Shelby American ‘MFG 013’ license plates

[Cobra Ned]

I believe it was Fran Kress that reproduced a series of the 1C-013 MFR plates. I have seen a number of them on different cars at shows, etc. I am aware of the existence of a 1N-013 original plate with '65 and '66 CA date stickers still on it.

[CharlesTurner]

Charles was correct! That is 5s003.
That is a close up of the famous interior photo of the race hanger. The second photo was taken at 90 degrees to it, from the front.

Regarding the emblem, I recall the past conversations, but don't recall the exact details.
-One of the R models noted to be in the same photo (5r100) did not show a rear tail panel emblem on it when racing at Bridgehampton September 19, 1965.
-5s003 did show a taillight panel emblem, in the PR photos taken on Benedict Canyon Drive, noted as February 1965.

There was some kind of emblem on 003 at the benedict canyon photo shoot, but we couldn't figure out what it was, so it was left off during the 1st and most recent re-restoration of the car.  There are filled holes in the panel.  003 was prepared as a 'production' GT350 to sell after it's usefulness as a prototype had expired, that was about the time the LAX photo was taken in the race shop hangar. 

I suggested that maybe the car at Venice with the Mustang GT fender decal could be 003.  Zooming into the trunk on both pics, the stripe and overspray patterns appear to be very similar.  Seeing as the DLR plates were interchanged with cars, it's possible that maybe 003 had several plates on it during it's time at SA.  Unfortunately, there is no way to know for sure if that was 003 in that Venice photo or even the other photos of the same car with the decal.

[Richstang]

Charles was correct! That is 5s003.
That is a close up of the famous interior photo of the race hanger. The second photo was taken at 90 degrees to it, from the front.

Regarding the emblem, I recall the past conversations, but don't recall the exact details.
-One of the R models noted to be in the same photo (5r100) did not show a rear tail panel emblem on it when racing at Bridgehampton September 19, 1965.
-5s003 did show a taillight panel emblem, in the PR photos taken on Benedict Canyon Drive, noted as February 1965.

There was some kind of emblem on 003 at the benedict canyon photo shoot, but we couldn't figure out what it was, so it was left off during the 1st and most recent re-restoration of the car.  There are filled holes in the panel.  003 was prepared as a 'production' GT350 to sell after it's usefulness as a prototype had expired, that was about the time the LAX photo was taken in the race shop hangar. 

I suggested that maybe the car at Venice with the Mustang GT fender decal could be 003.  Zooming into the trunk on both pics, the stripe and overspray patterns appear to be very similar.  Seeing as the DLR plates were interchanged with cars, it's possible that maybe 003 had several plates on it during it's time at SA.  Unfortunately, there is no way to know for sure if that was 003 in that Venice photo or even the other photos of the same car with the decal.

Excellent detailed reply! Thanks Charles.
I'll add 5s003 to the list, noted as a possibility.

Your point about dealer plates being interchanged is one everyone should take note of.
We see it happened on the MFG plates as well. I did revise the list to show different cars with the same plate, line by line.
My ultimate goal here is to track each car by plate number and to ID them if possible.

[Szabo]

Very cool to read all the 5s003 stuff ...

for me personal i really think that the Prototyp GT350 and the GT350 in the Garage are the same car
this would be logical at the way to dont waste possible money

I would really love to discuss this point and clear it or find any breadcumb, but that would be
off topic in this thread.

But i understand that it is not 100% proofed, there seem to be a missing link,
maybe SAI paperwork could help but it seems there is no possiblity to check this.

i want to add the best HQ Pic from the "Garage Car" in the back between the other First 14 Advanced Prototyps

[CharlesTurner]

Best to break off into another topic to discuss 003 stuff...

[Szabo]

Best to break off into another topic to discuss 003 stuff...

Yeah, the car and the hole 5s003 would be worth to discuss that from the ground off...


For the Thread here i want to add some more...


I got a Email from George Watters who inform me that he has two of the origin Plates,
Kieth (SFM66H) put them in the origin Pics and this is so cool that i would like to post it here...

Thanks to George wo is still in the backround and thinking about us.





Also i found this Pic with a red Cobra and GT500 on LAX, Plate says 3F MFG 013


and i can identify the Car with 1E DLR 4101 as SFM 5012

[joephil]

2H MFG 013   5R209

[Side-Oilers]

Interesting that several cars have the MFG or Dealer plate mounted to the front of the car.   

In CA, AFAIK back then, only a rear plate was required for Dealer and Manufacturers.  That's the way it has been in CA for as long as I can remember. 

Thoughts?

[6R07mi]

Rich, in post #38 I wonder if that is 5S003 with the tape by the right tail light, is it possible there could have been a prototypical
GT350 emblem there ? In the 2019 '65 registry in the write up for 5S003 it says "filling of minor holes in body", also on page 11,

there is a pic of 5S003 with the GT350 emblem on the rear. I'm not sure about the time frames around all this.

Question ? were rear panel GT350 emblems in place on later cars in production and not early cars ? I seem to remember some

information about non striped cars being able to be identified as a Shelby from the rear ?

This is all speculation on my part.

Mike

Remember 5S003, 5R001 & 5R002 were built separate from the DSO spec cars, so they didn't have the ornament / mounting holes delete fenders (6 cyl) and I wonder if they had the quarter panel scallop holes also?

jim p

[Szabo]

Hey,

i would like to share this hole 5S003 thing out of that thread and will form a new one in the 1965 section...

That is just to interesting to fill it here and i hardly think we bring it all together and maybe find some
missing links together ...

For that Thread i came of with a Pic from "Little Red" on the Riverside Test wearing 2G MFG 013 Plates

[67411F--0100-ENG.]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the first of what I think are the two neatest photos of 0100 that show the "3S" license plate.  This black and white photo was taken by Car and Driver in late November of '66.

Eric

[67411F--0100-ENG.]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the second of what I think are the two neatest photos of 0100 that show the "3S" license plate.  This color photo was taken on 12/9/66 for Sports Car Graphic.

Eric

[Richstang]

Thanks to everyone, we have gathered a long list of the Shelby American MFG plates. It appears that once the 1A–Z plates were taken up, SAI started the 2A-Z plates, and continued with 3A up until around 3S plates. We haven't seen any 4A-Z plates. That indicates there were approximately 70 plates issued to SAI over about four years in CA.


Joephil,
Nice photo taken at the Routes Du Nord (Hillclimb?)
I'm not sure why the '2H' plate was used on 5r209. I assume it was still an SAI owned car at the time of that February '66 event (France?).
Anyone ever hear of SAI running any R models in Europe?
I assume a license plate was required on any public roads.

[J_Speegle]

Remember 5S003, 5R001 & 5R002 were built separate from the DSO spec cars, so they didn't have the ornament / mounting holes delete fenders (6 cyl) and I wonder if they had the quarter panel scallop holes also?

There was not package, option nor standard installation on 65 or 66 fastbacks that included the quarter panel ornamentation like coupes and convertibles had

A few unrestored 65 fastbacks of various option and drivetrain options

[joephil]

[...]Anyone ever hear of SAI running any R models in Europe?
[...]

5R539 (Raced by Claude Dubois) ...