Thunderbolt Serial Number Registry

[Brendan W]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but me and a few other users are starting a serial number registry for the pre-1976 thunderbolts (ones with T-XXXX-D or T-XXXX) and I wanted to post it in case anyone wanted to submit info, etc. for thunderbolts of this vintage. Here is what we have so far:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

The point of this is mainly to keep track of units but also to help get a better production estimate as to how many Thunderbolts have been built total as that figure is currently unknown, however I am sure it can be figured out in time and with a lot of research and adding up and all that too. Thanks!

[Ray'sWorldYT]

Wow this is nice! Glad you have this, keep it up. Also, do you know who owns the 1954 thunderbolt from skokie IL? Or if there are any pictures/videos of it? Thanks!

[siren fan]

That is a great idea

[Brendan W]

I forgot to add, here is one for the date code era Thunderbolts:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

[SDsirenman]

Bump
Heres the information from my thunderbolt

Garden City Thunderbolt 1003
1003 10HP
T-2533-D 480/208-240VAC
60 3 12

[rmemtman]

Knoxville, TN 1000b serial T-121/122 owned by me. In restoration process.

[Brendan W]

Bump
Heres the information from my thunderbolt

Garden City Thunderbolt 1003
1003 10HP
T-2533-D 480/208-240VAC
60 3 12

Thank you! Your 1003 appears to have a approximate born in year of 1967 as best as my research can conclude. This is just an approximation however I must stress.

Knoxville, TN 1000b serial T-121owned by me. In restoration process.

I already have your unit but thanks for posting!

[SDsirenman]

"Thank you! Your 1003 appears to have a approximate born in year of 1967 as best as my research can conclude. This is just an approximation however I must stress."

So how do you know what year a Tbolt is manufactured? I can't dechiper this information

[Brendan W]

"Thank you! Your 1003 appears to have a approximate born in year of 1967 as best as my research can conclude. This is just an approximation however I must stress."

So how do you know what year a Tbolt is manufactured? I can't dechiper this information

That is a very, very long story. But the tl;dr is, its comparing numbers with confirmed build years, and working off that as well as researching using newspaper archives (this confirmed quite a few serials actually) until a reasonable figure has been established for an approximate build year. Again, It is fairly accurate guesswork unless Federal magically has a list of serials and years in their possession, which I believe is not terribly likely if a lot of stuff was thrown out during moves as I've heard some time back.

[ARsirenfan]

Just figured I’d bump this old thread. Found out the serial number to one of Bremerton Washington’s former Thunderbolts. T-969-D, manufactured in 1957.

The one that remains in the city is most likely close to the one removed.