The 2004 Carlisle All-Ford Nationals featured a Thunderbolt reunion and drew 20 T-Bolts. For those of you that couldn't make it, here's a list of cars that attended. In the building: Frank Vego Ford (Baker Bros), Pulliam Motors, Cuthbert Ford (Rattlesnake Austin), Friendly Ford, Reynolds Ford, McAnary Ford (unlettered), King Ford, Cook Motor Co (unlettered), Bill Rick Ford (unlettered), Drew Ford, Romy-Hammes Ford (Brannan), Niantic Ford. Outside: Norristown Ford. In the tent: Tasca Ford, Romy-Hammes (Stan Rohrig - unlettered black car with single airbox), Bob Ford Super Stock (unlettered gold + black car), Gilmer Ford (light blue car), Alderman Ford (unlettered white car with mirror), Turner Ford (Phil Featherston's), Delta Ford.
Our friends Jim and Jackie Gonia dragged their newly-restored Vego/Curry Ford 'bolt all the way from WA state. Nice job guys!
Bob Knudsen brought the Pulliam Motors car.
My friend Jack Hazlegren from UT brought the "Rattlesnake" Austin car from Cuthbert Ford.
Jeff Thomas from PA brought the Friendly Ford car.
Our friend Tom O'Brien from PA brought the Reynolds Ford car, and original driver Mike Gray was there too.
My friend Don Fezell from PA brought the McAnary Ford T-Bolt.
The King Ford car was there. I need to check my notes and see who brought it...
Our friend Bill Dismuke "The Pride of South Georgia" brought the Cook Motors car he raced in back in '65.
My friends Don and Bonita Whitlow had their AACA-award winning Bill Rick Ford Thunderbolt in the building.
Our friend Don Snyder Jr brought the Drew Ford T-Bolt, which is car #100.
Don also brought Dick Brannan's 'bolt, which is car #1. Dick Brannan was also in attendance.
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The Niantic Motors car was there, but unfortunately left before I could get a photo of it. I need to check my notes to see who owns the car now....
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Rich Lamont had the Norristown car there. I completely forgot to take a photo of it since it wasn't in the building or the tent.
Steve Ames had the Tasca Ford T-Bolt there and gave me a spin through the parking lot in it right after I took this photo. Thanks Steve!
Our friend Larry Short had the Romy-Hammes automatic car (now a 4 speed) there.
Our friend Dennis Kolodziej brought the unfinished Bob Ford car which he has owned since 1982. Attending with Dennis were friends Larry Davis and Mike Osburn from AL.
Dennis also brought the Gilmer Ford car which he regularly races (except when I finally brought a real T-Bolt to the drags and scared him away).
Our friend Rick Hamilton brought the Jerry Alderman car from CA.
Our friend Phil Featherston also brought his Turner Ford Thunderbolt from CA.
Chuck and Craig Sutton brought Frank Dominick's Delta Ford Thunderbolt. Dad and I would like to thank Frank and his family for asking us to race and show the car. We just wish Diz could have been there to show us how it's done.
Encounters like this were really neat - Original driver Skip Wilson (black jacket) and current owner of the car, Don Snyder, Jr appeared at the same time.
There were lots of people in attendance that deserve mention. I want to find my list to make sure noone gets left off. Stay tuned for an update....
We were fortunate enough to be able to race and show an original car and personally I had a great time. Dad and I took the Delta Ford Thunderbolt after working on it for a couple of weeks. The car had sat at my friend Frank's place for several years and needed brake work and some updating.
CRAIG'S FIRST THUNDERBOLT RACE
Although a weak clutch didn't allow me to launch the car (not known until we got there), I was able to feather it off the line twice and have a blast. On the third pass, a rocker arm let go and I had to end the night early. Thanks to my friends Jody, George, and "Skeeter" Aberts, we fixed the problem and were able to run the car the very next day after finding a stock 427 rocker arm in the swap meet. I'd also like to thank my new friend Roy Pool from CA and all my other friends who helped out this weekend.
George Aberts wrenches on the big Hi-Riser 427 as his grandson looks on.
At the END of the weekend while we were loading, my friend Brian Henderson finally got his Galaxie out. Brian's car is a gorgeous notchback 390 with Edelbrock heads, 2-4s, a T-Bolt style airbox, 4 speed with Hurst shifter, Radir wheels, old style front skinny tires, and Radir slicks. Dad and Brian thoughtlessly blocked the view of the Starsky and Hutch Torinos and were promptly (and deservedly) reprimanded by a Torino afficianado.
Unfortunately, my wife could not attend the event. What's worse is that she is my photographer, so I would love it if anyone that took photos and/or videos of the black Delta Ford T-Bolt (at South Mountain Dragway or the show field) could send copies my way. I'd be happy to pay for copying costs. My email is email@thunderbolt.cc . If you send any photos, please email me afterwards to make sure I got them.
The History of Individual Cars
