67 photos from the web

[Richstang]

#01338 as a base unit was built by Ford SJ on 1/30/67, completed 4/13/67. That is an unusual amount of time in between. Normally we see them completed in just over a week.
The photos show a slanted 2-piece grille. That could indicate an early start date at SAI, but with the April completion date it would likely have had a vertical grille. There could have been an issue that held it up for a couple of month. Could that be the reason it was selected as a Company Car?

We can see the LAX lot stickers '115' on both sides of the windshield confirming it as a Company Car.

In the one video, the registry shows a photo with no side stripes, but that car is noted as #00957.  Why?
Does the new owner tell us why he shows that other photo, in the video?

The previous US owner sent the 'SRG' photos that show an unusual modification to the grille and core support. It appears someone was trying to control and direct the air into the radiator with more efficiency. Was that a SAI or past owner modification? (I don't expect anyone to know that answer)

It is neat to see photos of this car in the worn/weathered condition. The newer second video shows the new owner had the engine/ compartment freshened up with a rebuild.
Someone please tell the new Swedish owner to remove the newly added 'Caution Fan' Sticker. We know that does not belong on a Shelby. It's not a Mustang!


Here a link to photos of its arrival in Sweden
https://imgur.com/gallery/ccPUYDN

The comments below the photos are interesting with some detailed replies from the owner;
-This'67 GT500 was purchased for around $80K
-It was sitting for 9 years and only needed a battery and fresh gas to start it
-Repainted twice; first in green, then back to Brittany Blue
-It took 4 months to get it to Sweden
-For now, the new owner plans keeping it as is (stock),  other than a engine rebuild

[J_Speegle]

A couple of things if I might

The previous US owner sent the 'SRG' photos that show an unusual modification to the grille and core support. It appears someone was trying to control and direct the air into the radiator with more efficiency. Was that a SAI or past owner modification? (I don't expect anyone to know that answer)

- What are the modifications to the "core" (radiator) support.

- Have seen similar attempts of sealing off the grill to control the air flow. Always looked like an owner thing or some attached to a popular race car shop out here during the 80's that liked to relocate the radiator and add oil cooler cut out in the radiator support

- Could you explain the "video" I apparently missed soe

#01338 as a base unit was built by Ford SJ on 1/30/67, completed 4/13/67. That is an unusual amount of time in between. Normally we see them completed in just over a week.
The photos show a slanted 2-piece grille. That could indicate an early start date at SAI, but with the April completion date it would likely have had a vertical grille. There could have been an issue that held it up for a couple of month. Could that be the reason it was selected as a Company Car?

Don't think that would suggest why the car was chosen to be a company loaner to an employee. Don't see the same reasoning on other similar cars assigned to personal temporarily. The license plate sequence is interesting given the limited data points we have to work with. To bad we don't have any information when it was assigned and when it was released and resold as a used car. Also the fairly large number assigned to the windshield sticker should provide some idea of time period though a rough one

In the one video, the registry shows a photo with no side stripes, but that car is noted as #00957.  Why?
Does the new owner tell us why he shows that other photo, in the video?

Did I miss a link to a video somewhere?

[Richstang]

Jeff,
The 2 video links were posted by 'JohnB' in reply #266 on the previous page.
One video seemed to only have the engine running with no voice over.
The second video is much longer with the new owner from Sweden talking is his native language.

The only modification I was referring to is what we see in that photo I posted.
We can see holes were drilled in both the front of the core support and top of the grille to attach those added panels.
They appear to be rivets. Nothing else was done that I'm aware of.

I agree the unknown delay for completion does not 'suggest' it was why it was chosen for company car selection. I only said 'could' because it is a possibility, however slim it might be. We don't have any paperwork that might note a detail as to why the completion date was held up from the time it was delivered.

The registry mentions 'Russ Grimm' as the SAI assigned driver. What department did he work with?. My employee list does not include his name. Was he in Sales or maybe Engineering?
While the car was not listed as an engineering car, we just don't know what it was used for.

Do you recall what other cars had similar air control panels on them?    by Shelby VIN numbers...just curious.

The '115' as a company car number seems to be line with the very few cars we know the lot numbers for.
Little Red was '061' and noted to be completed in December.

You ask a good question. How long it was in company service before going to the selling dealer and then sold. I have a few others I'll keep to myself for now. Maybe we'll see more info in the upcoming new registry.

[2112]

Very cool modification. I wonder how effectively it improved cooling?

[J_Speegle]

Very cool modification. I wonder how effectively it improved cooling?

Likely similar to the Mustang radiator support rubber seal give the gaps around the sides and the hood latch on the one i reply #270.  But racers and hot rodders will try just about anything

[J_Speegle]

Thanks for the additional information

I agree the unknown delay for completion does not 'suggest' it was why it was chosen for company car selection. I only said 'could' because it is a possibility, however slim it might be. We don't have any paperwork that might note a detail as to why the completion date was held up from the time it was delivered.

Its interesting that allot of company cars were assigned during the second half of the production/model years or at least that was my take away at looking at them through the years Shelby ran the company

The registry mentions 'Russ Grimm' as the SAI assigned driver. What department did he work with?. My employee list does not include his name. Was he in Sales or maybe Engineering?
While the car was not listed as an engineering car, we just don't know what it was used for.

Yes noticed that he has not been included in publish list or with the ex-employees. Maybe he wasn't around long. Did see one mention that he possibly had something to do with emissions which would make the the 67 #1338 interesting  being so late in production though it was a thermactor car. If it was a GT350 with therm. that might more of a story. Maybe he was hired for just a period of time or one project. Noticed that the registry does not show a date the car was sold as a used car. - maybe we don't have the records for the 67's as we do for other years

Do you recall what other cars had similar air control panels on them?    by Shelby VIN numbers...just curious.

Will look through my stuff

You ask a good question. How long it was in company service before going to the selling dealer and then sold. I have a few others I'll keep to myself for now. Maybe we'll see more info in the upcoming new registry.

Looking through 65-67 production and company cars provides some information but have not assembled a spread sheet to and get a good look at the results. My wife's 66 was a company car assigned to the Director of PR that Shelby hired but was a bit different (along with a few others) as they changed hands multiple times before being sold to the public as used cars approx year later

[Zilk]

Hey!
I'm the Swedish guy with #1338. Some things that has been discussed above that I might have some answers too.

1. Russ Grim, there has been some documentation floating around on the shelby research google group suggesting that the car was used for Exhaust testing. Whatever that might mean we will probably never know. It was however a thermactor car with fined hood.

2. The front aluminum plates came with the car in the trunk when it arrived. It looks very much like a non-shelby modification though, even gotten in contact with a guy who knew of the cars previous owner that suggested he did the modification. From what I also heard he raced it at a dragstrip in LA (that is now gone). It also has high-jackers in the rear so would fit that rumor.

3. Will remove the caution fan sticker. Figured it was correct since I've seen it on a lot of other GT500s, oops

4. The side stickers are a modification from previous owner along with last repaint.

5. That SAAC book footage you are discussing was just me showing the Jim Morrison car, not related just for fun.

If anyone has any other questions or want som additional pictures or whatever just let me know.

[roddster]

  Grill:  what I don't see is the angled "eyebrows" that an early angled grill would have.  It seems the headlights are pushed forward into the openings without them.
  Can you post a grill photo shot a little off to the side?

[T-Bone68]

Welcome Zilk!!

Very cool car.  Thanks for sharing pics, videos and information about it. Congrats!

John

[Richstang]

Hey!
I'm the Swedish guy with #1338. Some things that has been discussed above that I might have some answers too.

1. Russ Grim, there has been some documentation floating around on the shelby research google group suggesting that the car was used for Exhaust testing. Whatever that might mean we will probably never know. It was however a thermactor car with fined hood.

2. The front aluminum plates came with the car in the trunk when it arrived. It looks very much like a non-shelby modification though, even gotten in contact with a guy who knew of the cars previous owner that suggested he did the modification. From what I also heard he raced it at a dragstrip in LA (that is now gone). It also has high-jackers in the rear so would fit that rumor.

3. Will remove the caution fan sticker. Figured it was correct since I've seen it on a lot of other GT500s, oops

4. The side stickers are a modification from previous owner along with last repaint.

5. That SAAC book footage you are discussing was just me showing the Jim Morrison car, not related just for fun.

If anyone has any other questions or want som additional pictures or whatever just let me know.

Hello Zilk,

Welcome to the SAAC forum. You do have a cool car even if it is not perfect.

Thanks for the detailed reply and offer to answer any remaining questions.
This is also a great place to ask any questions you might have.
There are several top experts here that can answer them and are happy to do help.

I'm one of the administrators for the Shelby Research Group. I'll check into your note on Russ Grimm, but I don't recall any document in my files with his name.
-Found a document, but unfortunately it is not mine to share. It might not matter much, as it is only the name 'R. Grimm' noted with the word 'Emissions' above it. It is related to a red '67 GT500 with the document dated January 24, 1969.

The louvered hood was not typically installed on any thermactor equipped cars. If it had a later completion date as built by Shelby American that might explain why (They might have been put on a few cars, to use up the stock so the parts would not have to be shipped to Michigan, when SAI moved there for 1968).
In my opinion, your hood was replaced as a service part or by a previous owner and not original to the car.

It is terrific that one of the previous owners told you those added panels, on the grille to radiator support, was an owner added item. It might have been running to warm in the hotter California climate.

Seeing the 'Caution Fan' sticker is a red flag to the Shelby community. Taking it off will be a big plus when you open the hood. We've been told for years, it was a Mustang detail, not put on the '67 Shelby's that were built at Ford's San Jose factory in California. Many restoration shops make that mistake

The side stripes added from the '68 GT500KR are very different and the placement is unique to your car. It's your choice on whether to fix it, or wait until you decide to repaint it or not. If you do ever decide to change them, please take note the lettering on a '67 is NOT centered in the fender like the other year Shelby's.

I believe the Jim Morrison car was 0939. In the video, I noticed the registry focused in on 0957. That's one of the reasons why I asked for the translation. At first, I thought it was an older registry showing an older picture of your car. It appeared freshly paint without the side stripes. Then I noticed the car number did not match.

I'll send you a PM shortly.

Thanks again for the reply and welcome.

[Richstang]

Thanks for the additional information

I agree the unknown delay for completion does not 'suggest' it was why it was chosen for company car selection. I only said 'could' because it is a possibility, however slim it might be. We don't have any paperwork that might note a detail as to why the completion date was held up from the time it was delivered.

Its interesting that allot of company cars were assigned during the second half of the production/model years or at least that was my take away at looking at them through the years Shelby ran the company

I believe Brian Styles (maybe I helped  ) figured out the CC lot stickers on the windshields were added around the time of Ford's take over in late April '67. I recall we supported that theory when we looked at the SuperSnake photos at the Texas tire test. It didn't have the lot stickers in March. Then they appeared in the 'Drag Strip' magazine article, issued in August '67 with the lot stickers. (assume a 2 month lead time to publish) Other cars have a simular matching story, like Little Red.

[2112]

Welcome Zilk!!

Very cool car.  Thanks for sharing pics, videos and information about it. Congrats!

John

+1

[Zilk]

One thing I've been thinking about is the license plate, WFJ 013. Seen a lot of Shelby cars with the 013 numbers on their plate, did they have a series of plates assigned?

[J_Speegle]

One thing I've been thinking about is the license plate, WFJ 013. Seen a lot of Shelby cars with the 013 numbers on their plate, did they have a series of plates assigned?

Most plates (non-company cars and the like would have been assigned license plates in the state and county where they were originally sold. Calif plates can sometimes be used to estimate when a car wad first registered in California or if the plates were added much later (decades) in its life. And of course there are reproduction/fake plates that have and are being made

Unfortunately the registry does not tell us where is was sold used through - dealership or region - Or when it was sold. I don't have any plates starting with "W" in SoCal in my records at this time. Do have a "WFA" assigned to a 68 Mustangs sold in Calif likely in Nov 68

[Zilk]

If you check this old pic of Little Red for instance it's got the same 013 numbers on the plate:
https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2018/09/640/320/74ecc0f9-lr1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1

You can also see it on this pic with Carroll on a cobra:
https://i.redd.it/es5v0z5tntiz.jpg

And of course the MFG 013 plates:
https://www.mecum.com/lots/RM0520-428894/1963-carroll-shelby-shelby-american-california-mfg-013-license-plate/