clone? It actually looked a lot like Dennis's avatar car. I didn't get a great look at it though, the video is kind of grainy on my laptop screen. Also got to see a couple Hamb'rs run their Comets.

Kevin

 

Keven;it is a clone.Originally built by Lou Kamp[spelling?],it now has a new owner,name escapes me,and is a good running car.We had 5 Comets at CHRR,mine and Ken Godsey's made the quick 16 and we both made the semi finals,and lost!! ROY.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-5U462MGQU&feature=related

This might have posted but includes some Thunderbolt pictures I don't remember seeing.

 

Thanks, Roy. I didn't get to watch eliminations. It sure looked like it was a good time.

Kevin

 

Kevin;it WAS a blast,the only better outcome would have placed Ken and I in the final!!!Phil Featherston had his T-Bolt on display all during the race,I guess it has been retired! ROY.

 

Heres a picture of possibly Flying Farmer T-Bolt at Ubly Dragway in MI thumb area summer of 64'

 

Good to see some new posts on this thread.
Phil's T-Bolt looked as good as ever, at Bakersfeild, and the Bolt from Colorado, as well.
Roy is right, the Comet turn out was GREAT!!!
Eric

 

Here's a picture that a friend sent me of the EmRhae Motors Thunderbolt at a car show. Anybody possibly know where this was taken because he didn't? He said someone sent it to him. He also sent me some other pictures of it inside & outside of a shop if anybody wants to see them.

 

#2761;
" He also sent me some other pictures of it inside & outside of a shop if anybody wants to see them. "

Sure...... post them. Tom S. in Tn.

P.S. those don't look like original carburetors in the picture here.

 

Here's the one's at a shop. I have other's but they just show certain parts of the car. I'm trying to figure out where these might have been taken.

 

Heres a vid of the Colorado Tribute Thunderbolt Running out at CHRR 2011. Nothing like seeing a Thunderbolt Going down the track.