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Well reality has finally hit me, and I've reached the realization that it's time to sell her which is what I did. She has reached her new home in NJ.

Congratulations, will something easier to get in and out of replace it?

Bill

It's on our calendar   

Rick,

   Thank you and everyone else in the military for your/their service

Repost in the public access section:

NEWBIE's

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Yes, the above really is that simple.

I am reaching out to address some misinformation currently circulating about this Shelby. I have a clear understanding of where the rumor originated, including the dealer/collector who inspected the car when Dan considered selling it before Ted Baird acquired it.

My extensive research includes documented conversations with Bob Cloutier, who owned, raced, and restored this car, confirming that it has not been rebodied. To help set the record straight, I am more than willing to share this documentation to clarify any misunderstandings surrounding the car's authenticity.

Below, I've included one of many emails from Bob, confirming that I was the first to contact him regarding the history of this car. This correspondence further supports the car's genuine history and demonstrates the importance of preserving its true legacy.





Joseph
 
 
Yes, that was one of many really cool ford cars I owned.    I remember spending a lot of money at the time replacing most everything on the car with NOS parts....     Hopefully when you got the car you got everything that I sold the car to the guy in Florida with it.      How does the car look now?   Stock looking as it was when sold originally from Shelby American?   Or still with the 16' x 8" wheels that I would run on the car when I raced it?    Remember I also gave them the original 14" 10spoke wheels.                 I also put in tinted glass, is that still there too?     I did also give them the original non tinted glass.                     You are the 1st person since the car was sold back in 2001 to contact me about this Shelby.                 I also owned a boss 429 KK1850 and every time it changes hands the new owner reaches out to me about the history on that car!   HA!                         I seem to recall when I got 6S2166 that it had an automatic with it but still had the steel hood!      I'd have to look to see if I kept much other info on the car.   The original all wood wheel was really a mess... so I sold it and bought a NOS one.            I remember that Carrol Shelby rode in that Shelby back in the late 90s at RoadAmerica.... Chuck Canfield did too...           like I say it's been a long time ago.       
 
Hopefully, you like the car and drive it?    I also put in ½ fuel line with a smaller return line...         the car was very fast!
 
If you are ever in the Denver area, and wanted to stop over, we could look over what Shelby stuff I might still own...  but like I said when those old cars were sold....  I gave the extra stuff with the new owners or if a friend asked me for some of the stuff, I gave to them..    I remember early one I ran original 68 Shelby 10 spoke wheels on the car at vintage race events as those wheels were 15"!  HA!       I think that was what I had at road America....   I know the car won a few trophies at SAAC events.... It won trophies in the shows and at race events when trophies were given out.          Just thinking... I put an N case rear end in the car with the stock 3.89 gears and also had a couple other spare N case 3rd members the new owner got....   I think I had 3.50 & 4.88 and maybe even 3.25 N case posi gear sets..... at the different tracks I would swap the 3rd member out to keep the car in front of most others.
 
I've owned some other 66 Shelbys but didn't race them.               And yes, Bob McClurg did a nice write up on 2166 in Mustang Illustrated....  I might still have that magazine...     I remember one of my cars was also in Hot Rod magazine.... I don't recall which at this point...  it might have been that Shelby or a boss 302 I owned or maybe even KK1850?
 
 
bob
 

Bob,

No offense, but there is a previous owner here, one with first hand knowledge of the car as he owned it for 20 years, if he states the car is NOT 6S2166 , then it is not. If you believe otherwise, then you need to back that up with more than what you posted above. Perhaps subject it to a proper vetting, remove the fender and confirm the Ford VIN (correlation of that to a specific Shelby is a well known way to do so, if of course it has not been restamped).

It was definitely not a factory item

You could not restore the prototype 1968 convertible without installing TWO fire extinguishers.
As can be seen from the invoice that SA sent to their insurance underwriter for repairs to the car after it had been stolen.

http://www.1967shelbyresearch.com/library/docs/files/1967-06-20%20SAI%20Invoice%205040%20-%20Repairs%20of%20Stolen%20Convertible%2000139.pdf

The OP was referring to regular production cars not a engineering car like the prototype 68 convertible that the invoice refers to. Some suspicious inconsistencies besides the 2 fire extinguishers in that invoice. I don't recall 2 fire extinguishers being installed on any of the restorations of the car. You will have to contacted Brian Styles to see if he knows where the two fire extinguishers were mounted to support a "installed" situation in his extensive research of the car. They could have been loose in the car too.

I'm thinking the fire extinguishers, the extra 8 base gaskets, and the AM radio (who steals a factory AM radio) were for other vehicles and just lumped into the chargeback invoice.

Bill

Much appreciated for the responses!

So it was essentially an owner that installed or carried a fire extinguisher in the KR and decided its placement.

It would definitely make sense since it would be bad publicity for the manufacturer or dealership to install one if it wasn't mandated by federal regulations (e.g. safety belts), suggesting concerns on safety and reliability of the KR.

I was curious since AACA judging rules requires one visibly with the car, usually next to the driver's front tire, and searched to find if there was a dedicated location in the KR.  However, no online or hard copy references that I had accessed suggested this was the case.

This forum has provided the ground truth.

It's not car brand or model specific, show organizations like the AACA, (MCA also I believe) and some others require a fire extinguisher to be placed/installed in the cars at their shows because of previous incidents of fire at their events. If everyone has an extinguisher in their car, on a show field, there is a better chance of someone coming to the other car owners assistance.

Bill

1. Was a fire extinguisher installed in 1968 KRs at the factory or dealership?

2. What was the extinguisher latch location in the KR?  Or did it vary from the upper part of the inside of the trunk, behind or in front of the driver's bucket seat, or behind the center armrest console?

3. What was the weight/size of the fire extinguisher installed?

Thank you very much for your time and assistance in advance!

Don Pealer

Don,

   No and no, so unfortunately, the rest of your questions are irrelevant.

Bill

My thoughts are on stock cars that left the factories are this: If it was sold as a race car or turned into a race car from day one a conundrum is what livery do you end up at? The very first configuration? A later one if the car had the most success as that livery? So take this car my thoughts are restore it to stock or as raced livery. The end product is neither? Am I correct on this? Of course opinions vary but you are not getting a car restored to what it ever was "back in the day". You are buying a modified 65 Shelby whereas the value is in how stock/original" it is or how it was when modified to race at some point.

Just my personal two cents worth-----If the car has vintage race history, be it on day 1, or day 800, at least to me, it should be kept as a race prepped car. If the current owner wants to restore it to stock, that is his or her prerogative, their car, their money. As far as SFM5S208 is concerned, the current owner/seller was so focused on the money spent on the car, but failed to realize that you can easily be on the wrong side of the economic equation when it comes to restoring an antique car that those figures do not matter. Same goes for the quality of the restoration, or the attention to detail of the same. As of right now, in the current market, he must now realize that he will be losing money with the sale, as there is less of a chance of finding an uninformed buyer just looking to scratch that "Shelby itch".

Bill

The most useful folks show up with a tent and a chain saw.  Just bodies available to do whatever, we will be hosting 3 dudes tomorrow for that. But still logistics, getting it set up for them to do the best work takes time and energy.

Drew,

   Exactly, while I'm lucky, and have power back at the house, I've spent the last week out assisting where I can. Most of the last few days was with my chainsaw, my tools, my gas, and of course my time. Yes, NC is still the hardest hit, but even in my large town, there are still folks without a way off their property other than to hoof it. For the young, it's easy (walking to school, up hill, both ways, you know from where you and I both grew up), for the 70-90 year olds, not so much. A couple more days, and the few that are left cut off from the outside world, will have that access restored. My small group of friends will make sure of that. Will we head off to NC next, from what I understand, they are having issues keeping track of, and organizing such small volunteer groups, so while I've signed up, I'm doubting I get that call. If so, I'm there, no questions asked.

As for those that play armchair quarterback, from areas far away, living vicariously through whatever they see on TV, I can tell them the TV does not tell the tale, nor show the sheer devastation, nor show what Drew mentioned above in a way to really get what is occurring on the ground. In closing, and especially today 10/7, I ask that you say a prayer for all those effected by the chaos that has ravaged the world we live in, pray for those taking time out of their lives to lend a hand, pray.


Bill

Just a small update for those following, or who have plans to visit the area:

Blue Ridge Parkway is closed indefinitely with multiple sections washed away.

Sections of RT26 and RT40 are also closed through mid to late 2025


Bill

Trying to do this the most polite way possible. There is a user that continues to repeatedly repost their own threads about topics usually irrelevant to Shelby American and or continuously reposting & or commenting on their own classified ads to keep them high in circulation and I'm pretty sick of it. I've been able to block updates from said persons entire region (great feature, thank you for this) but I'm still stuck seeing their spam in the latest forum message updates. Can you introduce a feature so I no longer have to see anything this person says? This forum is such a great tool and most people here are an amazing wealth of information, I'm tired of seeing interesting and relevant topics and comments bumped out of view for someone's post count ego.

Thanks and keep up the great work, I love this club, excited for SAAC 50.

At one time, this was a sticky at the top of one of the boards. It's status has since been unattached from that spot, but still shows up in my signature line:
https://www.saac.com/forum/index.php?topic=16401.0

Hope you find it helpful.

Bill

We also made donations to Samaritan's Purse. Ironically, we are headed to a wedding near Atlanta this weekend, and had reservations to stay at a small hotel in Burnsville, NC for a couple of days next week on the way back for our 25th wedding anniversary. Plans were to go to the Biltmore, but we are really concerned about everyone in that entire area. Prayers for them.

You'll have to change plans, both areas are currently unreachable to anyone but emergency response teams and search and rescue.
Atlanta and the general area made out far better than NC/SC, all major roads back open, highways back open, just check later this week to make certain your hotel has power.

Bill

I've heard that Chimney Rock, Lake Lure and Maggie Valley are heavily damaged as is Biltmore Village.  Over 400 roads in NC are impassible.

1/2 of Chimmney Rock (restaurant row) is gone, wiped off the map, most of the debris now sitting towards the boat landing at Lake Lure. Biltmore village was under 6 feet of water, 14-16 feet in Ashville itself. We were lucky, very little physical damage to our home, only 3 days without power, some of our neighbors not as lucky. Over 200,000 locally still without power, Duke stating some might not have power for another 7-10 days,  some major roads still impassable, even this now. The words biblical and historic are being bounced around by folks who have lived here for 80+ years. Just home from our evening run getting home bound folks whatever they need that we can find.

Bill

The last update of 2024

You will find some incredible stuff

> More NOS parts

> A Watkins Ford update, with some incredible showroom photos.

> BJ Werner and what might be the most incredible 1969 Shelby

> The Coralsnake's most controversial article yet

> 1969 Shelby interiors

And much more. As always if you see something that doesn't look right please let me know.

http://www.thecoralsnake.com/new.html


Please remember to refresh your browsers

Pete,

   Thanks again for your hard work. Most of us truly appreciate it.


Bill