Ficher's Thunderbolt Fairlane, A Tribute To The Experimental Ford

Mention the name “Thunderbolt” to any Ford racing fan and you’ll see their eyes turn orgasmic glassy immediately. The legendary Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt was a very limited experimental model built by the Ford Motor Company in 1964. This version was designed for drag racing only and only 100 units were allegedly produced.

Ficher’s Thunderbolt tribute car shows it’s racing heritage at the track.

The original Thunderbolt housed a 427cid V8 with dual Holley four-barrel carbs that many people claimed the combination produced over 600hp – which was pretty amazing for the time. The design features of the original Thunderbolts included a raised “teardrop” air scoop on the hood which was a dead give-away to the model and has been copied by many other models since then.

You can imagine our surprise when we spotted a 1964 Ford Fairlane with a raised teardrop air scoop on the drag strip at Fontana earlier this year.

Redwood City’s Dan Ficher sat behind the wheel of his 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 that looked suspiciously like a Ford Thunderbolt, so we walked over and got close enough to talk to Dan. As it turns out, Dan is something of an automotive historian and his Fairlane was purposefully built to look like the legendary experimental Ford.

From any angle, Dan is proud to stand by his work.

The car didn’t sit idle for very long and in short order, Dan was pulling the blown engine out, making way for a new mill. Explaining that he bought the car 15-years ago, the car was very similar to it’s current appearance – “Except that it wasn’t running and had a blown engine,” he postulated.

It’s a bit heavier than the cars that I race against. – Dan Ficher

“The car belonged to a fellow racer and I mentioned to him that if he ever wanted to sell the car to let me know. He called me one morning a few days after I had just refinanced my house. – It was a no-brainer! I made the two-hour drive with my truck, trailer and a friend and brought it home.”

Video of Dan Ficher in the 2012 Street Car Super Nationals in Las Vegas:

When it came time to replace the engine, it was a simple choice. Dan explained the clarity of engine selection by saying, “I have always been a Ford man and particularly FE Powered Fords.” The car had just made it’s way to Dan’s garage when the work began. “I got started on it right away with a 428 Super Cobra Jet and C-6 transmission that I had laying around. I was driving it a couple of weeks after I bought it,” he claimed.

With the exception of the engine and transmission, “the car has been in it’s current state since the mid-1980s,” said Dan.

We took a good walk around the car, counter-clockwise, slowly taking it all in so that we didn't miss a detail.

“I race it with the West Coast Pro Gas Association 10 times a year,” he said, and then explained where you are most likely to see him compete. “The March Meet, The California Hot Rod Reunion, NMCA West series, AFX & Nostalgia Meets and even a Mega Ford Shootout at Mission Raceway in Canada.” When totaled, he says that he races “about 15 times a year total and about five test and tune sessions per year.”

We caught Dan racing at Fontana earlier this year.

In addition to the racing, Dan shows the car at different events four or five times each year. With roughly 25-events total, from test and tune sessions to racing and car shows, this schedule keeps him pretty busy.

According to Dan, “The car was a race/show car when I purchased it. Over the years it has evolved quite a bit and has become geared more for racing. I do all of the maintenance and component changes along with some of the assembly. ” He takes credit for modifying a major part of this build however, “I converted the brake system to a dual reservoir master cylinder and added Wilwood discs up front,” he proudly states.

Ford lovers, especially fans of the FE engines, will appreciate this shot.

When it comes to the specialty areas, Dan sources some of the work out. “The machine work is done by Clark’s House of Power in Burlingame, California, the transmission work is done by Len Schneider. Chris Bacciocco converted the front end to a coil over set up and Sarmento’s Fabrication got rid of the leaf springs and converted to a ladder bar set up with coilovers.”

We soon discovered what evil lurked under the hood.

When it comes to brand loyalty, Dan has it in spades. “Most of the time I am the only FE powered vehicle at the track or in my class so it makes it better when I put the Chevys on the trailer!” He also claims this is his favorite part of racing the Fairlane.

“I like to be different and I love the Ford FE engine,” he said responding to questions about the motivation for the build. “But it’s a bit heavier than the cars that I race against,” he added with a sly smile creeping across his face.

The side that most other racers see.

As if to prove his love for Fords and FE engines, Dan quickly said, “I also have a 1966 Ford Fairlane 500 convertible powered by a 390 cid big-block FE engine.”

“This car is never finished. I consider it a work in progress because I am always trying to improve things,” said Dan.

Photo by Wayne Lederer.

Name: Dan Ficher
Home: Redwood City, California
Model: Fairlane 500
Year: 1964
Engine: 427cid
Transmission: C-6 built by Len Schneider
Mods: A Chris Bacciocco front end coil over set up and Sarmento’s Fabrication leaf springs conversion to a ladder bar set up with coilovers in the rear.

Awards:
2009

West Coast Pro Gas Association win in D/Gas class at Sonoma
West Coast Pro Gas Association runner up in D/Gas class at Sonoma
West Coast Pro Gas Association Championship runner up in D/Gas class

2010

Won 3 West Coast Pro Gas Association events at Sacramento Raceway (Fox Hunt, Nitro Nite of Fire & 29th annual Funny Car Fever event)
Won 1 West Coast Pro Gas Association event at Sonoma Raceway
West Coast Pro Gas Association Championship runner up in D/Gas class

2011

Won 1 West Coast Pro Gas Association event at Sonoma Raceway

2012

PSCA Street Car Nationals VIII runner up in the Ross Racing Pistons Triple Index event
Won 3 West Coast Pro Gas Association events at Sacramento Raceway (31st Annual Funny Car Fever, 2nd Annual Door Car Shoot Out, 43rd Annual Governors Cup)
West Coast Pro Gas Association win in D/Gas class at Sonoma
West Coast Pro Gas Association Championship runner up in D/Gas class at Sonoma

2013