Features Ford Thunderbolts Photos Wanted

o·rig·i·nal: [uh-rij-uh-nl] / adjective

belonging to the origin or beginning of something, or to a thing at its beginning. ie: The book still has its original binding.



" A car is an original when it's original " Tom S. in Tn. 2011

That would include carburetors, transmission. scattershield, or air in the tires.
I'll return to the Tucker analogy because their numbers closley represent T'bolts where Mustangs were mass produced many years in the thousands.
How original would a Tucker be without an original carburetor or transmission? Bet the Tucker registry as well as show purists would cite as well as make a public example of it. Practically every Tucker produced is known with it's owner and appropriately registered, where, with historically the fate of what racing did to DST Fairlanes, those cars are no where near having the survival rate, making them from all appearances, a far more valuable investment pound for pound than perhaps a Tucker, even in a butchered and partial complete condition, so long as those pieces are factual and actual DST Fairlane parts, andnot restoration, reproduction, or aftermarket made to simply resemble one of the 100 DST original.
I can't see why that would not even include parts such as the windows mentioned. (which by the way are the original thick plexi 1/4 windows are out of #87, have no trademarkings, only original Autolite decals still in place from #87's original owner, visible in photo's of #87 taken in 1964) Those windows, not at all unlike original windows from a Tucker, or an original carburetor from a DST Fairlane should command quite a present day value, even as just separate parts. It's all in the documented proof.

In the case of DST Fairlanes, unlike a Tucker I suppose it's safe to assume there are no living examples of an "as delivered state", with only parts manuals and personal recollection the only yardstick to judge an example by.
With that being the case, the surviving examples as close to as delivered would be the most valuable and considered at the top of the list with deviations from original "as delivered" state going down the list to include altered wheelbase etc at the lower end, and with those cars retaining higher value in their present historic "as is" state rather than modified even yet further to return and make them resemble an original, or "as delivered" condition.

If 45 surviving examples are known to exist, only the original DST parts of those examples are of any exceptional value, and of anything different than any other Fairlane or aftermarket car or part, or even Ford for that matter........ despite what car clubs or marketeer brokers say.
It's all in originality, and not just a teardrop hood or a 427 engine, or even a reproducible VIN#. (and I'm still shocked at some of the sincere examples I've seen displayed in all sincerity and honesty on the unwitting owners part)

How many DST Farilanes will be present at Dearborn in 2014? There potentially could be thousands or even original DST parts on hundreds, but how many of the actual DST bodied cars could presently be able to be transported there some 50 years later, let alone one of the original carburetors?
Wish I could have envisioned an original DST Failane was far too valuable to risk damage by racing. And I can't see why that wouldn't apply even exponentially today. Who would dare risk damage to a Tucker investment? Who would take risk with an original DST Fairlane?
Anyone in he registry needs to put limits on how the cars in that registry are expected to retain investment value, and only the registry can do that. Could we be seeing a trend in that with current sales and pricing?
Good luck guys! Tom S. in Tn.

 

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