Need helping filling in missing history gap on my 69 GT500 for the registry.....

[curtw]

Hi. Vincent Liska will soon be publishing the 69-70 registry and I've hit a dead end trying to find out how my car (#480850) got from Michigan to So. Cal., somewhere in the Sept69 to Mar70 time frame. I've got docs from Lois Emlinger (great gal,RIP), Vincent, and Marti. Vin# indicates that this was a company"pool" car and, according to Vincent, was in the possession of Shelby exec Ray Geddes (maybe he drove it from Michigan to So. Cal). The original owner insists that his uncle, who owned a dealership in Taft, Ca., purchased it from Carroll Shelby/Shelby American in LA, but cryptic markings on a doc indicate that it may have come thru Cutter Ford (now Sunrise Ford) in Hollywood (I already tried dealing with Sunrise Ford-no luck) and, also, that's when Shelby American was shutting down. Time is running out and I've completely run out of ideas except to try and find someone that may have info on Mr. Geddes' whereabouts in that time frame. I see that Ray's daughter posts on the Shelby forums from time to time. Any constructive suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Curt

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Ford execs did not drive cars cross country. It would have been shipped - I suspect by truck because it was a used car. CS was out of the car biz in CA. Hi Performance Motors had closed down by this time and the only tie CS has with Ford was his TransAm team and as a figurehead for Shelby Automotive which by late 1969 was well on the way to being closed.
Good story but probably not true. I suspect the dealer wanted a Shelby and checked those available in CA he found the one in Hollywood and dealer swapped or bought it outright. The dealer would be happy to send it down the road since people weren't buying high dollar fancy Mustangs.
Shelby American had shut down in mid 67 and was superseded by the wholly Ford owned and run Shelby Automotive.
You'll probably find a lot of 69-70 Shelby pool cars. The manufacturers tend to put their execs in things that aren't selling. At one time it was said that 80% of the Pontiac pool cars were the ugly Aztec because they couldn't even give them away.

[Bob Gaines]

Ford execs did not drive cars cross country. It would have been shipped - I suspect by truck because it was a used car. CS was out of the car biz in CA. Hi Performance Motors had closed down by this time and the only tie CS has with Ford was his TransAm team and as a figurehead for Shelby Automotive which by late 1969 was well on the way to being closed.
Good story but probably not true. I suspect the dealer wanted a Shelby and checked those available in CA he found the one in Hollywood and dealer swapped or bought it outright. The dealer would be happy to send it down the road since people weren't buying high dollar fancy Mustangs.
Shelby American had shut down in mid 67 and was superseded by the wholly Ford owned and run Shelby Automotive.

+1 what he said.

[crossboss]

FWIW,
Usually 'pool cars, 'brass hat', 'Ford employee', even some 'test cars' etc will be noted on the DSO. An example would be a 'Home Office Reserve' number. Any such info like that on 480850? IF so, that may point you in the direction as such.

[Coralsnake]

I believe Ray Geddes was involved in accounting. Dozens of cars were "assigned" to him as a matter of that responsibility.

I agree it's unlikely he drove all those cars and very unlikely he drove this car cross country.

Let me save you some some trouble with Katie, his daughter. I have spoken to her. Her mother and father were estranged. I wont go into the details, but she did tell me "Shelby" was not a name mentioned with any reverence in her household.

The car was likely just available to any Ford executive or District Sales representatives

Shelbys were usually sold through franchised dealers.

[shelbymann1970]

You'll probably find a lot of 69-70 Shelby pool cars. The manufacturers tend to put their execs in things that aren't selling. At one time it was said that 80% of the Pontiac pool cars were the ugly Aztec because they couldn't even give them away.

A fellow GM fuel systems engineer that I played hockey with at the time was driving one. The joke at GM was the best view of an Aztec was from behind the wheel. Actually a great utility vehicle so to speak but ugly as sin. What is curious the Prius for years reminded me of the Aztec but you never heard journalists call it ugly like the Aztec(I think they are uglier). Japanese car bias from the press.

[curtw]

All very very good stuff and I appreciate it very much. On a personal note: this car was purchased by a dealership (records long gone) in Taft, Ca. The owner bought it for his nephew who had recently returned from Vietnam and I'm still communicating with him. He has told me alot of great stories about the car such as: tooling around thru the oil fields near Taft, racing a JAG & Mopar & such. He seems a bit irritated that I won't blindly accept his story of the car coming from Shelby but the registrar, Vincent Liska, is a straight shooter and needs docs to support allegations. Thanks again and I'm very grateful for everyone's knowledgeable input. Curt

[curtw]

pics at: Peterson's in early 90s and Laguna Seca (by prior owner ~1990)

[SFM66H]

Curt - sent you a PM.

Thanks,
Kieth

[Coralsnake]

The dealership it was purchased from would have needed to get it from a franchise dealership

[curtw]

Thanks. I'm guessing that would be Cutter Ford (aka Sunrise Ford) in Hollywood. Curt

[98SVT - was 06GT]

When Ford took over they added a lot of dealers. It's always interesting for the dealer when the truck shows up and says here are your cars where's my check? Good luck with the sales. I wonder if the 1,000 dealers asked to be "Shelby Dealers" or if Ford just decided that their market area and volume could sustain the sales.

[curtw]

Very Interesting. Maybe a bit easier to sell the cars in Hollywood. Unfortunate that the Sunrise Ford sales manager went out of his way to be rude to me. Silly request but it should not have been a big deal. Great input and responses to my initial post. Curt