I’ve sat back and kept quiet for a couple years and listened to all of the conspiracy theories and bashing from so many, including some of you guys….
To the ones who helped me and we’re supportive, I thank you very much. Every email and text helped me to get one step closer to solving the cars origin (1477).
Truth be told, When I first discovered this car and brought it home to Detroit from Chicago,, I found the transmission VIN stamp which was caked in grease & dirt. I immediately contacted Dave Mathews that day with as found car pictures and also with the VIN sequence (from the trans).
He knowingly mislead me as to the true identity of the transmission was. His words were that it was from a late ‘67 build and that it was from a Green GT350. Stated that all I had was a Old cut up Mustang.
Also, to add to his dishonesty, he fabricated a long story of how the green car had been stolen and recovered minus the driveline. He advised me that I’d be best for me to remain silent about the car and the transmission because it could “open up a can of worms”.
He warned me that I could be opening myself up to legality issues because of the stolen status of the transmission….. I have all of the original emails and conversations to back up everything I’ve said for anyone wanting to doubt me.
Also, for the doubters… reread my original posts regarding the car, the date codes that I shared and also the additional part and panel stamps DO in fact match with the 1477 build dates. It’s very easy to sit back and throw stones when you haven’t seen the car in person. There have now been respected and knowledgeable Shelby experts who agree as to the cars true origin. (1477)
Had he been honest from the start, this could have been an amazing find for the SAAC group as I came here to you guys first for help. I laid every piece of data out there for you openly and honestly.
Unfortunately for myself, We sold the car at an exact break even amount and it quiet honestly wasn’t much at all. Trust me. My cousin and myself wanted the car to go to someone who had the horsepower to take it to the next level, and hopefully someone with the ability to treat this car with the respect it deserves. I no longer own the car, so I have zero to gain by stating the facts. I’m not angry at Dave or the group, just extremely disappointed in how things were handled.
As owners and caretakers of such a rare brand, I feel that it’s your duty & obligation to try and find the true history of existing and also missing units when they come to light. I know that the car was butchered, but had you taken the time to help, rather than bash my attempts, this could have been a completely different outcome.
So this post will most likely get taken down and deleted very soon because it states some facts that some will find offensive, but I’m posting the facts as they happened. I feel that the group deserves to hear how Dave handled this situation. I completely understand the concept of protecting the breed from fishing expeditions to match VIN’s, but this was blatant. I now wish that I had posted the trans numbers from the start.