Thunderbolt Build

Anybody see a show called " Wrecks to Riches " on TLC? Mostly shiny stuff and high tech but they did a build on a 64 Fairlane and made a T-Bolt type car.

 

i saw the last 10 min last night... not a bad looking car but not very thunderbolt. it had just enough to call it a "thunderbolt"

 

I Recorded It Last Night And Haven't Had A Chance To Watch It Yet...

As Much As I Hate To Say It. I Really Like That Show. I Watched The Whole Last Season Last Year. I'll Probably Watch This Whole Season As Well. Same For Boyd. Can't Stand To Look At Them Sometimes But Hey They Are Building Cars So What The Heck. It Can't Hurt If You Learn A Little But By Watching.

 

Lots of made up, reality-show drama.

NOT a Thunderbolt. Just a Fairlane with an expensive big block swap. Fiberglass fenders and teardrop hood alone do not a T-bolt make.

They kept mentioning putting $42k into this thing. I wonder if that included the labor, cuz even with the expensive crate motor I didn't think I saw that much in parts.

I also wonder if the guy who bid $65k for the car (plus auction fees and taxes) is going to be pissed when he sees that number. Would you buy a car that had a 50% profit for Barry tacked on to the price tag? Why would he not just commission Barry or someone else to just build another one at cost plus a reasonable fee?

Why would the body man bid $50k for a car he could duplicate himself? He ended up looking like a shill bidder, and in most legitimate auctions the owner AND his associates are forbidden from bidding. I wonder how they addressed that later.

All my carping aside, I like the way the car looked. At least they didn't shave all the chrome or add a Barry Grant "SMC" logo to the car.

 

They make an FE you can buy in a crate? Never seen one of those. Never wanted to see one of those. Most FE guys I know wouldn't even consider a crate engine. Not our thing.

 

It wasn't an FE. It was a 521 (from a 460) hooked to a C6 auto. Another reason, NOT a T-bolt.

Hey, one funny part was when they showed the parts guy pounding on the end of the spindle with the hammer and I'm wondering WTF is he trying to accomplish?

 

mustangsix........I did not say it was a T-Bolt. I said a Thunderbolt Type car. A poser if you will. It was a nice car I have to say

 

I have a friend who has two thunderbolts - one is a real one, and the other is a clone that he made that he gets to beat on. I can't tell them apart, but aparently the clone has a bunch more cubic inches and other hidden stuff.

I saw that show and was wondering why they were stuffing in a stroker 460 and calling it a Thunderbolt.

 

They also said only 50 real T-Bolts were built. I thought the number was 100 in 64, 1 in 65 ( yes 1 )

 

I was really disappointed that they didn't put an FE in it. The engine they used just lacked personality, what with its chrome valvecovers and shiney new Edelbrock carb.

I missed a lot cause I was flipping back and forth between that and VH1. What did they use for a transmission?

 

The thunderbolts are real interesting. If you look at a stock 64, you'd say... "That must be the wife's car."
Look at a Thunderbolt and it just screams evil. Its a complete transformation.,and with only subtle style alterations...

 

I saw the episode last week where they did a 67 Cougar like the 67 Dan Gurney car, then the annoying thing is they take it to auction and they say "well we should be able to get what they want for this old race car" the old race car was Richard Pettys original 71 Hemi Road Runner, WTF that has to be one of the most winningest of all NASCAR cars ever.

 

I know for sure that you're correct about the 65. I don't know if they only made 100 of them in 64 or not. They had to make 100 per NHRA regulations, but demand was quite high. For some reason I'm thinking they may have made a few more than that. Again,don't quote me on that. I'll have to reference my superstock books tonite.

 

I belive the number was 111. 100 white ones, 11 maroon ones. I think 6 were automatic cars. Something like that

 

Bigred390 .....Well if 111 is the correct number quite a few remain. They are worth a few bucks eh. I wonder what the one on one would be worth ( 65 )

 

I assume that $42k number included labor - I can't imagine there was that much money in parts alone. Plus, he wouldn't have made much at $65k if you added labor the the 42k.

Sure, it was a nice car, but it was irritating how much they referenced it as a T-bolt type car. It has the wrong big block, what appeared to be a full interior, and Radirs. I think painted, straight spoke Americans would have looked sooooo much better on that car.

Oh well, what do I know, I just drive a primered, low Galaxie, not a high dollar pro-built ride.

Just my $.02

Malcolm

 

I understood. Yeah, I kind of liked the end result. It's the show that gets me going.......all that "drama". Crap, I wish it were more about building the car and less about that other stuff.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks "Super Muscle Car" is f'in stupid!

Sounds like a 7 year old made it up.

What's next SDMC? ( Super Duper Muscle Car)

 

Haven't caught any of this season...time to organize the TEVO...

What always shocked me was what they paid for their cars to start out with...$6k for the junkyard 69 Camaro shell for instance...
I know they're in a time crunch but jeez.

 

Money for nothing.They dumped $46,000 and 360 hours into a fairlane to create a clone.I think they got $60,000 out of it.I don't know what Barrys shop rate is, but at $40.00 an hour, and I'm sure it's much higher than that,they broke even.Maybe he needs the tv show to build a car, otherwise they would be in the red.None of any of this has anything to do with traditional.

 

A friend bought a real T-Bolt last fall. It is still at the restorer. I think he paid 200K, Fear begins with FE.

 

i caught that show last night as well and SMC was on the car. It was on the black paint in the centre of the trim. I only saw it once toward the end of the show when they pan down the side of the car.

 

The body guy lost a nice '32 Tudor at $42,000 in his attempt at getting the clone car, DUMB move IMO.

 

well at least it was an ugly 32 tudor lol... quality looked pretty nice on it though. I really didnt like the 64 that much either. I didnt think the orange fit it that well, or the Radir's. Straight up red would have looked better. Was a nice car though regardless..

 

Seems to me that if they had that kind of money to put into a "Thunderbolt" clone, they could have sourced a 427. When you get down to brass tax, isn't that what it was all about? I could have my history wrong, and if so I do appoligise.

Saw a beauty at the Puyalup Fairgrounds "Goodguys" a couple of years ago. Not sure if it was a clone (the kids were getting restless) but she sure did look mean.

 

I agree about the FE 427. They should have put one in. Probably about the same cost as that new engine they purchased.

 

I would'nt cry about having a 460 based engine in it...
Cheap, easy power...reliable...
but...not a "Thunderbolt", or, really, a clone, if no FE!
certainly not a T-bolt...and there is just something about a 427.

 

hmmm...I never heard of the '65 car...
I always heard/read 100 cars...with one being a hardtop.
This car had "Warbucks" written on the side, as I remember from the photo, and no side trim...it was a maroon one. Does anyone have a pic of this car? I have only seen it once.
A friend of a friend owns one.

 

I think "my" T-bolt clone would hafta have a 390 or 428 based fe, though...I really don't like the idea of destroying $5,000.00 blocks.