The Shelby American (Winter 2021)

the work already done it was pointless to argue about money. He sucked it up and paid the bill, remembering the painter’s last words as he left with the car: “ Good luck on getting it done for Amelia .” With the clock ticking, Hovander enlisted the help of mechanic and old friend Steve Bowman to help test com- ponents before they were placed on the car. Then it was time for the re- assembly. What should have been an enjoyable and relaxing assembly proj- ect now began to resemble the Bataan Death March; a display of desperation under a mind-numbing level of pres- sure. He would work twelve hours in his optometry practice and then go home, slam down a quick dinner, and work five or six hours in the garage. After a while he began feeling like he was wading through molasses and rec- ognized the symptoms of impending burn-out. After laying in bed one night, unable to sleep, he made some quick calculations and came to the conclusion that he would not be able to make the show, now weeks away. With a heavy heart he called John Brown to tell him that he was not going to be at Amelia and maybe 5R002 and 5S003 could join forces at some point in the coming year. Brown realized that having both cars finished at the same time was the opportunity of a lifetime. He didn’t hesitate for a heartbeat. He said he would immedi- ately send someone to Seattle with an empty enclosed trailer to pick up the car. He would pull two people off of 002 to finish up 003’s interior and final de- tailing. And just like that, it happened. Hovander says he will always consider John Brown as a hero. His assistance in finishing the car was above and be- yond anything he could expect for someone didn’t even know him. More likely, Brown was doing it for the car; the owner was only a secondary con- sideration. Hovander flew to Oklahoma a cou- ple of weeks before Amelia to lend a hand. Both cars were loaded into trail- ers and they arrived at the Holiday Inn in Amelia Island the Friday before the show. Out in the parking lot both cars received a final massaging and finishing up loose ends. Atzbach went to Home Depot and bought construc- tion worklights and extension cords and work progressed through the night. Both cars were finished at 1 a.m. Hovander, Atzbach, Brown and the rest of his crew looked like zom- bies as they wandered back to their hotel rooms. But the cars were finally show-ready. After all of the pressure, obstacles and anguish, the show itself was anti- climactic. The Amelia Island Concours is one of the top events in the country. Only 235 cars are invited and they are parked on the grass fairways of the golf resort. The crowd is huge – wall- to-wall people. The judges are knowl- edgeable and the overall ambiance is warm and friendly. 5R002 won its class, with 5S003 receiving a Second Place award in the 1960s Sports Car Class. First place went to a very de- serving Lamborghini Miura. The SHELBY AMERICAN Winter 2021 35