Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

Seems to me you'd have several kinds of buyers/collectors, the ones who care if the cars are rebodied, the ones who don't know to ask, and the ones who don't care. For me if the rebodied car was priced right I'd still be very happy with it.

 

Does anyone know if the wickershsm ford from Orange, Texas that was driven by Clester Andrews still together ?

 

"By the way, neither of my Thunderbolts, the Gilmer Ford or the Bob Ford S/S car, have been rebodied. Likewise with my Ed Martin Ford 62/63 Lightweight Galaxie."

Just for the sake of what ever the sake is, I have "laid hands" on the Gilmer Ford (Strip Teaser) in both states, back in the day and a year or so ago.

 

Here are some pics that Dick Brannan signed and gave to me just after the Ford show at Summit Motorsport Park. I hope everyone enjoys them.

 

I know it's not a TBolt, but if anyone collects diecast cars, Johnny Lightning has just released Dick Brannan's '63 Lightweight in 1/64 scale. I picked up mine at Toys-R-Us.

 

A re-body will always be priced right.

People willing to allow substitution to what's actually original is what kills the investment value of rare automobile. Tom S.

 

Hey guys, I just looked and there are plenty of real, genuine, honest-to-goodness T-bolts on eBay.
Some 4-doors, some hardtops, probably even some wagons. Some of them even have economical sixes and 289's - for those thinking of their Prius's at home.
Best of all, they start around $5K, and head north from there.
Go on - invest wisely.
P.S. I'm not from Nigeria, but I get lots of emails from there. Lucky me, hey?

 

I took an interesting trip yesterday to a good friend of mines shop. I got to see the remains of the Atwater Ford Thunderbolt & the pictures of it as a dirt track car. WHAT A SHAME! A perfectly good car ruined! Also got to find out the history of it & the Nazy Crate car in Virginia.
I didn't know that much about either one until then but just like my buddy said, if we knew then what we know now these cars would have been put up & not even raced!

 

You are planning on sharing the info and pictures, aren't you?

 

It would be interesting to see pics of possibly the only circle track Thunderbolt.

The engine from the Jenkins & Wynne Thunderbolt ended up receiving one of these and being ran on a circle track.

 

My buddies father was partners in the ex-Atwater Ford car when it was a dirt tracker. He always told us he raced a T-bolt on dirt but wasn't sure whose car it was originally. I finally spoke with your friend and he gave me the full history on the car. I have pictures of the car when it was raced as a stock car also (not very good but still cool). It is a shame what happened to that car. It is one of my favorite and was the reason Jake King became part of the Sox & Martin team.

 

So let's see some pics! Come on guys, don't hold out on us....


Deron

 

Amen!

 

Hello, new to this site. Great thread. The Nazy Crate car is currently for sale on the website carsonline. My current cars are Peacock Blue 64 Cyclone 289 4 speed, Anniversary Silver 64 Cyclone 289 a/c auto, Black 64 Caliente 3474 speed in resto process, White 64 Fairlane SC 260 auto in resto process. Trying to resize pics, will add soon. Jim

 

There is also a Bob Ford replica on carsonline as well. Jim

 

You're speaking about the motor from Doug Greenfields car, correct? Who circle raced it?
Quite interesting info. The story your dad told of he and a buddy seeing the car with a 289 on the street is just as interesting. Tell him hello for me, and I'd really enjoy going back to talk some more. Tom S. in Tn.

 

I'd like to see someone try to get away with a fraudulent Grumpy's Toy or Swamp Rat. Explain to me the why the market is not cheapened by fraud like this, and just why there does not need to be a registry to protect what's left of the originals.
I'm no authority, but the real Bob Ford car should have the name copy written. Tom S. in Tn.

 

Btt

 

Rockenfield Ford Thunderbolt

 

First of all the copy of the Bob Ford T-Bolt was built buy a young man in the Down River Area of Detroit, Michigan. It had a Hi Riser w/2-4's on and was made to drive on the street and car cruses around the Detroit area. That car was not used on the drag strip or even raced on the street. The car was sold and and went on tour with other Ford Drag cars for display only.
Now the T-Bolt that Dennis K. has is original all the way, Just craw under the car and look at it, the welds are all stick welds not mig like like today. When he purchase the car you couldn't get Re Pop Parts. I am talking late 70's and early 80's. I have known Dennis for a long time, all of his cars are original and have history, if it not a original Factory Drag Car he not interested in it. Because of the price getting so high we quit racing them a couple years ago.
The good thing about the clones is you can race them. With the fakes racing out there in N/SS and you hit the wall!!! Your not out $200,000.00 to $500,000.00 in loss of which the insurance company WON'T cover on a the Dragstrip.
P.S. How do you copyright Bob Ford of which is already copyrighted??? I am not in to the laws but it does't make sence to me!
~~~~~~~~AFX DAVE~~~~~~~~

 

#2817;
" P.S. How do you copyright Bob Ford of which is already copyrighted??? I am not in to the laws but it does't make sence to me! "

Who holds the copyrights Dave?

Again, I'm not questioning anyone's car, but I believe I'd have at least a basic understanding of more than copyright law before I turned loose $$$,$$$.$$ for one of these.
http://www.continentalclassiccars.com/view_selected.asp?id=155

Tom S. in Tn.

 

Southside Ford Thunderbolt

 

Thanks for posting....Southside? What city or state? Driver?

 

That price doesn't seem out of line for a clone. It must be wierd for Dennis to have the real one and then see a copy for sale. Maybe it speaks volumes about the importance of Dennis' car.

 

Southside Ford Chicago Il
Grubby Jack Bochler

 

What's interesting about this photo is this car appears to have a rocker panel cover plate. All Wimbledon White DSO T-Bolts that I've ever seen had both cover plates deleted from the factory. 64 Cyclone, any more details you can share about this photo? Date, where, etc ... .

Regards,
Dennis

 

BTW, there are a couple "copies" of the Brannan car around too. One person did tell me "Imitation is the most sincereous form of flattery".

What creates an issue is when one misrepresents it as the original car. Even worse, when one sells it as an original. I'm aware of one auction house that did not want to run any more "Thunderbolts" across the block because of previous cars processed turned out to be rebodies and having to deal with concerns of the new owner.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Here are a couple more photos of Grubby Jack Bochler, they may of been previously posted, but figured they'd compliment the other picture. Both of these pictures were in the same magazine. Looks like same track, whether they are the same car or not, time to start studying and comparing.

Regards,
Dennis