64 Tbolt
 

I dont know if this is the right place to post this or not. Im new to this forum. I just got a 64 Fairlane 500 with the 6 cyl all original. Im wanting to build a Tbolt clone and run in Stock or Super stock. Im not new to racing been doing it since i was 16 im 43 now but its all ways been my dream car. If any one can tell me what class would be good to run in and what combo to use would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!! Thanks David

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

AA/Stock or AA/Stock Automatic.....or...SS/A, SS/AA, SS/B, SS/BA. Blair Patrick builds perhaps the best motors, Gary Jennings chassis if you want to run Super Stock. Of all the originals, I believe Ray Paquet and Dallas Kelly are the only remaining still running. The rest are clones.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

I think it's CC now but can run BB or A. :)

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...d/IMG_1310.jpg

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

The Stock factor is 7.63 which makes it a "natural" CC/S or CC/SA (7.50 - 7.99). You can move up 1 class to BB/S or BB/SA, or you can move down 1 class to A/S or A/SA.
The Super Stock factor is 6.97 for an automatic transmission which makes it a "natural" SS/BA (6.50 - 6.99). You can move up 1 class to SSA/A (Super Stock A/A, or you can move down 1 class to SS/CA.
The Super Stock factor is 6.88 for a stick transmission which makes it a "natural" SS/B (6.50 - 6.99). You can move up 1 class to SS/A, or you can move down 1 class to SS/C.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Thank you guys for responding. If you were building one what class would you try to run in first? I dont know all the rules. is there somewhere you can get specific rules just for this car in one of the classes? again i think you guys!!!!!

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Neither is going to be cheap but building one of those for Super Stock would be a wallet breaker for sure. Either way, you'll need a good engine builder that understands a FE motor and Blair Patrick (as mentioned) would be my choice.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Thats a sweet ride!!!!!! Thats what i want mine to look like.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Yeah i know its not gona be cheep i been racing Grand Nationals all my life thats a money pit also but i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Since all TBolts were sedans (post) I believe your's would have to be also.

Ford guys, correct me if I'm wrong.

JimR

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

I up loaded the pic of it when i found it in the barn along with 55 Tbird 57skylyner 65 falcon a corvair and a couple dodge flat nose trucks and a 64 tbird he gave me the fairlane for getting the falcon drivable for his son.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

You might consider talking to some of the guys that run these cars and get some feedback before you make up your mind about who to go to get your engine from.


http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...d/IMG_0963.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...IMG_0964-1.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSC_6038-1.jpg

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Oh I'm definetly gona do my home work on this. I'm probly gona do the chassis first then the engine. I do thank every one for there input. Thanks for posting the pics too. Awesome car!!!!:)

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Do tell Afret.. Who builds Calverts motors? Just wondering since they tend to work well and not have a lot of issues.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Dave,,, good luck with your upcoming project. Don't forget,,, there is a "Class Racer Builds" section,, so make sure to post pictures and take us along for the ride, during your build, as we all enjoy watching these racecars come to life,,,, especially a Thunderbolt!
Take care.
Danny Durham

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Dave,
Jim is right. If its not a post car its not a 'Bolt. If that's the case the only option you have in Stock is the 260 or 289 versions. In SS you can make it a GT car and run whatever you want to as far as the engine goes. But the only natural SS combo would be the small blocks. If you are dead set on building a FE for it, it would be a GT combo only unless its a post car.

Either way you need to know what your end game is. Do you want to win class at Indy or just be able to run the index and run the eliminator. The other thing is budget. If you do have a post car and you are wanting to make it a top contender in SS/B. You should budget very close to 100K in my opinion as a ballpark number and you could cut that in half for a Stocker. Just my .02

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Was it not Charlie Wescott power that got Ray Paquets car running so well? If so, go see CW. The other fast car has a BES motor from Mr. Bischoff if I'm not mistaken. If this is the case, I'm not sure why neither of these builders were mentioned.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

I think there is no doubt that CW has proven himself with the Hemi's. However, I don't believe Ray is running a motor from CW. I think CW is helping him with some stuff like the cam, transmission and clutch but I don't think he's built a S/SS FE motor to my knowledge. Now yes BES has proven they can build a competitive FE motor as well as Blair Patrick.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

ray is assembling his own engines as of now. he and charlie are working on stuff for new engine. the one in car at present is the engine that he was running.they did do some valve train work and some work on heads. i redid chassis and ray ran very few passes before resetting record. should be pretty fast when new engine is in and some more passes to get chassis worked out better. LIVE ACTION

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Hi Dale. Don't know who. But with what a top of the line high riser engine costs, it sure won't hurt to get as much info as possible before jumping in head first.
Even a low buck slow CJ engine thrown together at home ends up costing a lot. A lot for me anyway on a military pension. :)

Will be nice to see another T-bolt in Stock or SS.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

To my knowledge Blair has built both of Calvert's FE's the Hi-Riser Stocker motor in the 'Bolt and the 428CJ in the SS'r as well as the Hi-Riser in Tom Nolan's 'Bolt.

Like I said below. You need to have a healthy budget to build a competitive 'Bolt. I would guess the only thing that would be more expensive would be a Hemi. But I'm guessing here as I've never built a Hi-Riser or a 'Bolt.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Blair Patrick, for sure, they know how to keep it together. Very expensive car to build, heads, and intake are big bucks ! You better have deep pockets.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Saw Ray at Indy, he said if he told me what was in the motor, he'd have to kill me. I left it at that.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Another choice would be Kuntz. He can build an FE with the best of them.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

The Thunderbolt is a fantastic race car, is it going to be the top of the class? No the new cars will still out run you. But the new cars will never have the cool factor of the original factory drag cars. Clone or real. Hi-riser stuff is impossible to find on a budget, everyone that has Hi-riser parts knows what they are worth! Cylinder head castings, intake, and carbs are going to be $6000-10,000 then someone has to make it all legal! Dont let that scare ya off, I had a great time building my TiBolt, {We call it that because Tibor Kadar drives my car} it was the best treasure hunt of my life. I even found the original Holley carb castings.....that was the hardest find, but thanks to E-Bay and time I found them. Definitely give Blair Patrick a call, he is a great FE engine builder, and a what I consider as one of my best freind's. If you want to bypass the search and build contact me and I could maybe help you out. Tom Nolan.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

I also spoke to Ray at Indy; he told me that Charlie Westcott had done the heads, and cam, and that the plan was for Charlie to do a complete engine.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Thanks guys for all the response. All this advice I take all of it in. I am on of those guys that loves the build more than anything. I wana build my own engine. I have a friend that builds race motors less than 5 miles from my house called him up and asked him has he ever built an FE engine his response was no but he told me he loved a good chalange. I have 4 FE engines complete. He has a dyno. He use to build cup motors for Sterling Marlin. I don't look to be competitive the first couple years. But I can say I built it all my way. I may not win a round but I'm gona look good doing it. I just need to get a list of what casting # on all the parts I can use and do my own treasure hunt. I may end up having to buy an engine from one of the guys mentioned above but I have to try it myself first. Thanks again. And if anyone has a list of parts I'm gona need I'd be more than appreciative !!!

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Here's a couple websites that might help you.

www.fordfe.com
www.fepower.net

The main thing is make sure you have a post car and not a hard top. If you have a post car you're good to go if its just a hard top then you are limited on what you can do.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Yup, sure can... He is my choice.

http://www.fairlanet.com/FE/

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Remember that Jeff Colvert's CJ comes from there. He's one of the best. Always has been.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

Thanks there Dwight, I just like to go quick & fast. As I recall you were one of those speedsters your own bad self awhile ago. Hope to see ya back someday.

Re: 64 Tbolt
 

I finally got a chance to go look at the car a little closer. It's not a post car just a 2 door hardtop. I'm disappointed cause the car only has 40000 miles on it. Been in storage for over 20 years with hardly any rust. So I don't know what I wana do at this point. Any suggestions ?