SAAC Forum

Off Topic Area => The Lounge => Topic started by: Side-Oilers on September 21, 2021, 03:29:29 PM

Title: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Side-Oilers on September 21, 2021, 03:29:29 PM
In the name of Shelby & Cobra enthusiasm, I can't recall seeing a thread about what Shelby product we first owned.

Would be cool to see original pix, info, and the date(s) that you owned it.  Even better if you still own it.  8)

And can we please have no critiques, flaming, trolling or other negative comments on this thread?  This is about Shelby fun & memories.

I'll go first.

1968 GT500KR fastback, white with black interior.  4-speed.

Bought in 1982, in SoCal.   Promptly blew-up the 427 side-oiler the PO had installed.

Stupidly let the car sit without an engine for 20 years before (even stupider) selling it to Ron Butler's son. 

After painfully serving the appropriate penance, I bought it back from Butler in 2013.  Butler had kept it stored away and completely untouched.   

I installed stroked aluminum 427 side-oiler (553 hp on dyno) from Shelby/Denbeste in 2014. 

Added a few Day Two parts. 

Listed in the 1968 Shelby Registry.   

I will never let go of the car again! 

Bottom photo is soon after car was  finished, with NHRA's Phil Burgess (left) at our old hangout in Culver City, CA.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: 557 on September 21, 2021, 03:52:04 PM
Got my 67 gt500 in 82 as well.$6k from a penny saver ad in Hollywood ,Ca.Lifetime Cali black plate car.Owned it ever since.Still like it......a lot.... :D
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: 98SVT - was 06GT on September 21, 2021, 04:45:50 PM
Bought/traded for 6S843 in 1975. A friend was getting out of the Army and wanted a Shelby. I found this one close to home for $800 so we went and looked. It had 14x10 wheels on all 4 corners and 200 pounds of Bondo flares & trunk spoiler on it (Madam Guillotine would have approved of how the trunk closed). My friend passed said he wanted a project car not a career one. He later found a 65. Looking at it we weren't sure if it was real. Serial number tag - yep, aluminum engine parts - yep, but it had been red (now primer) and has an automatic. Wait I remember they put Tbars and cables on the rear axle - they are there so it must be real.
I offered the kid $500 and he passed. Said his motorcycle was getting repoed on Monday and needed $140 to pay it off. I offered him the $140 and a 68 Tbird a guy had given me for putting a water pump in his 62 Bird. He was reluctant and I told him I'd call Sunday night and could meet him at the bank on Monday to pay him and swap cars if he hadn't sold it. Met him Monday gave him the $ traded keys and I was off. It had been through 4 people without being transferred so I had to pay for all those since everybody had added their info to the title.
I put Maier flares on it then had an oops in a sudden rain storm while it had the Caldwell race recaps on it. Started to restore it had a friend replace the rear 1/4s and had it wearing it's first coat of red paint when other things took over. Richard (Deathsled) bought it and had the restoration finished.

The second one was a 68 GT500 Convert #135. A fellow COCOA member saw it at an Orange County body shop and asked about it. He said a kid dropped it off to get fixed and painted but then went back to Alaska. The shop said there was $370 owed on it and gave my friend the dad's number. I called him and he said I could have the car if I paid the shop and he would send me the title. I agreed, paid the shop and picked up the car. Every piece of fiberglass was cracked. It had Ford Econoline seats and no console. The 428 was gone replaced with a 390 and no Shelby parts under the hood. I kept it a couple weeks and another COCOA member offered me $700 for it - he kept it about a month and sold it for $1000. Rumors that it towed a fishing boat in Alaska are false. It was always a CA car with period correct black plates. It had been purchased by a kid whose lawyer dad an ex-Alaska senator had sent to SoCal for college. The kid decided he like playing on the beach more than school so dad made him fly home.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Rocket on September 22, 2021, 12:44:27 PM
Bought 6S550 in 1967, as soon as Hertz turned it back to Ford. It's a great ride, and I feel like I'm 18 every time I fire it up. Ron
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: honker on September 22, 2021, 08:21:18 PM
Side-Oilers, great thread ! look forward to more replies.

My first Cobra !  forget the CSX #  ? bought in '63/'64 for all of a $1.50, a lot of grass cutting money back then ! As built in

period,  still own it, and have been addicted to the Shelby marque ever since  ;)   ;D 

Mike
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Side-Oilers on September 27, 2021, 03:25:36 PM
Seems like a bunch of people must have missed this topic...so giving it a bump.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: owenkelley on September 27, 2021, 04:12:30 PM
Bought our '67 GT500 in 1982 for $7800. A California car that was purchased by a Canadian classic car dealer who took it to Edmonton, had it painted and took it to the International Mustang Meet in Calgary which is where I spotted it. Still had the Black plates on it. I peeled all the stickers off back to the original 1967 sticker. My kids will most likely inherit it.

Bought our '87 GLHS ( I know, but it's fun to drive) in about 1997. Found it at a dealer's auto auction in Billings Montana. My kids probably won't inherit this one, although my two sons in law think it's kinda cool. The most rare car I own and the least valuable!

Bought our '07 GT 500 knew in the spring of '07. Will probably own this car until I tip over too.

Twenty year increments, '67, '87 and '07. Might have to see what's available in '27.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: FL SAAC on September 27, 2021, 05:51:39 PM
Great story and pictures, thank for posting

Quote from: Side-Oilers on September 21, 2021, 03:29:29 PM
In the name of Shelby & Cobra enthusiasm, I can't recall seeing a thread about what Shelby product we first owned.

Would be cool to see original pix, info, and the date(s) that you owned it.  Even better if you still own it.  8)

And can we please have no critiques, flaming, trolling or other negative comments on this thread?  This is about Shelby fun & memories.

I'll go first.

1968 GT500KR fastback, white with black interior.  4-speed.

Bought in 1982, in SoCal.   Promptly blew-up the 427 side-oiler the PO had installed.

Stupidly let the car sit without an engine for 20 years before (even stupider) selling it to Ron Butler's son. 

After painfully serving the appropriate penance, I bought it back from Butler in 2013.  Butler had kept it stored away and completely untouched.   

I installed stroked aluminum 427 side-oiler (553 hp on dyno) from Shelby/Denbeste in 2014. 

Added a few Day Two parts. 

Listed in the 1968 Shelby Registry.   

I will never let go of the car again! 

Bottom photo is soon after car was  finished, with NHRA's Phil Burgess (left) at our old hangout in Culver City, CA.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: S7MS427 on September 27, 2021, 06:43:42 PM
My first Shelby was my '67 G.T. 500, No. 03040, which I bought in 1977 for $2400.  Read the whole story on my website.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: 67 GT350 on September 27, 2021, 09:56:08 PM
My first Shelby was a 1967 GT350....I took a wrong turn on the intercostal water way and there it sat 2195. Talked to the guy and he said he did not want to sell it, he bought it NEW. I asked him if it would be OK if I stopped in in a couple of months, he said sure. I think I forgot about it soon after, and maybe 6 months later, I stopped in, rang the bell and he came to the door. He said, if you are interested in it, you can have it for 2500.00. It was mine! I had to take it to a body shop and we actually replaced the top part on one rear quarter and that was it. Fixed thing here and there, got it running, and what a nice car!!!

It would be so cool to buy it back.....I failed to mention, it was that lime green, I painted it medium blue. LOL
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: honker on September 28, 2021, 10:09:15 AM
Side-Oilers, thanks for the bump, and all the replies, great stories !

I thought I had put people off with my post about the AMT Cobra model being my first Shelby  ;)

Mike
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Side-Oilers on September 28, 2021, 12:22:42 PM
Hey Mike,
I thought it was great!  I had a Cobra 427 slot car.
Van
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: rsmith on September 28, 2021, 01:30:52 PM
1968 GT350 Conv, Gold Met with black inside. Auto

Bought in 1974 when I was 17, in Anniston, Alabama. Traded a 1955 Chev Belaire and $2000 to used car dealer for the Shelby. I paid $850.00 for the Belaire.

Still own the car. It has 115K miles. Original except for wear and tear. Hubcaps, CI intake (never been off), Autolite carb. Currently tidying it up (new belts, hoses, top, front seat covers, weather stripping, etc.

Listed in the 1968 Shelby Registry.(//)
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas on September 28, 2021, 02:56:26 PM
Bought mine in 1971 (Dec) for $1,000. Had 40,000 miles on it and now has 242,000 miles on it will have 50 years of ownership in Dec
Used to see it on the road in Annapolis Maryland when I was in High School.
Been in 38 states and 3 cross country trip and was driven to Bonneville for Speed Week in 1972, 73 and 74.
Will be at Hershey for the AACA Fall meet Oct 9th and the MCACN Hertz Invitational in Nov
Had a chance in 1973 to trade it for Cobra CSX2027 and $3500, didn't do it because it didn't have a roof or a heater, car was a Comp car retrofitted with a  289 (`originally a 260 car), Had two AFB's on the motor and the Webbers were in the trunk
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: mark p on September 29, 2021, 09:30:25 AM
We bought the Tiger in February of 1985, and drove it for a few years before having the majority of the restoration completed in 1989/90.
We're the 3rd owners. Apparently the "red" calipers, hubs, and brake drums were a sort of trademark of the original dealer in York PA.
We've been cruising, touring, showing, auto-crossing, and enjoying it now for nearly 37 years 8)... our kids say that it was our "first child"  ???
Photo from the day I drove it home
(https://i.imgur.com/twoM3YY.jpg)
Photo from the Tail of the Dragon, 2012
(https://i.imgur.com/b0afHnZ.jpg)
autocross
(https://i.imgur.com/7nS7nMH.jpg)
touring with Lehigh Valley SAAC (photo by Z-man)
(https://i.imgur.com/j98xUhS.jpg)
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: honker on September 29, 2021, 10:24:23 AM
Mark p, thanks for posting pics of your Tiger, I see it has Cosmic Wheels, my favourite wheel, they are rare, I wanted a set for my

Mini Cooper, but they were expensive even back in the day.

Mike
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Side-Oilers on September 29, 2021, 12:31:46 PM
Great seeing a Tiger in the mix!
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas on September 29, 2021, 01:28:40 PM
there's a Tiger in a garage on the next block over from me. The guy bought new when he got back from Vietnam in 66-67. He took the 260 out a couple of decades back and was going to have a "friend" rebuild it. things happened and the original engine "got lost" so its got a 289 in it. I've never seen it move from the garage in 35 years. Its beat up and I've seen some rust on it, but he says has going to "fix it one day". Since he's at least 5 years older than me I don't see it happening. Maybe I can pick it up at an estate sale
Always loved a Tiger
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: 98SVT - was 06GT on September 29, 2021, 04:19:57 PM
Quote from: honker on September 29, 2021, 10:24:23 AM
Mark p, thanks for posting pics of your Tiger, I see it has Cosmic Wheels, my favourite wheel, they are rare, I wanted a set for my

Mini Cooper, but they were expensive even back in the day.

I've got a set of 10" Mini ones in the garage if you still need them. Sold our real S with Minilites on it and the daughters later RHD one takes the 12" wheels.
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: honker on September 29, 2021, 05:44:32 PM
Thanks for the replies and PM's  re: Tigers and Cosmic wheels, also 98SVT.

Don't mean to, but I seem to have a habit of taking threads off topic  ::)   :-[

Back to our regular program  ;)

Mike
Title: Re: What was your first Shelby/Cobra?
Post by: gt350shelb on October 06, 2021, 09:07:22 PM
(https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=35.0;attach=2584;image)

00212  1 st  week of ownership    35+ years ago    stilll  have it / driving to work in the morning !