(sorry I'm not the owner, I've been asked by him to help as this is his first Shelby and not sure he wants the number out there. The car was found after sitting for decades with the last known owner that SAAC had on file and Howard has been very helpful with verifying the car)
The Shelby VIN is a low 20XX number and the San Jose assembly date is thought to be late April '66, (that is not our speculation but a time suggested by those with more knowledge than us) sheet metal date code stampings support that.
The car has the original engine and the Ford VIN present - but it's minus the original intake (the intake that was on the engine is like the 1st one on the left in the group comparison image I posted in reply #39 which others have stated is too early for the car/engine assembly date), carb, distributor, air cleaner, water pump, timing cover. The block and heads have casting date codes of Jan 31, '66 and the issue is the engine assembly date is Feb, 10, '66 If the intake was installed at the Cleveland plant, what were they installing early February of 1966 in Cleveland.
Yes, I have been trying to ask some other owners what they have but not all are certain they have their cars' original. One owner with a Shelby VIN lower by about 100 cars' has the "later S2MS" the 4th form the left in the group comparison image I posted in reply #39, were "they" making/installing that intake at that point in time? (As a comparison the '67 GT350 I had that was one of the first 100 '67 GT350's made at San Jose in October of '66 had this same intake - were they using that from February of '66 through February of '67?)
We think that the owner needs to acquire the "right" intake for the "engine assembly date" more than the cars' VIN number - correct?
Do other owners out there have a car with an original engine and intake/carb with an assembly date around Feb 10, '66 and if so which version of intake does your car have? (silly me I thought '67's were difficult - but then it's Shelby don't look for easy)
Thanks all