Phil Featherston of Stockton, CA races the Turner Ford Thunderbolt today. This automatic car, running the original rear suspension and many 'stock' parts, has run high NINES in the quarter mile!! Many T-Bolt owners at the Ford Expo 2001 (Columbus, OH) were stunned to see Phil run 10.02 @ 130+ mph.
I have to say that Phil is one of the nicest guys I've met and if you have the pleasure of meeting him, walk up and say hello. It's worth taking a second to talk to him because he's so friendly. He's usually with "the Rickster", who owns another 'Bolt and the Dyno Don Maverick. Rick is Phil's buddy and he's a barrel of laughs.
With very little known about the car when it was new, I will mostly be showing you photos of Phil's car as it's raced now. During it's visit to Columbus, OH over Labor Day weekend in 2001, I was able to meet Phil and see his hurrendously fast restored T-Bolt. Phil was setting the track on fire and gave me the ride of my life down the strip during a special exhibition run!
So if you saw a Thunderbolt do a single exhibition pass and shut off at 330', that was my ride! NHRA officials had a cow that a passenger was going down the strip, but we got the job done. I experienced a 1.455 sec 60', and I think some of my brain is still stuck to the back of my head. Thanks Phil!!!
UPDATE - 9/3/02
Phil was back in Columbus for the 2002 Ford Expo. He again set the track on fire, running 10 second passes. Unfortunately on Sunday his torque converter decided to explode. Let's hope that's all that went wrong. (He mentioned that the tach showed 8200 before he 'woah'd' the motor)
The History of Individual Cars
