Shelby Buildings -LAX- New 10.02.24 - 4 new colored Pics May 65 w. Comparsion

[Szabo]

Hello,

after Princeton Drive and Carter Ave also is finished i will start with the last Building in Californian ...

Shelby American Inc., West Imperial Highway 6501, Los Angeles, California

or as Shortcut LAX

for me personal it is my masterpiece, i am always a big fan of the 1965 - 1966 GT350 and so
in LAX the most magic happend ...

for sure i like the Cobra and Daytona also but my passion belongs to GT350

For a long time in my life i wanted to even know what happend here in LAX, but i never make
the work to detailed this at the Level i do it with the Buildings of Princeton and Carter ...

When you looked long enough on several Internet Homepage, looking in books and even in
Promotial Videos you can find lot of Pics ...

But at this Time, and to make it really detailed, i want you to help me ...
I want to have a nearly correct Timeline what happend at LAX.

SO PLEASE feel totally free to post any Pic from LAX you have when you can make it fix
with a Date ... and even when you have no Timedata on the Pic ... i want it, too 


I dedicate this Thread to the great George Watters ... i had some emails with him and he wrote me
some stories from LAX where he was ... and for sure without his great Pics we can´t even do such a work.

He inspired me to do this work and find Details which maybe we all know befor but never see in
the hole context inside of the Buildings.

Also i want to thank Richstangs, we wrote very much in the last Days and he is so helpfull with all these
different timecodes and Pics to me ... even Side-Oiler with his knowledge and Life-Time Experience.
I hope i don´t forget somebody.

So i will beginn with Part 1.1 and some Bird View Pics of the hole LAX Building ...

in these Pics we see all Shelby rent for building the cars we all love in the forum.
and even the work was in full action ... we see the finished GT350 (with Hoods)
standing in Rows and we see even the Cobras standing.







This Pic is a little bit surprising ... maybe it is made befor Shelby rent that area
or shortly after leaving ... we see the hole area clean and clear oof Cars

Edith: Thanks Richstangs, Timecode is Early 65, even befor Shleby produced Cars but have already rent the area



This is a pic from a later Timecode on LAX, some Buildings are added on and we see a lot
of Airplanes ... the place was very big 

Edith: Thanks CAMP-USHUR, Timecode September 1967 after Shelby rent was ended



Even the Building are standing so it would be very hard working on it, enlarge it, modified it
and change ramps and even Gates or whatever was needed ...

But when you look at Google Earth you can see the hole ground are right it was in the
Sixties and so i add some 3 D Pic from 2019

and even i make some simply Measurements with Google to find out how big some Details was
they are not exactly but we have a close overlook of the hangars and this floor tiles ...






The Next step, Part 1.2, was found a few years ago, after long search i found the BLUEPRINTS of LAX like it was planned
for Shelby Production ... these Blueprints well help in near future to get the hole inside view of the Hangars.

The Item is still on sale on the Homepage ... for 6995 Bucks you can hang it in your Living Room, for me too much.
https://fastlanecars.com/gift-shop/46/signed-by-carroll-shelby







and last Part for Today, Part 1.3,  the Sales Office and Gate Entrance ...
i am sure you all know the Pics and there is no surprising Details but only to get a full Walk-Around-Trip
i will add the Pics and even a little Detailing.

For the Open Pic from Sales Office i will use the Profilpic of SFM66H, even he did the hole work with George Watters for the
famous George Watter Collection, and even to appreciation his hole work ... and even it´s in Colour.


does anybody know the exactly Colour that is used on the Pillars from Sales Office ?

but of course, many cars are pictured right befor the Sales Office, the GT350S we know all and maybe this one too, but it let us
see a little bit inside of the S.O.


just to get another Coloured Pic i will use this one from famous "Ford goes Raceing" Video


and for sure all of us know the following Pic but it´s a very good one to show the hole meshed up fence around the area from LAX
and the little Keepers House.



maybe a little unkown fact is that the S.O. was only on front and Gateside higher than the rest of the Building ...
you can see this in this enlarge Picframe ...



For the first i will go to work on the Hangars and make on in a few days or even tomorrow...

What does you mean about the Thread, or even you have information and dont forget your Pics (with Timecodes on it)
please share and keep the Thread alive...

Greets from Germany

Steve / Stephan / Szabo

[Richstang]

Hello,

after Princeton Drive and Carter Ave also is finished i will start with the last Building in Californian ...

Shelby American Inc., West Imperial Highway 6501, Los Angeles, California

This Pic is a little bit surprising ... maybe it is made befor Shelby rent that area
or shortly after leaving ... we see the hole area clean and clear oof Cars



This is a pic from a later Timecode on LAX, some Buildings are added on and we see a lot
of Airplanes ... the place was very big 



Greets from Germany
Steve / Stephan / Szabo

Steve, I don't know how you get so many photos into one post.

My notes agree, the first photo of the empty LAX grounds was taken just before Shelby American moved in, back in early '65.
I suspect they already had the lease as we can see the smaller sales office building is already in place.
A quick look at side-oilers find of the "Historic Aerials" website does not show that office in 1963.

The second photo showing all the planes on site was noted as taken shortly after Shelby's lease ended (we know they moved out in August).
My notes indicate it was sometime around September '65. It is hard to believe the sales office is already gone at that point. The blast wall is still there.

I think the accent paint color on the sales office was either a very dark blue or black. It's tough to say for sure from all these photos, as most are B&W.

[camp upshur]

The parked 707s are due to the Pan Am-TWU labor action September 1967.

[Side-Oilers]

Great info on the Pan Am date, thanks Camp Upshur.

I agree that the top photo is before S-A moved in. The expansion of the LAX North runway hadn't begun, not even clearing out many blocks of houses in that area...at the very top of the pix. I lived in that area and remember when the house tearing down work began. Was around 1966, and lasted through about 1970.  That future area is represented by the red outline I drew.

Yes, interesting that the S-A sales office wasn't in place very long.

Do we know what company leased that property BEFORE Shelby moved in? 

[Richstang]

Do we know what company leased that property BEFORE Shelby moved in?

The name 'American Aviation Inc.' is shown on the Shelby production line hanger in one of the open house photos.

[Side-Oilers]

Thanks, Rich, for that info on the previous tenant.

Here is the Playboy jet, photo dated April 1, 1971.  I remember seeing this plane parked near the former S-A hangars in the 1970s.

Is that a former S-A building behind the plane in this shot?

Imperial Blvd is to the right side of the photo, and the Imperial Bowl that I had previously mentioned was directly across the street from the S-A facility.

[Szabo]

Thanks a lot for the hole reply on this thread ...

i will add the Timedates to the Pics i have been posted.

I also know the Pic with the Cobra, but never was abeld to find out what the letters says ... Thanks again Richstangs.

[Szabo]

Thanks, Rich, for that info on the previous tenant.

Here is the Playboy jet, photo dated April 1, 1971.  I remember seeing this plane parked near the former S-A hangars in the 1970s.

Is that a former S-A building behind the plane in this shot?

Imperial Blvd is to the right side of the photo, and the Imperial Bowl that I had previously mentioned was directly across the street from the S-A facility.

i think this is Hangar 9, the ShowCar / Race Shop Hangar, you can see on your Photo that the Wall of the left side
is ending shortly after the Windows ... best Pic to see the hole Buildings is this one ...

[camp upshur]

North American Aviation at one time had manufacturing along the entire length of 25L, the 6501 hangers were the last remaining.
Specifically the 6501s were where T-39s were last manufactured. Note the 'Product Development Sabreliner' sign still hanging in the upper RH photo.

[camp upshur]

The 'Playboy' DC-9 was not parked at SAI but at the adjoining former 'West Imperial Terminal' now the 'Flight Path' museum.
The rampage between, while not part of SAI, was used for cargo offload for SAI though:

[Szabo]

The 'Playboy' DC-9 was not parked at SAI but at the adjoining former 'West Imperial Terminal' now the 'Encounters' museum.
The rampage between, while not part of SAI, was used for cargo offload for SAI though:

Thanks for your support... great Detail in this Shield unser the Hangar  ...

Does anybody know when the Cobras are uploaded in SAI ?

[Szabo]

Hey,

befor i go a few days on a big BMW Meeting i will show you my part two...

Hangar 8 aka Production Hangar

first lets go outside and talk a little walk around tour.

like always i mixed different pics from different Timecodes, when you have
any information let me know about the Timecodes for the pics.

And feel totally free to post any Pic from LAX / Hangar 8 you see or have,
only this put some live in this Thread

Hangar 8 was the one where the inner Side was totally closed,
in the Blueprint stands "Parts & Office" and i totally believe that.

i beginn with a pic to see front from Hangar 8 right behind the Sales Office
the GT350 going naked inside to come on the other side out as finished cars.


EDIT: thx to Richstangs here is another pic

Here is another one, in backround we see the open roof from Hangar 9,
just some knocked down GT350 are ready to be completed.



then we go right to the edge, you can see the Stairs for first floor,
like sayed befor you can still read "American Aviator Inc." on the wall,
which was the former Company befor Shleby rent the aera.


for the next to Pics no big surprised, only check the doors to come
in and out for the "Parts" Area




Right behind the edge, on the End of the blast Wall we can see the
other Stairs coming down from first floor, some nice Cobras and
even some 66 Red´s are standing finished for delievering



from this Pic you can see in the Backround the total Backside with a lot
of Part Boxes to make the GT350 ...
i hardly believe this is a Pic from 66 Production, note the dark paint
GT350 on the right side and behind the R is standing a GT40 (Mark I)


at this Bird View Pic we see the last side behind the meshed fence
on the front side from the Hangar ... this Pics from an 66
show some Details, like an Electricity trafo (is that term right ?)






at last i make an simply skeetch where the pics are standing on the area,
not that for a better result some are reversd shown.

[Szabo]

and here is the Inside from Hangar 8 / Production Hangar

befor Shelby production is going on some hard modification was needed for inside the Hangar
and even to make more Pieces in faster time they graved a big pit line to carry all the Cars
over the floor without jacking up every single one, like we see that on Carter Ave. Building

One of my favourite Pics an even a very early one is showing the Daytona Coupe
getting some Paint from the inner Paint Booth Boxes right behind a GT350

it is also picurted in a book with the Text: if any one have some blue paint spray
on his new GT350 and wondered why, here is the answer :-D

Note the Hoods standing, ready for paint

the hole Backround is nearly empty, only some Cars standing in line
for getting jacked over the pit line

EDIT: Thx to Richstangs this Pic was made late November / early December 1965 after some
salt damage on Bonneville Racing



on second pic we see the pit lane, lot of action and even Cars in a row
which getting Shelby Parts
Note the Cobra standing in the left side right behind the Paint boot box,
the Hood is standing off and we see a black hood scoop



next one show some welding action on the over traction bars for a 65 GT350,
note the Cobra in the backround, same as on the Pic befor.



on another time code pic there are standing some dark painted cobras in
the row behind the pit grave...
good looking on the jacking system to carry the Cars on ...



Think this one is on the same Timecode like the one befor, even some
Cobras standing in the row


here we see a 427 Engine for a Cobra and in the Backround the Pit line



Here is a really nice one, i loved that old coloured pics, a early 67 GT350/500
Production on LAX, on the Car stands 0021, is that right ?

EDIT: thx to Richstangs it is 00231, wich was on SAI from 12/15/66 to 01/03/67



All the pics are shown was nearly from the same position in the Hangar,
all have the entrance Gate in the Backround, i only found some very
little pics where the exit Gate is shown ...
in this one we see a lot of boxes inside the hangar standing. on the right
side even one of the paint booth boxes.



Even i make some video Research and they are only two on Youtoube
one is the "Ford goes Racing Video" and the other is this one https://youtu.be/61nSlyJrw_A

i even make some (bad) Screenshots to show that in 66 Production there was 3 Rows to finished the Cars after beeing in the Pit Lane...





For the end i will show a screenshot from the Parts Area right behind production line and under the Office Area in first floor...

Boy, this would be priceless at today days...





So, what you mean ? share your thougts, your stories and your pics ...

Greets

Steve

[Side-Oilers]

Thanks for another great job, Steve!   Not sure what I can add to that.
Van

[Richstang]

Thanks for another great job, Steve!   Not sure what I can add to that.
Van

+1
Well executed on both inside and outside for the Production hanger.

I sent you an email, but you might not have read it before your BMW meet.
-The white '67 Shelby on the line is #00231, a GT500 built by Ford SJ on 12/15/66 and completed by Shelby American on 1/3/67
-The Daytona Coupe (CSX2287) getting paint repairs with the '65-'66 hoods in the spray booth, was noted as taken in late Nov. / early Dec. '65, after the Bonneville record runs (salt damage).
That is one of the outside spray booth behind the Race Hanger...under the overhang.