Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

I'm normally over on the 64-65 Comet thread,but I need Dave Lyall,Dennis K. and the rest of your guys help.We have a bit of controversy going on over at the Comet thread about the Hi-Po Comet being assembled on the assembly line or somewhere else.Where were the Hi-Po Fairlanes assembled?The Thunderbolts were done at DST,but what about the Hi-Po Fairlane?As far as I know,all Hi-Po Comets came out of the Pico Rivera Plant.But were they assembled there?Thanks,Steve.

 

Actually that is not what was discussed. Where hi-po cars were assembled was never questioned.

What was questioned was that a member claimed he owned a one off hi-po 65 Cyclone that was built on the assembly line to be more or less a B/FX car for the street complete with a fiberglass B/FX hood and B/FX dash along with quite a few other not production performance items.

Of course these items could have been added post production or even later in life, but the owner insists it was built this way on the assembly line because the original owner had pull with Ford and wanted it built that way.

The owner couldn't back up his claims and elected to delete his posts.

 

I can not speak about the HiPo Comets but I can comment on the HiPO Falcons. There were 7 factory-built Falcons that had the 289 HiPo motor; 3 B/FX cars and 4 non B/FX cars. The big distinction being that the 3 B/FX cars had the full B/FX package from factory that included a wealth of FX parts (see attachment) , other than the 289 HiPo motor. The three B/FX cars were also hardtop bodies, not post cars as 3 of the 4 non-B/FX cars were. The remaining (4th) hardtop car with a 289 HiPo motor was a street car that was raced for a while as the Teachers Pet. It has been restored to its original pristine street condition.

These were build in the Ontario Canada factory under the direction of John Philipps, Ford of Canada race director. I have a wealth of documentation on these cars.

I have heard many a story about other 289 HiPo Falcons and Comets but to the best of my knowledge only the aforementioned Falcons are the only genuine factory built cars.

I have attached th B/FX parts list, a picture of John Philipps, and the Wild child when it was new. The motor was out at Doug Nash's shop getting tweaked when this photo was taken.

I hope this information is helpful.

Joe

 

The Type II package for B/FX (289 HiPo, fiberglass, etc ...) and the Type III package for Stock class (289 HiPo) were both available on Domestic Special Order (DSO) for the 1965 Comet. Although it's been generally accepted that all 1965 B/FX Comets were 5J27A cars built at LA and completed at Stroppes. In theory, its possible that another assembly plant could of built one. The BFX car was pretty much a bolt together package and did not require any special modifications as required on the Type I A/FX 427 65 Comet. In addition to the six digit DSO number, I would also expect a Special Equipment Parts List would of been provided with the vehicle, and the broadcast sheet might also serve as further evidence.

For example, production 1963 Lightweight Galaxies were all 3N66R Norfolk build cars. However two pilot units were built at Wayne Assy and allegedly one unit at Twin Cities. The two Wayne cars are confirmed, the Twin Cities car I have never looked at however I was told it was a car that ran at the 1963 Summer Nationals and is a "real" car.

When one gets into DSO builds, anything could be possible.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Does anyone have a clear picture of the driver's side inner fender mod for the air duct? Does the Crites weld in piece resemble the DST piece?

 

In case someone is looking for one.


http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_d...vra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FL0112_S108

 

Remember this car running at South Glens Falls Dragway,as stated in story, which was my local track.Did not start taking photos till 65 so I will have to go through my old photos and movies and photos that have been donated by others.
Wish I devoted my youth,at least part of it,to making money instead of spending it.I would buy it.

 

It wasn't lettered like this when raced.

I've seen the car in person a few times and it is very nice.

 

You are correct

 

I'm not nitpicking here, just looking for a sanity check, but isn't the front bumper on this car mounted in the stock Fairlane and not the Tbolt location?

Kevin

 

Kevin, refer to area around post #1835 on page 92 for the discussion concerning front bumper mounting.

 

Unknown Thunderbolt? running against Shirley Shahan at the 1967 Winternationals. Has fiberglass bumper flange front fenders, front bumper raised like an aluminum one, no rear window clips. Looks like steel doors but with vent window frame removed. Rear axle appears to be in stock location, but check out the radiused quarters for tire clearance like a gasser. Any ideas? Haven't looked at process of elimination, yet.

Regards,
Dennis

 

I haven't looked at all 150 pages of this thread, but doubt this one has been on it as I have about the only pictures of it taken 9about 4 months ago0. It belongs to Bill Turner and will be at the upcoming Kissimmee, Fl. auction. It is the most unmolested T-Bolt I've ever seen and has the original interior, wheels and on and on. Its better than the last few that have sold for $245K++

 

Lots of photos of this car around. It was in one of the collector books when Frank Spittle owned it. Here is a shot of it I took at ODRR next to mine. Yes, it's a nice car.

Regards,
Dennis

 

Man, that is a beauty!!

 

Were do I find rear tire to buy like the ones on the car?

 

Here's a photo of the tire. The tire reads Firestone Dragster 8.20 - 15. You could do a search to find a dealer.

Regards,
Dennis

 

That brings up a question I've been meaning to ask. What size wheels were these cars originally delivered with?



Deron

 

What's up with the spot welds on the outside of the solid hub rim?I've seen them on front but not rear?

 

Coker Tire makes them.

 

I've got a 65 Ranchero that is a great candidate for a "Dam Yankees" tribute. anybody got photos?

 

Here is one more survivor that is still very fast!
Normbc9

 

Normbc9;Last I heard Phil has parked his T-Bolt!He had it on display at last years CHRR. ROY.

 

Last night at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale car auction, the former Mickey Thompson Thunderbolt sold for $220,000. This is the car that Jesse Tyree raced in A/FX at the 1964 Winternationals.

The narrators on the show got into a discussion concerning the fact that Mickey Thompson had adapted Chrysler Hemi heads to the engine. They also mentioned that MT adapted Hemi heads to a Pontiac engine. This is all true. The heads MT adapted were the early style heads of the type used on the 392 Hemi. It just happens that the 392 Hemi, the FE, and the Pontiac blocks all have the same bore spacing. They also use the same ten bolt pattern for the head bolts.

Yes MT did extensive machine work turning the 427 FE into a true Hemi, but the heads were basically a bolt-on deal.

 

If that car sold for $220.0, I wonder what an orignal one is worth?

Regards,
Dennis

 

I wonder how much of the original car still on it?

 

Yeah, I was going to ask hasn't that car had a lot of uhhhh, how do I say this politely, sheetmetal replacement?


Deron

 

Theres one here in little Salmon Arm, never personally seen it but supposedly its the real deal.

 

I had always heard that BJ was suppose to check these cars out to make sure they are real so where's the documentation that it isn't?If the guy who bought it thought it was real along with the rest of the crowd that's all it would be worth.Really this or any other car is only worth what someone will pay on any given day and you can't buy imagination,only rent it!

 

Using a nice uncut body to replace a cut up, wrecked, or rusted race car body was the cheap and fast way to restore a drag race car and happened to some pretty good history cars in the 80's and 90's but those practices seem to have lost there acceptance by many collectors in recent years.