Bringing Back the Battlebird

"One-of-a-kind" is an overused phrase that isn't often true. But every once in awhile, you run across something truly unique. Few cars are really "one-of-a-kind" models, but, last summer, we taped a feature for My Classic Car on one classic that stands alone.

With the Chevrolet Corvette regularly whipping Ford Thunderbirds on race tracks in 1956, Ford officials made a decision to do something about it and took special steps to turn the tide. Four specially-made Thunderbirds were ordered for racing with the specific goal of taking away the Corvette's dominance.

Two of these cars were "stock" cars, nearly identical to showroom T-Birds, with some modifications, including a special 312 engine that pushed the cars' top speed to over 135 mph. These cars performed well, and immediately made the Thunderbird competitive on the track, winning the Sports Car class at the Eighth Annual Daytona Speed Week.

The other two, however, were virtually overhauled by DePaolo Engineering, and became famous as "Battlebirds," made to dominate on the track in the modified class. At the same Daytona Speed Week competition, one of these Battlebirds turned in a speed of 160.356 mph in the flying mile - nearly 30 miles per hour faster than the second-place Corvette!

That Battlebird was later destroyed (rumor has it the car was lost during filming of a stunt for a movie), leaving only one Battlebird for history.

Early in 1957, the Automobile Manufactorers' Association forced its members to withdraw from racing, and the Battlebirds were sold to private racers. The surviving car ended up with Parnelli Jones, who warehoused it until 1975, when it was sold to Gerald Popejoy, of Dallas.

In 1991, Popejoy had the car in Springfield, Missouri and began advertising in Hemmings Motor News for someone to restore it. Gil Baumgartner, authenticity chairman of the Classic Thunderbird International Club tried to respond by mail, but received no reply. The following year, Popejoy advertised to sell the car, Baumgartner saw the ad, contacted Robert "Bo" Cheadle, a San Francisco collector, and the two flew to Missouri, where they immediately bought the classic.

Cheadle put the task of restoring the Battlebird - which needed much work - in Baumgartner's hands. After some eight months of restoration, the only surviving Battlebird was returned as closely as possible to its original racing condition. The car is powered by a 312 Y-block V-8, stroked to 348 ci and fitted with vintage Hilborn fuel injectors. The one-seat racer has had much of its aluminum replaced, including the huge fin right behind the driver, and has been repainted to its original look, including the oversized Thunderbird logo on the fin.

It took deep digging, but Cheadle and Baumgartner even found a vintage 1950s Jaguar gear box to match what the car was originally fitted with, and brand new sheet metal was fabricated to ensure a match to the car's original styling.

Cheadle now pulls the car out for special events, but makes only parade laps at vintage races, knowing it's much too valuable to actually race - although in its restored condition, the car could very likely run as it did over 40 years ago.