correct tires for a 1966 gt350 #1761?

They were painted in the picture and as I pointed out in my earlier post the later ones used on the 12 converts that Shelby had commissioned in 1980 also had the painted back ground. I have some original glossy photos that came out of a press kit that have higher resolution and you can tell that it is black instead of shaded. The vast majority did not have paint. I have seen some early examples in the past that lead me to hypothesize that at least a limited amount of the black painted made it into production for a very short period of time early in the production year. The few black background wheels that I feel made it into production would be the exception not the rule.

 

Thanks Bob for the update. The only photo I could find of Carroll with the 66 was a small one and it appeared as though it may be the same as the one I took of the car at SAAC 31. I know there were early cars that were painted but this one looked suspicious. The car pictured with Carroll has the center caps that look the same as the Hertz car pictured below.



I don't believe these were used as production
If the car is 001 I noticed it has the CS cragar cap adapted to them

 

Looks like the PR shots with the "Hertz" car has the COBRA head center caps. Not unusual to find PR pictures with non-production details in them

 

A lot of the reproduction 10 spokes were black but it is rare to see original ones that were, although it is no trouble to paint them. Those original pictures do prove that there were some for sure, and check out the tires in the Hertz photo that sure does not look like blue streaks.

 

Also notice there is no antenna on the Hertz car - radio delete?

 

Those 10 spokes on the Hertz car appear to be 15 inch insted of 14. Anyone notice the same ? There again PR pictures with non-production details. There is another photo with blue dots and cragar wheels and the antenna

 

This pic of 1757 was taken in January 1972 by the third owner and shows the original 10-spokes painted. I can't prove they were that way from Shelby American but none of the previous owners recalls painting them.

The center cap background is also natural, I've seen original photos where the background is natural or black.

PS, concerning the tires there is a nice original Blue Streak on ebay right now. It has the groove but can't tell if it was ever blue inside or not.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190187012815

 

Neat photo of your car in the snow. I guess with Global warming you won't have to drive it in snow anymore.

 

Well at least one set

Since (like the other picture) was likely not a Hertz car but a regular street car painted up to look like one for PR purposes odd ball stuff might be expected. Agree it appears that the tires are not blue streaks. This might support that this was something just done for the promo/pr car (easier to just swap out the wheels and caps with some tires thrown on than dismount and mount the regular tires) . Maybe at this point in the period Ford was thinking/pitching the 10 spokes on the Hertz (with a different finish to the rims - black detail) or they were painted to make the spokes stand out more in the pictures.

These PR and magazine shots can make us spend allot of times guessing

 

72 and three owners!!!! Sounds like some of my cars. First road in 6S1203 (my wife's current car) in 72 and there were so many things little things changed at that point, but I remember us buying new cars during that ear and as soon as they got home off came exhaust, wheels, some even went to the painters the same day.

As far as PO stories ........well we all know how far we can trust them. But thanks for the picture too bad we never thought about taking more at the time Too busy racing and abusing them.

Think the same seller (or one from the general area) had one with bead damage for sale a month or so ago. This one looks like the groove is there and its been painted black.... or the blue wore off.


Wonder what the date on the tire is

 

S1765 was restored by me for my best friend, between 1986 and 1989. He purchased the car from the original owner. The inserts on the 10 spokes were not painted black or gray. No evidence of any paint. When he sold the car in 1990, the Blue Streak spare went to another '66 owner. Joe.

 

Thanks. I still remember the snowfall that year. I was a sophomore in HS and IIRC when all was said and done we had more than a foot, closer to two feet in the burbs. Very unusual for Seattle. So unusual in fact, I decided to toss the chains after I bought it.

 

Yeah, the second owner only had the car for about a year. It was their daily driver and they had to sell because his wife was pregnant and could no longer fit behind the steering wheel. I believe they traded it for a station wagon or something. He is still very active in vintage racing and I usually see him when he gets up to the PNW for a race. Still blames his wife for having to sell the car. I thanked her!

 

FWIW, just heard back from Kelsey about the new repop Blue Streaks. Here's what he had to say and a pic:

 

Will the blue be under the elevated bar if a person wanted to have it shaved out? Just Curious.

 

That would be a question best asked to John Kelsey at Kelsey tire.