1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they?

[BlueOval Ralph]

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!

[Jason]

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.

[X-TECH MAN]

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.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by BlueOval Ralph

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 tha the 7 liters was the max in the future years!

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.

[Dan Bennett]

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.

[BlueOval Ralph]

Hedman sold headers as headers in late 50's Stahl had built Jenkins Strickler 4 tube equal length headers in Early 63 for thier Z 11 in Romulus Mi

[Hemi Moose]

Here's a shot of Gas Ronda in his '64 Fairlane Thunderbolt...'Headers by Doug' on the front fender.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Dan Bennett

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.

Open headers or exhaust cutouts became legal for stockers and the super stockers in 1961. Prior to that they could use crude headers but had to run thru a complete muffeled exhaust system.

[chris3racing]

NHRA Eliminators, 1964 Winternationals, SuperStock, Gas Rhonda, 1964 Thunderbolt @ 12.05 ET. 1964 Nationals, Indy, SuperStock, Butch Leal, 1964 Thunderbolt @ 11.76.

First Thunderbolts were built by Don Snyder and was driven by Dick Brannan and Phil Bonner "Daddy Warbucks." Both of the first original Thunderbolts were on display in 2004 at the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame Reunion in Henderson. Dick Brannan had a CD that show the building of the car on the "third Floor" of the building at Ford Motor Company. Only people working on the project were allowed on that floor. The car on display only had an "Autolite Spark Plugs" decal on the lower part of the fender near the door. Brannan explained that when the car first came out they had put decals on it like all of the other cars. Ford Motor Company Representatives advised them to remove all the decals except the spark plug decal because they were made by Ford Motor Company.

Don Snyder was inducted into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame in 2004 and passed away just a few months after the event. Dick Brannan is no longer doing these types of events. Phil Bonner is in poor health and is actually almost blind.

[Hemi Moose]

Here's Phil Bonner's '64 Fairlane Thunderbolt and some before & after shots...