Attention in the Pits Episode 91: Robert Pond

[@JohnW1711stock]

I had the privilege of being pitted next to Robert once. Great guy. Love these T-bolts.

[@balloonknot3028]

Awesome car 👍

[@kirklandracing]

Robert is a legend especially among Ford enthusiast. His cars were always quick, fast, and setting records for many years. Thanks Joe for the interview.

[@danielwilson6665]

Hey Robert, your burgundy clone is as good as it gets. It fits you quite well 👌. I was fortunate enough to actually have a season of racing as pit crew member during 1964. The Team was Phil Bonners Ford Drag Team. My oldest brother Gene used his Speed Shop to build all of Phil’s engines. The Thunderbolt that Gene raced during the 1964 season was one of the original burgundy colored cars. To suit Gene’s needs, he painted it silver and named it The Prodigal. I was only 10 but helping out in the pits with chores like cooling down the sizzling hot 427 High Riser between rounds was a big deal. We used crushed ice packed on the intake manifold up to the bottom of the dual Holley carbs. A pressurized sprayer and water worked well for spraying the radiator. It didn’t take long for the ice to melt and it was time to do the most important task… drying EVERYTHING before going to the line for the next round. Official Starters like Buster Couch didn’t allow anything to be dripping at the line. Disqualification was a heavy price to pay as required in the rule book. We played by the rules (mostly) and had a great time with the Thunderbolt. That same car was found wasting away at a shop in Georgia around 2015. It has been fully restored back to its original burgundy color and looks better than it did in ‘64. Unfortunately Phil is no longer with us. We also lost a good friend in Wayne Blackwood, who helped with the paint restoration. Robert, your contribution to Drag Racing is greatly appreciated by all that loves the sport. NEVER LIFT 🏆🇺🇸🏁

[@KimiWallrus]

Ridiculously cool! I've seen private media on this car in the past but it deserves the national spotlight. While he could be racing a faster cookie cutter car for same money(probably a P/S) these cars deserve the attention because many cool S/S cars should have become extinct-from the track at very least; we must pay a great deal of appreciation to the people who operate these cars as God intended! If I had to make a choice to make a pass in any car or class in NHRA, it would have to be this or a Hemi car S/S.

[@Marbleheadjed]

Beautiful car ! Thanks

[@Mike583]

That's one beautiful clone! I noticed it didn't have the ram air ducting from the headlight openings to the carbs. Also was that a lift off hood,like the factory ones had? It looked like the rear hood pins were still attached. I've heard one of the downfalls of the 427 heads,were the two piece,sodium filled valves. At high rpm they would eventually fail,causing a dropped valve. I didn't know there were only 9 burgundy T-Bolts built. In the early 70's, my two friends & I heard about a guy that had one,in Greensburg, IN. We found out where he lived,drove over & found him. He took us out to an old wooden garage, & there it was! An all original burgundy T-Bolt! Everything was exactly how it came from Ford,including the Lincoln automatic with the column shifter. Sadly he said he couldn't start it,because it was so loud that the neighbors complained about it! We never knew what happened to it,that was a rare one indeed!

[@dinomares5697]

Nice good job love you From Dino Mares Fontana CA

[@chuckselvage3157]

What an animal they sound great.

[@billlamb1937]

I am a Mopar guy but that is a cool car!

[@Richardsmithabcd]

The engine start-up is the main feature Joe.

[@billthompson5644]

😃😃😃😃

[@richardharris5748]

6:24 Robert that is a great looking

[@earleholt4380]

For me, the ultimate Ford

[@jimmyhawkins5357]

I got a hot rod Ford and a 2 dollar bill and I jnow a spot right over the hill.

[@MultiDoglover55]

Whats a Clone ?

[@jimmyhawkins5357]

Why don't you

[@donaldsingleton737]

Very cool car I know jam on I don’t. I think three thunder bolts. Now I have been looking for an old race car that we want to campaign back in the day. It was called the old Ford wedge. It was a Ford falcon at 4:27 Hilborn injection. Ran see office ran a lot at Cecil county dragway, and Atco dragway it was sold to a gentleman in Elkton Maryland. He ran it for a few times and then don’t know what happened to it and he sold it but I don’t know where it went. Would love to find it again back in the day when I remember is campaign by Ernie Cox out of Elkton Maryland anybody could help me locate the car. I would greatly appreciate it.

[@jonmarks1862]

Clone !!!!

[@paulmazzola398]

Cool car!