Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

1975 Bob Martin photo (SPAIN & STOUT)

 

I was at Alton Dragway in October of 63 when Don(pig farmer) Hawthorne brought in a Burgundy T bolt and made a run. Iwent and checked the car out in the pits. It was one of the first 11 burgundy ones and it was Automatic. ​

 

Haven't seen this one before.

 

These two photos bring something to mind. Merle Mangels was a very sharp guy that operated a Cicero,IL high performance shop but I got to know him much later. He had many connections to a host of great racers BITD and Jack Bochler was one of them. One day we got to talking about Jack who was an avid fisherman, I worked with a guy that was a partner with Jack in a fishing boat. Merle told me there were two T-bolts (sort of) because when the original was wrecked another Fairlane was “appropriated” and that in effect became the second car with assistance from Merle.
The above photos add credence to the story, the maroon car was apparently the original and the white car has the ‘glass front end from the T-bolt. This is in no way meant to disparage Jack, who regrettably passed away earlier this month.
Godspeed Jack.


https://www.bratleyfamilyfuneralhomes.com/obituary/john-bochler

 

I'm coming to this thread years later, but in researching Donilson's death for a revised version of my Drag Strip Deaths website, I stumbled on a couple of newspaper clippings that state what car he was driving when he died. The Atlanta Journal (7/11/66) stated he was driving a Ford Fairlane. The Nashville Tennessean (7/11/66) stated: "Lance's car rammed into Donilson's 1966 Ford Fairlane, with both cars rolling end over end." The Tennessean's reporter got his information from Bob Wingo, co-owner of Union Hill. In my original research for my old Drag Strip Deaths site, I had thought he died in the Hell Fire T-Bolt. I'm revising that for my forthcoming new Drag Strip Deaths website. The documentation is pretty clear that he was driving a '66 Fairlane when he died.

 

John Donilson's altered wheelbase 1964 Thunderbolt Fairlane that crashed at Union Hill in 1966.

 

I’ll take 3 please….

 

Gonna be 19 Tbolts in Dearborn this June….can’t wait to see the lineup

 

The Reunion would be a great event to attend

 

The dealership changed names twice since then.....

 

Hey, I’ve looked through 100 pages on here and ain’t found what I’m lookin for so I figured I’d ask you smart fellers about a Thunderbolt that seems to be somewhat of a ghost, it’s the Winkler car, from Winkler Motor Company in Boone N.C. That car was my great grandfathers and we’re trying to find old pictures and story’s about the car, as well as track it down, I just wanted to come and ask what y’all know about the car, and if we find pictures elsewhere I’ll make sure to post them here.

 

Here's a bump for ya....

 

I have one issue of HotRod magazine I kept——February 1964 —-5 page article about the 64 Fairlane Thunderbolts from Ford Motor Co——$20 buys it shipping included to CONUS. Thanks Flathead John in Delaware but originally from Texas for 75 years .Magazine is mint no torn or missing pages.

 

Here is a few pictures of my Thunderbolt. It has a 13.5:1 compression Tunnel port engine. I have been driving it on the street and taking it to car shows. It is always a big hit!

 

Tasca Thunderbolt on scales. Back then the cars were weighed without the driver.

 

Without a video............it ain't real !!!
6sally6