Hello there, over the years my stepfather has spoken about his GT500 as one of the fonder memories of his lifetime. He loves recalling dragging anything of the day that pulled up next to him at a red light. Although I don't hold much hope that the car still exists given it was originally a Maine car and he drove it hard 365 days a year, I would like to try and figure that out and share with him whatever story it had after his time with it. I know it was sold by a dealership somewhere in mid-coast Maine and of course his name, but I dont have much detail past that. I am not even exactly sure the year, it was either a 67 or a 68 I believe. I also know he traded in his 65 GT350 for it. Is there anyway to extrapolate from that to find out more about the car and where it might be if it is still around? Thanks.
I would think that his name would be a bit of a help To start with.
Roy
I believe there was only one or two Shelby dealers in Maine. So it can be done.
Color of car, interior, transmission type, if it had AC would all be helpful information.
You have to give a little to get something.
Does he have any photos?
Email me Coralsnake68@hotmail.com
If he had that close of a relationship with his car driving it everyday of the year, he certainly would remember the number of the car... Lets start there!
Quote from: TA Coupe on May 29, 2022, 01:17:09 AM
I would think that his name would be a bit of a help To start with.
Roy
^^^^ very good place to start and contact the:
SAAC '67 Registrar, dmathews@prodigy.net
and the
SAAC '68 Registrar, 68registrar@saac.com
Quote from: 427heaven on May 29, 2022, 11:51:36 AM
If he had that close of a relationship with his car driving it everyday of the year, he certainly would remember the number of the car... Lets start there!
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 03:07:18 PM
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
+1 Doubt many or almost none of us have memorized the VIN of any of the cars we bought as daily transportation even if we bought them new. Just like other details on the car under the hood for example. Didn't make it any faster which was often our narrow focus. Don't remember having a gas receipt ever either but maybe different eras and different experiences for each of us
Quote from: J_Speegle on May 29, 2022, 03:44:23 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 03:07:18 PM
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
+1 Doubt many or almost none of us have memorized the VIN of any of the cars we bought as daily transportation even if we bought them new. Just like other details on the car under the hood for example. Didn't make it any faster which was often our narrow focus. Don't remember having a gas receipt ever either but maybe different eras and different experiences for each of us
Well said...
I probably had 30 Shelby's before I realized VINS etc etc....
Quote from: J_Speegle on May 29, 2022, 03:44:23 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 03:07:18 PM
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
Don't remember having a gas receipt ever either but maybe different eras and different experiences for each of us
Parents gave sister and I each a gas card. When the bill came at the end of the month we had to anti up the $ for any gas we charged. Good lessons even today pay it off and avoid the interest charges.
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 05:52:43 PM
Parents gave sister and I each a gas card. ....................
That would have been the day in our home. We were more of the can't pay for it - you don't need it sort of education :)
Don't recall my parents ever having credit cards until the 80-90's And working at a gas station while in high school credit cards were a rarity though maybe three or four in a whole business day
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 05:52:43 PM
Quote from: J_Speegle on May 29, 2022, 03:44:23 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 03:07:18 PM
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
Don't remember having a gas receipt ever either but maybe different eras and different experiences for each of us
Parents gave sister and I each a gas card. When the bill came at the end of the month we had to anti up the $ for any gas we charged. Good lessons even today pay it off and avoid the interest charges.
Very benevolent parents, cash or pushed for me
His name is Steve Sprague. I am trying to do this without his knowledge because I think it would be a cool thing to surprise him with if I can find it, and if I cant I probably just wont mention it. Are there not records available showing who bought each car? From there I think it should be as simple as using the VIn to do the rest, no?
There are records. Although they are not always complete.
...and it can be done
Contact the 1967 Registrar, it does not appear to be a 1968.
SAAC '67 Registrar, dmathews@prodigy.net
More than likely you will need more information.
Quote from: FL SAAC on May 30, 2022, 06:10:40 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 05:52:43 PM
Quote from: J_Speegle on May 29, 2022, 03:44:23 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 03:07:18 PM
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
Don't remember having a gas receipt ever either but maybe different eras and different experiences for each of us
Parents gave sister and I each a gas card. When the bill came at the end of the month we had to anti up the $ for any gas we charged. Good lessons even today pay it off and avoid the interest charges.
Very benevolent parents, cash or pushed for me
More like don't call me in the middle of the night if you are out of gas. Also they wanted to make sure we had no excuse for not making it to high school and college.
Quote from: FL SAAC on May 30, 2022, 06:10:40 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 05:52:43 PM
Quote from: J_Speegle on May 29, 2022, 03:44:23 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 03:07:18 PM
Car serial numbers weren't a thing then. We all remembered our license plate numbers because we wrote them on the gas receipts - that way dad knew which kid to charge.
Don't remember having a gas receipt ever either but maybe different eras and different experiences for each of us
Parents gave sister and I each a gas card. When the bill came at the end of the month we had to anti up the $ for any gas we charged. Good lessons even today pay it off and avoid the interest charges.
Very benevolent parents, cash or pushed for me
I remember turning 16 in January of 1975, my Dad had saved a 1960 1/2 ton pickup truck from his racing team support vehicles. It needed brakes, the fuel system rebuilt, the transmission and clutch needed rebuilt of course the suspension and all of the other things needed rebuilt as well. He told me here is YOUR truck. I had the use of one of his two El Caminos to use for getting parts. (Always had two El Caminos, when one died it got replaced with another.) That was how I was to get the parts for fixing MY truck. In I was to wash the El Camino he wasn't driving that day fill it with gas, vacuum it out and have it ready for the next day. My Dad was a fairly clean individual so not as bad as it sounds.....but the gas! He was not wanting to spend any time in the odd/even gasoline lines so the last thing I did every day was fill up the car.
So my friends thought I was spoiled, getting a shell, an Arco, a Union 76, and a Texaco gas card along with two El Caminos to drive to school and on occasion I drove my truck to school and run errands I was always given a list of "missions" to accomplish before the end of the day as well.
I learned how to repair everything on the truck and then started learning to fix everything on the El Caminos. That first summer after 10th grade because I kept listing of where the cars went, when they needed oil changes, plugs, etc. I was able to identify that my best friend who would go with me on the missions put 22,000 miles on the cars. I was so happy to have school start again. I made several trips to Tucson to pick up aircraft parts. Suffice it to say I had every receipt itemized as to where I went and why and they all had the license plate number on them, gas station attendants we're NOT keen on either leaving the number off or putting a different number on the gas receipt as people used the imprinted receipts as tax documents. My Dad's accountant chewed my butt out if I didn't make sure that the receipt was accurate. No VIN numbers except on work done at the dealership.
John
Alrighty, so I got more info: It was a 68 GT500, Acapulco blue and was actually purchased in New Hampshire, not Maine at Nashua Ford. It had No A/C, and no power steering. He said the no P/S was Shelby's mistake and he was told they would pick it up from him and install it but he didnt want to waste the time. Also, he said the clutch was a POS and the spring mechanism never worked and half the time he had to use his toe to pick the clutch pedal back up after shifting. He retains no paper work on it and does not know the VIN.
What can we do with that info?
So, the non franchise dealership is hard to trace. Once it left a franchise dealer the cars were not always kept track of...
I do see one sent to "Auto City" in Portsmouth, NH. The first known owner was a guy named Paul Hooper, Steve's name is not in the record
Quote from: JohnSlack on June 01, 2022, 11:59:59 AMI remember turning 16 in January of 1975, my Dad had saved a 1960 1/2 ton pickup truck from his racing team support vehicles. It needed brakes, the fuel system rebuilt, the transmission and clutch needed rebuilt of course the suspension and all of the other things needed rebuilt as well. He told me here is YOUR truck.
Now that's benevolent. I had my 28 Dodge that I had traded my 1/4 midget for in 8th grade. It was still needing work when I was able to drive so I swapped it to my dad for his 59 Ford Ranch Wagon. While I was rebuilding its engine he let me rebuild the engine in his 59 Anglia. He taught me how to pour bearings on that one. Drove the wagon until I bought my 54 Vette.
Quote from: J_Speegle on May 29, 2022, 09:34:21 PM
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on May 29, 2022, 05:52:43 PM
Parents gave sister and I each a gas card. ....................
That would have been the day in our home. We were more of the can't pay for it - you don't need it sort of education :)
Don't recall my parents ever having credit cards until the 80-90's And working at a gas station while in high school credit cards were a rarity though maybe three or four in a whole business day
Same here. I remember having wads of cash and depositing some of it as the day went on into the safe. Rarely did I get more than a few credit cards in a shift. I'm 62 and have NEVER paid interest on a credit card in my life but have gotten a lot of $$$$ back from using my cards over the years.
Hi. This is what I did to track down old cars I owned. If you know what the license plate number was or have a picture of the car and you can see the license plate number in the photo. You can have the DMV do a search on all your cars with that plate number. The results will bring up plate number and the vin # . I went to the DMV website and filled out the form , I think my state was $15 , printed out the form and mailed it in , a month or two later got all the info in the mail. I don't know how far they can go back in the records , but I got back to 1982 on mine . Once you have the vin# you will be able to do a lot more. I'm from New Jersey and this is what I did. Hope it helps.
Quote from: TGL on June 08, 2022, 04:13:09 PM
Alrighty, so I got more info: It was a 68 GT500, Acapulco blue and was actually purchased in New Hampshire, not Maine at Nashua Ford. It had No A/C, and no power steering. He said the no P/S was Shelby's mistake and he was told they would pick it up from him and install it but he didnt want to waste the time. Also, he said the clutch was a POS and the spring mechanism never worked and half the time he had to use his toe to pick the clutch pedal back up after shifting. He retains no paper work on it and does not know the VIN.
What can we do with that info?
I had a 68 GT 500 a couple years back...
Bought it in Maine but it had NH history...
Car # 729...
Blue/4 speed with no AC
Photo of 68 GT 500 that I owned about 18 months ago..
It had NH history..
Grappone in Concord NH. Was a dealer in NH. Use to go up there a lot as a 16 year old kid. 8)