Ford Thunderbolt

The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt is a limited production, factory experimental, drag racing automobile

built by Ford in 1964. A total of 100 units were produced; forty-nine 4-speeds and fifty-one automatics, enough to secure the 1964 NHRA Super Stock championship for Ford. Based on the Fairlane and named for a factory experimental Fairlane of 1963, the Thunderbolt combined the light weight of Ford's intermediate-sized body introduced in 1962 with a "high rise" 427 cu in (7.0 L) V8 engine with dual Holley four-barrel carburetors intended for use in the much larger Galaxie. That engine as used in the Galaxie for NASCAR racing did well, but the Galaxie was simply too heavy an automobile in stock trim to be drag raced successfully; so-called "lightweight" 427-powered Galaxies were built both for stock car racing as well as drag racing during the 1964 model year, although these cars were not modified to the extent of the Thunderbolt.[3] As installed in the Thunderbolt, the engine was rated conservatively (like all US car motors, due to insurance regulations) at 425 hp (317 kW) at 6,000 RPM; estimates placed the actual output was close to 600 hp (447 kW).