1955 Ford Thunderbird - Moon Rocket - Jerry Anolik

From 1954 to 1957, young enthusiast Jerry Anolic drove his 1955 Ford Thunderbird daily while also mixing it up at the drag strip in Modified Sports class and displaying it at shows. After a traffic collision damaged the front end, Jerry radically customized the car and named it the “Moon Rocket,” transforming it into one of the most popular and highly publicized show cars in the country.

The entire story of the Moon Rocket’s creation and resurrection appeared in the July 2010 issue of Hot Rod deluxe, which chronicles how “this one-owner ’55 Thunderbird is the only magazine cover car that also set Modified Sport records at drag strips (12.50s at 113), starred in indoor shows from Oakland to Puerto Rico, topped 160 at Bonneville and was driven cross-country in 1959, then back in 1960- on race slicks.” Returning from his second nationwide road trip, Jerry Anolic took the car to Bonneville, where it clocked over 163 MPH. On its return run it caught fire, burning the custom front end, and Anolic retired it to storage.



According to George Barris, the Moon Rocket is the only radical custom still in the possession of its original owner. It still has the original license plate, the original slicks and the original blown Cadillac engine. The Moon Rocket is ready for restoration to its original glory and comes with all the posters, memorabilia and other documentation collected by Anolic over the years.

Seeing is believing─here is the story of a famous 1950’s custom T-Bird named the “Moon Rocket.”

In the exciting period of 1957-61 Jerry Anolik drove the “Moon Rocket” across the country to virtually every car show in the US. Times were different with city Mayors hosting car shows and major newspapers featuring articles on specialty custom cars that were taking the world by storm. Even teenie-boppers loved it as it toured show after show. It was even featured in teen magazines of the era like “Dig Dig” pictured along with Frankie Avalon and Fabian. The car and its owner received newspaper coverage along with articles picturing Kennedy and Nixon on the front page of the Perth Amboy Evening News.



A Superstar born for a day in time!

The finale of the Moon Rocket’s coast to coast tour was Jerry’s invitation by a car show promoter to host a unique show in Puerto Rico. How could Jerry pull it off all alone in 1961? Easy, call a few friends and have a dozen cars shipped out from the West Coast. So that’s exactly what Jerry did he called his buddy George Barris and asked him to ship out a dozen show cars to join him in Florida for shipment to Puerto Rico. This was a never to be repeated international event.




When he returned to the States Jerry decided to drive his full-blown hot rod back to the West coast. However, along the way he decided to drag race the car. When he did he was turning in incredible times for the era of 116 mph and 12.5 et’s with his little custom T-Bird powered by a ’56 Cadillac Eldorado mill with Jimmy blower and 4-97’s. Then as if this wasn’t enough for one lifetime, Jerry Anolik did the ultimate and challenged Bonneville Salt Flats on his way home and blew off his goatee with a heart throbbing speed of 163 mph!

Where is the car today?

Here is Jerry’s clandestine story: "When I got home I contacted the building inspector and asked, Do I need a permit to build a bird cage?” The inspector’s first response was, “No.” Jerry explains further, “What if it is a really big bird?” The inspector’s final retort, “I don’t care how big the bird is, you don’t need permits to build a bird cage.” Jerry then built the most unusual ‘bird cage’ for his ’55 T-Bird. With 2 by 6 flooring on post and peirs the car was kept off the ground so that the ‘bird cage’ would breath and not damage the car as it languished in decades of obscurity. Once Jerry finished his ‘bird cage’ the little historic custom car was sealed in for posterity. “The Bird Cage” built almost 50 years ago, to preserve an extinct species, has now been opened and Jerry is releasing the Moon Rocket to fly again!




When I first talked to Jerry Anolik on June 14, 2009 I couldn’t believe my ears as he told the tales of his travels with this famous custom car. How did I hear about Jerry? A close friend of Jerry’s had placed the car for sale on Craig’s List and a friend of mine had emailed me to check it out. From there I got Jerry’s phone number and called. We hit it off immediately. Jerry had great ideas about unveiling the car and had already talked to his buddy George Barris about it. George told him there is nothing like it out there and there will never be another one like it. What was George referring to? Well have you ever heard of a famous car being stored on purpose by the original builder-owner and then unveiling it 50 years later? No. There is nothing to compare it to. For example, yes there are ‘garage finds’ and there are even famous garage finds. In fact, you might even find an “Orbitron” languishing in front of a bar in Mexico, but guess what? None of these previous finds were stored on purpose and retained in storage in a time capsule. Jerry and his Moon Rocket are ‘one of a kind’ Superstars that have been frozen in time.




And you ask, what about archival-documentation? This is another major factor that makes this unveiling unique. Jerry kept every piece of documentation from his travels for posterity─he has it all. Consider first piece of evidence is Jerry Anolik who built and still owns the car─it has not been sold, resold and then junked as others have been. In fact he is still an active body and fender man who regularly keeps up conversations with his old cronies including George Barris. Archival documents in the hundreds. In fact it took us 3 hours to photograph each piece of evidence. There is a plethora of materials including snap shots, show posters, newspaper articles, dozens of old hot rod and custom magazines with photos. He has all his gas receipts, food receipts, entry forms, invitations from Mayors, etc., etc., etc. by the hundreds to verify this car’s authenticity and story line. In fact to date no custom car relic from the past has been unearthed with this much documentation, hey, someone should write a book on Jerry’s travels across the US with his 160 mph T-Bird with the blown Caddy sticking out of the hood. Consider a few items.

La voiture existe toujours


Historic magazine quotes, newspaper editorials and testimonials

The magazine Custom Illustrated in March 1959 titled an article, “T-Bird Formation” said of the Moon Rocket, “Wild front end of San Fran rig flaunts shortened fenders, sculptured channels holding frenched Lucas lights. Tips of rear fenders are sectioned four inches, terminate in ’59 Buick taillights…well displays flawless craftsmanship.





Featured on the cover of Custom Cars in July 1959 with the caption, “It’s a bird? Every custom shop has a calling card─Jerry Anolik drives his.” The article noted, “Badly needing a front end after totaling out his 1955 T-Bird, Jerry Anolik picked up his shop torch and started working.”




Capturing the spirit of the times, the mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey writes, “The City of Perth Amboy cordially invites you to enter your car in its “Custom Car Capades” of 1960. We hope your entering this competition will add glory to you, your automobile and our fine City. ─Sincerely, James J. Flynn, Jr. Mayor.

San Francisco Examiner, Monday, April 13, 1959, “At 22 Custom Car King Takes in $10,000 a Year.” The article read, “On the day Jerry Anolik was 16 years old, he got a driver’s license, paid $85 for a Model-A Ford and immediately ripped off its fenders. Now at the ripe age of 22, Anolik rips off fenders for profit…his autos have won first place or an outstanding award in every show entered. Frank Sinatra drove Anolik’s T-bird in the movie “Pal Joey. He quit commercial art school because ‘fooling around with cars’ gave him more pleasure. From art (commercial) school I learned the feel of design and the meaning of lines.”





Letter to San Francisco Examiner, “The reason I mentioned that you write a little story on him was the fact that I saw him on TV a few nights ago, displaying one of his model cars. We hear so much about delinquents, I think this is one good example where a youngster is making good. I have known this young man since he was a small boy and he has always been interested in automobiles.”—signed by W. C Peterson, Senior Property Appraiser




Today this prehistoric extinct T-Bird has been unveiled for magazine coverage, TV spots and to be sold for his children. Please go to www.DreamRodLocator.com for more details, innumerable photographs, archival documentation and/or a Media Kit. We also have a live interview with Jerry as he literally unveils the Moon Rocket for the first time; this is a live impromptu video - a must see.

Written by Don Burdge

http://kustomkoolwebdesign.com/journal/2011/3/17/the-moon-rocket-story-a-50s-tale.html

1955 Ford Thunderbird owned and restyled by San Francisco Shifters member Jerry Anolik of San Francisco, California


May 29 - June 2, 1957, Jerry's Thunderbird was shown at the first annual Napa Valley Rod and Custom Show. Jerry's Ford was entered in the Sports Car class. By then the car had been fit with custom nerf bars and a roll bar. The hood had been louvered and the air scoop extended

article original: http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Jerry_Anolik%27s_1955_Ford

Oakland Roadster Show 1959