Laguna Seca 1982 -- My KR in Shelby parking area

[Side-Oilers]

Found this 40 year old photo in a box today.     Laguna, 1982.   

That's my KR in foreground. Shortly after I bought it.  Drove it up there from L.A. and discovered it would give me 90 miles per tankful, maximum range.  (More like 70 miles tank range if having fun, like when speeding along with a Lamborghini Miura for a couple dozen miles.)

Fun, until I almost ran dry in a desolate area between nowhere and King City, and had to drop to 55 mph to hopefully make it in on fumes.  Lambo guy didn't seem to notice/care, and keep on truckin'.

Anyone know the owners of the others cars in this pix...'66 GT350, Cougar, etc.   Would love to see any other photos from this date & location.   I'm still digging and will post if I find any.

Thanks,
Van

[427heaven]

I was there as well with my white 66... Mine might be the 66 in the middle of the photo, I remember them parking me with unrelated cars like that photo, because someone thought it was a clone with an automatic and some patina. From that weekend on... the car was transformed into a BOSS 302 4 SPEED ripper.

[ctann]

Love it!

I know the previous owner of my KR used to Autocross it out at Candlestick park in the late 70's or early 80's - how I would love to find an old photo of it!

@Van, is your Shelby still in the area? We actually cruised through Laguna Seca in the KR on the "Coast to Copper Rally" back in March...

Cheers,
            Chris.

[Side-Oilers]

Chris,

My KR was originally sold at Chet Monez Ford (in Fairfield CA) but has been in SoCal since the guy before me bought it (circa 1977.)

I'm in San Diego area if you're ever cruising by.
Van

[68krrrr]

pretty cool

[Side-Oilers]

Found another pix from the same event...

[mark p]

I see a Tiger in the background, always enjoy spotting those.

how was that chin spoiler? I had a JC Whitney one on my (not worthy to mention  ) car, it really clamped the front end down at higher speeds.

[Side-Oilers]

The chin spoiler was on the car when I bought it in '82. I drove it at Willow Springs a couple of times.

Seemed to keep the front end from lifting "too much" at high speeds.  But I'd never driven the car without it, to compare.

When I restified the car in 2013-2015, I chose to leave it off. (Looks better without it, IMO.)

I took it to Willow only one other time: In late '15.  With no spoiler (but a bunch of other mods)  the car was pulling 8-9 mph faster down the front straight. That is attributable to new more powerful 427 and the new Hotchkis suspension that allowed higher corner exit speeds. 

The Hotchkis suspension also leveled out the F/R ride height. That must have helped counter some of the lift too. The car felt great, planted, at 133 mph (caught on radar) on the front straight.  Photos I have of the car on the track that day show a fairly level stance at those speeds.

So, I can't make an apples-to-apples comparison if the chin spoiler helped or not.

[mark p]

Fun stories Van.
and, at least we all know it looks 1000% better without 👍

[TA Coupe]

Does anyone know who's truck this is and the story behind it?  If no one knows, I will say in a few days.

         Roy

[crossboss]

Does anyone know who's truck this is and the story behind it?  If no one knows, I will say in a few days.

         Roy

Roy,
As the joke says on the license plate frame, its Rick Kopeck's truck, correct?

[TA Coupe]

Correct.  He didn't discover it until he was half way home 🙃

         Roy