Little Red

[68stangcjfb]

It's funny really. it seems all these they got crushed stories seem to be code for sneaking them out the back door!  makes you wonder if these cars were discovered 30 years ago, somebody would be in very hot water from a legal standpoint. But 50 years on? Who cares? And you're right it does cost money to do all these searches. but the upside can be pretty staggering.

[shelbydoug]

It's funny really. it seems all these they got crushed stories seem to be code for sneaking them out the back door!  makes you wonder if these cars were discovered 30 years ago, somebody would be in very hot water from a legal standpoint. But 50 years on? Who cares? And you're right it does cost money to do all these searches. but the upside can be pretty staggering.

It isn't uncommon for the era. I knew someone who worked for Gruman Aircraft on Long Island. The Aeroquip he had was amazing. You had to see the size of his lunch "pail". I wonder what else would fit in there. The jet engines were too big.

Don't ask, don't tell, is nothing new. Just the application has refocused?

[roddster]

  I'm glad it has been found.  Let's remember, in Paul Hewitt's 68 California Special registry Lil'Red was in Dearborn being used as a styling exercise for the future California Special 68 Mustangs.  This is why the photos are showing a whole lot of 68 parts.  The tail lights, the deck lid configuration, the steering wheel.

  Ford stories about crushing:  This about sums it up about these stories.  Lil" Red isn't the first we've read about this.  Prototypes being crushed.  Maybe somebody spread the rumour about various cars.  IE the 67 GT 500 C'vert, Lil 'Red, how about those Thouroughbred cars, the NASCAR 70 Torino shovelnose.  Somebody at the corporate Fomoco sales was up to something I think.

[Coralsnake]

...or people who didnt know better, made it up, because they couldnt find the cars?

...or if you want to go to the darkside, maybe they spread the story to stop people from looking for the cars, while they continued to search?

There are a lot of possible scenarios

[Coralsnake]

Are we sure thats Little Red that was made into a Cal Spec?

I think the Green Hornet was the Cal Spec car.

Here are the handwritten notes we believe are from Fred Goodell, Chief Engineer

The "new" version of the coupe would be the Green Hornet, built in Dearborn. Its unknown if the Green Hornet ever got a 427 transplant

[propayne]

It's all kind of a fascinating situation where at some point, some person who has the opportunity does something that, if not out right illegal it certainly borders on unethical. I'm sure their motivation wasn't to preserve history, but to put a few extra bucks in their pockets.

But the result is that something of huge historical significance gets saved.

Not unlike concerts that were illegally recorded (bootlegged) and then 50 years later the bands actively seek them out to be included in official and exhaustive retrospective releases.

- Phillip

[shelbydoug]

Are we sure thats Little Red?

...oh no!

[Richstang]

Are we sure thats Little Red?

I think the Green Hornet was the Cal Spec car.

Here are the handwritten notes we believe are from Fred Goodell, Chief Engineer

The "new" version of the coupe would be the Green Hornet, built in Dearborn. Its unknown if the Green Hornet ever got a 427 transplant

The Full letter can be found on Brian's "1967 Shelby Convertible" website. Noted there as circa July '67.

http://1967shelbyconvertible.com/documentation/original-documents/ionia-move-jobs-yet-to-be-completed-in-california.asp


Shelby Doug, probably knows this but, I believe Pete means "Are we sure Little Red was the '68 Cal Spec car and not the Green Hornet?
I read the letter the same way...Little Red was kept by CS and the Green Hornet was built and sent off to fulfill the Cal Spec car needs.

CS and his bean counter were likely the ones behind saving Little Red and the other Engineering cars from the crusher. I would think he wanted to either keep a few for himself or sell everything possible to get a few more dollars out of the venture before it all shifted over to Ford in Michigan.   see reply #84 below

[Coralsnake]

Its likely Ford was involved, because the cars seem to have went through dealerships.

Im still trying to determine if they were sold as "used" or " demonstrators" or something else?

[Coralsnake]

Shelby Doug, probably knows this but, I believe Pete means "Are we sure Little Red was the '68 Cal Spec car and not the Green Hornet

Correct. I have ammended my post to clarify

[propayne]

Its likely Ford was involved, because the cars seem to have went through dealerships.

Im still trying to determine if they were sold as "used" or " demonstrators" or something else?

Forgive me if this was covered and I missed it, but I'm curious if the "it was crushed" theory emanated from official written documentation from Ford?

- Phillip

[shelbydoug]

This makes me wonder now, again, about the Cobra(s) that were sent to Ford for "evaluation" then reported as "crushed"?

I think "crushed" is just a "Detroit" code word for something else.

[Coralsnake]

I have never seen anything in writing.

A former AO Smith employee told me he watched a portable crusher crush some cars at the plant to include a Cobra.

[Richstang]

Its likely Ford was involved, because the cars seem to have went through dealerships.

Im still trying to determine if they were sold as "used" or " demonstrators" or something else?

Great point that I overlooked! I'll strike that sentence.

[jguyer]

At the Woodward Cruise in Mustang Alley. Not really in cruising condition.