> While attending Texas A&M during the 79-84 timeframe I was in the Texas > A&M > Sports Car Club. There I met Jay Bittle who now owns JBA Racing in San > Diego. At the time he owned a Texaco station while attending school at > A&M. We would meet every Wed. night (I think that's the day) and many > awesome cars would show up, a 65 Corvette convert., tunnel rammed 50 GMC > pickup, 440 GTX, Hemi Belvedere and on and on. It was awesome, but there > was this 67 GT500 red with white stripes and a 427 that rolled in one > evening and that was Jay. He stole the show every time even back then > with many other awesome cars in attendance. At the time I had my parents > 69 Galaxie 500, but I knew I'd like to have a car like Jay's. Upon > graduation I owned an 84 Dodge Shelby Charger (blue with silver stripes); > close, but still not there. > > For my 23rd birthday in 1983 I got a birthday present which was one of > those calendar type photos of a 1967 GT500 red with white stripes. I did > not remember that until one week ago when we were converting an old VHS > tape to DVD and I said stop the tape! 'er DVD!. We backed it up and there > in the photo was a picture of a 67 GT500. > > I started working for NASA here in Houston after graduation and 17 yrs > later I started traveling to Edwards Air Force Base in California for work > and was at a place in life where I had some time & money to make this car > happen. I decided to call Jay. I could not locate his phone number, but > I did have an address so I wrote him a letter. A couple months went by > and I almost gave up on the idea, then out all of a sudden we got in touch > with each other. Jay came up from San Diego and trailered his 67 GT500 and > in exchange I got him a behind the scenes tour of Edwards Air Force Base. > That act of bringing the car up and taking the time to talk me through a > buildup kicked off an outrageous 3-1/2 year, over the top buildup. I am > now fortunate to have a car that which was 20 yrs in making and it's an > incredible pleasure to drive. > > Thanks for taking the time to share this with me ... > > Jeff > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Cundiff" <DRCundiff@netscape.net> > To: <campaul1@xtra.co.nz> > Cc: "Musclecars001" <musclecars001@yahoo.com>; > <Shelbymustang@carmemories.com> > Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 7:50 AM > Subject: Re: My First Reaction to a Shelby > > >> >> >> My love for cars emanated from living overseas...Jamaica to be exact. I >> longed for anything that smelled or reminded me of home. So, as a late >> grammar school lad, I was allowed to subscribe to just about every car >> magazine published to foster my reading. >> >> This was in the late 60's so I can recall seeing the Shelby ads for the >> 69 cars and Shelby looked pretty cool leaning against the front fenders. >> Those ads really caught my attention. But, I really wanted a Boss 302. >> >> Fast forward to 1971 and we had moved home to the SF bay area and I spent >> a lot of time with my oldest brother in Berkeley where he attended UC >> Berkeley. Berkeley is not quite the car town that LA is but it is close. >> I can recall my first trip to visit my brother I laid dyes on Boss 429, >> 1971 911S, and Ferrari..all before lunch! We actually moved to a small >> town called Orinda ...and Orinda has some great car collectors but they >> are not the showy type of folks. They keep to themselves. I know, what >> about Shelby's. To date I don't think I had seen one, but I had read >> every printed word. I was ready to spew facts and figures at the first >> sight of one. >> >> Now I am in college and I meet up with a potential study buddy after to >> school to exchange notes. Brian Dumas is his name. After studying, we >> exchange comments on cars and he says he has a Shelby! Yeah right! But, >> as we walk out to the parking lot....he walks up to a Gremlin! Oh, he >> does not drive the Shelby to school.He promises me a ride the next >> day....I am convinced he is dreaming. >> >> Next afternoon, there it is. 1967 GT350. Brian had purchased it from the >> original owner. I hear stories of his driving it to S Cal every summer to >> attend something known as SAAC conventions....I think he began going at >> SAAC 3. Better yet, after he had bought the car, it had thrown a bearing >> and he had the engine rebuilt by none other than Morgans Machine shop in >> Walnut Creek. Morgans was the preeminent sped shop in NorCal at that time >> with at least 10 hydro world records to their credit or ownership. They >> raced "Morgans flying machine" >> >> Oh, the ride. I owned a nice respectable 911 that produced about 200HP >> from a modified 6 with 2 triple draft webers. I worked more than >> several jobs during the summers so I could drive my choice of car...so >> the car ran like most 1970 era Porsches ...nice acceleration ( not >> great), great breaks and cornering. I am not used to slow cars but I am >> not all that wordly yet....I still am not! So, Brian has me jump in the >> acapulco blue ( repainted) 1967, and gives me the ride of a life time. I >> can just recall that I had not had a ride in a car that had such a flat >> power band. It ran all the way up until he shifted.. And to boot....the >> darn car really chirped the tires in 2nd gear. That never happened in a >> Porsche! Not one flat spot in the power curve. Very cool. >> >> So we became life long friends. he is my longest term friend and >> introduced me to some fun Shelby's through his friends and contacts. I >> did not buy one until much later with Pete Geislers help. We still talk >> every week, mostly about families but we never miss a nice car >> conversation. >> >> If anyone is going to be at Shelby Vegas. Look for me. I'll have our >> sapphire blue 66 there..number 66. And, the best part, is that Brian will >> be there to reminisce a little bit. >> >>> >
