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Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids Display *Updated*

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:54 pm
by EL1998P71
I don't recall if this was said or not. But, For Jan 2010 thru July 2010 the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan is putting on a Cold War Exhibit. Part of this display will be Civil Defense Items, including a Thunderbolt head.
The museum originally asked Eric Green about one, but he was nice enough to point them in my direction. (thanks Eric)
Anyway, I've been redoing the head for the last few months.
This is not a full redo. The rotator is locked, gearbox and rotator motor are removed, and chopper motor is not there either.
They have the pipe mount, so they can fab up a mount for it.
And here are the pic's(I didn't take alot of pic's or the repainting, just the reassembly).
This head has some flaws, but it's come along nicely.

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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:54 pm
by SirenMadness
Wow, it's comming along really nicely!

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:19 am
by Jpressman8
Looks really good. :D

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:43 am
by ginbot86
Looks great! Say, what flaws are you talking about?

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:54 am
by holler
Oooh, that's purdy.

I had almost forgotten about mine thanks to all these ACA's that keep winding up in my shop.

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:37 pm
by EL1998P71
ginbot86 wrote:Looks great! Say, what flaws are you talking about?
The rotator cabinet on one side has alot of dents and wrinkles in the metal.
when displayed this side will be towards the wall.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:48 am
by tachi88
Nice!

That's a 1003 isn't it?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:06 am
by SouthDakotaBoy2009
That's a 1003 isn't it?
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Basicly it appears to just an empty shell of a Thunderbolt if I read the undertand the description right.

With no internal mechanics in it, it could be either a 1000/1000T or if he would like a 1003.
We'll just have to wait & see :wink:

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:13 pm
by SirenMadness
It looks as if it was a 1003 before, looking at the little cutouts in the cap underneath the motor-housing, where the wires to the solenoids would have went out of. I'm not a hundred percent sure, though, on how it was configured when he got it.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:56 pm
by Trey
I can tell that it was a 1003 just by the "height" of the box. 1003 rotator boxes were bigger than standard 1000s/1000Ts.

No matter what model it was, that is one awesome paint job!