Ford’s Fairlane Thunderbolt – the factory-experimental, race-only monster – was king of the drag scene in the mid-1960s. Prior to the Thunderbolt’s introduction, the Galaxie was Ford’s weapon of choice at the drag strip. However, the heavy, full-size car was being outrun by more nimble competition from companies like Dodge and Plymouth. Not quite satisfied with the Galaxie’s drag performance, Ford decided to up the ante.

The 427-inch V8 was such a tight squeeze in the Fairlane’s small engine bay that the headers had to be snaked through frame and suspension components.

Essentially, the line of thinking behind the Thunderbolt was to put the largest motor possible into the lightest package possible. The result? A 500-plus horsepower, FE Series 427-cube V8, crammed into a meticulously modified fourth-generation Fairlane.

The Thunderbolt was truly engineered with one thing in mind – dominating the drag strip. It’s 427-cid engine, the same boasted by the second-generation (and much larger) Galaxie, placed it just under the NHRA 7.0-liter limit of the time.

Weight reduction was so extensive, it only met the NHRA minimum of 3200-lbs with a full tank of gas and driver in the seat.

The car definitely accomplished Ford’s goal of commanding the drag strip – in ’64, its 11-second 1/4 miles times earned it the Super Stock title for Ford in the Manufacturer’s Cup.

While technically street legal, it was by no means viable as a daily-driver. The car was available for purchase from dealers, but in an effort to clarify that the car was race-built, a plaque was riveted inside the glovebox door that stated the following:

However, Colin Sebern, owner and builder of the Thunderbolt ‘tribute’ featured in the video, captured the soul of the Thunderbolt without sacrificing modern comfort, streetability, and reliability. In his own words, his goal was to be able to “have his cake and eat it, too”.

Swapping the large-and-in-charge 427 for a 331-cube small-block Ford, putting a 6-speed T56 transmission behind that, and utilizing a number of other upgrades, Sebern was able to turn his Fairlane into a machine that has the aura of a true Thunderbolt, but without being punishing and hard to maintain.

As Sebern so rightly put,”nothing is made like this anymore”. Thunderbolts are cars with a rich heritage, and he was able to constitute that in his Fairlane while also producing a satisfying, safe, and comfortable driving experience.