The Shelby American (Winter 2021)

performance 289 engine. I wish we had that car today! ” “ We had lots of one-owner cars on our lot, like a 1967 Mustang GTA fast- back with a rare pebble beige exterior paint, automatic transmission and styled wheels that we bought for $3,000 and sold for $6,000. That’s an- other one I wish I still had today .” When asked if he ever had a Shelby on his car lot, he chuckled. “ In the late 1970’s, we heard about a dark blue 1970 Shelby GT-500 with low miles for sale in Bentonville, where the Wal- mart home office is today. The weather was bad, and when we test drove it the engine had a knock. That bothered us, as did the thought of driving it home in bad weather, so we passed on the car. We later learned it sold for $4,500. Looking back, I wish we had taken the chance and bought it. It’s funny, but the ones you remember the most are those you lost money on (laughing) .” In his case, I doubt there were many of those. I could have stayed all day listening to more of his car stories, but it was close to dinner time, and I had to get going. And I know he was just getting warmed up on his car tales. He was grinning the most when reliving his time with his ’68 Shelby convertible. Lord Tennyson had it right – it is bet- ter to once have owned/loved a Shelby and ‘lost it’ than never to have owned one at all. The SHELBY AMERICAN Winter 2021 79