Need to find my baby! I sold her years ago and wonder what became of her. I was a in HS when I had to have my own car. I wanted a WELL used 66 GTO. I begged my Father to test drive it with me (also needed a $1000 to buy it). We drove it. Even I who wanted the GTO had to come to the conclusion that it was BEAT! I was very disappointed when we drove off the Rambler (American Motors) lot. My Dad turned to me and suggested a "nice" Mustang. I was pumped for a GTO and was not impressed with a Mustang. I agreed to look. We drove to the nearest Ford Dealer. Jim Aikey Ford in Des Plaines IL. Jim Aikey was also a Shelby Dealer. He always had new and used Shelby Mustangs. My Dad and I walked all over the lot with a salesman and discovered nothing in my $1000 price range was available. The Dealer was about to close and as we were headed for the car to leave the Salesman pointed to two 66 Shelby Mustangs and said " if you were to buy either of these cars for $2400 you will never lose a dime" (this is 1969). We drove home. My Dad sensed my disappointment. At home he asked me "what about one of those Shelby's" I could not believe my ears. I of course said "OK". We went back the next day and bought the "white one" #6S269. I now needed to pay for it. I took a job delivering Pizza in it. For a year after school I drove it with a propane pizza oven in the back delivering pizza for Jakes pizza in Mt. Prospect IL. I bought the car with 18000 miles I had 38000 when I retired it from pizza duty. I had a blown head gasket so I picked up a beater to drive while I worked on the Shelby. The Shelby was never all the way back together for years afterwords. I had the engine in and out. I eventually bought a spare Trans Am Boss 302 engine to install in place of the 289. I never did Finnish that project. I had a 1972 De Tomaso Pantera, a 1970 454 Corvette, and a Fiat Sport Spider. I was in the process of a Divorce and somethings had to go. The Shelby I sold for $4500 with both engines and I gave the Corvette to the EX. I will never forget watching the Shelby go on the trailer and disappearing down the block. I would really like to know what ever became of her.
The 1997 registry says: White, shipped to University Ford sales, Champaign IL.11/19/65, Purchased by original owner Jerry Becker (Danville IL) Purchased by Athony Porte jr Monee Il, There is a new registry in the making. If you have something to add to this, send it in....NOW!
Thanks for the info. I must have been the second owner. Mr. Porte is the gentleman I sold the car too. I forgot his name until you posted it. I'm new to this forum and not sure how to use or add information other than a regular post. Where were you able to find the info on this car? Where would I post additional info? Where is the registry you write of? I believe several years ago I added info about this car on the Shelby registry. I did not see Mr. Porte's name listed then, or the current owner or the condition of the car. Thanks again for your timely help!
The Shelby American Automobile Club - "SAAC" has be around since the middle 1970's. They have printed 3 registries, 1983(?), 1987, and the last one was in 1997. The 1997 one is, right now, the most accurate one due to more cars and more information gathered about the cars and how, who, where they were made. The registries have become so large they split out the Gt 40's, and Cobra's last year and have printed that one. They are working on the car one now. There is a "SAAC" web site. Google it, go there and be amazed. That web site is roughtly one year, maybe one and a half years old. Saac by their own admission was a little slow imbracing the internet. You'll want to find the email address to the 66 Registrar. And forward any history you have. It's OK to tell them you raced it, and the times turned, wrecked it, got out of a ticket, where it sat, how you bought it (your story along was interesting) ....anything. Some of the listed history is pretty interesting - per car.
Thanks again for your help. That website is NOT easy to work with. I did find the 66 registrar. Had you not told me EXACTLY what to look for I would have given up or NEVER have found it to begin with.
