Art & Inspiration pic request; hot rodded 55-57 Thunderbirds

My 55 with new rims and 4 inch lowering.

 

This is Bob McNulty's 55/57 T Bird, in early 60's/ Kellison Body.
Won at the Oakland Roadster Show.

 

Do you know more about that. Early Kellison's had their own proprietary frames, then they had smaller ones for British sports cars followed by the J6 which fit early Vette ch***is. Curious about this one.

 

I think it was 60 or 61, in Hayward Calif. Bob bought this Kellison, ( I don't know where it came from) it was built on a T bird ch***is. My friend Darrel Hayes and I helped him get it ready for the Oakland show. They made a special Trophy for him, same as the big trophy for a Roadster. When we were in High school, Bob built the "Shark", a 54 Corvette. It's a shame but he was killed at a young age in a boating accident.

 

That looks great!! I love it!!

 

Is this your car? Any more info or pics

 

My 57 T-bird since 1968. Cross bolt 427 Ford W/Tri-Power , beefed C-6, Corvett IRS, 4Wheel disc brakes, and Zenith wire wheels.

 

anyone have pictures of this t-bird? thank you

 

@docauto , see prior post.

 

View attachment 5320655
Saw these at Cordova, IL a few years ago.

Gary

 

'THUNDERSTRUCK...

 

Hello,

While I was doing some Drag Racing research, I came across this old 1956 photo of a T-Bird racing at the NHRA So Cal Regional Championships. In between all of the race cars in the Chrisman Garage in So Cal, this
T-Bird was a part of the tons of neatly designed, powerful builds. Who would have thought? In 1956?
Nov 1956
That photo shown was reported as a Blown T-Bird (McCullogh/Paxton version?) well known as a fast stock car… but, with Chrisman Bros. tuning and set up.

If Art Chrisman and Frank Cannon continued with the T-bird in compe***ion, perhaps it would have been the next generation paint scheme for us to ***ociate with the line of Chrisman garage builds. the time period of racing would have led to the fast and faster sports car cl***es going all the way up to the AA/SP level, with unlimited power and set ups.

The level of compe***ion would have been in the AA/SP cl*** with the powerful supercharged motors. And, a possible confrontation against Norm Cowdry’s motor in the his Green Austin Healy body.

Jnaki

So, from 1956, had the modifications continued, we would have seen a streamlined Hustler 2 FED in the A/D cl*** in 1959. But, we would have seen this paint scheme on the supercharged Chrisman/Cannon motor in the Thunderbird in the following years? Yowza is right!!!
old Friday Art
Chrisman Cannon 1959 Riverside Raceway
December 1959
But, as history provides us with information, they were too happy going 181 mph in the Hustler 2.

Where is that fast Thunderbird, today?