[sharkmouth]

There was a post asking eveyone about their other favorite muscle cars of the 60/70's and none of you mentioned one of the 2 fastest tested musclecars of the era.......

THE 66/67 THUNDERBOLT FAIRLANE!!!!!


I'll set the scene....take the tiny 66/67 fairlane, strip it down hard (bench seat, no radio/heater/insulation....drum brakes), give it a lightweight hood (and I believe thinned windows with a strap to lower- no regulators), add a 13:1 dual holley BIGGGGGG cam 427 with 13 piece factory headers...

AND HANG THE $%#*#* ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was one of the two fastest production musclecars, the other being a stripped down Mopar with a dual quad hemi.

I have much respect for goats (early ponchos had excellent motors) and 70-74 cudas are great looking cars, but even aluminum big block vettes get eaten by the t-bolt....with no alterations except modern tires, they can run 11 second quarters!!!!!!!

So, lets keep it in perspective here.....Ford did it right!!!

(best thing since it doesn't appear there ever was a "w" code 69 mach put together (sobbbbbb)

 

[kketell]

If you go back and re-read the thread you will find the t-bolt mentioned at least once. Not by me...

 

[Cobra6]

I did mention the ThunderBolt.......
I have always liked the '66 - '67 Fairlane GTs and ThunderBolts.
I just have not run across one lately.

 

[Midlife]

Wasn't the Thunderbolt put out in 1963-1964? There's one of 100 of 'em down here in the Florida Panhandle, and he rebought his: he was the second owner originally. Nice, very nice. Oh, what a sweet sound!

 

[83Ragtop50]

The T-Bolts are great cars. Wish I had one. I think most people don't think of the speciality, low production cars when asked such questions as this.

Give me any car Ford 427-powered and I'd vote for it!

 

[mgreene]

Thunderbolts were only produced in 1964...

 

[gt350clone]

Thunderbolt was a 1964 item.

Fairlane WAS available in 66-67 witha 427, but they weren't called T-bolts - just 427 Fairlanes /forums/images/icons/wink.gif.

 

[Ponyboy289]

As was stated by others, the Thunderbolt was producd in 1964. IIRC, Ford only made 100 of them. 50 four speeds, and 50 automatics. But, Ford did offer the 427, dual 4V in the 66-67 Fairlane. I don't know the figures, but I'm sure it was a screamer!

 

[mgreene]

Here is a link to a gerat Thunderbolt page with history...
http://www.angelfire.com/hi/427fairlane/index.html

 

[sharkmouth]

I stand corrected...The 66/67 would be nice and light, but must not have had the almost drag spec 427 (though any dual carb 427 ford is a good thing) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I was going to reply "thunderbolt" but someone had already posted it.

There was a real one for sale at the Auburn auto auction I went two a couple of years back. It was in the "car corral" instead of the auction line. IIRC the price tag was $80,000. That kind of broke me of ever thinking I would own a real one.

I've had this idea in the back of my mind of creating a Thunderbolt Mustang...kind of a vintage restomod "theme" car.

Take a decent rust free 65 or 66 coupe. Strip the ornamentation off of it. Add a tear drop style hood (Mustangs Plus even sells one), a 427 stroker (MUCH cheaper than a vintage 427), a manual tranny, a stout 9", some disk brakes in front, a roll bar, subframe connectors, and some tasty suspension mods would finish the package.

Oh...and put T-bolt 427 emblems on the quarter panels.

Tacky? Possibly. Fun? Definitely!

Phil

 

[pprince]

We were asked our opinion and that is what I gave: my opinion and the Fairlane doesn't register on my radar.