1964 Ford Thunderbolt "Nazy Crate" Cold Start, Revs, Idle

4F41K230628. 427 Ci high riser V8. According to Mecum Auctions: "Those familiar with Total Performance drag racing will recognize this car, as it is the real "Nazy Crate" 1964 Thunderbolt that was a well-known fixture on the NHRA Super Stock scene back in the 1970s. Yes, the modifications allowed at that time remain intact on this one, which is No. 56 of the 100 Thunderbolts built and released by Ford in 1964. Driven by Ford fanatic Nate Cohen of New Jersey, this car looks as it did with the unmistakable graphics and lettering for fourth owner Tom Caldara, who had the car from 1974 to 2006. Purchased by expert Ford restorer Randy DeLisio of Lyons, New York, in 2006, who chose to leave it in as-raced format, this legend of Ford Super Stock racing has been in the Skillman Collection since 2017 and will come with extensive receipts and paperwork. Like all Thunderbolts, a 427 CI high riser V-8 engine with its twin 4-barrel induction coupled to the air box and intake hoses is beneath the teardrop. This is backed by a Doug Nash Toploader 4-speed manual transmission and a Detroit Locker 5.13 differential. The car hosts its original fiberglass fenders, hood, aluminum front bumper, plexiglass side windows and radio, heater and sealer deletes. There are rear traction lift bars, and since then-rules permitted larger tires so long as the original sheet metal configuration was retained, the rear frame rails were removed and repositioned. This narrowed the original trunk floor and gas tank to meet those NHRA standards while retaining the original sheet metal. Following a comprehensive restoration by DeLisio in 2007, the car warranted a spread in Hemmings Muscle Machines in August 2008, and Mattel Corp. also selected this car for its Drag Strip Demons series of die-cast models, which was released in 2010. The car’s detailed ownership history is known, with it initially purchased new by Lloyd Quisenbury at Wayne Jones Ford in Leakesville, North Carolina. Driver Gene Lunsford, a mechanic at the dealership, was at the throttle. Its second owner was a Mr. Luckadoo, followed by Jonny Allen Winnegar from Salem, Virginia, with Caldara becoming the fourth owner in 1976. Featuring correct race changes, this special car can be your ticket to Total Performance as well—Nazy Crate, indeed."