Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

I wonder what ever became of the Hot Rod project that they gave up on? I saw it listed in this condition...for sale awhile back. Looks like it would make a neat AWB Fairlane.

 

Here you go guys,Burl Hawkins T Bolt from Tulsa then and what it look's like today. No it's not mine wish it was.

 

I actually called on that one after the auction.I dont think it sold for very much.He said he just went so far for the mag shoot..Considering the labor involved to do that, it was a hell of a bargain.I always wondered what happened to it and if it ever was completed.

 

I had this posted in another thread.just thought it was cool stuff.Met earl a couple of years ago,what a character.been a big fan since.Does anyone know how long he raced that ThunderBolt and what happened to it?




check out the vid of Earl putting the tune on my car

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQUk-gqzbTk

 

I forgot all about that altered wheelbase project car.It would make a cool T-Bolt Tribute car. Too bad they couldn't keep that Arizona Ford show going,a lot of nice cars there. ROY.

 

On that 64 Fairlane,I'm suprised Jack Hazlegren doesn't know its whereabouts! There are a lot of interesting parts on that car.We went to one of the Arm Drop shows at Barona,what a circus,they are not setup for the # of cars,total lack of control!! I tried to make my two passes only to have them run out of water,my clutch was NOT happy trying to do a dry burnout,aborted both runs,put it on the trailer and just watched the CHAOS! ROY.

 

That's the ex-Gas Ronda car which is now in Florida owned by Willie D. Smith. Bob Glidden also drove this car in the 70's. The car is now tubbed but very restorable. The owner has no intention of selling it. I don't think Earl Wade drove it very long.

 

My father in-law, Stanley Haggard owned the Rockenfield Ford Thunderbolt at Edgewater. I should be able to get photo from my Mother in-law

 

If pics are still wanted contact me at dsbenedic@juno.com

 

I never got to ride in that one. I was only 5 at the time. I think my mom would have had a fit.

 

Burl Hawkins is being transferred to the Veterans Hospital in Muskogee with serious health issues. Prayers needed.

 

Darn,I wandered why I havn't seen him lately at the geezer lunches.

 

A couple of mishaps

 

Jack Whitby

 

Hi i am in Florida and Gas Ronda is here in Milton at Smith"s High Preformance it has not been restored bit it is coming out and is going to show it soon
mr Willie Smith is running a little slow about 2 months ago he was robbed aftre he closed his shop got to his drive way at home was beaten for the cash

i know of the car sitting close to 20 years

 

I did not read the whole thing i see that willie smith had been posted
i live 5 miles from the car

 

talked to a Mustang friend
he said Willie has had old Gas Ronda at a couple local shows plans to take it out of town soon

 

Re HR 8V intakes, I've seen C4AE-D, C4AE-F, and two XE intakes that were very similar to the D.

Re 427 Comets:

For 1964, I've heard either 21 or 22. Two groups of ten coupes, and the wagon, plus a development car that never left Dearborn.

I've documented 31 different dealers/owners. However, I believe some of these are one in the same as some cars changed owners during the 1964 season. The internal Ford paperwork list 20 different cars during the 1964 season.

Nash's 1964 289 B/FX came from the Comet Durability program after it was run.

For 1965,

Nicholson - SOHC
Profitt - SOHC
Beswick - SOHC
DeLorean - SOHC
Rachanski - HR
Schartman - HR
Christman - SOHC Supercharged (1964 car converted)

Moyer - HR

Nash - 289 B/FX

An internal Ford document indicates there were 50 1965 B/FX Comets built.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Dennis K. .......

While Ford USA did the Comets, Ford Canada built three B/FX Falcons as fully documented by the Ford factory and John Philipps, the Ford Performance Advisor or Drag vehicles at the time. The three cars were unusual since they were actually built inside a Ford factory and not at an outside race shop. The three B/FX cars were:

* Rankin Ford, Wild Child (which I own)
* Don Havers, Mr. 289 (whereabouts unknown)
* Wood Larkins, Gold Digger (whereabouts unknown)

Ford actually built a total of seven 1965 Falcons with the 289/271 HiPo motor but only three of those cars were configured as B/FX cars. The other four consisted of three 2-dr sedans and one other 2-dr hardtop which was a fully optioned Futura hardtop which was also drag raced as the Teachers Pet.

I have volumes and volumes of documentation on these cars and especially of the Wild Child. I have attached some way-back-when pictures as well as some factory documentation on this racing program. Of special note is the list of Factory Part Numbers for the B/FX parts.

If anyone wants any more information on these cars, please let me know. If anyone has any additional information on these cars, I would appreciate getting some of it.

Regards,
Joe

 

Does anyone repop the fiberglass covers that were used in the Comets in place of the back seat? Are the Comet and Falcon the same width inside? I've owned both but never thought to measure.

 

Joe,
Good to see you on here. I was at South Mountain the night you made the first passes in the Wild Child after the restoration. What is your best pass with the restored car so far? If I remember right didn't you build another cammer recently?

Thanks,

 

I do not know of anyone making the fiberglass covers but I would check with Crites Restoration even though they do not list that part. The Falcon and Comet are the same dimensions on the inside.

My Falcon A/FX car has a shop built aluminum set of panels in the back seat area that are real nice. I can take a few pictures an dpost them if that would be helpful.

Regards,
Joe

 

Thanks I would appreciate that. Glad you brought the car back to life, you did a good job.

 

Hi Falconred ....

Here are the interior pictures of the Wild Child. This shoud give you some ideas.

Joe

 

Hi Troublemaker427,

I am glad you got to see the car at South Mountain. I actually let Ev Rowse take the first pass. He was both excited and scared.

We did build another cammer motor, actually two of them. About 3 years ago we lost a motor at Indy Raceway Park when Ev Rowse was driving the car. We then built another motor and after about 5-7 minutes of run time, it blew up right in my shop. So we built yet another cammer and that motor seems just fine. At the same time we changed the torque converter from a 5000 stall to a 3000 stall and also replaced the 4:56 gears with 4:11 gears. The intent was to soften things up a bit; make things like Cammer motors last longer.

We put three runs on this one last year at Grand Bend in Canada, the first two were fairly easy test passes while the 3rd was a bit harder bu not all out. We launched at 2500 RPM and shifted at 6000 RPM and ran a 10.6 second pass. A bit more tuning and shifting at 7000 RPM should get us in the low 10's, possibly high 9's but then again we will never know since for all practical purposes the Wild Child is once again retired. It is just way too expensive when it breaks and it is way to valuable to risk destroying.

Joe

 

Trying to sort out some of my T-Bolt pics. Does anyone know the history of these cars?

 

I seem to recall that Rick Kirk in OK many years ago either had some made or knew of a source that was repoping them.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Thanks Dennis and thanks again for the photos of the ODRR

Happy Thanksgiving