How long has it been since you've seen a real Thunderbolt?

some interesting cars are coming to Mecum's Jan event... 3 Boss 429s for pete's sake. That means that they aren't very damn rare. Not when 3 show up to the same auction

 

only 10 miles on this Demon. Lets see if they made a good, or bad, investment

https://www.mecum.com/auctions/kissimmee-2023/lots/page/9

the coolest thing Ford had in their booth this year at SEMA, was the pilot car for the Thunderbolt production

Roger Willbanks first became interested in cars at the Denver car show, in 1940, when his big brother lifted him up on his shoulders for a better look at the Chrysler Thunderbolt concept car, and right then and there, he decided he would someday own THAT car. He now does.

 

Not just a car LIKE that concept car, he owns THAT car. 

That's pretty amazing

https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/you-could-be-acorn-in-young-car-enthusiasts-story/

Thunderbolt

http://georgeklass.net/ss.html

Thunderbolts

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by.428585/page-6195

Phil Bonner drag team… Atlanta, 1963

https://prova275.tumblr.com/post/619302951987675136/phil-bonner-drag-team-atlanta-1963

The Thunderbolt teams and Ford management were not happy being outclassed by the perceived weak sister Lincoln-Mercury Division.

Unlike the bureaucracy of Ford Division’s racing program, Lincoln-Mercury was a lean and nimble two-man operation.

 Unlike Ford Division, which had to race its engines as prepared by Engine and Foundry, Lincoln-Mercury quickly improved the breathing of its 427s by using Crane cams and Jardine headers.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1964-ford-fairlane-thunderbolt-1965-mercury-comet-cyclone-represent-ford-drag-racing-history-mid-1960s/

Letterer Johnny Watts, at age 81, still plies his trade the old-fashioned way: freehand, since age 13.

Using pictures Allen acquired, Watts lettered the car just as it would have been done back in the day—freehand. Watts has been lettering automobiles for 68 years, starting his craft at the age of 13. He’s one of only a handful who still applies the paint freehand with a trusted brush he’s had for many years. Over a two-day period, Watts gave the Bonner Thunderbolt character.

Watts uses a Coca-Cola crate as a stool and workbench. He adjusts the position of the crate from vertical to horizontal and flat as he starts high and works down low

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/see-how-this-historic-1964-ford-thunderbolt-is-transformed-from-a-neglected-barn-find-to-show-quality-drag-car/

Firestone made drag slicks for the Ford Thunderbolt, specifically, back in the 60s.

Firestone Lightning Slicks. They’re unique to the Thunderbolt as they have a lightning-bolt tread pattern. Few remain still intact and on a Thunderbolt.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/see-how-this-historic-1964-ford-thunderbolt-is-transformed-from-a-neglected-barn-find-to-show-quality-drag-car/

the few new interesting cars at the annual Fabulous Fords Forever at Knotts Berry Farm, there weren't many that aren't there every single year

barn find Thunderbolt

above it's been pulled out to where a truck had been sitting and blocking the garage door for 20 years, sinking in, and its brakes had locked up. Quite the effective blockade to anyone sneaking out a million dollar former dragster, or even opening the door for a peek.

The Thunderbolt was bought when they were just used up obsolete race cars in the late 70's early 80's, found in newspaper classifieds, then the restoration project was began and, as usual, life got in the way, years went by, the owner wound up in poor health, and the right guy came through to buy the T Bolt... Donald Allen, he is known for his world-class restorations on 427-powered Ford Galaxies, Fairlanes, T Bolts and factory lightweights

Found on http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/news/hobby-news/barn-find-bonner-1964-ford-thunderbolt-uncovered

Wow. Found in a box in the barn... the UFO hood ornament designed by Alex Tremulis

Taking me by surprise, I opened an email from Brian in Kansas late last night... and got the cool news that he found this rare hood ornament in a box in his grandfathers barn when he was 12 or 13. The newspaper it's wrapped in is a 1949, April 7th specifically.

He's somehow held onto it for about 45 years without that tip being broken and now is looking to find out what its worth, and sell it. Email him at redrocketman61@yahoo.com or his website http://brianwithaneye.com

According to the Hood Ornament Identification Guide http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/hood-ornament-identifiaction-guide.html it's a Gem, but the guide doesn't have specifics like what year it was made.

According to the correspondence and patent work, Alex Tremulis designed it while working at Kaiser Fraser, and 4000 of them were made by Fortune Manufacturing

http://www.gyronautx1.com/live-updates/alex-tremulis-flying-saucer-catalyst-for-the-1950s-ufo-craze

The name Alex Tremulis might seem familiar to you, he designed cars since the age of 20:

His talent for drawing concept cars was eventually recognized by Duesenberg showroom sales manager, who hired the 20 year old Alex to draw customer's cars.

One car Alex designed was the 1934 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Convertible/Coupe. Three cars were built to Tremulis' illustrations, J530, J531 and J534. They became recognized as having some of the most beautiful proportions of any Duesenberg ever produced.

Alex Tremulis went on to design other instantly recognizable vehicles - the side pipes on the supercharged Cord 812, and the Chrysler Thuderbolt, and the American Bantam Hollywood and Riviera... and the Tucker 48.

Plus 11 years at Ford as the head of the advanced design studio creating the Gyron, the Seattle-ite and others, working with Syd Mead.  http://www.gyronautx1.com/alex-tremulis.html

And then, the Gyronaut X-1