Thunderbird

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
:bowSounds wicked Ronnie! All I can say is........,God help those "skinny' little tires he has on the car now!:crazy
 

Clyde Waldo

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
Ronnie, I can not thank you enough!!!!!!!!!!!

In my wildest dreams I ............ words fail me. I am one lucky, happy person to have a friend like you Ronnie.

I could never have built an engine like you have done for me. You selected the best parts for my application, have a fine machine shop, and of course your experience and abilities have resulted in an engine that I am sooooooooo proud of.

Can't wait till the T-Bird gets redone from the Frito-Lay rear end crash. Got word today that the Frito-Lay inspector is having difficulty finding prices for sheet metal for a 1955 Thunderbird. (My insurance (Hagerty) has been great - their inspector was very professional and prepared a four page report.) The Frito-Lay inspector was not quite as professional - I had to show him the frame was bent - after he had finished his inspection. I told the Frito-Lay inspector that I wanted Hill's Thunderbird in Ohio to do the repair because they told my on the phone they had parts cars with the sheet metal parts for my car. I am going to find a transport company to take the car to Hill's after the old truck 409 and the Phoenix 700R4 are removed and Hill's will repair the damage plus do an extreme make over on the T-Bird.

After I get the car back from Hill's I'll have the finest street 409 stroker a person could ever wish for (a Ronnie Russell stroker) and the new 700R4 transmission (got to drive the car four days with the new transmission & then got rear ended).

Ronnie, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU :bow :bow :bow
 

1958 delivery

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
OK, cool going into a 55 Tbird. You guys scared me, I thought for a moment it was going into that later model smog bird
 

61belairbubbletop

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Very cool. Ronnie, you are the man ! That motor sounds fantastic !
Clyde, you are very lucky ! That motor is going to put a lot of big smiles on your face !
 

boxerdog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Nice job, Ronnie!! That T-Bird won't know how to act when Clyde jumps on it!
 

Last 60

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Next year at Thompson Clyde will look a little odd because he will have NO EARS! I know that he will have swallowed them with a gigantic smile with the way that 'Bird will run!! :D:laugh:laugh Way to go Clyde!!

Lonnie
 

Clyde Waldo

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
I told Ronnie that I was going to put a plaque on the engine. Can't get a good photo tonight.

I made the bottom piece out of aluminum to cover the word OFFENHAUSER and then made the bow tie out of aluminum & and had it engraved. The photo makes it look like brass - maybe the bow tie in brass would be better?

Did you notice the Thunderbird emblem Ronnie put on the aircleaner? Ronnie thinks of everything!

Don, those bias ply "skinny" little tires got me to Thompson three times/years but I'll take the hint/advice & see about some tires more up to the task. I'll ask for recommendations later. (The car has never had radial tires so it's about time.)

This is 409 number four in the T-Bird. The car has had a 409 in it since the late 1960s but none like this one.

Well, got to watch the video again...................:dance
IMG_7977 - Copy (Small).JPG
 

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
That T-bird is sure getting a top notch upgrade :).

Maybe Clyde can use the other engine in the '62?

Cheers!
TomK
 

jim_ss409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
That little Bird is really going to fly with that engine! :beer
It sounds like you've found a place capable of doing a proper repair. With a little luck it'll look better than ever when it's done.
 

58 Apache

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
:clap:love Well you have done it again Mister Russel. I can only tell you Clyde afer diving one of Ronnie's engines similar to yours you will need them use a lot of lead when they do the body work. :laugh
 

Ronnie Russell

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Thanks to all for the kind words. Clyde dropped the block and head cores off here on a cold Winter day. It has been a long journey but a happy one. Now, I get to build my own race engine for the Brian Thompson tribute car. Hope to race it at Thompson next summer. Well, not really. I'm too much of a wuss to drive it so Barry has to do that.
 

58 Apache

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
:rollRonnie I too am a Wuss when it comes to being a Racer. I have run a couple of Race Cars in closed practice and ran real fast, but put 25 other guys out there and I wuss out. That's why I build engines and crew for the car.
 

boxerdog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Cmon Ronnie, I am not a driver either but I am not going to let someone else have all the fun or blow up my car!!! So I drive it!!
 
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