58 t-bird conv.

[Brokentail58]

I have a 58 t-bird convt. that I would like to build as a stock car. I know Nascar did not use them until 59 but I was hoping that some one built one anyway and raced on a different circuit some where. I have searched for some pics but have come up empty.

[dwc43]

This car was campaigned in the first Daytona 500 race in 1959. The #64 Holman-Moody Thunderbird was the car driven by Fritz Wilson who finished in 56th place with a blown piston. He actually only made 15 laps before leaving the race. The car that finished in 2nd place was driven by Johnny Beauchamp in the #73 car. In a photo finish, the #42 Lee Petty was initially declared the winner.

Driver Banjo Mathews

These were the only two I could find.

Edited May 9, 2010 by dwc43

[Brokentail58]

This car was campaigned in the first Daytona 500 race in 1959. The #64 Holman-Moody Thunderbird was the car driven by Fritz Wilson who finished in 56th place with a blown piston. He actually only made 15 laps before leaving the race. The car that finished in 2nd place was driven by Johnny Beauchamp in the #73 car. In a photo finish, the #42 Lee Petty was initially declared the winner.

Driver Banjo Mathews

These were the only two I could find.

thank you , that is perfect.

[Brokentail58]

I found this pic that shows the colors, I want to build this now.

[Eric Stone]

Here's a page with more info and a few pics of Johnny Beauchamp's T-Bird.

http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Johnny_Beauchamp.htm

[dwc43]

That 93 car I posted was called a zipper top. They had it modified so they could put the hard top back on it and run it in both divisions.

Edited May 10, 2010 by dwc43

[Brokentail58]

That 93 car I oisted was called a zipper top. They had it modified so they could put the hard top back on it and run it in both divisions.

I just realized that the kit comes with a top. I may have to use the top but make it removable.

[Railfreak78]

This is a really cool cool topic! I wish you the best in your build!

[dwc43]

I just realized that the kit comes with a top. I may have to use the top but make it removable.

Sounds like a good idea. Not sure how it mounted, but you can make out something along the body work where the roof should be. Must be a mount to hold the roof in place.

[LUKE'57]

That pic of Banjo's #94 has a tonneau(sp) cover over the interior area. Some used canvas and some used sheet metal to cover the interior. A lot used angle iron as brackets to bolt the roofs on. Most of the zippertops didn't run a rear window because it was too hard to retain when you made the roof removable. You could run in the GN division like that but wouldn't receive GN points towards the title. Holman Moody built Curtis Turner a '58 Ford with the rear window as part of the removable portion so that got points in both divisions with only one car.

Here's my build of Cotton Owens' '59 season T-bird using the Monogram '58.

and here's the bits and pieces I got from my brother to build the Banjo car that I need to get started on.

I love those old ragtop racers and have built a few, mostly Fords, like these.

But I will do a Chevy or two sometimes, just to have something for the Fords to outrun. LOL

The Convertibles ran from '56 through '59 as a division and the Rebel 300 continued as a convertible race through '62 with the racers cutting off the roofs of their hardtops for that one race.

Edited May 10, 2010 by LUKE'57

[LUKE'57]

Here's a link to an article I wrote about the Darlington convertible races that you might enjoy.

Lady in Black Goes Topless.......Film at 11

[dwc43]

Here's a link to an article I wrote about the Darlington convertible races that you might enjoy.

Lady in Black Goes Topless.......Film at 11

Thanks for the link. Great photos. Here's a link to my local dirt track that I used to race at that I thought you might like. There are some pics from the 70's and 80's on there.

http://www.duckriverspeedway.com/history.htm

[Brokentail58]

any one have any good pics of the engine bay in a 59 t-bird stock car ?

[dwc43]

any one have any good pics of the engine bay in a 59 t-bird stock car ?

I did some searching and this is the only thing I could find other than drag car engines.

330cu in road race engine on the dyno. 376 ft lbs, 400.4hp

[fordmoparman01]

Those are some beauties! I LOVE the 50's era. Stocks, race cars, trucks, etc. But this is a fine example of my favorites!!! Nice Job

[LUKE'57]

Only one problem with that dyno picture. The valve covers say Ford and if it's a 330 cubic inch engine then it's not what the 'birds were running. Holman Moody got those racing Thunderbirds as "scrap" (and some of the factory guys got in more than a little trouble about those whole cars being termed "scrap") and they had 430 cubic inch Lincoln engines in them for the races.