1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they? - Page 2

CaptCobrajet · 10-08-2012, 10:24 PM

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

Paul Precht · 10-08-2012, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptCobrajet

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

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

Tom Nolan · 10-09-2012, 12:39 PM

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

Hemi Moose · 10-09-2012, 02:05 PM

casper · 10-10-2012, 03:09 PM

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

BlueOval Ralph · 10-10-2012, 03:18 PM

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 · 10-10-2012, 03:29 PM

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 · 10-10-2012, 03:37 PM

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 · 10-10-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

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 · 10-11-2012, 12:20 PM

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.

10-08-2012, 10:24 PM	#11
CaptCobrajet Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Marion County Posts: 44 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	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

10-09-2012, 12:39 PM	#13
Tom Nolan Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Lacombe, Alberta, Canada Posts: 179 Likes: 0 Liked 61 Times in 10 Posts	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.

10-09-2012, 02:05 PM	#14
Hemi Moose VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 2,824 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they? Last edited by Hemi Moose; 10-09-2012 at 02:15 PM.

10-10-2012, 03:09 PM	#15
casper Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 111 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 1964 Thunderbolt how fast were they? but the real question is .... what size where their crank pins ???? bawawawawa

10-10-2012, 03:18 PM	#16
BlueOval Ralph Banned Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 852 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	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! Last edited by BlueOval Ralph; 10-10-2012 at 05:01 PM.

10-10-2012, 03:29 PM	#17
Jason Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 235 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	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. Last edited by Jason; 10-10-2012 at 03:33 PM.

10-10-2012, 03:37 PM	#18
X-TECH MAN Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Placid, Florida Posts: 3,207 Likes: 1,049 Liked 235 Times in 110 Posts	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. Last edited by X-TECH MAN; 10-10-2012 at 03:59 PM.

10-11-2012, 12:20 PM	#20
Dan Bennett Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 355 Likes: 562 Liked 353 Times in 78 Posts	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.