'59 Rally Thunderbird

[partsetal]

I found this listing for a former rally car: http://bringatrailer.com/2014/12/29/...g+a+Trailer%29

[DKheld]

Thanks for the link Carl.

Very interesting car. Would be great to find the original entrant/owner/driver and find out why he (or she!) chose the Tbird.
It does have a driver/navigator emblem on the side of the car but can't see the names.

HA!
Sure didn't have the scare-bird brackets back then - that was about the same time I did the Granada spindle disc brake swap on my car. Looks like it does have have disc brakes up front - they may have done the Granada swap too.

Take a look at how they have the newer style brake master cyl bolted on the original Bendix booster. The newer master cyls fit to the lower bolts on the original Bendix booster (although too small) but here someone went to the extra step of adding some straps to the top bolts as well (like that would really help ).
Not sure why they moved the battery - maybe weight distribution.


I love how they drilled the bumper for that 1 extra degree cooling capacity


Obviously they had a rear flat at one time and found out how hard it is to change the tire quickly (aka - where's my saws-all)


Even with their brake mods they still had a hydraulic e-brake - chickens....


And they went to the trouble of matching the interior pattern and color - NICE!

Eric

[fcar]

I found this listing for a former rally car: http://bringatrailer.com/2014/12/29/...g+a+Trailer%29

Thanks for posting! Looks like "fun" ride and the engine sounds great.

[dgs]

'59 Rally Thunderbird

I've stumbled on a few odd '59s lately, first those crazy customs and now this '59 built for rally racing, for sale in the Netherlands. I first saw it on the website Bring A Trailer.



It looks pretty stock at first glance, but there are the custom steel wheels, vent holes in the bumper, a roll cage, beefier seats, rally gear and some extra large fender skirts for easier wheel access (I guess). It's supposedly got a 420 HP 390 and the battery has been relocate to the firewall.

Not my cup of tea, but seems like a serious build and evidently participated in the now defunct Monte Carlo Challenge series during the mid-to-late 90’s.

[ncbird]

Brakes

Saw this one on flipboard the other day. Note the master cylinder.

[Dan Leavens]

Do you think the vent holes in the bumper would provide " extra airflow" into the rad? Strange configuration especially in a rally mode

[wildbird]

'59 Rally Thunderbird

I found the drivers name in an old dutch magazine called ''auto motor klassiek". Februari 2000. Driver John aan de Stegge and his navigator was Stefan de Vriese.
Found this on the net. http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/ar...onte-challenge

[dgs]

Here's another mention of the car:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1996/53/le-jog-96

I like this quote:

There are over 60 pre-1960 entries the most Impressive which is John and Birgit aan de Stegge's 1959 Ford Thunderbird, which must have a lane-widening contract with various local authorities if the postevent state of its flanks is anything to go by.

[Anders]

Love the lamp on the roof though
Here is another "Rally Car". Itīs a standard one that they took out in the forrest of the Swedish Rally 1960 Note: White walls !!!