Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

Hey Tom, I've got the Feb '64 Hot Rod Magazine in my hand.......Ray Brock did a test on Butch Leal's fresh delivered Thunderbolt. 11.61 @ 124.88 at Lion's Drag Strip in Long Beach, Ca. It must have been done in December 1963 or January 1964 at the latest to make print for February. This mag was in a box in my dad's closet when I was a kid. I would sneak it out and read it when he wasn't looking! LOL.

Blair Patrick

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

Based on the MPH, it seems like they were somewhere in the the middle between the Max and the Hemi, Not a bad thing.

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

I found a copy of Feb 1964 Hot Rod on eBay......should be here in a week! Thanks Blair.

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

http://image.hotrod.com/f/pitstop/hr...d_magazine.jpg

http://image.hotrod.com/f/featuredve...hunderbolt.jpg

http://image.hotrod.com/f/featuredve...hunderbolt.jpg

http://image.hotrod.com/f/featuredve...hunderbolt.jpg

http://image.hotrod.com/f/featuredve...hunderbolt.jpg

http://image.hotrod.com/f/featuredve...hunderbolt.jpg

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

but the real question is .... what size where their crank pins ???? bawawawawa

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

What most don't know is that in late 1962 they built some 483 CID FEs they were to be released sometime in 1963 but then came the NASCAR edicked that 7 liters was the max in the future years!

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

Ralph is correct. NASCAR's Bill France and NHRA's Wally Parks made an agreement to set the limit at 7 liters (427 cu in) for stock engine size for the 1963 season. That rule stuck for several years.

No telling where the factory cubic inch wars would have gone if not for the ban. Ford had there 482, Chevy was playing with the 454 and there was a rumor the Chrysler racing engine was up around 500 inches.

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

Oh how soon you forget how much of a SLUG they were with the Automatic Trans in 1964. Most could not get out of the 12's and later changed to 4 speeds. Remember torque converter technology was no where to be found in those days.
Roger Lindamood won Indy Super Stock elim. with an 11.31 over the Ramchargers 11.47 both in 64 Hemi Dodges with automatics. Dave Strickler won A/FX with his 2% altered wheelbase stick shift Dodge with a 11.04. Leal won S/S class with an 11.76 over Al Joniec in the stick class. All of the T Bolts were on the trailer when the finals rolled around.

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

Most of the quicker runs recorded were with these "MatchRace" engine combos and large tires (10 inch M&H racemasters). Track prep was almost non existant back in the day other than match race rosin being used. They simply could not get ahold of the track on 7 inch tires in that era.

Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?
 

Ray Brock's caption on one of the photos is interesting. It sounds as if no one had come up with the term "headers" at that point since he goes into great lengths describing what we've taken for granted for many years.

I know the Pontiacs and Mopars still were using cast pieces to link tubing parts, so was this the first header?

The first exhaust I ever saw with curved, individual pipes was on the Ford Indy engines and was referred to as a "bag of snakes" Maybe the technology from Cosworth carried over.