NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

When the Ford Thunderbolt was introduced during the early days of the muscle car wars in the 1960s, it was so powerful that it was not allowed to compete in Stock. Originally designed for Super Stock competition, the Thunderbolt has only been legal for Stock in recent years due to a horsepower adjustment and the creation of the AA/Stock class. John Cooper’s Thunderbolt is not one of the original factory race cars that were produced by Ford in 1964; rather, it is what is commonly known as a clone, beginning life as a standard Fairlane.

“I found this car about eight years ago, and it sat around for a while before we decided to make it a race car,” said Cooper, who is a retired auto body shop owner. “At the time, I didn’t think about making it a Stocker because the horsepower [rating] was too high. Then John Calvert came out with his T-bolt Stocker, and we got to looking at the [NHRA Classification Guide] and started building it. We decided to do a complete rotisserie restoration, so it took about three years to finish the car. When we started, this car had some minor scrapes and dings, but it was a really nice, rustfree body. We did everything from scratch.”

The Ford Thunderbolts are serious race cars that came from the factory with fiberglass front ends, Lexan windows, and no radio or heater units in order to save weight. The original cars even had a small windshield-wiper motor with just one wiper attached. Running in the AA/Stock class, Cooper’s car weighs in at just 3,320 pounds.

At the heart of Cooper’s car is a 427-cid Ford high-riser engine that was built by Ford guru Blair Patrick of Tennessee. Patrick assembled the engine, which is fitted with a pair of Holley four-barrel carburetors and an elaborate intake system that uses ductwork to direct fresh air into the engine where the outer headlights used to be. Finding parts for 50-year-old race cars can be a challenge, but Cooper didn’t encounter too many issues thanks to the availability of aftermarket components.

“We can run an aftermarket block, crank, and rods, so that wasn’t a problem,” he said. “The biggest things are the cylinder heads and intakes. It’s hard to find parts that haven’t been cut up or abused. I’m grateful to have Blair Patrick as my engine builder. He’s a sharp guy, and he knows these cars as well as anyone.”

Many old-school racers with cars like Cooper’s tend to concentrate on the performance aspect of Stock rather than directing their focus on the consistent driving that often wins races. Cooper prefers to give equal attention to both facets of the sport, and as a result, he’s had good results with his flying Ford, including a semifinal finish at the 2015 season opener in Pomona and a victory at the Division 7 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in Phoenix in early 2014.

“The car is very consistent, and I’ve had a little luck at times,” said Cooper. “The biggest thing we struggled with was an electrical issue that’s been around for the past three years. It turns out that the battery cable we were using was too small and didn’t carry enough voltage to power the ignition. We changed that, and the car woke up. So far my best run is a 9.92 in AA/SA.

At his home event, the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver, Cooper ran right on his 10.90 dial in the first round of eliminations, but that wasn’t enough to overcome opponent Jeremy Romero’s nearly perfect .006 reaction time on the starting line.

“Stock is a tough class,” Cooper said. “There are a lot of good drivers, and it’s a real challenge, but I really enjoy it.”

In addition to engine builder Patrick, Cooper thanked Slatten’s Auto in Fort Collins, Colo., and the staff of his former business, Cooper Auto Body.

TECH SHEET
CAR BUILDER	John Cooper
ENGINE	427-cid Ford FE high-riser
ENGINE BUILDER	Blair Patrick
INDUCTION	two Holley 715cfm four-barrels
CYLINDER HEADS	Ford Racing by Blair Patrick
CAMSHAFT	Bullet
LIFTERS	Trend
SPRINGS	Pac
VALVES	Rev Racing
ROCKER ARMS	T&D Machine
CRANKSHAFT	Ford
RODS & PISTONS	CP Pistons
TRANSMISSION	Pro Trans
SHIFTER	Turbo Action
TORQUE CONVERTER	ATI
FRONT/REAR SUSPENSION	CalTracs
TIRES	Hoosier
WHEELS	Weld Racing
REAR END	Mark Williams
AXLES	Mark Williams
FLUIDS	Driven
ELECTRONICS	MSD
SAFETY EQUIPMENT	Crow