Would you rather have a small block or a big block Shelby and why?

[shelbydoug]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. 

2112: Yep, American 200 "daisy" wheels.  The slang in SoCal at the time for those wheels was "petal leafs."
Spent many a night cruising Van Nuys Blvd, looking for races, back in those days.
I remember how treacherous the car was on those BFGs anytime there was even a mist of water on the road.  Instant sideways, if you even breathed on the throttle or touched the brakes.  Fun learning experience!

Here's a pix from the paddock at Riverside Raceway in '82.

I don't mean to hijack this thread about SB and BB cars.  Just wanted to introduce myself.  Thanks again.

ALL TIRES leave something to be desired on a BB "Mustang". That is still true right now. YUP, it's the tires. Yes...definitely...the tires.   

"Discipline 007...discipline!"

[jguyer]

Back in the 70's our KR had 2x4's, 4:11 gears and auto trans. You'd be cruising along minding your own business when you felt the need to hammer the right peddle. The trans would find "passing gear", as it was called, the secondaries would come in and life got pretty exciting real quick. Good possibility you just smoked a Chebbie. All with air conditioning running wide open. But I do understand the fun you can have with a SB. Still fun, just different.
.
"Everybody to their own taste said the old lady when she kissed the cow"

I still remember the first time, top down, I gave my brand new KR convertible wide open throttle at 35 mph, I thought I had blown up the engine and gone to heaven. The problem was Woodward Avenue's right lane had quite a tilt to it back then and no curb. When the 1-2 shift occurred, the tires began spinning the rear end started sliding to the right and gravel flew everywhere. I, being the dumb kid, just hung onto the steering wheel grinning. God guided me safely to the next traffic light, where I changed to one of the center lanes.

[jguyer]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. 

2112: Yep, American 200 "daisy" wheels.  The slang in SoCal at the time for those wheels was "petal leafs."
Spent many a night cruising Van Nuys Blvd, looking for races, back in those days.
I remember how treacherous the car was on those BFGs anytime there was even a mist of water on the road.  Instant sideways, if you even breathed on the throttle or touched the brakes.  Fun learning experience!

Here's a pix from the paddock at Riverside Raceway in '82.

I don't mean to hijack this thread about SB and BB cars.  Just wanted to introduce myself.  Thanks again.

Agree with you about BFG tires, didn't last a month, only one 360 and back the tire shop. Best rain tires, please. Pirelli's were great in the rain. Noticed no taillight bezels, is car still that way?

[Side-Oilers]

Jguyer,

The taillight bezels were not on the car when I bought it, and I have purposely left it that way.
The PO felt (and I agree) that the car looks meaner without them.
To each his own, of course.

My car is Day 2 style, but with 90% original interior. I did remove the circa 1979 AM-FM/cassette deck and put back in a good ol' Philco AM. 
But, when I turned it on, where did all those great AM stations go?  Boss Radio 93 KHJ ruled SoCal in the 1960s-early 70s.  Now it's just static.   

[Richstang]

Jguyer,

The taillight bezels were not on the car when I bought it, and I have purposely left it that way.
The PO felt (and I agree) that the car looks meaner without them.
To each his own, of course.

My car is Day 2 style, but with 90% original interior. I did remove the circa 1979 AM-FM/cassette deck and put back in a good ol' Philco AM. 
But, when I turned it on, where did all those great AM stations go?  Boss Radio 93 KHJ ruled SoCal in the 1960s-early 70s.  Now it's just static.

So, I'm guessing it was a popular tweak, in 79 at SAAC 4, and here in Riverside '82.
Maybe it was a SoCal thing?

Nice white KR. Thanks for posting!

[Side-Oilers]

Richstang,
I don't know if going sans bezels was a popular thing to do or not.  I don't recall ever seeing another one, in person.

I just like how it looks, and kept my car that way all these years.

[jguyer]

After three year of every day use, rain, ice, salt and snow (had snow tires), the not often polished chrome bezels tended to pit. 64 T-Bird bezel is smooth stainless steel, much easier to care for. Made the few cars that way distinctive.

[shelbydoug]

I'm certainly not going to defend any brand of tires. We discuss here our own circumstances and what our best solutions were.

The original BFG tire tread pattern was changed long ago. Sometime in the late '70s.

The original 50 series would hydroplane very easily. There were no great 4 season tires then. It's still questionable if there are. You need to define what that means.

They would also spin very easily in the dry.

Usage today is very different on "vintage" cars and new cars with W rated tires have warnings about low temperature traction or lack of it.

As bad as the original BFG's seemed to be, they were being used as racing "intermediates" and even rain tires.

If you want to drive a new Camaro, Shelby, Viper, Corvette around in the ice, snow and rock salt I would expect a very similar reaction to the traction issues.

[bobg]

                            I live in the other world of florida. For us, no snow,gravel,ice salt just long straight roads that go forever. Not to forget those endless summers. Drove a 351 mach1 (69) as a work car but on the street my GT500 was king and one hell of a ride. By the way I had the slow car. One of my brothers had a blown BOSS 429 and the other a 66 mustang with a 428 and 12'' tires. Good luck keeping it in a straight line. Yes you can add go fast parts to a SM but BB have go fast parts too. Today i ride around in a new mustang GT. Lots of fun and a better ride but hell I love that 60s BB.

[bobg]

                 JGUYER like the look of those taillights would you mind if I could go with it.

[557]

Jguyer,

The taillight bezels were not on the car when I bought it, and I have purposely left it that way.
The PO felt (and I agree) that the car looks meaner without them.
To each his own, of course.

My car is Day 2 style, but with 90% original interior. I did remove the circa 1979 AM-FM/cassette deck and put back in a good ol' Philco AM. 
But, when I turned it on, where did all those great AM stations go?  Boss Radio 93 KHJ ruled SoCal in the 1960s-early 70s.  Now it's just static.

.    Gotta say it (regarding the bezels)67 envy???

[shelbydoug]

After three year of every day use, rain, ice, salt and snow (had snow tires), the not often polished chrome bezels tended to pit. 64 T-Bird bezel is smooth stainless steel, much easier to care for. Made the few cars that way distinctive.

The way everything pits on these cars it would be wonderful if everything was made in solid stainless steel?

Even the cast aluminum bezels on the 67 start to dull up within a few days.

Much too much oxygen in this atmosphere for this combination of chrome over zinc castings.

[Richstang]

Not sure about the '67 envy part, since John has one parked right next to the '68.
The T-bird trim gives it a finished look and slims down the overall height of the naked lens.
It's a slick custom touch and easy to correct back to stock if ever desired.
 

[jguyer]

                 JGUYER like the look of those taillights would you mind if I could go with it.

As long as you get your own bezels.